Virginia expands capacity for school performances

Sports games won't be the only events that spectators will be able to attend at schools in Virginia.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Sports games won't be the only events that spectators will be able to attend at schools in Virginia.

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New regulations will now allow a limited number of people to attend school plays and other performances.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced the change on Monday. Parents and students had started a petition urging Northam to revise and loosen restrictions on school performances making the guidance similar to the of school sporting events.

"Currently, performance events like drama and musicals are considered social gatherings. I've heard a lot of feedback from parents and students that these events should be treated the same as athletic events – and I agree," Northam said Monday. "So we'll increase the number of people to 100 indoors or 30 percent of that venue's capacity. If it's outdoors, it will be increased to 500 or 30 percent of capacity."