Peterborough Community Theatre extends proof-of-vaccine policy

After a successful month hosting vaccinated-only screenings on Sundays, the Peterborough Community Theatre will also start checking patrons for proof of COVID-19 vaccination at their Thursday shows, starting next week.

It’s what they have to do in order to stay afloat, co-owner Vanessa Amsbury-Bonilla explained. “It’s really our only option outside of shutting our doors,” she said. She and co-owner Kevin Goohs have watched attendance numbers drop as the Delta variant of COVID-19 gains traction, except at their Sunday shows, which have required proof of vaccination since the theater reopened on July 2. That’s a choice they made after listening to what customers needed in order to feel safe, Goohs said.

“It’s been wildly successful,” Amsbury-Bonilla said of their policy, which was implemented to protect their customers, many of whom are senior citizens and, as such, are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. Although she’s seen pushback about the policy on individuals’ Facebook pages, there’s been no trouble with in-person patrons, she said. “Everybody has been incredibly gracious in person,” she said, even when people were unaware of the policy get turned away. “We have to retain that integrity of what we’re doing, otherwise, what’s the point?” Amsbury-Bonilla said, even though it’s meant turning away some of her own friends.

Reserving some shows for vaccinated-only attendees doesn’t violate HIPAA laws, Amsbury-Bonilla said. “That’s a pretty quick Google search,” she said, and the majority of their screenings continue to not require proof of vaccine, even after extending the policy to Thursdays.

Although the Peterborough Community Theatre appears to be leading the charge locally in requiring proof of vaccine, Amsbury-Bonilla is watching the practice gain traction in indoor concert venues and other similar businesses around the country.

“Going to the movies has always been an escape from depression, war, and the everyday stress of life,” Goohs said, and the theater is trying to serve everyone in the public while the pandemic continues on, including those who prefer their “Safer Sunday” screenings. “We really do try to serve our community and as corny as it may sound - at the Peterborough Community Theatre, Community is our middle name.”

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