Chicago theaters open for fall season with COVID mandates

 

Chicago area theaters are back. (Photos by Jodie Jacobs)
Chicago area theaters are back. (Photos by Jodie Jacobs)

After more than a year of stages going dark due to the COVID pandemic, Chicago area theater venues from music and opera to drama and dance are reopening their doors with the beginning of the fall 2021-22 season.

However, expect to see mask and vaccination or negative test result requirements, As much as they want the lights back on, the theater groups also want everyone, including staff and actors to be safe.

“The health and safety of our patrons is our main concern” said Broadway in Chicago President Lou Raizin. “The theatre community was the first to close and the last to reopen and this has been a tremendous loss for the City of Chicago and the economic generator that the arts provide.”

He explained the impact. “On an annual basis pre-pandemic Chicago’s creative industries produced more than $17.6 billion in economic output, supported 81,300 jobs and generated more than $4.8 billion in household earnings—delivering $336.5 million in local and state government revenue.”

Raizin added, “Given the necessity for theatres to open with 100% capacity our working together with fellow Chicago arts organizations has given us the opportunity to chart our way back to opening our doors and bringing our stages alive again safely.”

To pull together with one voice the list of cooperating show venues can be found on the League of Chicago Theatres  website. Protocols  will be enforced for indoor venues through 2021 and then revisited. The requirements will vary by venue so best plan is to check the venue’s safety measures when purchasing tickets.