The BroadwayBlog: Twelve small independent New York City theatre owners pushing for a reopening date have been assigned their day in court. On Thursday, November 12, Attorney Jim Mermigis and a group of Off-Broadway theatres and comedy club owners will argue that by allowing small venues with enhanced air filtration systems to open at 25% capacity, countless artists and theater professionals will be able to go back to work – enabling theatres to earn revenue, so they can begin paying rent to landlords also hit hard by the pandemic – a move they say will also provide customers for the thousands of retail stores, restaurants and garages that surround their venues.
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When I first saw the title of this article, I was really expecting to just get a laugh because it sounds absurd to me to think that Off-Broadway theatres are taking Cuomo to court. However, after reading this article, I actually do understand this argument being made. I really don’t think that there should be theatres open right now, and I definitely don’t think churches, gyms, or bowling alleys should be open either, but when it gets down to it, I do understand the comparison between the two. Yes, it does take many more people to put on a theatrical production, past just the audience in the house and the performers on stage, but if it can be ensured that small entertainment venues are taking these precautions, why are we not trying to open them in the same way we are opening everything else? With cases rising and precautions lacking I honestly see another lockdown around the corner, but knowing the America we are in right now, I can understand this argument from both ends. I see both sides of the coin, I just don’t know which way it will land.
Previously, I was really tired of seeing non-essential businesses complaining about not being able to open to the public because of a global pandemic. However, this article opened my eyes to a scenario that I had not thought about before. This situation in New York seems to be perpetuated by the fact that small theaters were initially treated the same as restaurants but when restaurants were allowed to reopen to 25% capacity, these theaters were not offered the same conditions. While the idea of going out to eat during a global pandemic is still quite controversial there is no doubt that there is a portion of the population that feels it is safe enough to go out to eat in a restaurant. With this idea in mind, I think it is safe to assume that there would be a portion of theatrical patrons that would brave the pandemic to see some live theater. While all of this can be argued that any occupancy in restaurants or theaters is too high during a global pandemic, I can understand the frustration
Previously, I was really tired of seeing non-essential businesses complaining about not being able to open to the public because of a global pandemic. However, this article opened my eyes to a scenario that I had not thought about before. This situation in New York seems to be perpetuated by the fact that small theaters were initially treated the same as restaurants but when restaurants were allowed to reopen to 25% capacity, these theaters were not offered the same conditions. While the idea of going out to eat during a global pandemic is still quite controversial there is no doubt that there is a portion of the population that feels it is safe enough to go out to eat in a restaurant. With this idea in mind, I think it is safe to assume that there would be a portion of theatrical patrons that would brave the pandemic to see some live theater. While all of this can be argued that any occupancy in restaurants or theaters is too high during a global pandemic, I can understand the frustration these independent theaters are feeling.
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