Despite COVID's impacts on theatre arts, Peel performances are back stronger than ever

The team at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre (MANPAC) recently celebrated a successful season of Mamma Mia! the Musical where they were able to allow a full capacity audience for the first time since restrictions were introduced.

After many months of cancelling interstate and international acts, reducing audience sizes and watching COVID ripple through performers and crew, the team expressed relief at being able to open the doors.

Tony Edwards and Alison Pinder from MANPAC told the Mail COVID's impact was devastating on the Arts, but community support and a tight-knit team helped them pull through the worst.

"The feeling is quite devastating because obviously we put a lot of work into supporting artists and through no fault of their own they're unable to come," Ms Pinder said.

"That means they don't get paid, we don't get paid, our audience don't get to see and experience that entertainment - there's no winners in it."

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On top of acts having to cancel or be rescheduled, the centre experienced a lot of pushback with vaccine mandates and capacity limits from the public.

"We weren't allowing people into the building without showing their vaccine certificates and people were getting very angry.

"There was nothing we could do, it wasn't our decision and it was for the safety of them and everyone else."

"It was kind of coming from all angles people were disappointed that shows they waited a long time for suddenly weren't happening, dates were changing - it was pretty rough," Mr Edwards added.

As for the financial hits, the team was forced to cut down to the bare bones to keep things afloat.

"We don't have as many people working here as we used to, that's for sure," Ms Pinder said.

"We are on a very small staff now, so as far as getting COVID is concerned, our techs for instance, continue to wear masks and are very protective. If they go down the shows won't go on."

Mr Edwards said it was the team at MANPAC and the support they've had that kept them positive during hard times.

"Definitely the impact has been draining but the support of the team has been crucial to getting us through."

The pair added that the support of Mandurah locals had also contributed to the strength of the centre, and now that doors were open they were looking forward to delivering entertainment.

Ms Pinder said that the experience had even made the centre more sustainable, and that the team was able to support even more local acts throughout.

But the team isn't entirely out of the woods, with lingering impacts of COVID such as concerned audience members and performers still being susceptible to catching it.

However, the centre will continue to adapt, with more performances being moved to its larger spaces and the team taking extra health measures.

"We are just so glad to be open to audiences again. The whole atmosphere has changed, people are so happy to be out," Ms Pinder said.

"There are definitely positives even though it has been a horrible few years - people just want to go out and forget about their problems for a while by having a great time and seeing a show," Mr Edwards said.

Carole Dhu, a prominent director in the Mandurah and Murray areas, said she and her casts also felt the impacts of COVID - having to reschedule, pivot and even cancel shows throughout the past two years.

Running a youth theatre company with 29 children, Ms Dhu could only rehearse with 19 people in her rehearsal space with the 4m distance rule.

"When this happens we can't rehearse, so I have to source bigger venues to hire, or cancel classes, which is a financial hit to a small company who relies on the regular fees to fund shows," she said.

Ms Dhu had to shutdown her company Primadonna Productions for four months during the first big lockdown in March of 2020, leading to financial setbacks and disappointed performers.

In Ms Dhu's current youth show, she said almost every single child has had a turn in isolation as a close contact.

"It is so frustrating, but there's nothing you can do - you just have to soldier on and use it as a resilience building exercise for both myself and the kids."

Despite all of the chaos, disappointment and uncertainty of the past few years, Ms Dhu said the Arts was more important than ever.

"Although the importance of the Arts seems to be considered by society at large much less than sport, it is essential as a community builder for all those people who don't do sport - this is their sport," she said.

"The creative outlet for people involved is immeasurable - it is such a 'healthy minds' activity, as you are building something positive, and what it provides for so many in the local community is an affordable, and uplifting experience.

"I don't think anything can ever totally stifle the creative spirit, humans are storytellers, and its wonderful to have something uplifting to focus on when the day to day grind is a little more complex than usual."