Tampa’s Straz Center will drop face mask requirement for most shows

The David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts this week announced that “because of the downward trend in COVID cases and hospitalizations in our area,” the hall will no longer require audiences to wear face masks starting Monday. But some upcoming performances, such as Disney’s Frozen and the Florida Orchestra concert, will still have the requirement at the performers’ request.

You will still have to wear a face mask this weekend at the Tampa venue when it stages performances of the musical Crowns and the play A Clockwork Orange. The Florida Orchestra has shows Friday and Saturday, when it will play the score of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire while the film plays in Morsani Hall.

The orchestra, like Disney, is still requesting that its audiences wear face masks during performances, and the Straz said it will honor that. A spokeswoman said the Florida Orchestra is in the process of reviewing its protocols but has not made any changes yet.

Disney’s Broadway musical Frozen will be at the Straz Center March 23-April 3. While the hall is changing its policy, “individual touring companies may have their own health and safety requirements.”

When the performing arts center reopened for live shows last fall, it was among the most cautious of Tampa Bay’s venues. It required that guests show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine or a recent negative test before seeing a show, and face masks were worn by all indoors.

In mid-February, the Straz Center dropped the vaccine and testing policy, but kept its mask requirement in place. It said at the time that public health advisers still advocated for masking as a highly effective means of reducing transmission.

As of Monday, only those who wish to will be masked. One perk of dropping the face mask policy: As of next week, guests will again be allowed to bring drinks and food items into the theaters.