Broadway Shows Keep Canceling Performances Over Positive COVID-19 Tests
Right now, New York City is in one of the biggest COVID-19 spikes in positivity rates. Their numbers doubled in three days. So it’s a great time to catch a Broadway show! PSYCHE! It is obviously not. And because of positive COVID-19 test results, several productions have had to cancel shows within hours and even minutes of showtime.
Broadway is currently open and trying to recover from its 18-month pandemic shutdown which lifted in August. Deadline says that since Broadway has some of the most rigorous, extensive, and frequent testing procedures, they’re also catching lots of positives. Which has led to cancellations.
All audience members were seated last night before a performance of Moulin Rouge! when it was canceled because of a late-in-the-day positive COVID test within the company. The musical of angsty Alanis Morissette songs, Jagged Little Pill, also canceled last night’s performance for the same reason and is scheduled to restart today. Also on pause is Mrs. Doubtfire, which canceled shows through Sunday. MJ, the Michael Jackson pressed pause on performance too “due to the detection of a limited number of positive covid test results within the Broadway company.” It’s expected to resume performances tonight. And another one: Tina–The Tina Turner Musical will start performing again tonight after going dark because of positive COVID test results.
Tonight’s performance of TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL (Thursday, December 16 at 7pm) is being canceled due to the detection of a limited number of positive covid test results within the Broadway company.
Performances are scheduled to resume on Friday, December 17. pic.twitter.com/OFV4xPxDsF
— TINA Broadway (@TinaBroadway) December 16, 2021
These Broadway shows join a bunch of other Broadway cancellations from earlier this week, like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Ain’t Too Proud, and Freestyle Love Supreme, and the Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, starring Jeremy Jordan. It’s rough that people keep testing positive since Broadway already has intense rules to prevent infection and requires all workers and audiences to be doubly vaccinated, while children aged 5-11 can enter the theater with one vaccine dose. Now at least one major arts organization has taken it a level up, and the Metropolitan Opera will be requiring all audiences and employees to have their booster shot by January 17th. This booster requirement for Broadway shows is also being discussed and Charlotte St. Martin, the president of The Broadway League, the trade organization representing theater owners and producers, provided a statement to Deadline:
“At the present time we are speaking with our unions about establishing a process to make sure that all of our eligible employees get a booster shot. All of our experts are emphasizing the importance of boosters in providing the maximum protection against the virus at this point in time. As always, our number one priority is the safety and security of our cast, crew and theatregoers.” According to Martin, meetings and discussions with all interested organizations and persons are occurring throughout the days, with information ever-changing.
Of course, shows have lost tons of money because of the cancellations. But the Broadway League released a combined box office for the week ending December 12 and it showed a healthy $31 million gross for the 32 productions playing. Next week’s report will show the financial impact of the missed shows, but it could be around a $100,000 loss per show.
Company, starring Patti LuPone, is still going on. I don’t know if that’s because even Coronavirus doesn’t want to get bitched out by THEE La LuPone.
Pic: MEGA/WENN