UNION CITY, TN -- The coronavirus pandemic is delaying and cancelling events across the globe, yet it hasn't stopped the Discovery Park of America's Historical Theater Academy.
This program is designed for students in grades six through twelve and takes place Discovery Park twice a year. The park says students who participate receive instructions in multiple aspects of theatre and historical research then perform their original work.
Discovery Park says rather than cancelling the current class; the planning, research, and writing have been moved online and the performance will be later in the year.
This play is about the Serbian-American engineer and physicist Nikola Tesla and American inventor and businessman Thomas Edison's race to be the inventor of electricity.
The park says it's mission is to inspire children and adults, generally with programs, exhibits, and hands-on experiences, however, the park closed to the public on March 17 because of the threat of COVID-19 to guests and staff.
The museum has also been using their social media to share COVID-19 information with members and other followers.
Usually the Discovery Park education specialists and docents share lessons about the exhibits and activities at the museum and park, but most of that has been moved to daily social media posts of photos of artifacts, videos of staff sharing lessons and frequent blog posts.
While working from home, a task force of Discovery Park's managers and directors are having frequent video meetings to plan for the day the museum and park can reopen to the public.
The park says plastic shields are currently being installed at the ticket counter and in the café. Plus, new policies and procedures will be put into place to make guests able to visit safely when the time comes.
The Historical Theater Academy is made possible in part by a financial gift from Warner Law Firm and Third & Church of Union City and a grant contract with the state of Tennessee.