The maskless makeup of the Tony Awards reminds us that theatre is less welcoming for the immunocompromised. Especially when cast and crew are still vulnerable to breakthrough Covid infections that canceled performances and woefully ended runs, this cognitive dissonance is exacerbated through the running gag 'Chris Harper pays my salary' as quipped by the 'Company' winners at the podium, which references Patti LuPone's own scathing critique (that ascended LuPone to Theatre-Twitter circulation, again) to a mask-defying audience member. With that said, the unmasked Tony Awards left a looming cognitive dissonance and discomfort as Covid-negative testing, not masking, were attendance requirements in contrast to the current masking policies and protections in Broadway houses (with their vax requirements expired).
Shout out to the Broadway ushers, who were anecdotally meticulous (they patrol the aisles in tandem like hawks) in calling out the de-maskers in the Broadway houses lest they become spreaders. Once an understudy herself, DeBose gave much-needed thanks to the understudies, swings, and stand-ins as the heroes of the seasons who kept the shows dancing and singing.
