Rialto hopefully make last rescheduling due to COVID-19

The Rialto Square Theatre on Monday rescheduled a show due to the COVID-19 pandemic for what the theater hopes to be the last time.

Halestorm, like other shows during the course of the pandemic, was rescheduled for a third time when the Joliet theater moved the rock band’s performance from July 14 to Dec. 8.

The show had originally been scheduled for July 13, 2020, a point early in the pandemic when the Rialto and performers had to begin juggling schedules and guessing when pandemic conditions would clear so shows could return to theaters.

The Rialto has been announcing new shows at a rapid pace in the last few weeks as the pandemic clears and social gathering restrictions have been lifted so the theater can again plan to open and at full capacity.

The Rialto last week announced announced two new shows: country music star Josh Turner on Nov. 20; and “The Life and Music of George Michael” on March 6.

The theater last week also announced that “Miranda Sings’ has been moved from Oct. 23 to June 17, 2022, another in a series of schedule juggling acts that have been done for more than a year.

Executive Director Valerie Divine said the theater expects to move ahead now as scheduled starting with Dwight Yoakam’s appearance on Aug. 22, which was announced on June 4.

“We were confident at that point that we would open,” Devine said Monday.

The Rialto at that point expected Halestorm, while it was still on the schedule for July 14, would have to be moved because of what had been happening on the band’s tour. But the Rialto had not received notice that the July 14 performance was off until now.

“We can’t announce until they tell us to announce,” Devine said.

As has been the case for other rescheduled shows, purchased tickets will be honored on the new date for the Halestorm performance. Refunds also are available through July 21 through Ticketmaster or the Rialto box office depending on the point of purchase.