Broadway’s Mask and Vaccination Policy Extended to April 30

The Broadway League announced today that the owners and operators of all 41 Broadway theatres in New York City are extending mask and vaccine requirements through April 30, 2022, along with the Buy With Confidence program which allows for flexible exchanges and refunds.

The theatres will also require full vaccinations for children ages 5 -11 years old for all performances beginning January 29, 2022 in accordance with New York City’s Key to NYC Guidelines.

For more detailed information visit: https://www.broadway.org/info/covid-19-updates/

It's probably gonna be extended at least another year.

adotburr said: "I do like the Buy with Confidence program. I've had several cancelled trips and was able to get full refunds without issue."

Same. It used to be such a pain in the ass to get a refund.

Unlike TodayTix, which basically makes you beg for a refund in the hopes you’ll roll over and accept the voucher they automatically give you.

In London’s Cabaret revival, they required a recent negative covid test so patrons were free to eat/drink and not wear masks.

if Broadway houses also required recent neg covid tests, I can see the argument that patrons should be allowed to not wear masks while inside.

I imagine a booster requirement (every 5 months) wouldn't affect attendance much at smaller nonprofits (that target a Manhattan boosted audience), but given the low boosters in the general population (most people only have 2 shots), it may depress attendance for a general Broadway audience. I hope they enforce the mask mandate 100% of the time (no eating or drinking), as it made me very uncomfortable to see people pulling their masks down to eat/drink.

Updated On: 1/10/22 at 04:22 PM

I am genuinely curious as to why they announce this (specifically the mask part) so far in advance. I’m in no way shape or form against it if it’s necessary, but things could change significantly for the better in the next few months, as people seem to be predicting Omicron will peak in the US over the next few weeks or so and then die down. I wonder why they don’t decide/announce in say, March sometime when they’ll have a better idea of what’s happening in April? Again I’m not against it in principle, it just seems unrealistic to accurately know what will be happening in 3 months, and now they’ve basically locked themselves into a rule that they presumably can’t get out of.

RE testing, highly doubt it. The at-home tests aren’t free and plus it would presumably have to be just on the honor system cause there’s no easy way to report them. For frequent theatre-goers, the cost is really gonna add up. And for the places that do offer free testing they often have very long lines and at least a 24 hour period before you get results. What happens if someone doesn’t find out in time? Unless they can find a way to provide the at home rapid rests for free or very low cost (which I think they should do anyway) I can put a pretty safe bet on the fact that a testing requirement won’t happen.

RE booster, I’d be very surprised if they don’t announce a requirement within the next month or so at the longest. In fact I’m surprised they haven’t announced one already.


At this point I’m most likely not going to be seeing anything on Broadway til summer (hoping to catch a show when I go to NJ for a friend’s wedding), so here’s to keeping fingers crossed that things will be much better then.

I am genuinely curious as to why they announce this (specifically the mask part) so far in advance. I’m in no way shape or form against it if it’s necessary, but things could change significantly for the better in the next few months

Are you serious? How many thousands of times on here have people questioned them shutting down Broadway until April 2020, then June 2020, then September 2020, then January 2021 and on and and on an on. "In a few months it will be better!". It actually never got any better with the exception of 2 whole months this Fall when Broadway was open and healthy.

This pandemic isn't going anywhere and there is already another variant on the horizon. The mask mandate will be extended again for everyone's safety.

Watch Broadway extend mask guidelines through the end of June in 2-3 weeks.

No complaints from me, either!

Bear in mind that, in terms of reliability of information, the official ranking (from bottom) is ushers, concessions, box office, maintenance, musicians, actors, directors, stage hands, company managers, general managers, producers and theatre owners.

Updated On: 3/31/22 at 01:55 PM

EDSOSLO858 said: "We should expect an update regarding COVID protocols from the Broadway League by late tomorrow afternoon, for performances dated May 1 and beyond.

I was speaking with an usher atSIXlast weekend who was adamant that all current restrictions would stay in place and be extended until the end of June. Same usher also made a bold prediction by saying that down the line, mask requirements will eventually last longer than vaccination requirements inside Broadway houses."

You would talk an usher's ear off about covid.

On a more general note, this is one Broadway topic about which I genuinely couldn't care less right now. If they keep the requirements, fine. Not a hassle to me. If they drop the requirements, that's fine too.

Whatever happens, there's bound to be complaining. And I'm looking forward to watching that, because it'll give me something else to listen to besides Will Smith/Chris Rock discourse.

Updated On: 3/31/22 at 02:17 PM

LOLZZZZZ