The show sort of goes on: How pandemic changed performing in 2020

Music halls have been closed since March. Broadway is shuttered. Comedy clubs empty. Live studio audiences mostly sent home. Cinemas with only “Wash your hands” on the marquee. The entertainment world has trudged on, by live-streaming, zooming and improvising. But its in-person soul was nearly snuffed out, and with it a lifeblood of human connection.

The pandemic has upended entertainment industries, driving thousands out of work, reshaping time-tested institutions and accelerating digital transformations. For the arts, which are predicated on bringing people closer together if only for a song or a few acts, a year of isolation and social distancing goes against nature. Yet despite gathering being nearly impossible in 2020, many have found ways to connect nevertheless — even if applause is on mute, and standing ovations are sounded by car honks.

The show isn’t the same, but it goes on. Here’s a look at how the coronavirus pandemic changed performing in 2020.

The year entertainment went off-script

See 30 photos that capture how entertainment shifted in new and creative ways during a year with no real script. What will you remember?