Vaccines and the Theatre

This isn't my typical Friday post, it's an open letter to everyone who is still undecided on getting the COVID-19 vaccination.

To Whom This May Concern:

Should people be vaccinated before they can participate in live theatre?

The fact that this is even a question...

No, really, I'm addressing this because even today, after just about every country in the world has experienced the devastating effects of COVID-19, people still refuse to get vaccinated.

The theatre community and its related industries have been badly hit by COVID-19. To this day, live performances are still being held back by a host of restrictions and social distancing measures that hamper ticket sales. and productions themselves have limited creative potential when they cannot even fully make use of the space that they have. Actors and theatre makers know this well - many of them have been among the first to get vaccinated in order to do their part to reopen our industry, and that is heartening. That said, we have no means of knowing if our patrons are vaccinated. We only know that every shot counts, and that every unvaccinated person in a space as intimate as the theatre is a gamble and a risk.

I'm an artist, and I trust science. There is literally no reason why the two cannot coexist, not that there was any doubt about it. The more people get vaccinated, the more citizens are protected against virulent strains of COVID-19 and the less likely another outbreak would be. If we want live theatre to return, we must guarantee that people do not die as a result of poor safety measures. Vaccinations are one of those measures.

So, now that everyone is allowed to book their slots (at least here in Singapore), please go and get it.

I'll be doing it with you. I'm getting my shot tonight.

Thank you.