Broadway theatres will not re-open in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc in the United States.
The New York theatre industry’s trade association, The Broadway League, made the announcement in a statement this week.
“The alchemy of 1,000 strangers bonding into a single audience fuelling each performer on stage and behind the scenes will be possible again when Broadway theatres can safely host full houses,” said Thomas Schumacher, chairman of The Broadway League.
“Every single member of our community is eager to get back to work sharing stories that inspire our audience through the transformative power of a shared live experience.”
“The safety of our cast, crew, orchestra and audience is our highest priority and we look forward to returning to our stages only when it’s safe to do so. One thing is for sure, when we return we will be stronger and more needed than ever.”
In March, performances at all 41 venues in New York’s famous theatre district were suspended due to the pandemic. At the time, 31 productions were still running, The Guardian reports.
In May, Disney announced that the musical version of Frozen would not re-open on Broadway in the aftermath of the pandemic. It became the first Broadway musical to suffer its demise at the hands of the coronavirus crisis. The musical had staged 851 performances before closing.
“We are heartbroken to announce that Frozen will not reopen once Broadway returns,” a representative for Frozen wrote in a social media post in May.
“Thank you for the love and magic we’ve shared together during our incredible 851 performances at the St. James Theatre. Some people are worth melting for, and today our hearts melt with you.”
Two other Broadway plays have also announced that they would not re-open post-pandemic. Martin McDonagh comedy Hangmen and the revival of Edward Albee’s classic Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf have closed their doors permanently.
Check out ‘Love Is An Open Door’ performed by the cast of Broadway’s Frozen:
