Carolina Theatre of Durham to temporarily close due to struggles from COVID-19 pandemic

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The coronavirus pandemic claimed another victim, this time a Durham favorite, the Carolina Theatre.

The theatre announced it will be temporarily closing its doors for the remainder of the fiscal year -- from Jan. 1 through June 30.

"Moving forward, the board will evaluate and determine the feasibility of holding any previously scheduled live events, rentals, film screenings, series and festivals on a case-by-case basis, using North Carolina public health guidelines and recommendations as the basis for its decisions," the Carolina Theatre, Inc. said on its website.

During the hiatus, the Carolina Theatre of Durham will be reduced to a bare minimum to "manage communications and fiduciary responsibilities."

"We've made every effort -- very creative, innovative efforts -- to stay open, and I'm proud of our attempts," Board Chairman Bill Brian said. "Our current plan is to conserve our resources so that the theatre can come roaring back when the present public health crisis has passed."

The theatre initially closed its doors on March 13 because of the health and safety crisis and later announced that it would reopen its doors October 9. During its reopening, the theatre was unable to operate at full capacity.

Our newsgathering partners at the News & Observer reported that the Carolina Theatre of Durham has laid off about 90% of its staff.