What You Need To Know About Broadway Reopening

Overture, Curtains, Lights...is almost time for the night of nights! Come September 2, the lights of Broadway will go on once again! When the curtains rise for the first time since the pandemic shutdown, we will see the release of some of the very best shows with some of the brightest stars! Read on for a comprehensive list of musicals.

Impact

This is such an amazing win for the tens of thousands of people in New York City and elsewhere that have been struggling since Covid struck our communities and completely shut down Broadway on March 12, 2020.

Often times we only think about the actors as part of the show and don’t realize the reach Broadway has. The industry alone employs people across many fields and areas of expertise from creation and production to customer service and administration. I was surprised when I looked up the complete list of jobs on getintotheatre.org listing over 100 job titles. The front of house and back of house all play their important roles.

Beyond those involved in theatre, Broadway feeds into all avenues of tourism in NYC and helps put food on many tables. From the hotels we stay at and the transportation services we use to get around, to the restaurants we eat at pre-show and the post-drinks at the swanky lounge after and all the sightseeing in between. Without Broadway, the city and it’s residence suffer.

To put it into context, per the Broadway League, Broadway brought $14.7 billion to New York City’s economy and supported 96,900 jobs during the 2018-2019 season alone.

Many of these professionals have been out of work and have had to come up with creative ways to stay relevant or earn some cash.

The Show Must Go On

I am sure when Broadway reopens it will be an extremely emotional and extraordinary evening for the cast, crew and audience alike! Thousands of professionals will finally be back to sharing their talents and passions with a very eager audience.

Although I have enjoyed funny TikToc videos, online concerts, and tapings of productions, none of it it can come close to the rush of emotion and synergy of being in a live audience.

I may be moved to tears when watching something a wonderful performance through the TV, BUT, I don’t have that same feeling of being part of it all that I do in person. The way an amazing chorus hits all the chords to make every piece of hair on my body stand up Or how it forces the tears to my eyes as I am feeling every bit of emotion that the character is. The uncontrollable urge to laugh to a perfectly timed quip and how the performer is able to use the audience to leverage a laugh. THERE IS JUST NOTHING LIKE LIVE THEATER.  

As a theater-goer, I cannot wait to once again be part of the magic of a show again. And after the most anticipated opening ever, those of us that love musicals and have been yearning for the pageantry of it all, we can finally sit with our feelings when the lights go up on Broadway once again after going dark almost for 18 months! 

Covid Policy

If you are concerned about the virus that had everything shut down since last March, Broadway has adopted a policy to facilitate it’s reopening for everyone involved.

Broadway made the announcement that all 41 theaters will require vaccinations from audience members, performers, backstage crew and theater staff for all Broadway shows through October of 2021. At that time it will be reevaluated.

If you are an audience member, you must show proof of vaccination at the time of entry and wear masks during the performances.

There are exceptions for children under 12 and people with a medical condition or closely held medical belief that prevents vaccination. These patrons must provide proof of a negative Covid19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time or a negative covid-19 antigen test taken within six hours of the performance start time.  

Come Along And Listen To the Lullaby of Broadway

The list of shows that will be part of this reopening does NOT disappoint! It certainly seems like they were pulling out all the heavy hitters to draw in crowds. In Broadway fashion, we are returning with some of the biggest and most beloved shows of recent history! So what musicals are coming?

The official return will be on September 2, 2021 with two absolutely amazing musicals! First, is the Tony Award Winning Hadestown which retells the ancient Greek myth of Eurydice and Orpheus and merges it with the relationship of Hades and Persephonne. I was lucky enough to see this amazing show on Broadway in October of 2019. Read more about here.

The second show is one of my personal favorites, Waitress. The lead is being reprised by Grammy winning legend and the composer of the score, Sarah Barielles! The story follows the lead through her personal struggles as she finds strenght and self worth.

The majority of the other shows opening their doors over the next several months are incredibly popular.

Check out this comprehensive list:

September

• 9/2 Hadestown & Waitress
• 9/14 Chicago, Hamilton, The Lion King & Wicked
• 9/17 American Utopia 
• 9/21 Come From Away
• 9/24 Moulin Rouge 
• 9/28 Aladdin

October

• 10/3 Six (*new Musical to Broadway)
• 10/7 Freestyle Love Supreme
• 10/8  Tina
• 10/13 Girl From the North County
• 10/16 Aint too Proud
• 10/21 Jagged Little Pill
• 10/22 Phantom of the Opera
• 10/27 Caroline or Change

November

• 11/17 Diana (*New Broadway production)
• 11/5 Book of Mormon
• 11/16 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (*no longer will be a two part musical) 

December

• 12/5 Mrs. Doubtfile (*new Musical production)
• 12/9 Company
• 12/11 Dear Evan Hansen
• 12/13 Flying Over Sunset (*new Musical production) 

2021

• MJ (new), The Music Man (new revival), Flying Over Sunset (new), Paradise Square (new)

Broadway Plays

If a play is more your speed, you will find these opening to Broadway:

• 9/28 Lakawanna Blues
• 10/1  Is This A Room
• 10/5 To Kill A Mockingbird
• 10/10 Chicken and Biscuits
• 10/14 The Lehman Trilogy

Final Call

Maybe you are like me and not in a position to jump on a plane and head over to NYC and catch a Broadway musical. No worries, you can still check out a show near you. There are plenty of opportunities to support theater and get people back to work near you.

Many of the above mentioned Brodway shows are going to be back on national tours and are absolutely amazing in any venue. Additionally, some theaters around the nation have opened and will be putting on local productions.

If you are interested in experincing the magic of live theater and supporting the industry by getting professionals back to work, check out Broadway or a theater near you. Just make sure that you check out local covid policy as they are different per theater.

So sit back and Enjoy the show!