Broadway will lift its audience mask mandate starting July 1

Broadway theaters will drop their audience mask mandate beginning July 1, the Broadway League announced Tuesday.

While all 41 Broadway theaters in New York City will adopt the “mask optional” policy, audience members are still encouraged to wear face coverings in theaters.

The organization said the policy will be reevaluated monthly and that a protocol for August will be announced in mid-July.

“Millions of people enjoyed the unique magic of Broadway by watching the 75^th 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, president of the Broadway League, said in a press release. “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 heavily-trafficked Manhattan district went dark in March 2020 as Covid took hold in New York City. The first shows to return took the stage roughly 18 months later, with vaccine and mask mandates in place for most audience members.

Broadway dropped vaccination checks for audience members on April 30 as other facilities likewise loosened restrictions. The group of theaters hosted roughly 240,000 attendees the week ended June 12 across its more than 30 shows.