This space on our website is being held for updates and communication around Woolly’s plans to reopen our facility.
Our guiding principles in this transition are the following:
- We will be transparent with all of Woolly’s constituents about our decision-making process and our plans for moving forward.
- Our learning around this epidemic is evolving and because of that, our plans will need to be iterative and flexible based on current information and guidance.
We will share more about what it will look and feel like to be back in our space, what we are doing to mitigate the risk of exposure, as well as other considerations being taken to provide as much comfort and care as possible for artists, staff, and patrons alike.
Therefore, you can expect to see this space refreshed with updated information on August 15th & September 8th — at the very least — with our current actions and plans for reopening.
What you will see on those dates is as follows:
Summary of timeline
August 15th,
Our plans and procedures for keeping artists, creatives, production crew, and staff safe as they return to the work of producing live theatre.
This includes:
- Report out on progress in obtaining an Entertainment Venues and Multi-Purpose Facilities Waiver from the District of Columbia’s Department of Health as is required for entertainment venues under Phase 2 of ReOpen DC. If Washington, DC has entered Phase 3 and no waiver is required, we will state as much.
- Report out on progress in obtaining permission from Actors’ Equity Association and other relevant unions to proceed with our productions.
- Policies and plans for:
- Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning (i.e. filtration, airflow, and humidity)
- PPE, masks, and cloth face coverings
- Screening (i.e. testing, temperature checks, wellness checks)
- Hand Hygiene
- Reduction of “High Touch Areas” (i.e. door handles)
- Plans for cleaning & disinfecting our spaces, with a specific focus on:
- Theatre
- Lobby
- Backstage (stage wings, dressing rooms, green room, etc)
- Theatrical Equipment (costumes, props, scenery, etc.)
- Restrooms
- Office Areas
- Production Areas
- Plans to encourage physical distancing in our spaces using signage, traffic patterns, personnel, and other means, with a specific focus on:
- How artists and production team members will work safely through the technical rehearsal process
- How we are limiting and monitoring personnel onsite to accommodate artistic work
- Plans for canceling or modifying rehearsal and production processes due to potential or confirmed exposure.
September 8th
Our plans and procedures for keeping artists, creatives, production crew, staff, and patrons safe.
This includes the previously listed items in addition to:
- Update on progress in obtaining an Entertainment Venues and Multi-Purpose Facilities Waiver from the District of Columbia’s Department of Health that is required under Phase 2 of ReOpen DC. If Washington, DC has entered Phase 3 and no waiver is required, we will state as much.
- Update on progress in obtaining permission from Actors’ Equity Association and other relevant unions to proceed with our productions.
- Plans for cleaning & disinfecting our spaces, with a specific focus on:
- Theatre
- Backstage (the stage wings, dressing rooms, green room, etc)
- Theatrical Equipment (costumes, props, scenery, headsets, quick change areas etc.)
- Office Areas
- Staff Restrooms
- Production Areas
- Public Restrooms
- Upper and Lower Lobbies
- Box Office & Front of House Office
- Plans to encourage physical distancing in our space using signage, traffic patterns, personnel, and other means, with a specific focus on:
- Patron and Front of House interaction
- Limiting and/or eliminating in-person and high touch transactions (i.e reduced contact and/or contactless entry, digital ticketing options, digital programs, etc.)
- Changes in procedures for artists in performance conditions
- Plans for canceling or modifying performances due to potential or confirmed exposure.
If you would like to provide any feedback or have any questions regarding our reopening plans please reach out to safety@woollymammoth.net or call (202) 393-3939.
Our plans and procedures for keeping artists, creatives, production crew, and staff safe as they return to the work of producing live theatre. Details of this plan are subject to change as new information is discovered.
- Report out on progress in obtaining an Entertainment Venues and Multi-Purpose Facilities Waiver from the District of Columbia’s Department of Health as is required for entertainment venues under Phase 2 of ReOpen DC. If Washington, DC has entered Phase 3 and no waiver is required, we will state as much.
- District of Columbia is in Phase 2 and as of July 24th, the District is not issuing any more waivers for arts and entertainment venues to operate.
- Waiver will be submitted to the District of Columbia’s Department of Health prior to the first production of the season with ample time for approval.
- We are knowledgeable of all requirements of the waiver and are in the process of drafting.
- Report out on progress in obtaining permission from Actors’ Equity Association and other relevant unions to proceed with our productions.
- Requests for permission to produce to Actors’ Equity Association will be submitted prior to the first production of the season with ample time for approval.
- Created outline for Equity requirements and are in the drafting process.
- Developing the union’s Safety Evaluation Worksheet for all productions.
- Establish policies, protocols, and plans for:
- Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning (i.e. filtration, airflow, and humidity)
- Our HVAC Vendor (Welch & Rushe) will be installing MERV 13 air filters onto all 11 air handlers at the facility. We will be increasing air circulation in the theatre by activating outside air fans and increasing the outside air damper to 40%.
- PPE, masks, and cloth face coverings
- Masks or Cloth Face Coverings are required to be worn by anyone entering the facility. Masks can only be removed if actively eating/drinking and socially distanced.
- If individuals cannot abide by this guidance they will be asked to leave the facility.
- Signage indicating mask requirements will be hung throughout the space.
