COVID-19 Information and Guidelines for Our Patrons
Our goal at Theatre Memphis is to maintain the safest environment possible for everyone. With additional information regarding COVID-19 protection being gathered daily, we will continue to be fluid in all our decisions regarding COVID-19 guidelines to reflect current CDC and local recommendations.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as Theatre Memphis navigates the safest ways to ensure and protect the health of our patrons, guests, performers, volunteers, and staff.
To that end we have enacted guidelines:
Seating Capacity
Theatre Memphis is not currently limiting seating capacity for our performances.
Face coverings:
- At this time, masks are optional.
Distancing:
- We request all guests be respectful of individual patron’s choices in regards to social distancing.
Health considerations:
- When in public or common areas, be conscious to cover coughs or sneezes and dispose of tissues properly. Tissues will be available for guests, if needed.
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds or longer, with soap when available.
- If you show any symptoms of COVID-19, including coughing, sneezing, or fever, you should not enter the facility.
Facility Sanitation:
- An accelerated, regular cleaning schedule of all common and high traffic areas is still in place, in particularly after rehearsals and performances.
- Sanitation stations for our patrons’ use are readily available within the facility.
- Concessions have been reconfigured so there will be clear shields between servers and patrons and all personnel will be masked with limited contact in product exchange.
During performances, house managers will be able to address any concerns you may have while on-site, Box office personnel are also available to connect you with someone so that we can attend to your needs.
By visiting Theatre Memphis, visitors voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree to release Theatre Memphis or entities involved in the production, management, or operation of an event from any liability related to such exposure.
COVID-19 Information and Guidelines for Our Volunteers and Staff
PRODUCTION MEMBERS
It is understood that there is some COVID risk to producing live theatre at this time. Theatre Memphis is taking the following steps to mitigate this risk, and we ask that all of our participants join us in this effort, so that we can all continue to share and enjoy live theatre experiences.
Vaccination:
- Theatre Memphis strongly recommends that all cast, crew and directing teams be vaccinated for Covid. This measure will help ensure safety for yourself and others around you. Theatre Memphis requires that all cast, crew and directing teams be tested for Covid when administered throughout the rehearsal and performance process.
Regular COVID Testing, Provided by Theatre Memphis:
- Theatre Memphis will conduct bi-weekly COVID pod testing for all production members.• Leading up to and in weeks of technical rehearsals, production employees will be added to the testing pods for production members.
Facial Masking:
- At this time, masks are optional.
Social Distancing:
- Participants are encouraged to social distance as much as possible while at the theatre.• All TM participants, and especially employees and production staff members, are stronglyencouraged to make wise choices about other social activities when away from the theatre. –Limiting attendance at large social gatherings or gatherings with unvaccinated people. COVIDvaccination and testing is not a green light for risky behavior.
Expectations of TM Participants
A) If a Theatre Memphis participant experiences Covid symptoms
1. Notify your Show’s Stage Manager (who will notify the Director of Stage Management/
Volunteers)
2. Participant should quarantine and be tested for COVID.
–If COVID test is negative, participant may return to TM as normal, once they are feeling
well enough to participate. If the participant continues to feel unwell, they may want to be tested for
COVID again.
–If COVID test is positive, notify your show’s stage manager (who will then notify the
Director of Stage Management and Volunteers).
Participants should isolate for 5 to 10 days of testing positive (or the start of their
symptoms). Participants may return after this isolation period as long as they are no longer experiencing symptoms.
What is Pod Testing?
With Pod Testing (also referred to as swab pooling), each person swabs their own nasal passage. Up to 20 individual swabs are combined into one tube at the point of collection. If the combined tube is negative, each person is negative (no further action is required). If the tube is positive, the individuals are notified that their pod was positive (further action is required), and each must get individually tested. Pod testing will be conducted at Theatre Memphis on a specified day before regular rehearsal or performance. The cost of pod testing will be covered by Theatre Memphis.
Are there any restrictions on who can participate in group pod testing?
Those experiencing fever, cough, shortness of breath, change in taste or smell, or fatigue should NOT participate in pod testing. Additionally, those who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past three months should NOT participate. These individuals will need to take an individual antigen test instead.