Welcome to the first episode of NEW Talk, a video series that highlights businesses and organizations that create positive change and celebrates the people that are making that happen.
I'm thrilled that Brett Batterson, President and CEO of the Orpheum Theatre Group and the Halloran Centre for the Performing Arts & Education in Memphis, TN, joined me for my first episode. He played a big part in the early years of my career at the Auditorium Theatre.
COVID-19 has forced many theatres to close completely, or reopen at significantly reduced capacities. The impact of approximately $12.5B in economic losses to date and 100,000 people out of work across the nation has been devastating. Brett talks with me about how he and his team reopened the Orpheum as a socially distanced mini-golf course and where he thinks arts and live entertainment is going post-COVID-19.