The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company (GSVLOC) is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment and experience for cast, production staff, crew, guests, orchestra members and the audiences for the March – April Remount of Ruddigore. The GSVLOC has, therefore, developed the following COVID-19 Preparedness Plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the COVID-19 Preparedness Plan is administered by the GSVLOC Board, which maintains the overall authority and responsibility in enforcing the provisions of this plan, all GSVLOC participants are responsible for supporting, implementing, complying with, and providing recommendations to further improve all aspects of this plan. Only through this cooperative effort can we ensure everyone’s safety and health.
All cast, production staff, crew and orchestra members will be notified of these policies prior to their participation. Participation in the production will be considered an agreement to abide strictly to these policies, without exception. A significant failure to do so as determined by the Directors, Stage Manager or the GSVLOC Board, will result in dismissal from the production.

This COVID-19 Preparedness Plan will be revised as the conditions of the pandemic change, as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and/or Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines change, and as the GSVLOC becomes aware of situations and concerns that the current plan doesn’t address. The GSVLOC will make every effort to notify all participants, and when relevant, audience members of these changes.

Standards For Cast, Production Staff, Crew, Guests and Orchestra Members

Vaccination Status

All cast, production staff, crew and orchestra members must be fully vaccinated before participation in the production. There will be no exceptions to this requirement.
An individual is considered to be “Fully vaccinated” two weeks after the second dose in a two dose vaccination series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

Booster shots are required for all cast, production staff, crew and orchestra members who completed their initial vaccine series before July 1, 2021.

All cast, production staff, crew and orchestra members must provide proof of their vaccination status to the designated COVID Safety Officers (TBD) before their first participation in the production.

All cast, production staff, crew and orchestra members may demonstrate their vaccination status with their vaccination card, a photo of their vaccination card, or with the Docket app.

Masking

All participants are subject to the rules of the venues in which the GSVLOC rehearses and performs, including Lake Harriet Methodist Church and Plymouth Congregational Church.

In accordance with Lake Harriet Methodist Church’s requirements, cast members will mask while engaged in music rehearsals, including chorus rehearsals and solo coaching and at all times when not actively engaged in staging rehearsals. Cast members may remove their masks when actively engaged in staging rehearsals, but may also choose to continue to wear their masks when doing so.

Plymouth Congregational Church requires that participants mask at all times, except when cast members are actively engaged in music or staging rehearsal, and when performing. During rehearsals, cast members will remove and pocket their masks before going on stage, and will re-mask when leaving the stage. During performances and dress rehearsals, cast members will remove their masks in dressing rooms before going on stage, and will re-mask in the dressing rooms after going off stage. Cast members may choose to wear their masks when rehearsing until the Wednesday, March 9th Dress Rehearsal, from which time cast members will not wear their masks when on stage.

Production staff and crew will remain masked at all times.

Orchestra string players and percussionists will remain masked at all times. Wind players will mask when not playing, but will remove their masks to play. Individual wind players may use an instrumentalist mask while playing if they wish to do so. The GSVLOC encourages wind players to use bell covers and disposable absorbent pads.

All are strongly encouraged to use N95, KN95, or KF94 masks, but standard 2-ply cloth masks are acceptable. Face shields or masks with a valve, gaiters, scarves, etc. are not acceptable.

Social Distancing

All cast, production staff, crew and orchestra members are welcome, but not required to practice social distancing, to the extent possible when not actively engaged in rehearsal or when backstage.

Social distancing will not be possible when rehearsing, when called to the Green Room or when on stage.

Testing and Test Reporting

All cast, production staff, crew and orchestra members will test and will submit the results of their tests as scheduled below, via email, or an alternate electronic medium to be determined, to the designated COVID Safety Officers  prior to participation in the week’s activities. Anyone who fails to do so will be unable to participate in that week’s rehearsals and/or performances until a negative result is submitted.

Participants are required to test within 72 hours of the deadlines listed below (e.g. from Tuesday at 6:00 pm through Friday at 6:00 pm for performance weekends).

