Broadway theaters will be allowed to drop their mask-wearing duties starting July 1, the Broadway League announced Tuesday.
The federation described the new policy as a “mask option” and said it would be reevaluated monthly.
Broadway has maintained fairly restrictive policies on audiences since theaters reopened last summer. Theaters necessary patrons to show proof of vaccination until April 30and continue to require customers to wear masks unless they are eating or drinking.
Several other performing arts venues, including many Off Broadway theaters, continue to require proof of vaccinations and make face masks mandatory, and public transit in New York continues to request wear masks indoors, even though compliance is dropping. But many other corners of society, including domestic air travel, have quit the mask quest.
There are currently 27 shows running at 41 Broadway theaters.
The four nonprofits that run six of the Broadway theaters have been responsible for vaccines longer than the commercial landlords who run most theaters. But no nonprofit currently has the show running on Broadway, and there are no plans to resume production on Broadway until September.
