Broadway Reopens but Not Quite Yet

Broadway shows are on their way back to the stage, according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Wednesday, May 5, 2021, Gov. Cuomo reported that ticket sales for Broadway shows would start soon, with some beginning in mid-September.

While Gov. Cuomo, referring to the shows reopening as “signs of life,” says capacity restrictions will soon be minimized even further, making more things open. Mayor Bill de Blasio says he would like the city’s reopening to begin in July.

Broadway is not quite ready to open. There are quite a few things to consider, so shows are waiting a few months. Producers will need to take this time to advertise, gather cast members who have not worked for over a year, and figure out how to keep everyone safe.

Tourists have stayed home for the last year. Being the largest contributor to ticket sales and not knowing how people will feel about coming back to cramped spaces and sitting next to people they are not familiar with makes the need to wait is warranted.

Some Broadway shows do not make enough money even when there is not a pandemic. Having to seat people according to social distancing, which will minimize the profit from ticket sales, will definitely be an issue for producers who will still have to pay rent and labor costs. There is also the question of masks required or not; whether a person is vaccinated or not, and proof of it; will a person want to sit next to someone not vaccinated, will cast members be able to sign individual autographs?

Below are a few of the Broadway shows that will be reopening soon:

• “Aladdin” is returning June 1 at the New Amsterdam Theater with possible limited seating.
• “The Lion King” will also return June 1 at the Minskoff Theater, with a first show beginning at 7 p.m.
• “Wicked,” the iconic untold story of the Wicked Witch of the West, will begin Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Gershwin Theater.
• “Ain’t Too Proud,” a musical about The Temptations, will also return on Sept. 7 at Imperial Theatre.
• Broadway classic “Chicago” has its first show listed on Sept. 17 at Ambassador Theatre.

For the first time since Nov. 2020, musicals and plays are coming back to the stage. Many more will be returning before the year is over. Visit Broadway.org to find their return dates.

Written by Brenda Robinson
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware

Sources:

The New York Times: Broadway Is Reopening. But Not Until September; by Michael Paulson
NBC New York: Which Broadway Shows Will Reopen First? See a List Here

Featured and Top Image by Seamus Murray, Courtesy of Prank Sky Media’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Delphine Queme’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License