ARTS ATL: Rescheduled from December, the musical Tootsie premieres tonight at Atlanta’s 4,665-seat Fox Theatre for an eight-performance run. Based on the beloved Oscar-winning film and the winner of two Tony Awards, the production is expected to draw sizable crowds. Yet, at the same time, safety concerns about attending large venues hang over the heads of many theatergoers, especially with the Omicron variant still spreading, even if it appears finally to have peaked.
2 comments:
Firstly, it is extremely upsetting that Tootsie is getting a tour. Although this is not mentioned anywhere in the article, despite it’s two Tonys, the show is blatantly transphobic and has been called out on it multiple times in the media. But as for Covid, the problem arises as everything is controlled at such different levels. There are the state laws of Georgia, the rules of the theatre, and the rules of the specific company occupying that theatre at that time. With touring shows this makes it extremely complicated to keep things streamlined and consistent for those looking to buy tickets. Another interesting thing mentioned in the article was the previous touring show, Hamilton, was a great success but then the theatre refused to release any number on attendance and ticket sales. Why they are not obligated to release these numbers, it would help support their claims of success. I think that this article just shows that even two years into the pandemic nobody has any clue what is happening.
It seems like while the theater may lose some patrons that don’t want to get vaccinated or wear a mask, that other patrons may not want to see a show that they feel is unsafe, as the theatergoer in the article mentions. Additionally, by having more relaxed rules, you run a bigger risk of your cast or crew getting sick and spreading it within the company, halting performances. I wonder if theaters could bypass some of the time and staff needed to check cards if they asked for vax card photos when buying tickets online? They could run an offer where if you buy tickets and submit your vax card ahead of time, you can get access to better seats or get a discount on concessions. While I wish we could go back to normal and not have to wear masks in the audience, I don’t think it’s safe yet, and with Omicron still at an early stage we can’t just pretend like it’s not happening.
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