Live entertainment in Peterborough is slowly emerging from the shadows of COVID-19 but just wait for that crescendo.

“Artists, venue staff, and everyone involved are more than ready to get back to work and do what many of us have dedicated our lives to doing,” says Chad Hogan, general manager at Peterborough’s Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.

The truth is that those groups have all been in the same boat and have been looking ahead with tentative plans at various times in the event the pandemic was brought under control and it was safe to operate, he says.

“Many of those plans never came to fruition with the extension of restrictions, but it feels different now, it finally feels real.”

The upcoming calendar of events at Market Hall includes a January show of the Mudmen – considered Canada’s ‘Celtic Rock Warriors’. Just down the road at Showplace, local artists Kate Suhr and Meg Murphy are part of a Bette Midler show that takes to the stage Oct. 27 and 28. And at the Memorial Centre, Blue Rodeo will play to a full house Dec. 27.

“Our machine takes some work to fully turn back on, so we are moving as quick as we can to get be ready to open our doors again,” Hogan says. “Logistically, there are still some questions we are seeking clarity on, but we are thrilled to finally be moving towards what we love to do.”

That enthusiasm is shared by a number or artists as well.

Two-time Juno winner Hawksley Workman, who now makes his home in Peterborough, says he was fortunate to play seven shows this past summer, and says he’s eager to back on the road.

“This is my life and work and with two vaccinations I feel totally safe,” the singer-songwriter says. Canada has lagged a little behind the U.S., where some artists head down to tour in recent months.

“As far as why there haven’t been many shows announced (north of the border), tours and live shows take a lot of different levels to sign off,” he says. “Artist, agent and the presenter/venue… For my team, we were waiting for the province to make a definitive set of rules for venue capacity. I think with so many shows getting booked, then cancelled, then re-booked, then cancelled again, many were just biding their time for things to become absolute.

“I know there are some musicians who may be feeling apprehensive about being in rooms with people. I’m absolutely ready to get back at it and I’ve got shows booked in seated venues for this December that have been selling very well, and a full western Canadian tour in Spring 2022.”

After two years, he says he’s looking forward to getting back to normal.   

Over at Market Hall, Hogan says he never really stopped hearing from artists or agents.

“We will only truly know once we get going, but I know there is definitely a large contingent of music fans that have reached out over the last 19 months craving live music again. We take safety extremely seriously and I sincerely believe we will be able to offer a safe experience for patrons. We intend to open our doors and stay open so we can all enjoy the magic of live performance again.”

But that doesn’t mean there is still a lot of apprehension out there, even if the province has lifted capacity limits.

Peterborough Theatre Guild president Marion Griffin says they recently decided to postpone an upcoming production of Annie mostly because there is still some discomfort with full crowds at shows.

“We have been trying to put Annie on since May, 2019, but, of course you know, the pandemic and restrictions have interfered,” she says.

“We have been working closely with Showplace, our venue for Annie. Perhaps we are being overly cautious, but we still feel that the health and safety of our cast, crew, and patrons is of utmost importance, so we chose to maintain the six-feet physical distancing.”

She says trying to slot members with tickets into the theatre allowed for approximately a 20 to 30 per cent audience. “This proved to be extremely small and would, in the end, allow for very few tickets available to the public for sale, if any.”

She says their cast is composed of adults and quite young children, and although all but the youngest have been vaccinated, it was becoming a concern among the cast and crew.

“By postponing until February, if we are able to get the rights, we are hoping that restrictions would continue to allow for larger audiences, and people might feel more comfortable about attending… We cannot afford to start up, only to be shut down again.”