NYC's Broadway to Lift Mask Mandate July 1 — What to Know

Alison Fox
·1 min read
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Audience members scream and applaud during "Chicago" at Ambassador Theatre on reopening night on September 14, 2021 in New York City.
Audience members scream and applaud during "Chicago" at Ambassador Theatre on reopening night on September 14, 2021 in New York City.

Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images

Broadway will make masks optional for shows next month, dropping a policy that has been in place since curtains first rose in the pandemic era.

Starting July 1, theatergoers will have the option to wear a mask in all 41 of New York's Broadway theaters, according to The Broadway League. The mask protocols will be evaluated each month "as we continue to monitor the science and will be announced in mid-July."

"Millions of people enjoyed the unique magic of Broadway by watching the 75th Tony Award Ceremony recently. Millions more have experienced Broadway LIVE in theatres in New York City and throughout the U.S., since we reopened last fall," Charlotte St. Martin, the president of The Broadway League, said in a statement. "We're thrilled to welcome even more of our passionate fans back to Broadway in the exciting 22-23 season that has just begun."

The decision to drop mask rules comes months after theaters eliminated vaccine requirements to attend a show. Previously, all theater attendees 5 years old and older were required to show proof of vaccination.

Broadway first shut down shows in March 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic swept the world, but reopened in 2021.

In March, New York City as a whole lifted its vaccine mandate for bars, restaurants, and other indoor spaces.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.