McCarter Theatre audience members must be vaccinated or receive a COVID-19 test before attending performances
McCarter Theatre Center representatives announced new COVID-19 guidelines for audience members on Thursday.
Audience members over the age of 12 must show proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before entering McCarter. Exceptions will be made for children under 12 and people with a medical or religious exemption from being vaccinated, but those guests must show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 36 hours of the performance time or a negative antigen test taken within six hours of the performance time.
All guests regardless of age or vaccination status will be required to wear masks while inside the theatre building.
The new policies are in place through Dec. 31 and are subject to change as the situation evolves. More than 25 arts organizations across the state have similar vaccination and mask policies. Members of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance consulted with Dr. Stuart Weiss to come up with the new policies.
“Our priority will continue to be ensuring the safety of our workforce, our patrons, and the entire McCarter community against COVID,” said McCarter Managing Director Michael Rosenberg. “Even as more of us are vaccinated, we realize that COVID and its variants continue to threaten health and, in some cases, the lives of people in the United States and around the world. This audience requirement for masks and vaccines or negative tests will be in addition to our staff requirement for masks and vaccines. These policies are all part of our commitment to a return to in person performances that are safe, simple, and social.”
McCarter Theater Center will kick off its opening weekend on Friday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. with a performance by 15-time Grammy Award winner Béla Fleck in his first bluegrass tour in 24 years, “My Bluegrass Heart,” the third chapter of a trilogy beginning with his 1988 album Drive. On Sunday afternoon, Sept. 26, McCarter will host GARBA 360, a free outdoor event at the Princeton Shopping Center celebrating the traditional Gujarati Social Folk Dance experience. The event will feature dance lessons, performance, and live music.
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Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
If everyone in the audience must be vaccinated for entry what’s the purpose of wearing a mask during the performance?
As the story states, children under a certain age don’t have to be vaccinated to attend performances, along with people who have vaccine waivers.