WASHINGTON THERE.

>> AS THE CHICAGO ARTS COMMUNITY

SAYS GOOD-BYE TO SHOWS FOR THE

SPRING SEASON, MANY ARE LEFT

WONDERING WHEN THE NEXT SHOW

ALSO RESUME.

OUR ANGEL IDOWU VISITED WITH A

FEW OF THE COMPANIES LATE LAST

WEEK BEFORE THE STATE'S FULL

STAY-AT-HOME ORDER WAS ISSUED TO

GET A BETTER IDEA WHAT THE NEXT

STEPS ARE IN THE MIDST OF THE

UNCERTAINTY.

[♪♪♪]

>> AFTER BEING FORCED TO CLOSE

THEIR PRODUCTION, THE HEALING,

ONE WEEK AFTER IT OPENED, JACKIE

TAYLOR WITH THE BLACKEN SEMBLE

THEATRE SAYS WORKING FROM HOME

IS NOT AN OPTION.

>> I STILL HAVE BILLS.

I STILL HAVE MORTGAGES.

I STILL HAVE AN OPERATION THAT I

HAVE TO KEEP UP.

I JUST CAN'T LET IT --

I CAN'T CLOSE IT UP AND SAY

WE'RE CAMPING FOR SIX MONTHS.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE

DONE DAILY.

I HAVE TO HAVE SECURITY.

I MEAN WE HAVE A 55,000

SQUARE-FOOT FACILITY.

BLACKEN SEMBLE CULTURAL CENTER.

>> WITH 50% OF THE BUDGET GONE

TAYLOR IS RELYING ON FUNDING.

>> YOU ARE DEPENDENT ON TICKET

SALES AND DEPENDENT ON FUNDING.

WHEN YOUR TICKET SALES ARE

NONEXISTENT THEN YOU HAVE TO

INCREASE YOUR FUNDRAISING.

>> DEB CLAPP WITH THE LEAGUE OF

CHICAGO THEATERS AGREES AND SAYS

THE PERFORMING ARTS COMMUNITY

PLAYS A BIGGER ROLE THAN PEOPLE

REALIZE.

>> IF YOU REMEMBER AFTER 9/11,

PEOPLE FLOCKED TO THE PERFORMING

ARTS BECAUSE THEY NEEDED THAT

SOLIS THAT COMES IN BEING

TOGETHER WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE

AND EXPERIENCING SOMETHING

BEAUTIFUL ALTOGETHER.

>> DOWNTOWN AT THE JOFFREY

BALLET THE DANCE COMPANY WAS

FORCED TO CLOSE BUT NOT BEFORE

THEY ENDED THEIR RUN OF THE

TIMES ARE RACING.

AND WHILE THEY HOPE THEY ARE

ABLE TO MOVE THE POSTPONED SHOW

TO THE END OF THE YEAR ONE OF

THE MORE IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES IS

HELPING DANCERS STAY IN SHAPE.

>> WE HAVE BEEN GIVING OUT LOTS

OF EXERCISE BALLS AND BANDS AND

YOU KNOW FOR THEM TO KEEP

THEMSELVES IN SHAPE.

AND THE THING FOR ANY ATHLETE IS

IF YOU START TO LOSE TWO WEEKS

OF EXERCISE LIKE FULL ON

EXERCISE IT TAKES TWICE THAT

LONG TO GET BACK.

YOUR BODY JUST IS NOT AT A PEAK

LEVEL.

THEY ARE REHEARSING SIX HOURS A

DAY.

AND TRAINING AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF

BEFORE THAT.

>> AT THE LYRIC OPERA THEY WERE

FORCED TO POSTPONE THE RING

CYCLE WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO

PREMIER IN APRIL.

A PRODUCTION NEARLY 10 YEARS IN

THE MAKING, THE OPERA COMPANY

EXPECTED THE SHOW TO PUT UP BIG

NUMBERS.

>> WE'RE ESTIMATING THE DIRECT

LOSSES BEING BETWEEN 15-20

MILLION.

AND GIVEN HOW WE CANNOT PREDICT

EVEN FROM DAY-TO-DAY WHAT IS

GOING TO HAPPEN, IT'S LIKELY, I

THINK, THAT THERE WILL BE MORE

CANCELLATIONS AND THEREFORE MORE

LOSSES AND MORE INEVITABLE

CUTBACKS.

>> DESPITE THE LOSS, THE LYRIC

REMAINS HOPEFUL THAT THE

UNPREDICTED SEASON WILL PASS.

>> CHICAGO WILL GET THROUGH

THIS.

THE ARTS WILL GET THROUGH THIS.

LYRIC WILL GET THROUGH THIS.

WE WILL BE BACK STRONGER AND

BETTER THAN EVER.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M

ANGEL IDOWU.

>> AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT

ANGEL HAD WAS LATE LAST WEEK

BEFORE THE STATE ISSUED THE