We’ll All Have First Show Back Stories. Here’s Mine

A theatre lover and maker on returning to in-person performances after a year away

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But as much unexpected fun as I’ve had with virtual theatre, screens aren’t our medium. As theatre lovers and makers, we need human connection. Even a proud curmudgeonly introvert like me longed to be in a room with others, enjoying a communal experience.

Thanks to the easing of New York’s COVID restrictions, I recently returned to live in-person theatre for the first time since Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. This was the moment I had been desperate for since the shutdown began. However, I admit, I was hit with a mix of emotions, excitement but also fear. Was it safe? Was I putting myself or my partner or roommates at risk? Was I being selfish? Even though I had pored over the show’s website and was comfortable with the production’s safety protocols, there were no guarantees. But I also realized that, at some point, every theatre lover is going to have a first show back. I decided I was ready for mine.

I entered the side doors of the Judson Memorial Church, which has hosted cutting-edge performances for decades. A staff member took my temperature with a contactless thermometer and confirmed my contact information for tracing, then I was allowed to proceed into the house. As I walked into this beautiful and cavernous space with stained glass windows, I was greeted by a warm yet confused feeling. I looked around. It seemed familiar but off, like how sometimes when you’re dreaming, your apartment doesn’t look quite right. The chairs were very spread out and there were only a handful of us. I made my way to the first row (for my return to in-person performance, I wanted to be front and center) and sat anxiously and uncharacteristically fidgety in my chair.

After the curtain dropped on the one-act performance, the audience applauded and we exited using the taped arrows on the floor to guide us. Out on the street, I stopped to reflect on what I had witnessed and the upsides of socially distant seating. Not once did I get distracted by my neighbor elbowing me or chewing loudly or slurping out of overpriced Whirley cups. I didn’t miss the awkward shuffle through a packed row to get to my seat, or the mad dash to leave the theatre at the end. Not only did I feel safe because of these new precautions, I was also able to focus solely on the story unfolding in front of me. While this is certainly a period of adjustment, we may find we don’t want to go back to everything the way it was.

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Tyler Riley is an actor, director and podcast host in the greater NYC area. Follow him on Twitter at @itstylerriley. Follow TDF at @TDFNYC.

TYLER RILEY