Children's Theatre Company Announces New Vaccination And Testing Policy

Children's Theatre Company is preparing for the return of live, in-person performances with the production of the beloved musical Annie, with performances running November 7, 2021 through January 9, 2022. As CTC opens, they are working to prioritize the safety of their audiences, artists, and staff.

Based on the most recent information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and in an effort to protect the most vulnerable among us-children 12 and under, for whom a vaccine is not yet available-CTC is announcing COVID-19 vaccination requirements for all audiences 12 and a half and older, and mask requirements for all who attend a public performance at CTC through at least the end of the holiday production of Annie, currently scheduled to close January 9, 2022. Children between ages 3 and 12 and a half will not be required to be tested but will be required to wear a mask while at CTC. Please read below for more details or visit their website to see their full safety protocols. Click HERE to read their safety protocols for Field Trips, and click HERE to read their safety protocols for on-site classes and camps. CTC's safety plan for in-person classes and camps this summer resulted in 0 cases of COVID-19.

CTC artists, backstage crew, and staff will comply with vaccination requirements and testing protocols to further ensure the safety of all guests and company members. At this time, all CTC staff members are 100% vaccinated.

PROOF OF VACCINE OR NEGATIVE TEST REQUIREMENT

In a commitment to ensure the safety of their young people and families, CTC will be requiring all guests ages 12 and a half and older to present either proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours prior to attending a performance, or on-site class, camp, or special event.

Being fully vaccinated means completing your final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before your performance date. Proof of vaccination or a negative test result must be shown when entering the building by showing your physical vaccination card, a digital representation of your vaccination card as a photo, or via the Docket app.

Proof of a negative test result includes bringing a printed or digital copy of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time, or a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 6 hours of the performance start time.

Vaccination and Testing Resources for Families

· Schedule your free COVID-19 vaccination: https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine/locations/index.jsp

· Request a copy of your Minnesota vaccination record or find information about obtaining vaccination records from other states. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/iis/contacts-locate-records.html#state

· Schedule a free COVID-19 test. https://mn.gov/covid19/get-tested/testing-locations/index.jsp

MASK REQUIREMENTS

All guests and staff will be required to wear masks inside the venue, with the exception of children aged two or younger. This follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recent recommendation that everyone should wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status. Masks must be worn properly over both your nose and mouth. Bandanas and face shields are not sufficient substitutes for masks.

AUDIENCE CAPACITY

At this time, no changes have been made to their audience capacity.

CLEANING AND AIR FILTRATION PROTOCOLS

CTC has established enhanced cleaning and sanitization protocols, and has invested in clean air filtration systems, including MERV-13 air filters and IWave ionic air purification systems to all HVAC systems to optimize the amount of clean, fresh air flowing through their building.

CONTACTLESS TICKETING

Mobile tickets will be issued and contactless ticket scanning will be available for all CTC performances. Patrons can manage tickets through their online account, with access to all upcoming dates and seat locations, the ability to request ticket exchanges, have tickets scanned on mobile devices without wasting paper. This information is accessible to patrons at: childrenstheatre.org/account

IF YOU FEEL SICK

They ask that guests stay home if they feel sick or have been exposed to COVID-19. Please contact the Ticket Office to transfer your tickets to another performance, donate your tickets, or request a refund.

What They're Asking Patrons to Do

• All audiences ages 12 and a half and older will be required to present either proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours prior to attending a performance
• Until all children have access to a vaccine, they will require masks for their audience, except for children under the age of 2. An exception will also be made for patrons when eating or drinking in designated areas.
• Monitor your health, and the health of your family. If a ticketholder feels ill for any reason, please do not come to the theatre.
• If a ticketholder must miss their scheduled performance for health reasons, or if any performances need to be cancelled for any reason, ticketholders will be rescheduled at no charge, have their money held on account to be used at their convenience, or refunded.

What CTC is Doing

• All CTC staff are fully vaccinated and will be required to wear masks when in their building. The exception will be their performers, who will not be masked while on stage during performances. All of their performers over the age of 12 have been vaccinated.
• All CTC staff will have a health screening that includes a temperature check prior to each shift. There will be a designated COVID-19 safety officer at each performance.
• All food and beverage must be consumed in designated, socially distanced areas to enable masks to be consistently worn in all public areas.
• Programs will be left at your seat rather than handed out to reduce the potential for germ spread.
• Door handles, light switches, and other high-touch surfaces will be sanitized frequently with CDC & EPA recommended disinfectants.
• Hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes will be available for patron use throughout the lobby and entrance areas.

What They've Already Done

• The CTC building has been fitted with MERV-13 HVAC air filters to trap more contaminants and maximize the amount of fresh air circulating in the building. CTC has also installed IWave ionic air purification systems to all their HVAC systems.
• All public spaces will be thoroughly cleaned nightly and between each performance, and staff will be sanitizing surfaces consistently throughout the day.
• Touchless sinks, soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers, and toilets have been installed to reduce high-touch surfaces in their bathrooms.
• They've introduced mobile ticketing for all subscriber and single tickets, including rush tickets and lap passes. Tickets will be available in your CTC account three hours prior to performances and can be scanned off any mobile device. If you do not have access to a mobile device, you may request printed tickets when you arrive at the theatre.

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