Actors' Equity Association Applauds New York State's Adjusted COVID Restrictions

Actors' Equity Association has released a statement in response to the announcement that New York State would be ending restrictions on capacities in businesses, including theatre, for vaccinated attendees beginning May 19.

"We are having regular and ongoing conversations with the Broadway League about what protocols for a safe reopening would look like, and have a clear understanding of their timetable," said Mary McColl, executive director of Actors' Equity Association.

"We welcome this unexpected announcement and look forward to a safe reopening of theatre, both on Broadway, Off-Broadway and beyond, that prioritizes the safety of the workers."

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier, at a press conference this morning, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that capacity restrictions will be lifted starting May 19. This will apply to retail stores, museums, theaters, food services, gyms, amusement parks, salons, etc.

Patrons will still be required to practice a six-foot social distancing rule unless the venue requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result upon entry.

It is still expected that Broadway shows will start to return in the fall.

Cuomo also gave an update yesterday on New York state's vaccine progress. 93,940 doses have been administered across the state's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and more than 1.2 million doses have been administered over the past seven days. The week 20 allocation of 1,419,795 first and second doses is expected to finish arriving today.

"Our progress in beating back this virus has allowed us to slowly reopen our state and, if more people get vaccinated and the overall metrics continue to move in the right direction, we are optimistic that we can stay on this trajectory." Governor Cuomo said. "We cannot afford to get cocky, nor can we get lax in our vaccination efforts. Even as the spring season is in full swing and more people want to get outside and enjoy the warm weather, the footrace between the infection rate and the vaccination rate is still on. I remind all New Yorkers who still need to get the vaccine that it's the only way to show support for our health providers who work tirelessly to get shot into people's arms - and for everyone in their community who is vulnerable to this virus."

Just last week, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to fully reopen New York City on July 1, with Broadway returning in September. The Broadway League confirmed hope in his plan, issuing the following statement:

"The Broadway League has been working closely with State and City officials on plans for safely restarting the Broadway industry, welcoming audiences, and bringing our workforce back. Today's remarks by the mayor give us further optimism that Broadway productions can resume this fall, beginning in September, and we look forward to providing more details about reopening in the coming weeks."