The Show Must Go On-For Now: Southwest Florida Theatre Performances On As Scheduled

With relatively few local cases of COVID-19 in Southwest Florida so far, local venues and performing arts organization are taking the attitude the show must go on. They are, however, urging anyone who doesn't feel well or has concerns to stay home and offering to exchange tickets for future dates.

Broadway Palm

Broadway Palm is following recommendations from the CDC and has made significant changes to their dinner theater. The buffet will no longer be self-serve. Gloved attendants will serve the food. Salads will be plated and delivered to the diner's table. Desserts will also be pre-plated. Disposable paper tablecloths and napkins will be used. All handrails, doorknobs, and frequently touched surfaces as well as tables and chairs will be disinfected multiple times per performance. Greeters will be employed to open doors. Hand sanitizers will be available and strongly encouraged. Employees are being urged to stay home if sick and will be sent home if necessary. Broadway Palm will be offering an extremely flexible ticket exchange program free of charge. Call the box office at (239) 278-4422.

The Lab Theater

The Lab Theater has committed to add new sanitizing stations to its already rigorous system of cleaning and disinfecting all public areas before every performance.

Southwest Florida Symphony

The Southwest Florida Symphony holds most of its concerts at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. They have emailed patrons that Mann Hall is taking extra precautionary measures by disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, including doorknobs, handrails, elevator keypads and arm rests throughout the concert hall as well as providing hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes throughout the building, particularly in high traffic areas. For ticket exchanges or to return them for a tax deduction, ontact the symphony box office by phone at (239) 418-1500 or by email to tickets@swflso.org.

Gulf Shore Opera

Gulf Shore Opera has La Boheme scheduled at Mann Hall on March 18 and at Charlotte Performing Arts Center, which has also undertaken stricter sanitation measures, on March 13. They are following the same policy as the symphony regarding ticket exchanges. Call the opera at (239) 529.3925, or email info@gulfshoreopera.org.

All of the organizations will continue to monitor the situation carefully and make any other changes to insure the health and safety of patrons.

Image by Olga Lionart from Pixabay.