Broadway shows went dark on March 12, and will remain closed for the rest of 2020, making this the longest shutdown of Broadway in history. Many shows are signaling that they do not expect a return to the stage until late winter or early spring. Even when shows are able to reopen, if at all, it is uncertain as to whether they will have an audience or under what circumstances. The earliest date is for “The Minutes,” a new play by Tracy Letts, which hopes to open March 15. Theater owners and producers will refund or exchange tickets previously purchased for shows through Jan. 3, 2021.

 

Given the unpredictability of the coronavirus pandemic, The Broadway League said it was not yet ready to specify exactly when shows will reopen. “Returning productions are currently projected to resume performances over a series of rolling dates in early 2021,” the League said in a statement. Among the logistical issues industry leaders are discussing with government and medical officials: “screening and testing, cleaning and sanitizing, wayfinding inside theaters, backstage protocols and much more.” 

 

Charlotte St. Martin, the League’s president, said in an interview that the rising levels of coronavirus cases in some parts of the country reinforced the industry’s cautious approach: “Frustration goes by the wayside when you’re talking about risking people’s life or health.”