A man who recently worked as an usher at the Booth Theatre and at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Broadway has tested positive for coronavirus.
The man is currently in quarantine after working as an usher at “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” at the Booth Theatre from March 3 through March 7 and managing the lines at “Six” at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on the evening of Feb. 25 and the matinee on March 1.
Both shows expected to play as scheduled Wednesday evening, and a press representative for “Six” said the show will still open Thursday night, as scheduled. Neither show would comment on whether its cast or crew were affected by this case, however Actors’ Equity said it was in contact with the productions.
“We are aware of the situation, are in contact with the employers and the members and are pursuing all provisions under the contract to protect actors and stage managers. At this time we cannot comment further on specifics,” said Brandon Lorenz, Equity’s national director of communications.
The Shubert and Nederlander Organizations advise “high-risk audience members” who attended these performances to “monitor their health.”
This is the first reported case on Broadway thus far. There were 53 confirmed cases in New York City as of Wednesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a press conference.
A statement from the Shubert and Nederlander Organizations below:
“Last evening, we were notified that a part-time employee of both organizations has tested positively for COVID-19 (Cornonavirus). Immediately upon learning of the positive test, both organizations began taking every step necessary to ensure the safety of our audiences, performers, crew, and building staff.
“The individual, who is currently under quarantine, most recently worked at the Shubert’s Booth Theater on Tuesday, March 3rd through Friday March 7th as an usher. As a result, a deep cleaning, following all current government standards, has been completed at the Booth Theater.
“The employee also recently worked at the Nederlander’s Brooks Atkinson Theater on the evening of February 25th and the matinee of March 1st, expediting lines outside the building. Out of an abundance of caution, a deep cleaning is currently scheduled to take place overnight at the Brooks Atkinson Theater.
“Leadership of both organizations have been in contact with the State of New York, as well as the City of New York, and we are closely following all protocols related to containment and prevention. We are exercising necessary due caution with all our employees and the public. Employees of the theaters and productions who may have been exposed were notified and advised to monitor their health diligently and follow best practices related to personal hygiene, as well as directed to stay at home if they are ill. In addition, we are urging any high-risk audience members who attended these performances in the past several days to follow similar guidance.
“This evening’s performances of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at the Booth, SIX at the Brooks Atkinson, and all other Broadway shows have determined they will continue as scheduled. Any ticketholder that prefers to attend a future performance of Virginia Woolf or SIX will be provided the opportunity for an exchange at the point of purchase.
“Our teams are continuing to monitor and address the situation in real time, and will provide updates as appropriate. Among the many reasons that Broadway is unique is the connection between our audiences, the performers, and the women and men who work on the production teams and within our theaters. We are committed to making sure this never changes, and we will continue to provide a safe and special experience for all involved.”
A previous version of this story misstated the exact dates the usher worked at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. It has since been corrected.
