As much of the theatre world moves online under the pandemic, we would like to lead an investigation into how we can offer a safe space for communal gathering and maintain the essential quality of immediate liveness in our storytelling.  The Pandemic Theatre Project is a twelve week journey in which we use the rehearsal room as a laboratory.  First, we will work together to define what our new form needs to be.  What is the safety protocol?  How do our fears and anxieties inform a social gathering?  How do we both perform as players and offer a space as curators in this environment? Then, we will research old forms for inspiration and begin to propose experiments.  What can Commedia inform us about masks?  What can Kabuki inspire in relation to space?  This must include a conversation around inspiration versus appropriation.  Finally, when ready and if able, we will test our results with an invited audience.  This is not meant to be a full production, nor a culminating event. These will be more like check ins placed throughout the process.  When we have something to test, we will invite feedback and then go back into the laboratory.  Our Laboratory Ensemble is composed of a spectrum of theatre skills and diverse in gender, race, and background to create a piece with many different ways and ideas for working under pandemic restrictions.