Indoor Theater Slowly Resumes In A Socially Distanced Way In New York City

Indoor theater has been shuttered in New York City for more than a year, due to safety concerns associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.

But there are indications of slow movement on this front.

Friday is opening night for Blindness at the off-Broadway Daryl Roth Theatre. At a recent preview, there was a short line outside the theater, where invited patrons waited to see the show — a piece based on a novel by José Saramago.

Before entering, a staffer gave instructions: During the 70-minute-long show, there would be no intermission, no re-entry and no public restroom. Attendees had temperatures checked and showed tickets on phones. Then they walked, alone or in pairs, to socially distanced seats spread about the vast auditorium.

What followed was not exactly theater, per se, but a sound and light show. At times, it felt like actress Juliet Stevenson was whispering in your ear, telling you about an epidemic of blindness.