An unforgettable experience: Discovering what it’s like to attend a Broadway show with young children

In May, when former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that Broadway would be reopening and ticket sales would begin, I turned to my "Wicked"-loving wife and daughters and asked, "How about seeing Wicked on Broadway in September?"

After a moment of stunned silence, our living room erupted in excitement, and within 10 minutes, we had secured our tickets to see Wicked on Broadway, solidifying our plans.

But then I realized—my 8-year-old twins aren't vaccinated yet. Would vaccine requirements jeopardize our trip to enjoy Broadway's reopening?

While parents wait for a universally approved vaccine for young kids, Broadway features several shows that permit vaccinated adults to bring unvaccinated children under 12, provided they are tested. Fortunately, Broadway has established clear guidelines for attendees to follow to enjoy their favorite shows live and in person.

Here’s what it was like to experience a show with kids in tow, now that Broadway has officially made its comeback.

Testing Protocols

To attend a Broadway show in New York City, you must be vaccinated and provide proof. While a photo of your vaccination card along with your ID is sufficient for entry, we opted to adhere to the Broadway Direct guidelines, which recommend downloading the NYC Covid Safe app to upload your ID and vaccination card.

For children aged 12 and under who aren't eligible for vaccination, they must present proof of one of the following instead of vaccination evidence:

• A negative COVID-19 PCR test conducted by a medical provider within 72 hours prior to the performance start time. The test results must clearly indicate the date and time of the test.
• A negative COVID-19 rapid antigen test taken within six hours before the performance. The test results must clearly show the date and time. This test can be performed by a healthcare professional or using an over-the-counter testing kit.

We ordered two kits of Abbott's BinaxNow COVID-19 Home Tests through Optum for our daughters and packed them in our carry-on. If you're planning to attend a Broadway show soon with kids under 12, you can either obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR test 72 hours before the show or a rapid antigen test within six hours of showtime.

Before you arrive

Since the show policy mandates a negative COVID-19 antigen test result within six hours of the performance, we returned to our hotel in the late afternoon on show day to ensure we stayed within that six-hour timeframe for our 8 p.m. performance.

From our hotel room, we used our cell phones to follow the instructions on the test kit packet and conducted the nasal swab test, supervised by a live, certified proctor. After 15 minutes of waiting, the proctor returned to confirm our negative test result, and I immediately received an email confirmation to use as proof at the theater.

At the theater

After purchasing your Broadway tickets, you'll receive an email outlining suggested arrival times based on your seat location for the show. This helps to stagger admissions and prevent large crowds at the theater entrance.

We arrived at the Gershwin Theatre right on time, 15 minutes before the show was set to begin.

As we entered, we quickly noticed there was a two-step process for admission into the venue.

First, adults must present vaccination cards (either on your phone or in the NYC Covid Safe app) along with identification, as well as the negative COVID-19 test results for any children under 12 in your group. I pulled up the email from eMed Labs that contained my daughters' negative COVID-19 antigen test results and presented it to the attendant just outside the theater entrance.

After providing proof of our vaccination status and the necessary testing documentation for the kids, we were granted entry. An usher scanned our tickets and guided us to our seats.

During the performance

The excited audience was lively, and the packed theater adhered to the mask mandate, with ushers politely (but firmly) reminding attendees of the theater's mask policy and etiquette.

An atmosphere of excitement enveloped the theater, as if everyone present recognized the privilege of being back inside, enjoying a live Broadway show with real actors performing on stage.

Bottom line

After a 18-month hiatus, Broadway has returned, stronger than ever.

Before the show, I felt anxious about the extra steps needed to experience a performance with my kids, but fortunately, the process was straightforward. My daughters cheered for the talented actors onstage, and as parents, we didn’t have to stress about masks or vaccine checks, since everyone needed to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to gain entry.

Parents bringing children under 12 to a Broadway show must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours of showtime or a negative COVID-19 antigen test conducted within six hours of the performance. Once your child's negative test result is in hand, follow the theater’s arrival guidelines and give yourself a round of applause—you did it! You saw a Broadway show again!