It has been announced that Broadway shows will not return to the stage this year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The industry’s trade association, The Broadway League, announced that all 41 venues in New York, will not reopen until 2021 at the earliest. The theatres have been shut since March in an effort to quell the spread of Covid-19 within the city. At the time of its closure, there were a total of 31 productions running, with eight new preview shows.
Broadway is one of New York’s top tourist attractions, contributing some $14.7 billion to the city’s economy, and supporting 96,900 jobs in total.
Chairman of the board at The Broadway League, Thomas Schumacher, said: “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.
“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.”
He continued that: “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.”
Tickets date up until 3 January 2021 will be eligible for a refund or to be exchanged.