Could audiences for shows, concerts and other indoor events soon have the option to attend select performances where masks are required as a COVID-19 safety protocol? That’s the question some in the entertainment world are asking in light of the announcement that producers of “The Kite Runner,” a Broadway play based on the novel of the same name, are instituting the mask requirement for all Friday-night performances, starting Aug. 19. During the rest of the week, attendees will have the choice to go mask-free.
In effect, the show, which was initially mask-optional for all performances when it opened last month, is now opting for a hybrid approach. “We said, ‘Let’s give it a try,’” said producer Victoria Lang, adding that initial response from ticket buyers has been positive. The Broadway League, the industry’s trade group, had a mask requirement in place for all shows through June, but adapted the policy starting in July to give productions the ability to go mask-optional. Most shows have since dropped the mask requirement. Similarly, most other entertainment venues throughout the country no longer require masking. Lang said the idea for the hybrid approach came to her when she heard from theatergoers who w …