Not-so-friendly, fucking fed-up reminder that you should NOT be participating in live theater right now w/out proper precautions, which means at the LEAST *all* participants being masked (yes, actors too unless they ALL live together) & distancing. Fucking stop it. It's selfish.

Yes this means you. Yes this means even if the actors are "comfortable" with it. IT IS NOT ABOUT YOUR INDIVIDUAL COMFORT. It never was. I frankly don't give a shit if you feel comfortable. You're endangering OTHERS. It's not about you.

It's about the woman who has stayed in her apartment ALONE for five months because she has an underlying condition while you've been gathering in a group to rehearse songs for a show that was produced thirty times in this state last year and because of you sees no end in sight.

It's about the man who went to the grocery store to buy food for his distancing family but has the misfortune of passing by one of your audience members who was "willing to risk it" and is now an asymptomatic carrier because they just HAD to see your show while you sing unmasked.

It's about the worker who lost their job when this began has been out of work for five months and will lose their unemployment benefits soon because the pandemic has gone one too long because you needed to get your applause and time in the spotlight and caused community spread.

It's about the thousands of theatre companies across the nation who ARE acting responsibility and face closing their doors forever because while they do their social duty and protect their communities, you're flaunting your disconcern in their face and prolonging their pain.

It's about the BIPOC members of your community who are disproportionately affected by the virus & have less access to healthcare but still have to venture out in the world as they're more likely to have service jobs deemed essential whose risk goes up every day you step on stage.

Stop it. It's disheartening. Please. Lives are at stake. I understand you love theater, but you need to understand that you're doing more long-term damage than short-term good. Be creative. Find safe ways to express yourself. You don't need the traditional model to make art.