UPDATED July 2023. In-person classes are ongoing. Public health remains an important concern for our community and our school. Merlin Works continues to follow the City of Austin guidelines. On March 23, 2023, the City of Austin shared the Notice of termination of Health Authority Rules.  

UPDATED January 2023! In-person classes are going well. A bump in the road has us recommending masks in class. Public health remains an overriding concern for our community and our school. Our guidelines follow the City of Austin guidelines.

UPDATED June 2022! In-person classes are going well. Normalcy seems close to where we are. But public health remains an overriding concern for our community and our school. We continue to update our guidelines on the COVID-19 Risk-Based Guidelines being used by The City of Austin.

The City is currently in: Low

Here is an outline of the action Merlin Works is taking and what we’re asking of our faculty, students, and audiences as we move forward. We will have hand sanitizer and masks available, please wash your hands before you enter a shared space, and do stay home if they are feeling ill. We will do the following at each stage:

Low

• No special requirements. (No Tests Required.)
• Masks are welcomed, but not required.
• Please stay home if you are not feeling well.

Medium

• Recommended, but not required, for audiences members in the theater.
• Performers not actively on stage for a show recommended, but not required, to wear masks in the theater.
• We recommend everyone wear masks in the classroom.
• Please stay home if you are not feeling well.

High

• All students and staff are required to wear masks.
• Unvaccinated and those at high risk to COVID are discouraged from attending.
• Temperatures will be checked and hands sanitized at the door.
• Negative PCR Test within 72 hours of Class Start or fully documented Vaccine Card (plus 14 days) required to enter class.
• Class size may be limited.
• Anyone who is sick, exhibiting symptoms, or not complying with safety protocols will be asked to stay home.
• Shows may be paused based on city and venue guidelines. 

Thank you for your time and for complying with these guidelines. We want to remain safe so this is what we are doing to keep our beloved community safe. 

City of Austin Chart as of April 12, 2022.

Help Keep Austin Weird and in the Low: *try* not to touch your face, cover your mouth (with your mask/elbow) when you cough, and please keep WASHING YOUR HANDS! 

UPDATED for the Delta Omicron variant! We had a successful Fall Semester and are looking forward to picking up in-person classes again in January, but we want to plan ahead. As a reminder to our students and faculty, there may be some hiccups, and our public health here in the Austin area remains an overriding concern for everyone in our community. We have based our guidelines on the COVID-19 stages outlined by The City of Austin.

The City is currently in: Stage 1

Here is an outline of the action Merlin Works is taking and what we’re asking of our faculty, students, and audiences as we move forward. We will have hand sanitizer and masks available, please wash your hands before you enter a shared space, and do stay home if they are feeling ill. We will do the following at each stage:

Stages 1-2

• No special requirements.
• Masks are welcomed, but not required.
• Please stay home if you are not feeling well.

Stage 3

• Audiences must wear masks in the theater.
• Temperatures will be checked and hands sanitized before classes begin.
• Anyone who is sick, running a fever or exhibiting other symptoms, or not complying with safety protocols will be asked to stay home.
• Performers not actively on stage for a show must wear masks in the theater*.
• Everyone is required to wear masks in the classroom.
• Negative Third Party Antigen or PCR Test within 72 hours of Class Start or fully documented Vaccine Card (plus 14 days) required to enter class.
• Please stay home if you are not feeling well.

Stage 4

• Everyone, to include fully vaccinated participants, must wear masks.
• Temperatures will be checked and hands sanitized before classes begin.
• Negative Third Party Antigen or PCR Test within 72 hours of Class Start or fully documented Vaccine Card (plus 14 days) required to enter class.
• Anyone who is sick, running a fever or exhibiting other symptoms, or not complying with safety protocols will be asked to stay home.
• Theater capacity will be reduced and seats will be in groups of two with space between.

Stage 5

• All students and staff are required to wear masks.
• Classes will be held outside.
• If weather or other restrictions inhibit outside classes, we will move to Zoom.
• Unvaccinated and those at high risk to COVID are discouraged from attending.
• Temperatures will be checked and hands sanitized before outside classes begin.
• Negative Third Party Antigen or PCR Test within 72 hours of Class Start or fully documented Vaccine Card (plus 14 days) required to join outside classes.
• Anyone who is sick, running a fever or exhibiting other symptoms, or not complying with safety protocols will be asked to stay home.
• Shows will be paused until The City moves to a lower stage.
• Classes may be paused. 

Thank you for your time and for complying with these guidelines. We want to remain safe so this is what we are doing to keep our beloved community safe. *An individual Theater’s rules may override Merlin Works guidelines.

We’ll get through this and be back to normal soon! Stay safe in the meantime, *try* not to touch your face, and ???? WASH YOUR HANDS ????