Posted: 12/30/20 at 11:31am
Posted: 12/30/20 at 12:37pm
Posted: 12/30/20 at 12:40pm
Davenport has the worst takes in this article...
"I think the locals will come out first, and the locals that only went to the theater once a year might go twice or three times, like, “God, I’ve been taking New York City for granted.” Hopefully they’ll come enough to make up for the lack of tourists we may have in the first six months."
Most of the locals who only see a show once a year are more likely the group to be hurting the most financially and won't be spending money on numerous shows.
All the big arenas for sports in our area aren't letting fans in for the NHL or NBA anytime soon and I think that will be a real test of how things are going to go with Broadway. If there are issues with 6k people in a 18k arena we won't be seeing people on top of one another in a cramped Broadway theatre. The biggest issue is going to be which shows can really survive doing 25-75% capacity.
Personally I have no issues wearing a mask to the grocery store or a public place I have to go to but I'm not spending money to wear a mask on something I don't need to attend no matter how much I enjoy Broadway shows. Even more so if the theatres somehow open close to full capacity.
It's all going to be interesting to see how this plays out but I simply don't see myself attending a show in 2021 which I am disappointed about since I generally try to see every show that opens but I'd rather protect my health and my families health over attending something that in the end is just entertainment.
Broadway really needs the vast majority of the country and really the world to get the vaccine before they can get back running at 100% but will they look into making people proove that they have taken the vaccine before they can enter the theatre? That's something St. Martin brought up but it's going to be something that would end up keeping a a good amount of people away when it comes to people not all having access to it right away, others waiting on the vaccine for awhile and others who won't take it at all.
Updated On: 12/30/20 at 12:40 PM
Posted: 12/30/20 at 12:58pm
Great article, thanks OP. I think we've known for awhile it will be a staggered kind of thing, but what remains to be seen is what the prices will be. On one hand, people will be very hungry to see shows again. On the other, people have lost a lot of money and lingering health concerns will remain for a long time. Either tickets will be reasonable at the beginning or for the 1%, I don't think they'll be any in between.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 1:26pm
I'm still looking for those 2028 posts... Like I've been saying since April, Fall '21 Broadway will start to look like Broadway again.
Re proof of vaccines, not gonna happen. If you are vaccinated you don't need a mask. If some fool wants to come unvaccinated, that's a public health issue, but not a personal health one. And FOH (actually, everyone working at the theatre) will have to be vaccinated. No brainer.
Re who can afford, it's not just the 1% who were buying tickets to Broadway before and won't be after. That's only about high demand shows, and we are not going to see a lot of those anytime soon. I think the idea that we will have 6-8 shows in the fall seems reasonable with maybe some holiday add-ons.
Updated On: 12/30/20 at 01:26 PM
Posted: 12/30/20 at 2:41pm
Good article. It would be nice though, to hear more from those representing off-Broadway. Will they be included in the celebrations when theater comes back? I suspect they are hurting just as much as Broadway. I have also heard from people that they think off-Broadway could possibly come back first.
I do think they may want proof of tests or vaccination for patrons. You do get a card when you are vaccinated and I have a feeling for a while it may possibly be required that you have one when purchasing tickets and have to show it upon arrival at the theater.
As far as masks are concerned, it has been said that even after vaccinations start for the general public they will probably still require masks be worn since even after being vaccinated you can spread the virus. That's going to be fun for FOH with people wanting to take their masks off once inside of a theater because "they have been vaccinated".
Posted: 12/30/20 at 3:57pm
It's all speculation what Governor Cuomo may say in 2021. Right now, there's a new variant of COVID that's much easier to catch. We don't know if vaccines will work on it. We think vaccines will make a person's illness less severe, but we don't know if it will prevent transmission. How long will the vaccine's protection last? Are there long-term effects? Can we force vaccination, per the Americans with Disabilities Act? Ticketmaster had to back down after it said it'd require vaccination of concert patrons after a huge uproar. Are there enough people willing to bring their families to fill a Broadway house and make it profitable to reopen? Will actors/patrons feel safe being on a train that may be crowded? Let's hope things get better soon, but we just don't know if this pandemic will continue several more years.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 4:20pm
Theater3232 said: "It's all speculation what Governor Cuomo may say in 2021. Right now, there's a new variant of COVID that's much easier to catch. We don't know if vaccines will work on it. We think vaccines will make a person's illness less severe, but we don't know if it will prevent transmission. How long will the vaccine's protection last? Are there long-term effects? Can we force vaccination, per the Americans with Disabilities Act? Ticketmaster had to back down after it said it'd require vaccination of concert patrons after a huge uproar. Are there enough people willing to bring their families to fill a Broadway house and make it profitable to reopen? Will actors/patrons feel safe being on a train that may be crowded? Let's hope things get better soon, but we just don't know if this pandemic will continue several more years."