The ideal is a PCR / molecular test, taken early enough to have the results by the deadlines set. If the deadline is approaching and PCR test results have not come back in time, a rapid antigen test may be used. If an antigen test is used, it must be taken on the same day as the performance and repeated each performance day until the PCR test result is obtained.

Covid Saftey Officers

Male Chorus:  Alexander Gerchak
Female Chorus: Anna Maher
Principals: Wendy Matsutani Kellogg
Production Staff, Backstage, and Guests: Malka Key
Orchestra: Barb Hovey

Notes: Alexander, Anna, Malka, and Barb are Covid Safety Officers for themselves.  Cassie Utt will report to Anna.

Test Result Deadlines for Cast Members and Relevant Crew Members:

Test results must be submitted on the date designated below by 6:00 pm, regardless of whether the cast or relevant crew member is called that day.

Monday, January 24
Monday, February 28
Sunday, March 6
Friday, March 11
Friday, March 18
Friday, March 25
Friday, April 1

Test Result Deadlines for Orchestra: Test results must be submitted on the date designated below by 6:00 pm, if the orchestra member is playing that week. If an orchestra member is called in as a replacement, they must first take a rapid test and have the negative results before arriving at the theater.

Friday, March 4
Friday, March 11
Friday, March 18
Friday, March 25
Friday, April 1

Test Result Deadlines for House Management Staff, Relevant Crew: Test results must be submitted on the date designated below by 6:00 pm.

Wednesday, March 9
Friday, March 18
Friday, March 25
Friday, April 1

Test Result Deadlines for Production Staff:

The Director, Music Director, Accompanist, Assistant Stage Managers, etc. will follow the Cast testing schedule.

Design Production Staff will test by 6:00 pm for only the Tech Weeks and Strike, and other weeks as necessary:

Monday, February 28
Sunday, March 6
Sunday, April 3

COVID-19 Symptoms

All GSVLOC participants are to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. The following is a listing of the more common and less common COVID-19 symptoms:

Response to COVID-19 Symptoms

If a participant has one of the more common OR two of the less common symptoms, they should stay home and inform the designated COVID Safety Officers (TBD) immediately or go home if they become sick in rehearsal or at a performance. They should get tested immediately and again 3 to 5 days after the onset of symptoms and report the results of the test to the designated COVID Safety Officers (TBD).

Participants may observe at rehearsal masked following a first negative test. Participants will return to rehearsal or performance after the second negative test.

Participants who test positive for COVID-19 must quarantine and are excluded from rehearsal or at a performance for 14 days and must be fever and symptom free for 24 hours before returning to rehearsal or a performance.

Notification of Other Participants

If a participant tests positive for COVID-19, the designated COVID Safety Officers (TBD) will inform other participants if they have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 in rehearsal or at a performance. The participant who tests positive for COVID-19 will be asked if they want their identity to be kept private or if they are willing to share their identity. The identity of the person who tested positive will only be provided with that person’s consent, unless there is otherwise a compelling need to disclose who it was who tested positive for COVID-19.

Quarantine Guidelines for Those Exposed

Exposure is defined as being in close contact (within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone who has COVID-19.

Participants exposed to someone with COVID-19 should test immediately for COVID-19 and test again 3 to 5 days after the exposure. They should self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and wear a mask during all rehearsals for 14 days following exposure. They can observe during rehearsal but not participate in blocking until they have received a negative PCR test result on a test taken at least three days after exposure.

Participants who are masked throughout the performance (e.g. Stage Manager, Music Director) can participate in the performance after exposure with a negative rapid (15-minute) antigen test. Participants who are not masked throughout the performance (e.g. singers, wind players) may not perform after an exposure until they have obtained a negative PCR test result.

In the case of ongoing exposure (e.g. household member tests positive), the CSO, in conjunction with the board, will determine appropriate precautions.

Orchestra Accommodations

The orchestra will consist of approximately 20 instrumentalists, rather than the GSVLOC’s typical 30 plus, and will include a keyboard to supplement the missing instruments.

The GSVLOC will provide a number of fans / air purifiers in the orchestra pit area to improve air quality and circulation.

