The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh performances resume this Thursday (10-28-2021) at the Benedum Center. Here is a detailed look at the new guidelines to insure the health and safety of audiences, performers and staff.

In this era of the Covid 19 pandemic, it is natural for audience members to feel a degree of concern about attending a performance that can accommodate some 2,800-audience members along with several hundred people performing and working onstage, backstage, and in the theatre.

Working diligently towards reopening their venues after the long intermission, the Cultural Trust created a Roadmap to Reopening Committee, led by Vice President of Artistic Planning Scott Shiller. They developed an aggressive approach to ensuring the health and safety of everyone in attendance at one of its theatres and galleries.

Many layers of defense have been implemented against COVID-19, including contactless security screening technology, upgraded air filtration, vaccine and mask requirements for all employees and artists, touchless fixtures, and more.

Contactless Ticketing   

Purchasing tour tickets online through https://trustarts.org/pct_home/events will allow for a more contactless in-theater experience. The Trust has implemented contactless scanners, allowing guests to scan their own mobile, print at home, or physical ticket upon arriving on-site to gain admission to the performance.

Security Screenings

In 2016, before the pandemic-related closing of venues in 2020, the Cultural Trust and most other sports and entertainment venues had implemented security screening procedures. (Pittsburgh’s Cultural District is one of the safest neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, a city among the safest metropolitan areas in our nation.)

You undoubtedly noticed the original screening procedures created congestion at the entrances and slowed the process of audiences entering. Having audience members stand outside for long periods in an entry queue was not ideal for those days with inclement weather.

“To give you an idea of our scale, we host more visitors each year between all of our artistic events, performances, and festivals, than the Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins combined.

While protecting our guests and ensuring their safety remains our number one priority, we also wanted something that would meet and exceed their expectations. Our guests have been away almost 18 months, and we wanted them to return to our venues with a completely new entry experience that virtually eliminates any inconvenience on their part.” 

— Kevin C. Wilkes, Chief Security Officer, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust 

The Cultural Trust has deployed contactless, rapid screening for venue entrances through Evolve Technologies in response to these concerns. Guests can seamlessly walkthrough with their bags, coats, and permissible items.

Vaccine & Masking Mandates (through March 31, 2022)

All guests will need to be fully vaccinated with the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccine and must show proof of vaccination at their time of entry into the theater with their valid ticket.

“Fully vaccinated” means on the day of the performance date, as shown on the valid ticket, a guest is:

· at least 14 days after their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or

· at least 14 days after their single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Proof of vaccination must come directly from the healthcare provider that performed the vaccination. Guests may bring their vaccination card or a photo of their card on their smartphone. Use of a Digital Vaccination Passport App is also acceptable.

The only exceptions are:

· guests under the age of 12, who must be tested and accompanied by an adult that meets our venue’s vaccination requirements; or

· guests who need reasonable accommodations due to a medical exception or a sincerely held religious belief

Some third-party renters of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust facilities may have their own vaccination requirements. Direct communication from the presenting organization before your event will have the most up-to-date information on entry requirements.

For guests who are not able to be vaccinated for one of the reasons listed above, they must provide one of the following instead of evidence of vaccination:

· negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 24 hours of the performance start time, or 

· negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time.

· For certain performances, guests between the ages of 2-12 do not need to provide a negative test but must wear masks at all times and follow the other venue health policies.

Along with the proof of vaccination, all guests 18 years or older must also present a government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport. Guests younger than 18 may use a government-issued photo ID or school photo ID. Guests under 12 must be accompanied by an adult who meets the above requirements.

Entry will be denied for guests who do not provide the documentation as required above.

All staff, volunteers, and artists in Cultural District venues are required to be fully vaccinated and wear masks when they are not performing.

Guest Screening/Health Certification

By entering one of the Cultural Trust’s venues, guests acknowledge that all of the statements below are true on the day they visit. 

• I have not tested positive for COVID-19 through a diagnostic test in the past ten (10) days.
• I am not and have not recently experienced (within the last 48 hours) any new or worsening symptoms of COVID-19.
• I have not had close contact, or proximate contact with any person(s) confirmed with a diagnostic test or suspected based on symptoms to have COVID-19 within the past ten (10) days.

If any of these statements are NOT true, guests should not come to the venue and instead use the flexible ticket policy options.

‘Gold Standard’ in Cleaning

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s performing arts venues are the first in Pennsylvania to receive Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) Star Facility Accreditation for stringent cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention protocols. Accreditation has been provided for the Benedum Center, Byham Theater, and Greer Cabaret Theater, with GBAC STAR accreditation pending for the Harris Theater and O’Reilly Theater.

Restrooms are extensively disinfected before every event and will continue to be sanitized throughout every performance, including door handles, toilet handles, sinks, countertops, soap dispensers, faucets, and adult and baby-changing stations. We have installed new, touchless fixtures in many of our facilities.

High-touch areas throughout the venues, including door handles, handrails, countertops, and elevator buttons, are being cleaned before, during, and after all events.

The Cultural Trust is proactively placing hand sanitizers at every front door and throughout each of our venues. Seat wipe dispensers have also been added at central locations in every venue.

Clean Air in Venues

The Trust has reviewed and improved air quality in all venues. All HVAC systems have been upgraded to Merv-16 rated filters, which have been identified to be much more effective in trapping microscopic particles, including COVID-19.

Food and Beverage Service

Service is currently suspended at the Benedum. Guest may bring in a small bottle of water in a plastic bottle.

For More Information Visit: TrustArts.org/Welcome.

Categories: Feature Stories

Tags: Benedum Center, Broadway in Pittsburgh, Health and Safety, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust