Masks are optional for theatergoers who will be attending Broadway shows in July.
The Broadway League on Tuesday announced a “mask election” policy that opens an industry term that runs from July 2021. This term expires after June 30.
While masks aren’t mandatory, the Broadway League still encourages the public to wear them.
“Millions of people have enjoyed the unique magic of Broadway watching 75I Tony Award ceremony recently. Millions of people have experienced live Broadway theaters in New York and the US since we reopened last fall. We look forward to welcoming more passionate fans to Broadway in this exciting 22-23 season that is just beginning,” said Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League.
August and future mask protocols will be evaluated monthly.
Broadway was one of the last industries left with a mask mandate, and it was one of the first to impose it.
The term was suspended as Broadway weathered the waves of COVID-19, several performances canceled in the fall, winter, and even more recently because several cast members tested positive for the virus. There were no public reports in the theater of spectators infected with COVID-19, although the masks acted as a protective layer between the spectators and the masked but often experienced actors.
Still, this is a policy that many in the industry have complained about, perhaps keeping moviegoers away from the theater at a time when the industry is trying to recover. Actors’ Equity declined to comment on the mask’s end of term.
A vaccination mandate for audience members, which was also introduced in July 2021, was Raised the maximum of Broadway Cinemas will start from May 1.
The decision comes about a week after the Tone of the Masks awards ceremony, where Referees and other audiences Orchestra members, or most television stations, were not required to wear masks. Members of this audience must pass a negative PCR test, while those in higher departments must still wear masks. The day after the Tony Awards, nominee Hugh Jackman, who also walked out during the ceremony, announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
New York is in the process of coming out of its latest wave of COVID-19. On Tuesday, New York lowered its surveillance level to average, which includes recommending that all New Yorkers wear a mask in any public and indoor location.
Since taking office in January, Mayor Eric Adams has removed many of the city’s masked mandates, including from public schools. On June 13, Adams also made masks at will. For 2-4 year olds at school or other organized environment.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
