Texas Theater Transforms Parking Lot Into a Drive-In, You Can Watch Online Too!

Drive-in theaters in the United States were a thing in the past, peaking in the late 1950s at about 4,000. https://www.driveinmovie.com/ Drive-in theaters were part of many love stories blossoming into lifetime relationships because these outdoor spectacles indeed make for a killer date night.

With movie theaters around the world closed or empty because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, drive-in theaters appear to be having a quick comeback. One particular theater parking lot in Cleburne, Texas which is about 50 miles southwest of Dallas, however, became a drive-in for an actual theater where you can watch a real play or a musical, instead of motion pictures.

READ: How American Lives are Likely to Change After COVID-19

As if history repeated itself, such as when a plague routinely shut down playhouses in the Shakespearean period, the COVID-19 scare has led theaters around the world to rest indefinitely.

According to a recent article, amid coronavirus quarantine restrictions, Plaza Theatre Company transformed its parking lot into a drive-in for some live outdoor performances before it was ordered to start live streaming shows.

The theater performed a free, one-hour show to a packed audience of cars.

"It was time for us to try and figure out some alternatives," JaceSon Barrus, the theater's artistic director, said in an interview. "We wanted to figure out a way to continue to keep our staff paid and remain viable in the public eye."

The unconventional setup was also being broadcasted through the radio, as agreed with the local authorities. According to the director, each performance drew about 100 cars.

"I was like, 'Are people actually going to want to come to a drive-up theater and sit in their car and listen on the radio?' And cars were parked down the block almost an hour before showtime just waiting to come in," said Caitlan, one of the performers.

ALSO READ: How Many Shopping Carts Equals Social Distancing?

But on March 27, the theater said the city's mayor and a Johnson County judge decided to halt the retro-style show, adding they will instead move their performances online with "several live streaming events."

The show must go on, and fans can still witness their performances on the Plaza Theatre Company's YouTube and Facebook pages.

"We've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support," Barrus said. "We're all heartsick and struggling with the challenges we're all facing right now, and to see people pulling for each other and caring about each other has been... gratifying."

As of Saturday, Texas recorded more than 6,100 and 105 deaths as a result of coronavirus infections, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

READ MORE: Sorry, Miss Chiquita Is at Home; Popular Brands Take On Social Distancing

Plaza Theatre Company isn't the only one to transition their plays and musicals online. Fans can watch plays online using the app BroadwayHD, the only service streaming full-length stage plays and musicals to fans across the globe. It was founded by Tony Award-winning producers Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley in 2015.

Through the app, people can also watch performances of regional theaters such as American Contemporary Theatre in San Francisco. You can also stream your favorite musicals such as "Cats" and "The King and I."

Meanwhile, in other parts of the globe such as London, the Globe Theatre is streaming pre-recorded tapings of some of Shakespeare's most famous plays, including "Twelfth Night" and "Merchant of Venice."