Broadway COVID-19 Shutdown Extended To May 30
(Photo: abc7ny.com)
Bella Breakdown
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has halted the entire entertainment industry including live Broadway productions. Broadway officially shut down due to a statewide shutdown of New York and close theatre doors starting March 12.
All of Broadway remains closed as the reopening date keeps getting pushed back and the reopening date has changed three times. The first reopening date was slated for June 7, then pushed to September 6 and was pushed back again for January 3.
Today was the fourth change in the reopening date to May 30 and is impacting the Tony Award schedule. The closure of Broadway is making history as a majority of productions have never closed their doors.
The Metropolitan Opera is making history as they will be skipping an entire season for the first time in their 140-year history. The Metropolitan Opera plans on returning from the pandemic shut down by September 2021.
Broadway shows will remain shut down through May 30, 2021https://t.co/ThnpyEQZ7j
— broadway.com (@broadwaycom) October 9, 2020
Broadway productions have stopped worldwide including the West End in England. The London producer Cameron Mackintosh disclosed that productions of “Les Miserables,” “Hamilton,” “Mary Poppins,” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” until 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Labor unions and producers are negotiating on reopening safely and providing funding for out of work employees. A national union supporting stage managers and actors, Actors’ Equity Association, is urging lawmakers to provide loans and funding the people working in the live performing arts industry.
The president of the Broadway League, Charlotte St. Martin, disclosed the organization is working non-stop with partners to re-open theatres safely for all production participants. The exact date is not confirmed as it might change again but Broadway producers are now offering a refund or ticket exchange for tickets purchased through May 30.
