Broadway will keep the masks indefinitely. Everyone's health and safety has been of the utmost importance throughout the reopening process this season. Also, school mask mandates are continuing in NYS (as of right now), even as 5-17 year olds can continue attending shows. Kids' vaccination rates are incredibly low at the moment.
Optimistically, COVID restrictions in the theatre will be dropped by the end of the 2022-23 season.
Definitely not. It really is unbearable to wear a mask in the summer heat. Don't see it lasting through the summer.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
I don't care if someone next to me has a booster, but I do care if they're coughing/hacking/sneezing without a mask. Even before Covid, I got sick many times from thoughtless patrons who'd come to the theater sick. Masks should remain.
"Optimistically, COVID restrictions in the theatre will be dropped by the end of the 2022-23 season."
Let's not be ridiculous, okay? They will be gone well before this summer. Some people will of course choose to wear them for the rest of their lives ---- but the mandate is coming to an end.
Theater3232 said: "I don't care if someone next to me has a booster, but I do care if they're coughing/hacking/sneezing without a mask. Even before Covid, I got sick many times from thoughtless patrons who'd come to the theater sick. Masks should remain."
Then continue to wear your mask for the rest of your life, and you'll have no problems with the occasional "cougher" sitting next to you.
ElephantLoveMedley said: "I sure hope we lose the mask mandate on Broadway sooner than later. This can't go on forever."
Agreed - a simple piece of layered cotton is just simply unbearable to wear while sitting still for 2.5 hours. I just can’t stand it. How can we keep living like this!!!!
In case anyone can't get past the paywall, this seems like the most relevant passage for Broadway:
"It is unclear if some localities with their own strict mask and vaccination rules might follow Ms. Hochul’s lead and potentially lift their restrictions, too.
In New York City, for example, proof of vaccination is required to dine indoors, attend events at arenas, work out at gyms and go to the movies. That requirement has been in place through a program known as “Key to NYC,” which was implemented through an executive order from the mayor and must be renewed every five days. City officials said Tuesday that the order was being renewed."
It should be noted that The Broadway League extended the current Covid policy till April 30th. My guess, things are going to stay the way they are at least until then.
I fully understand and support anyone who wants to continue wearing a mask. But in order get the tourists back and increase sales, mask requirements will have to disappear.
Considering Broadway a) already announced masks being required through the end of April, if I remember correctly, and b) they have been required since reopening, including when many parts of the state (outside of NYC) did not have mandate, I highly doubt it will make any difference. I'm very much hoping it'll be gone by summer though.
you found your heart but left a part of you behind <3
Jordan Catalano said: "Just to clarify, my statement wondering what this would mean for Broadway didn’t mean starting this week or next month but moving forward, in general."
I’m going to assume that by summer mask and vaccine requirements will be history. I’m thinking back to Provincetown early last June before Delta. I arrived the day all mask requirements were dropped and there were no vaccine requirements to enter any place. It was a surreal wonderful window last summer. Shortly after I left the Delta variant emerged and that’s when the stringent mask and vax requirements started.
I think this summer will be an attempt to move forward with no masks and vaccines no longer being checked. It seems like folks have done all they can do with being triple vaxxed. Those who choose to continue to wear masks are welcome to and I support and respect their decisions. I will probably always wear a mask during travel on planes, trains, buses at this point. Naomi Campbell has been doing it since the 90s and she never gets sick.
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
Sutton Ross said: "Yup. So sick of this sh*t. It's been two years.
Love,
A triple vaxxed American"
We're all sick of this ****. But there are still way too many people dying and it's still too much of a strain on our hospitals to just pretend it's all over.
I think another thing may be going on with the NY State mandate and mandates in other states (and jurisdictions) as well. People are getting tired of all this- I'm not saying whether that's right or wrong, the fact is they are. If court challenges start popping up there is a risk of adverse decisions which may make it hard to re-instate mandates if things get bad again. My state (Delaware) had dropped the mask mandate last summer, brought it back in January for Omicron, and is dropping it Friday. A lot of other states seem to be moving towards dropping the mandates. I wonder if there are "behind the scenes" threats of legal actions to lift the mandates. It may be better to lift them voluntarily by Court Order.
I think the argument is that’s it’s CLOSE to over. And even triple vaxxed, mask wearing liberals like myself are planning to basically go back to a relatively normal life sometime this spring/summer. It will be merely an endemic, and just another virus by that point, like the flu. Personally, I’m just…done, but will keep up the rituals until March or so.
This is the right move and good for business! I live in NYC but am from the south. No masks mandates, no vaxx mandates, and folks ain’t dropping like flies there. It’s time to move on.
Once the vaxx mandates stop being renewed (should happen at the same time tbh) I have a hunch that we’ll see a significant upkeep in theater attendance. Watch. And once people see folks are ok, people will trust again, and I suspect pretty quickly.
This is unpopular, but instead of catering to those who are fearful, it’s time to listen to those who are not. I believe they are secretly the majority, but because this has become such a point of social contention, they play along. We’re going to experience a very very quick shift. I’m excited to see this finally happen! Way overdue imho.