The Music Director will determine if and to what degree the hallway and/or outside door should be open to improve air quality and circulation.

Refreshments

The GSVLOC will not provide refreshments during rehearsals or performances so as to minimize the need for participants to remove their masks.

Guests

All rehearsal or backstage guests (children, reviewers, etc.) of the cast, production staff and crew must be fully vaccinated and must provide proof of their vaccination status to the designated COVID Safety Officers (TBD). There will be no exceptions to this requirement.

Post Show Greeting

The cast, production staff, crew and orchestra members will not form the traditional “greeting line” in the lobby after performances. All cast, production staff, crew and orchestra members with family and friends in the audience, however, may greet them in the lobby after the performance, but must be masked to do so.

Greeting is strictly limited to the lobby area. Audience members will not be allowed into the “backstage area,” except for backstage tours, arranged in advance with the Directors, Stage Manager or the GSVLOC Board. All these parties must be notified of the tour and all involved must be masked.

Standards For Audience Members

Vaccination Status Requirement and Notification

All audience members must be fully vaccinated before attending a performance. There will be no exceptions to this requirement. This includes children too young to be vaccinated.

Audience members will be notified of the requirement to be fully vaccinated. This notice will be posted on the company’s website, included in all ticket mailings and emails, included as a note accompanying mailed tickets, on signs posted at that building entryways, on a sign posted at the Will Call window and on signs posted at both theater entry doors.

Before the performance, audience members will not be allowed through the south parking lot door through the “backstage” area. A sign will be posted indicating that the audience must enter the building through the west “colonnade” door or the east Hennepin Avenue door. An exception will be made for those who must use the elevators to access the theater level.

In order to enter the theater, audience members must first show the House Manager, stationed in the lobby, their vaccination card, a photo of their vaccination card, or with the Docket app, AND a state issued ID card or drivers’ license to confirm their identity. Vaccinated children may use a school ID or the accompanying adult may vouch for their identity. Once audience members have done so, they will be issued a wrist band, which they must show to the ushers in order to enter the theater.

During the performance, including intermission, audience members will not be allowed to use the restrooms in the “backstage” area, but will be directed to the rest rooms in the north hallway, accessible by the stairway. An exception will be made for those who are unable to use the stairs to use the restrooms in the “backstage” area.
After the performance, audience members will not be allowed to exit through the south parking lot door, through the “backstage” area. An exception will be made for those who must use the elevators to return to the west “colonnade” door level.

Audience members without proof of vaccination or state issued ID or U.S. passport (exceptions for vaccinated children noted above) will not be allowed into the theater. Those audience members will be offered tickets to another performance, or their tickets will be refunded.

Masking

Plymouth Congregational Church requires all visitors to mask at all times. Face shields or masks with a valve, gaiters, scarves, etc. are not acceptable.

The audience will be notified of the requirement to wear masks the entire time they are in the building, including the lobby and theater. This notice will be posted on the company’s website, included in all ticket mailings and emails, included as a note accompanying mailed tickets, on signs posted at that building entryways, on a sign posted at the Will Call window and on signs posted at both theater entry doors.

If an audience member removes their mask, they will be reminded that they must wear their mask by the House Manager and/or ushers.

Social Distancing

The audience will be encouraged to social distance, as much as possible, in the building and lobby. This notice will be posted on the company’s website, included in all ticket mailings and emails, included as a note accompanying mailed tickets, on signs posted at that building entryways, on a sign posted at the Will Call window and on signs posted at both theater entry doors.

The audience will be notified that the GSVLOC will attempt to sell all seats in the theater. Therefore, social distancing will not be an option in the theater.

Concessions

The GSVLOC will not serve concessions for this production so as to eliminate the need for audience members to remove their masks.

Audience members will be notified that this is the case on the company’s website, as well as in all ticket mailings and emails, included as a note accompanying mailed tickets.

Audience members may bring their own bottled water and may drink it in the lobby and the theater.

Audience Members with Symptoms

Audience members with COVID-19 symptoms must not attend a performance. Audience members who report that they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and will not be attending a performance will be offered tickets to another performance, or their tickets will be refunded.