New York City’s greatest tourist attraction, the bright lights of Broadway, will go dark for four to six weeks due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. This season’s Tony contending shows like Moulin Rouge, Girl From The North Country and SIX, which was due to have its opening performance this evening, will officially close starting tonight, March 12, at 5 pm. As of now, performances are set to commence on April 13, 2020. Sabrina Carpenter, who just made her debut at Cady in Mean Girls on Broadway reacted to the news on Instagram. “welp. see you kids back here in a quick little month. will keep u updated on any changes. miss u already💞stay safe and with your loved ones n plz pray my left hand finds herself,” she wrote with a photo of herself seated in front of her cast photo.
“Our top priority has been and will continue to be the health and well-being of Broadway theatregoers and the thousands of people who work in the theatre industry every day, including actors, musicians, stagehands, ushers, and many other dedicated professionals,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League in a statement. “Broadway has the power to inspire, enrich and entertain, and together we are committed to making that vital spirit a reality. Once our stages are lit again, we will welcome fans back with open arms so that they can continue to experience the joy, heart, and goodwill that our shows so passionately express every night.”
A source told Page Six that Broadway’s longest running show, Phantom Of The Opera, might close down for good, as the show relies on foreign tourists’ attendance, which has wavered since the outbreak. The site also claims that Actor’s Equity has been the driving force behind Broadway going dark surrounding the virus fears. “If actors don’t feel safe, they don’t have to perform,” a producer told the site.
As of Thursday afternoon, Gov. Cuomo announced there were 62 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in New York City, including a Broadway usher who worked at theaters housing the shows Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Six. Cuomo’s ban extends to all public gatherings over 500 people, and exempt from that rule are schools, hospitals, mass transit and nursing homes.