The last I heard is that the new variant spreads faster but is not more lethal. They also said that at this point the vaccine does cover it.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 4:29pm
^Correct, it has been tested and it works.
In terms of anti maskers bringing in fake medical cards saying they are exempt from having to wear one? Trumpers protesting about their "human rights"? Broadway will open when masks are no longer required or have a mandate, making it a non issue.
Updated On: 12/30/20 at 04:29 PM
Posted: 12/30/20 at 4:59pm
Sutton Ross said: "Broadway will open when masks are no longer required or have a mandate, making it a non issue."
^^And that's correct. People are not going to fill Broadway theatres when there are mask mandates and if they are not, then producers are not going to produce. (And distancing is, as rehearsed, a non-starter.)
Today Cuomo announced a pilot program at the Bill's playoff game wherein a limited number of people will attend, with rapid testing and tracing. The hope is that this can serve as a template for reopening the economy but it should be noted that this will be (a) outdoors, (b) masked, and (c) distanced. Once we have decent vaccine penetration, I assume that will factor into (and enhance) this but it also underscores where we are. Incidentally, he also stated that the vaccine timeline for herd immunity in 6 months from now at the shortest, 12 at the longest. Still, I expect (as I said above) that we will see things open prior to herd immunity when there are enough vaccinated people to constitute a critical mass for theatre purposes, which is not the same as herd immunity for epidemiology purposes.
A few more things: (1) All of these worst case scenarios will prove themselves out one way or the other. (Many are already debunked.) (2) The radical Trumpies do not attend the theatre. (3) We may or may not be able to force vaccinations of the general public, but there is no question that employers can and so can licensees and contract partners so a lot of this will be moot if there is a fringe that remains steadfastly anti-vax. (4) Once masks are not mandated, some (maybe many) people will continue to wear them anyway. One of the great revelations of Covid has been that we are getting less sick with other things because we are masked and sanitized etc.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 5:09pm
Posted: 12/30/20 at 5:18pm
Jordan Catalano said: "I will say that I will 100% continue to wear a mask during cold/flu season when I’m out. Not getting sick for the first time in my whole life has been fantastic and I’d like to keep that going...."
THIS, and also masks keep my face warm throughout the fall and winter. I wonder why it took a pandemic to mask up this season, because NYC winters can get extremely frigid.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 6:36pm
Sutton Ross said: "^Correct, it has been tested and it works.
In terms of anti maskers bringing in fake medical cards saying they are exempt from having to wear one? Trumpers protesting about their "human rights"? Broadway will open when masks are no longer required or have a mandate, making it a non issue. "
I think masks will be around for at least another year or more. I think theaters will open when enough people are vaccinated. I still think they may require proof of vaccination (The card) or negative test proof. They can, if they want, require that you have a card when you buy tickets either online or in person and require you show the card when you arrive at the theater. Or a digital card like they are doing for travel now. Getting people to wear masks inside will be the problem. Especially after curtains go up. Just my random thoughts.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 7:25pm
Jordan Levinson said: "Jordan Catalano said: "I will say that I will 100% continue to wear a mask during cold/flu season when I’m out. Not getting sick for the first time in my whole life has been fantastic and I’d like to keep that going...."
THIS, and also masks keep my face warm throughout the fall and winter. I wonder why it took a pandemic to mask upthis season, because NYCwinters can get extremely frigid"
I also thought it was remarkable that people never thought of wearing masks during winter...
