Published on NYtimes.com
By Julie Besonen

Breathe in some culture and the great outdoors — just from behind a mask.

Pandemic willing, live shows will be back across the United States this spring and summer. (A patchwork of them, anyway.) Scores of festivals, benefits and theatrical events are playing it safe with digital editions or postponements, but some impresarios are forging ahead, adhering to safety protocols, capping audience size and keeping it outside, mindful of all the artists and fans left bruised last year by cancellations.