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COVID outbreaks shut down some Broadway shows
Some Broadway productions have reopened and others have canceled performances due to infections among members of the casts and crews. The Music Man is the latest production to go dark.
NEW YORK - The COVID surge in New York City is continuing to batter the entertainment industry, many Broadway shows have now canceled performances and several have permanently shut down due to positive tests.
What Broadway shows are closed due to COVID?
The Music Man canceled all performances through Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, because co-star Hugh Jackman tested positive for COVID. Performances are set to resume on Jan. 2 but Jackman isn't expected back until at least Jan. 6.
Mrs. Doubtfire announced that it would be taking a nine-week hiatus from January 10 through March 14 under the hope that the hiatus will save the show from shutting down for good. Its producer said that with omicron, the production would close if it did not take drastic proactive measures.
Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations will play its final performance on Jan. 16, 2022. It became the fourth show in over a week to announce a permanent closure.
Six The Musical canceled all shows until Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which has been hit by COVID, canceled both shows Tuesday, Dec. 28, due to non-COVID illness, according to its Twitter feed. An 8 p.m. show was scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 29.
Hamilton was canceled through Monday, Dec. 27, due to coronavirus cases, but shows resumed on Tuesday, Dec. 28.
Thoughts of a Colored Man closed its run on Broadway. On an Instagram post, the production announced that it ended performances as of Dec. 22, 2021. It wrote: "We have tried our hardest to safely navigate the current, unfortunate health crisis, but ultimately we are unable to continue under the unfortunate conditions of Covid exposure in the city and country."
Waitress The Musical ended its run, effective immediately. The production had initially said its Dec. 23 scheduled performance had been canceled "out of an abundance of caution," but after the discovery of more positive COVID cases in the company and crew, the show has been ended altogether.
Flying Over Sunset's resumed on Dec. 28 with its evening performance.
David Byrne's American Utopia canceled its Dec. 22 show. The show only stated that it was "out of an abundance of caution." The show later canceled the 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. performances on Dec. 23. A Twitter message didn't mention positive tests but said it was "out of an abundance of caution."
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COVID batters Broadway
'The Music Man' has canceled shows after Hugh Jackman tested positive for COVID-19 just days after his costar Sutton Foster said she had the virus.
Come From Away canceled all performances from Dec. 22 through Dec. 25 due to breakthrough COVID-19 cases among the cast and crew. Performances resumed on Sunday, Dec. 26.
Tina - The Tina Turner Musical is another Broadway show to announce an extended closure. All performances from Tuesday, Dec. 21, through Friday, Dec. 24, were canceled due to breakthrough COVID cases. The show resumed on Christmas Day.
The Lion King matinee and evening performances from Dec. 21 - Dec. 27. The matinee on Dec. 28 and the matinee on Dec. 29 were also canceled. The show was expected to resume with the evening performance on Dec. 29.
Aladdin canceled all matinee and evening performances starting Dec. 26 through Dec. 28. Performances were scheduled to resume on Dec. 29 at 7 p.m.
MJ The Musical canceled all performances until Monday, Dec. 27. Shows were scheduled to resume Dec. 28.
Another Broadway favorite, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, had planned to resume shows on Tuesday, Dec. 21, after shutting down all weekend performances. The show resumed Tue., Dec. 28.
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COVID forces shows to close
Although Billy Joel did indeed take the stage at Madison Square Garden on Monday, several Broadway shows and other performances have gone dark for now.
The list of Broadway shows that have gone dark for various lengths of time is:
- Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations
- Aladdin the Musical
- Come from Away
- David Byrne's American Utopia
- Flying Over Sunset
- Hamilton
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Jagged Little Pill
- MJ - The Musical
- Moulin Rouge The Musical
- Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway
- The Music Man
- Tina - The Tina Turner Musical
- Skeleton Crew
- Six
- Thoughts of a Colored Man
- Waitress
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COVID-related cancellations across Broadway
Nearly a dozen Broadway shows went dark Sunday, as the COVID surge hit New York City's entertainment industry.
The Off-Broadway production Little Shop of Horrors has also canceled shows.
Jagged Little Pill, the musical inspired by Alanis Morissette's seminal rock album, will not reopen at all, its producers announced. In a joint statement, producers Vivek Tiwary, Arvind Ethan David and Eva Price said they were proud of their show and company but made the "difficult decision" to close the show.
"This show about healing, human connection, and catharsis, has been a salve to audiences, and to all of us, throughout these trying times. Yet, the drastic turn of events this week with the rapid spread of the Omicron variant has, once again, changed everything," they wrote in the statement. "We are dismayed by what appears to be another substantial public health crisis, and — due to the detection of multiple positive COVID-19 cases within the company — need to prioritize the health and safety of the cast, crew, and entire team working on Jagged Little Pill."
The Broadway League has launched a website where anyone looking to see a Broadway show in New York City can find out the latest information on performances and possible cancellations.
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