Thanks for bringing that out.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 7:29pm
I think masks will be around for at least another year or more. I think theaters will open when enough people are vaccinated. I still think they may require proof of vaccination (The card) or negative test proof. They can, if they want, require that you have a card when you buy tickets either online or in person and require you show the card when you arrive at the theater. Or a digital card like they are doing for travel now. Getting people to wear masks inside will be the problem. Especially after curtains go up. Just my random thoughts.
I sincerely doubt that one will have to show proof of a vaccination and the only people wearing masks will be people concerned about their health, it will not be required. They cannot legislate any of that effectively. Theater is the last to open when this whole thing is over. It will be awhile.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 7:44pm
I totally agree about wearing masks henceforth. Masks for cold weather I understand but the mirror image is that it can get hot under their in August. I do think we will wear masks seasonally, and I also think many will only do it when they are in a sketchy situation (e.g., subway).
I agree we will not be walking around showing proof of vaccine, and I think we do need to distinguish mandatory and voluntary. I am not sure theatre will be last in general. I think we will see the high flying Broadway shows (like Music Man) and I also think we will see off and off-off. I think the trailing thing to reopen without distancing will be indoor dining and bars, because you can't do those with masks.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 7:54pm
I do think we'll see a small handful of shows reopen in the summer. I still think the first will be the smaller, less expensive to run shows(Six, Come From Away, Company, Chicago). Then maybe Hamilton, Lion King & Wicked. Hopefully by the holidays next year, all shows will be back running (some may reopen and close within a few months, too). I do wonder if certain off-Broadway shows may actually be the first ones to re-open?
Posted: 12/30/20 at 8:42pm
ACL2006 said: "I do think we'll see a small handful of shows reopen in the summer. I still think the first will be the smaller, less expensive to run shows(Six, Come From Away, Company, Chicago). Then maybe Hamilton, Lion King & Wicked. Hopefully by the holidays next year, all shows will be back running (some may reopen and close within a few months, too). I do wonder if certain off-Broadway shows may actually be the first ones to re-open?"
I don't see the path to summer reopenings at all, and when things do reopen I think they will be few in number and include none of the ones dependent on tourists (which is most of the ones you mention). Less expensive is fine but it is a two headed coin, and revenue rather than cost is the driver. All shows will never be back running. It will be several years before we have anything like a full complement of shows and as we inch back the more likely scenario is that we will see new product because that's more likely to pull in locals.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 8:43pm
Sutton Ross said: "I think masks will be around for at least another year or more. I think theaters will open when enough people are vaccinated. I still think they mayrequire proof of vaccination (The card) or negative test proof. They can, if they want, require that you have a card when you buy tickets either online or in person and require you show the card when you arrive at the theater. Or a digital card like they are doing for travel now. Getting people to wear masks inside will be the problem. Especially after curtains go up. Just my random thoughts.
I sincerely doubt that one will have to show proof of a vaccination and the only people wearing masks will be people concerned about their health, it will not be required. They cannot legislate any of thateffectively. Theater is the last to open when this whole thing is over. It will be awhile."
Not sure legislation would be needed. If it is private property or owned, I think they could request the proof if they wanted. Spoke to a few friends in the business about that and they seemed to agree. But with this, who knows.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 9:10pm
Posted: 12/30/20 at 9:25pm
Im simply saying they won't need to request it, no masks will be required.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 10:00pm
Jordan Catalano said: "Of course they can request it. It’s a private business. Back when I worked at Blockbuster Video you had to show ID to rent and people got pissed saying that was illegal. It wasn’t."
Exactly.
Posted: 12/30/20 at 11:21pm
Posted: 12/31/20 at 1:10am
blaxx said: "Masks will definitely be mandatory upon reopening, especially if they are looking at a summer/ fall reopening."
Agreed, and I really hope some musicians keep performing with masks after they are no longer mandated. The pros are already incredible as they are, but with masks on, I think they look like total badasses. The downsized band of the Jagged Little Pill concert livestream and the Ladies in Waiting of the briefly-reopened West End production of Six have firsthand experience in this phenomenon.
Posted: 12/31/20 at 1:33am
blaxx said: "Masks will definitely be mandatory upon reopening, especially if they are looking at a summer/ fall reopening."
So long as masks are mandatory it is preposterous to think there will be a Broadway reopening. Even if it were allowed by the state, they would never get enough bodies in the theatre to make it viable.
