The Downtown Cabaret Theater in Bridgeport is preparing to raise the curtain this summer after being closed for over a year due to the pandemic.

The executive director of the theater, Hugh Hallinan, says it will reopen in July with the productions some never ended up seeing in 2020.

The staff has rearranged the theater to allow for more social distancing, and Hallinan says they are looking at one-act plays to avoid an intermission where people gather in groups.

He says a lot of customers have credits for shows that didn't happen last year, which could delay revenue when they reopen. Haillinan is also hoping to secure a federal money from Shuttered Venue Operators Grants.

He says he tried to apply for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant when it became available Friday, but due to technical glitches, it still remains closed to applicants across the country.