The classic George M. Cohan tribute has a brand new meaning. According to a New York Times/Siena College Research Institute poll taken 17-21 May, New Yorkers feel it will be too risky to attend Broadway shows before the end of the year.
Their #1 concern: other theatergoers will show up without masks or will violate social distance rules.
The poll also revealed a wide-ranging anxiety over attending all forms of theater and music concerts if they in fact are open to the public by Labor Day weekend. According to the poll, almost 60 percent of New Yorkers who went to a Broadway show in 2019 said they would not go back out of fear others would not keep proper social distance. Fifty-five percent voiced a concern about others not wearing masks.
A full 90 percent of those polled said they would only attend a show in the theatre district if they knew the theatres were being disinfected by professional cleaners between every show.
And while there was again a political divide to wearing masks and social distancing, 86 percent of Democrats said they would want assurance that wearing masks was required to attend a performance, while 68 percent of Republicans agreed… the majority still fear getting hit by COVID-19.
TRENDPOST: Beyond Broadway, the vast majority of mainstream media’s select group of “health experts” are telling the public not to expect large gatherings such as sporting events, weddings, concerts, etc., to take place until 2021… at the earliest.
Unmentioned in their coverage is the great financial and emotional cost of these cancellations and the vast amount of related industries, businesses, services – and their products and employees – that will go down as a result of these shut downs.
