Governments across the US are closing down concert venues, cinemas and theaters because of coronavirus. However, many people in the industries are looking for new ways to continue their work.

Several fundraising efforts have been launched to help keep theaters and theater workers operating during the closures. Owners of theaters are coming up with new ideas on how to keep people engaged and how to work online. Despite the fear and uncertainty, it is an opportunity to innovate the industry. Some improv shows and comedy venues perform remotely, and they livestream to audiences. In some cases, they sell more tickets than the physical theater can allow.

Communication professor, Dustin York, said that there are opportunities for small businesses too. For example, yoga instructors can do online classes for free, and once they attract enough customers who like them, then it could become an actual business.

Difficult words: venue (the place where an event happens), improv show (a form of live theater in which the plot and dialogues are made up in the moment), livestream (to broadcast a live event over the Internet).