Putting Safety Center Stage!

Miss the bright lights?

We do too.

Well, New Jersey Theatre is back. For many of us, theatre is a kind of sanctuary, so we’re delighted to bring back inspiring performances that uplift and enrich our communities. Of course, these days there are a few more things going on behind the scenes: sweeping safety measures designed to make you feel comfortable coming back. Working with our dedicated New Jersey Theatre Alliance medical advisor, we’ve made a pledge to our audiences, performers and staff to put safety front and center. You might say we’ve made a real production out of it.

Our Pledge

As members of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, we pledge to protect the health and safety of all who come through our doors, onto our stages, and work within our organizations. We will follow the most current medical advice, meeting or exceeding* all local and national safety guidelines, such as:

Deep cleaning and disinfecting before all performances

Clearly communicated mask policy

Sanitation stations for all patrons and staff

Contactless transactions available

Health screening before entry

Flexible ticketing policies for anyone feeling ill or at risk due to COVID-19 variants

Before your visit, please check your theatre’s website for their specific policies and guidelines, as they may vary between venues.

View Policies Here

We’re also asking theatregoers to sign their own pledge to keep us all safe:

Take The Pledge

Meet our safety campaign’s leading man: Dr. Stuart Weiss

As founder of Intelligent Crowd Solutions, Dr. Weiss (MD, FACEP, FAAP, CBCP) is an expert in continuity planning and crisis management for events like those the New Jersey Theatre Alliance offers. Board-certified in Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, he also serves as medical director for several world renowned events, and is founder and chief medical officer of MedPrep Consulting Group. He has been working closely with New Jersey Theatre Alliance since early 2020, to ensure every measure we take is grounded in medical authority.

And in a supporting role: the research

As part of a national study, WolfBrown’s Audience Outlook Monitor, the Alliance, and its members are learning about audience members’ readiness to return to live performance and the safety measures that are most important to them during COVID-19. And statistics show, the news is good:

95%

audience cooperation with public safety standards overall

95%

of NJ theatregoers are now partially or fully vaccinated

The reviews are in!

95% of NJ Audiences Gave Vaccination FIVE STARS.

A Commitment worthy

of A standing ovation

Theatregoers can show confirmation of taking the pledge to receive perks at local theatre performances.

Support local theatre

Exceptional productions, right here in New Jersey!

Our 40 large and small theatres are each professional businesses that pay staff and artists (designers, technicians, directors, and actors).

Our nonprofit theatres support the economic development of the state, contribute to their communities with outreach and arts education, and offer theatre that inspires, challenges, and entertains close to one million theatregoers annually.

Meet Our Members

Equitable theatre for all

We know that creating a truly safe and welcoming environment for all takes more than health-related policies.

That’s why New Jersey Theatre Alliance has made equity, anti-racism, and access a central part of our work to prepare for re-opening. We’re ready to make change happen and to get there we’ve developed clear commitments to create more equitable and inclusive theatre.

Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

All 40 members of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance and many of the state’s performing arts centers have taken the Opening Right Pledge.

The 40 members of New Jersey Theatre Alliance are: American Theatre Group (Basking Ridge); Art House Productions (Jersey City); Atlantic City Theatre Company (Atlantic City); Axelrod Performing Arts Center (Deal); Bucks County Playhouse (New Hope/Lambertville); Cape May Stage (Cape May); Centenary Stage Company (Hackettstown); The Company Theatre Group (Hackensack); Crossroads Theatre Company (New Brunswick); Eagle Theatre (Hammonton); East Lynne Theatre Company (Cape May); Elizabeth Youth Theater Ensemble (Elizabeth); Epic Actor’s Workshop (Old Bridge); George Street Playhouse (New Brunswick); The Growing Stage: The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey (Netcong); Hudson Theatre Works (Weehawken); Jersey City Theater Center (Jersey City); Luna Stage (West Orange); McCarter Theatre Center (Princeton); The Meta Theatre Company (Lebanon); Mile Square Theatre (Hoboken); The New Jersey Play Lab; New Jersey Repertory Company (Long Branch); Paper Mill Playhouse (Milburn); Passage Theatre Company (Trenton); Paterson Performing Arts Development Council (Paterson); Premiere Stages at Kean University (Union); Progressive Theater (Maplewood); Pushcart Players (Verona); The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Madison); Skyline Theatre Company (Fair Lawn); South Camden Theatre Company (Camden); Speranza Theatre Company (Jersey City); Surflight Theatre (Beach Haven); The Theater Project (Union); Two River Theater Company (Red Bank); Vanguard Theater Company (Montclair); and Vivid Stage (formerly Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre, Summit); Women’s Theatre Company (Lake Hiawatha); and Yendor Theatre Company (Newark).

You can see a list of our member theatres and partner performing arts centers on the Alliance website: www.njtheatrealliance.org/health-and-safety

In April, 2020, the New Jersey Theatre Alliance contracted Dr. Stuart Weiss, an expert in the field of crowd safety and pandemic preparedness, to serve as the field’s medical advisor.

The Alliance also partnered with WolfBrown, a highly-respected arts research firm, to participate in an international study about audience members’ readiness to return to live performance and the safety measures that are most important to them.

The Alliance convened a Reopening Committee, made up of over 40 leaders from member theatres and performing arts centers across the state. This committee met regularly with Dr. Weiss and worked together to create consistent protocols for keeping audiences, artists, staff, and students safe.

You can take the pledge Here!

Taking the pledge is a way to show that you are ready to play your part in bringing live theatre back safely to New Jersey. The more people who take the pledge, the more we can all feel confident that our fellow audience members are taking safety seriously.

We know from the WolfBrown study data that over 95% of New Jersey theatre patrons are vaccinated. Theatres have worked hard to create safety policies that will make this reopening a smooth and joyful one. Together, we can bring the magic of live theatre back to our state.

As an extra incentive, participating theatres are offering “pledge perks” to those who take the Theatre Lover’s pledge, and all pledge-takers will be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card every two weeks between now and November 1, 2021.

Participating theatres will offer perks to audience members who took the pledge. Perks vary by theatre, and include discounts on tickets, discounts on concessions, swag, or entries into contests. In addition, everyone who takes the pledge will be entered into a drawing for a $25 American Express gift card. Winners will be chosen and announced every two weeks between now and November 1, 2021.

Everyone who takes the Theatre Lover’s Pledge will receive a confirmation email sent to the address provided. In addition, we will use that email address to notify you if your name is chosen in a drawing for one of the $25 gift cards. You will have the option to opt-in to the New Jersey Theatre Alliance mailing list to learn the latest updates and ticket deals from member theatres.

We would love for you to let your friends, colleagues, and loved ones know about the Opening Night, Opening Right pledge. You can share that you took the pledge on social media using the hashtags #openingrightnj and #njtheatre

There are a lot of great events coming up this season. You can see a listing of live and digital events at www.njtheatrealliance.org/productions

New Jersey Theatre Alliance was founded in 1981 by five professional theatres on the belief that the theatre community is stronger united, not divided, and that one theatre’s success is a success for all. Today the Alliance serves 40 member theatres representing 16 of the state’s 21 counties and Buck’s County, Pennsylvania. The mission of New Jersey Theatre Alliance is to unite, promote, strengthen, and cultivate professional theatres. The Alliance advances the theatre community by developing innovative, collaborative, and engaging programs and services for member theatres and their diverse audiences. www.njtheatrealliance.org

The Opening Right Campaign is MADE

possible by our generous sponsors