Broadway's Music Box Theatre, St. Ann's Warehouse, La MaMa, and More to Reopen for NY PopsUp Events

Broadway's Music Box Theatre, La MaMa, Park Avenue Armory, St. Ann's Warehouse, and the Apollo Theatre are among the "Flex Venues" that will reopen beginning April 2 to host performances as part of the NY PopsUp series.

NY PopsUp, the new festival of pop-up events overseen by producers Scott Rudin and Jane Rosenthal, was established to help revitalize the spirit and emotional well-being of New York citizens through the energy of live performance set over 100 days throughout New York City and State. New safety protocols developed by NYPopsUp in coordination with the New York State Council on the Arts and Empire State Development will aid in the reopening of venues, which also include Harlem Stage, National Black Theatre, and the Alice Busch Opera Theater at the Glimmerglass Festival.

The New York State Department of Health and NY PopsUp are collaborating with Broadway theater operators to create specific safety plans for each participating building, in advance of April's first performances. This thorough process will serve as Broadway's own pilot program that will increase audience size over time as the Department of Health allows, and will put select protocols into action as New York prepares for Broadway's complete re-opening. Flex venues are established performance spaces that are able to be adapted for social distancing guidelines.

Per New York State's Department of Health, attendee capacity of any performance must be limited to the lesser of 33% of the maximum occupancy for the particular area or 50 people; exclusive of performers, crew, and other staff who are necessary for the event. Effective April 2, 2021, the number of attendees may exceed the social gathering limit of 50 people, up to a maximum of 150 attendees, within a 33% maximum occupancy limit for the particular area so long as all attendees receive an appropriate negative diagnostic test result prior to the event.

Given the nature of the pop-up format, not all performances will be announced in advance. The Music Box is currently home to Dear Evan Hansen, though it is unlikely that the production will resume performances as part of this series, instead waiting for an official reopening of Broadway.