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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 2020)
4 Thursday, October 29, 2020 GO! magazine — A&E in Northeast Oregon ELGIN OPERA HOUSE ‘A Scandal’ in Elgin By Sabrina Thompson EO Media Group ELGIN — The game soon will be afoot at the Elgin Opera House. The performance center at 104 N. Eighth St., Elgin, has figured out how to put on a live stage perfor- mance while following all state and local coronavirus safety guidelines. The stage adaptation of “Sher- lock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohe- mia” will be the first performance at the theater since it closed in March. The show opens Friday, Oct. 30, and will run for two weekends. Grant Turner is portraying the titular character. He also adapted the piece and directed it. In deciding what show would reopen the Opera House, Turner said he felt comfortable putting on this particular play in any format. He said he is happy it will be in front of a live audience. “We have been starting and stop- ping this project for a while, looking at different options ... and ways to put them on safely,” he said. Turner said the biggest hurdle in the production is having to rethink all of the show’s elements — in- cluding costumes, staging and the script — in a way that maintains social distancing and safety for the cast, crew and the audience. On stage, the actors will remain 6 feet apart at all times and will read their lines out to the audience. “When figuring out the particu- lars for the show, I realized the best way would be to do it without Sabrina Thompson/The Observer Michael Cooper (above) rehearses his role as Watson. Cooper and the cast (below) will reopen the Elgin Opera House with a production of “Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia” on Friday, Oct. 30. having the actors move,” Turner said. “Doing so unlocked more things we could do visually and with sound effects.” The audience will be seated in adherence to social distancing mandates and only 50 people will see the show at the same time. In addition to Turner and John- son, the play features Michael Coo- per as Dr. Watson, Liberty O’Dell as the King of Bohemia and Sam Miller as multiple characters. “There is a hunger for theater that needs to be filled,” Turner said, “but we don’t want to just give people anything to fill that hunger. We want to give them something good.” Go to elginoperahouse.com for show times and to buy tickets. LAST CHANCE For Discounted 2020-2021 Season Passes PURCHASE BY OCTOBER 31! ON-LINE: AnthonyLakes.com LA GRANDE: Mountain Works BAKER CITY: Kicks or The Trailhead CONTACTLESS PASS PURCHASE AT ANTHONYLAKES.COM! Upload your photo, sign the waiver, and we’ll mail your pass! AnthonyLakes.com
