Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theater near Times Square remains closed after restrictions were put in place in New York City on January 15, 2021 to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
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“Hamilton”, “Wicked” and “The Lion King”, three cornerstones of Broadway, will reopen on September 14th.
The three productions jointly announced their return flight date on Tuesday on the ABC program “Good Morning America”. Tickets are on sale now.
The news comes just a week after the New York administration. Andrew Cuomo said Broadway theaters would reopen at full capacity shortly after Labor Day.
At this point, the governor did not specify which shows would run on this timeline, as individual productions may require more time to hire or re-hire actors, crew, and other in-house staff, and rehearse.
The schedule also depends on the state government approving the health and safety protocols of each theater.
Aladdin, Six, Come From Away and Chicago are expected to reopen in September, while Jagged Little Pill, The Phantom of the Opera and Ain’t Too Proud are scheduled to reopen in October. The new musical “Diana” and the musical “MJ” by Michael Jackson are planned for December.
While Mayor Bill de Blasio is hoping New York City will fully reopen from July 1, the delayed Broadway schedule is partly due to the time it takes for theaters to resume production and the fact that Tourists account for 65% of annual live theater ticket sales in the city. Still, pent-up demand from locals could meanwhile spur ticket sales.
Broadway has been closed for more than a year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that is crippling the local economy. In a traditional year, New York’s theater industry funds nearly 100,000 jobs and pumps nearly $ 15 billion into the local economy.
Broadway is an extremely lucrative entertainment industry in the city. In the week before theaters closed due to the pandemic lockdown, ticket sales hit $ 26.7 million for plays and musical performances, according to Broadway World.
During that time, “Hamilton” grossed $ 2.69 million, most of all current Broadway shows, while “West Side Story” grossed $ 1.59 million and “Moulin Rouge!” The company, which had just debuted, had ticket sales of $ 1.57 million, according to its website.
Also, “Aladdin” averaged more than $ 1 million each in the weeks leading up to its closure, “The Lion King” averaged $ 1.5 million and “Wicked” between $ 1.3 million and $ 1.5 million each Week.
During the last full Broadway season – from May 28, 2018 to May 26, 2019 – tickets were sold for more than $ 1.83 billion. This is the highest-earning season in history, according to an annual report published by the Broadway League.
The league has not yet released the numbers for the 2019-2020 season, which would have ended in May. However, according to Broadway World, the industry only made around $ 300 million in ticket sales in 2020 before closing.
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