- Screening (i.e. testing, temperature checks, wellness checks)
- All persons entering the building will be administered a Wellness Questionnaire and temperature check. The Wellness Questionnaire will also be included in all pre-show emails and patrons will be asked to stay home if unable to pass the questionnaire.
- Hand Hygiene
- Hand Hygiene stations will be placed strategically throughout all public spaces.
- Hand Sanitizer will be provided in each seating box within the theatre and at each café table in the theatre.
- Hand Hygiene stations are placed through administrative offices and production spaces.
- Reduction of “High Touch Areas” (i.e. door handles)
- When in performances, Front of House staff will conduct a sweep of the Lobby every 30 minutes. They will work to clean and disinfect high touch surfaces such as handles, communal tables and chairs, countertops, tabletops, elevator buttons, railings, etc.
- When possible, doors will be left propped open to aid in traffic flow and reduce touch.
- Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning (i.e. filtration, airflow, and humidity)
- Plans for cleaning & disinfecting our spaces, with a specific focus on:
- Woolly has contracted Sage Enterprises to clean and disinfect the facility. Once the facility is operational this service will take place daily. Their work will be completed before staff, company, or patrons arrive onsite. They will daily clean the floors, disinfect high touch surfaces, and trash removal.
- Theatre
- To prepare the space for patrons, a staff member will disinfect all surfaces including seats, walls, railings, handles, etc. They will also ensure that there are full hand sanitizer bottles within every seating location.
- After the performances, Front of House staff will sanitize high touch surfaces.
- Lobby
- In addition to the daily cleaning, the Front of House staff will wipe down and disinfect their work areas.
- Every 30 minutes, Front of House will conduct a sweep of the Lobby cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces.
- Once patrons have left the facility, the Front of House staff will collect trash and sanitize work and common areas.
- Backstage
- Production staff will only enter backstage and stage area when needed for work.
- When production staff exits the space before a performance, they will clean and sanitize shared areas.
- Before performances, Stage Management and Production Staff will take care to clean high touch and pertinent areas. This will include disinfecting props and shared equipment.
- During performances, high touch surfaces will be sanitized in addition to sanitizing hands after handling shared props and disinfecting shared props after use.
- Dressing Rooms will be available only immediately prior to and during the performance. Following the performance, the Stage Management will enter to collect items to be laundered and sanitized.
- The performers using the dressing rooms will be instructed to clean their areas at the beginning and end of their time in the space.
- Theatrical Equipment and Production Area
- A bin will be provided for potentially contaminated tools before they are put away.
- Shared tools and high touch surfaces will be disinfected as overseen by the Technical Director during the end-of-day cleanup.
- Restrooms
- The restrooms will be cleaned and sanitized by Sage Enterprises daily. Every 30 minutes from the lobby’s opening prior to the start of the show, a restroom attendant will sanitize high touch surfaces. During the performance a restroom attendant will clean and sanitize all public restrooms.
- Office Areas
- The offices will be cleaned by Woolly staff. They will be required to wipe their individual work areas as well as shared equipment and high touch surfaces.
- Plans to encourage physical distancing in our spaces using signage, traffic patterns, personnel, and other means, with a specific focus on:
- How artists and production team members will work safely through the technical rehearsal process.
- We will limit access to the Woolly Mammoth space during rehearsals and technical rehearsals. The production teams will place designers’ stations at a safe distance from each other and from the performers. All participants will be required to wipe down their work spaces.
- How we are limiting and monitoring personnel onsite to accommodate artistic work
- Woolly’s administrative staff are encouraged to work remotely and must gain permission to work within the building.
- Staff that is not required for the production will have access to the building between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Front of House staff will have access to the theatre starting 2 hours before the performance time.
- How artists and production team members will work safely through the technical rehearsal process.
- Plans for canceling or modifying rehearsal and production processes due to potential or confirmed exposure.
- During the rehearsal process
- If staff or artists have been exposed to someone who has tested positive with COVID-19, they will need to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days from the time of exposure as recommended by the CDC, unless they receive a negative test result.
- If a staff or artists is confirmed to have COVID-19 they will need to self-quarantine until:
- at least 72 hours after their fever resolves without medication and respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath) improve AND
- at least 7 days have passed since their symptoms first started, whichever occurs later
- If the individual tested positive but never had any symptoms they will wait until at least 7 days have passed since they were tested.
- During performances
- If staff, artists, or patrons have been exposed to the individual who tested positive for COVID-19 they will be contacted. The production will be postponed until negative COVID-19 tests results have come in for every production participant or until the production participants have followed the DC Government’s recommendations around the ending of home isolation following exposure to a COVID-19 positive.
- If an artist or production staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, they will need to self-quarantine until:
- at least 72 hours after their fever resolves without medication and respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath) improve AND
- at least 7 days have passed since their symptoms first started, whichever occurs later
- If the individual tested positive but never had any symptoms they will wait until at least 7 days have passed since they were tested.
- The production will be postponed until negative COVID-19 tests results have come in for every production participant or until the production participants have followed the DC Government’s recommendations around the ending of home isolation following exposure to a COVID-19 positive
- If the WMTC Facility experiences a COVID-19 case on premises, WMTC will initiate a deep cleaning procedure. This includes a disinfecting and sanitizing procedure for the full building with concentration on areas used by the person who is sick. Cleaning will be conducted by Sage Enterprises. The WMTC Facility will be unavailable to all while deep cleaning is taking place.
- During the rehearsal process