PORTLAND, Oregon — This weekend marks a major milestone in Portland's road back from COVID-19 restrictions: The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall will welcome an audience for the first time in over a year.
But with the delta variant bearing down hard, theater-goers will need to provide vaccination status, or a negative COVID test, to get in.
Audience members attending shows at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Keller Auditorium and the Winningstad, Newmark and Brunish Theaters, will need to provide either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours of the show. Also, under Gov. Brown’s current mandate, masks will be required indoors.
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“We're just making sure there is a plan in place so that everybody's safe,” said Robyn Williams, Executive Director of Portland’s Centers for the Arts. “This fall is probably going to be the happiest that we've been for a long time... Seeing audiences walk through the doors for the first time is going to be hugely emotional.”
The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall reopens Saturday, August 28, with comedian Franco Escamilla. The Keller opens Sept. 28 with Jesus Christ Superstar. Williams suggested checking for additional restrictions pertaining to each performance at the various venues. For example, kids under 12 won't be permitted to attend Oregon Ballet Theater’s performances of Face to Face in October.
Williams hopes everyone who can, will enjoy a theater performance, soon.
“We can hardly get through a training without tearing up,” she said. “We have been counting the days until this moment for over a year.”