Delta Variant and Broadway

[Braniff Forever]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:26am

With the stock market in free fall this morning (the stock market reflects what investors think of the future not the present), and since now Los Angeles County has re-instituted an indoor mask mandate, I wonder what all this holds for the re-opening of Broadway theatre in September? Will live theatre be postponed (I hope not! People will say follow the science! Well, what if the science says dont have large public gatherings (theatre) without masks? Then what? Id be ok sitting in a theatre with a mask (we do it now on airplanes with flights even longer than a Broadway show). But what about the performers performing without a mask? I hope were not going back to where we were a year or a year and a half ago!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:30am

New York State is not a garbage state, we believe in science and did allllll the work required for the past 16 months. Hopefully, we will be fine. "Not vaxxed? You are not welcome here" is most likely what Cuomo will say in one of his press conferences soon. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:32am

I think if ANYTHING, this is going to force every theatre to require proof of vaccination upon entry.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:33am

Which is fine by like 99% of people I'm guessing. 

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:34am

This thought has been torturing my mental health for the past few days, as I indicated in a previous thread. I'm getting sadly very close to cancelling my September flight. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:34am

and that other 1% can go to a monster truck rally or something.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:35am

Hahahahaha. With their F150s covered in Trump 2024 flags. 

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:38am

I really hope you guys are right.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:38am

I can see the Broadway League requiring vaccinated guests only with proof of their vaccination. Masks required once inside the theater also.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:41am

Me too. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:44am

I think the odds of not requiring vax for Broadway shows this year (probably the full season) are close to zero. I think mask mandates are possible but less likely in that context. I also think that these requirements will only have negative implications for the subset of shows that cannot expect a lot of local support. Something I have been saying all along, which is why I expect a lot of the evergreens and other tourist-pitched properties to not make it. Which is why I have said that opening this many shows this fall is stupid. Even with coffers filled with grants. We shall see.

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:46am

I'm 10000000% okay with them requiring vaccines and masks. I've been vaccinated for months, and still wear a mask. I just want them to reopen. As I have said before, if they have to shut down again/delay reopening, I have no qualms with introducing anti-vaxxers to my fists.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:52am

I also think more shows should have gone with the reduced schedule of just 5 or 6 shows a week. I believe just Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen and Moulin Rouge are doing the reduced schedule. This Winter will be a bloodbath of closures.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 11:59am

Having sat in close to 20 theaters this month wearing a mask, my plea to theatres would be to TURN THE AC DOWN. It’s going to be blazing hot and you can’t properly cool down with that on your face so people are sweating and uncomfortable. The AC really needs to be down at a level where it’s going to cool you off when you enter, otherwise it’s just not an enjoyable experience.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 12:00pm

I think a lot of perennials will suffer. People are really excited about seeing COMPANY, for example, because it’s new and pre-pandemic word was strong. But WICKED? It’s a shame, too. 
 

I did hear rumors that CHICAGO is going to have a really interesting cast come fall. I hope interesting also includes able to do well by the material and not Hope Hicks as Roxie. 

[stoptheworld38]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 12:36pm

From what I’ve heard people are most at risk from Delta in areas with low vaccination rates. NYS has an over 70% vaccination rate (which will undoubtedly be higher in September). And the current vaccines appear to be at least mostly effective against the variants. Given that I think it’s unlikely the reopening will get pushed back, especially now that Broadway’s return has been officially announced and people have bought tickets and made plans. I do think (and hope) that shows will require proof of vaccination for those eligible, and negative tests/masks for those unable to be vaccinated. I don’t see any point in requiring masks for people who have proved they’ve been vaccinated, although I could see more shows doing like what Pass Over is doing and requiring masks for everyone when walking about/in the lobby, but making them optional (for those vaccinated) when seated in the theatre.

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 12:48pm

I just feel so defeated about all of this right now. I have done everything to help fight this pandemic, and save the industry. I have participated in a vaccine trial, I have learned almost everything about Covid to make sure the right information is getting out there (doing quite a number on my mental health in the process). I've essentially gone to war against misinformation/disinformation. I even emailed Dr. Fauci to ask for advice on what more I could maybe do. Because, even with all that I had been doing, it felt like I could do even more. And now it feels like it's all coming crashing down, because too many people refused to get vaccinated.

I bought a bunch of Broadway tickets for September, to reward myself for fighting this fight, and persevering when I never thought, in my wildest dreams, that I could. Now it's seeming like all of that hard work was for naught.

Sorry for the lament. I need comfort food.  

Updated On: 7/19/21 at 12:48 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 12:51pm

The fact is that zip codes that buy theatre tickets in the local area are heavily vaccinated. Many over 80% and quite a few closer to 100%. All kidding aside, those idiots in the south and southern midwest are not going to make or break any show that has a snowballs chance in hell of surviving. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 12:53pm

As awful as it sounds, i take comfort in the CDC saying it’s now a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”. Hell, even Fox News changed course this morning and told people they have to get vaccinated.

Nothing has been canceled/changed here on Broadway yet. Let’s just wait and see what happens before declaring Broadway’s return DOA.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 1:03pm

BroadwayRox3588 said: "And now it feels like it's all coming crashing down, because too many people refused to get vaccinated."

Actually, I think you are focused on the wrong half of America. The vaccinated half (actually much more than half) and the theatre-going half (actually far less than half) are crashing up not down. It should come as a surprise to no one that rural farmers in Arkansas (highlighted in a meaty Times piece the other day) don't buy tickets. Let them fill up their ICUs again; maybe this time they will learn. That's probably more awful sounding than what Jordan takes comfort in, but both are true. The part of Broadway and NY theatre that does not need to depend on the idiots (or foreign tourists) will arrive alive. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 1:07pm

I mean…yeah. Awful or not these people (primarily republicans) are choosing to gamble with their lives and at this point when they can literally go to the corner store and save their lives but are choosing not to - I’m done feeling bad for those certain people.

[MannPhan24601]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 1:10pm

One singer I listen to had both Pfziers months ago  and just tested positive a few days ago. He came back from a trip to see his family in several European countries two weeks ago. (He lives in PA)

 

One of my HS friends had J&J a few months ago and was still even masking everywhere and got it too. 

 

Idk what the heck is going to happen, especially with Cinderella closing.......

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 1:23pm

Jordan Catalano said: "and that other 1% can go to a monster truck rally or something."

I am assuming you are referring to that sold out Monster Truck rally that just took place at MetLife Stadium this past weekend. I just shook my head.

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 1:29pm

Ha! I didnt even know about that!

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 7/19/21 at 1:30pm

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's taking an "oh well, their problem" approach to those who are refusing to get vaccinated. It sounds callous, but this whole nightmare has been frustrating and scary enough without having to stop the world again because of these fools.