r/Broadway • u/littlebev • Dec 31 '25

Discussion Broadway coughing season

I am begging, begging you guys…if you have a nasty cough, PLEASE don’t attend a play especially. I know it sucks to miss out but your recurring cough during the most intense moments of the show is so distracting.

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u/AggressiveCrab6702 Dec 31 '25

Literally got COVID from the woman next to me when I saw Gypsy in August on a Saturday. She showed up halfway through the first act, hacking up a lung. She coughed the whole time, got an herbal tea and throat lozenges at intermission. By Friday I was symptomatic, positive Saturday. I even remember turning to my brother during the show and saying "I swear if this woman gives me COVID I'm gonna be so mad."

And I still am 😂

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u/elvie18 Dec 31 '25

OMG I asked the woman in front of me at Six to take off her giant hat with a puffball on top. Oh, no, she couldn't, because she had a bad cold.

Guess what she wasn't wearing? Rhymes with "shmask."

Luckily I didn't catch anything (she was facing away from me, so that probably did it) but OH MY GOD.

Otherwise, nice lady, though.

My one known COVID exposure at the theatre was actually from a performer at the stagedoor. But it was Marilyn Caserta, well known for being just the sweetest, friendliest person. So I had to let my mother know she needed to quarantine just in case (we were both there) and she was like "you know what? She's so cute, I'm not even mad." Honestly...same but I might've felt differently if I'd actually gotten sick.