The Broadway League announced Friday, July 30, that the owners and operators of all 41 Broadway theatres in New York City will require vaccinations for audience members, as well as performers, backstage crew, and theatre staff, for all performances through October.
Masks will also be required for audiences inside the theatre, except while eating or drinking in designated locations.
Under the policy, guests will need to be fully vaccinated with an FDA or WHO authorized vaccine in order to attend a show and must show proof of vaccination at their time of entry into the theatre with their valid ticket, the league said.
“Fully vaccinated” means the performance date must be at least 14 days after the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or at least 14 days after a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, the league said.
Theatre owners and operators will begin notifying ticket holders for performances through October 31, with reminder messaging planned to ensure awareness of the new policies.
For performances in November and beyond, theatre owners anticipate a review of policies in September and may include a relaxation of certain provisions if the science dictates.
“As vaccination has proven the most effective way to stay healthy and reduce transmission, I’m pleased that the theatre owners have decided to implement these collective safeguards at all our Broadway houses, said Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League. "A uniform policy across all New York City Broadway theatres makes it simple for our audiences and should give even more confidence to our guests about how seriously Broadway is taking audience safety.”
Exemptions include children younger than 12 and people with a medical condition or religious belief that prevents vaccination.
Those attendees will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
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