PHOTOS: A Look Back at Theater During 2020

This year has been an interesting one. The theater community has been rocked by the shutdown of productions across the world due to the ongoing pandemic. But we've also seen incredibly moving protests, important calls for change, and the tenacity of actors, actresses, musicians, and crew members alike. We're looking back at some of the biggest theater moments of 2020 that defined a year of on-stage and virtual triumphs. Which theater moment of 2020 meant the most to you? Lucy Barton was the first show to open in 2020 on Broadway. Photo credit: Matthew Murphy We also saw many shows end their runs at the start of 2020. Photo credit: Bruce Glikas Eva Noblezada holds Hadestown's Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, which they won in January. Photo credit: Bruce Glikas Many shows had started rehearsals for their Broadway openings, including Flying Over Sunset. Photo credit: Joan Marcus Star of the stage and screen, Jordan Fisher, takes his first bow as Evan Hansen. Photo credit: Jenny Anderson Ciara Renée and McKenzie Kurtz take their first bows as the new Elsa and Anna in Frozen. Sadly, the show will not reopen when theater returns. Photo credit: Katherine Lee Original West Side Story cast members, Carol Lawrence and Jaime Sanchez, meet with the 2020 revival leads Shereen Pimentel and Isaac Powell during their last preview before opening night. Photo credit: Jenny Anderson Alexandra Billings made history as the first openly transgender actress to portray Madame Morrible. Photo credit: Joan Marcus Rehearsals for the Caroline, Or Change revival had also been underway before the shutdown took place. Photo credit: Jeremy Daniel To Kill a Mockingbird made history with their performance at Madison Square Garden in February after performing to a crowd of 18,000 NYC public school students. Photo credit: Little Fang, Jenny Anderson Just before the Broadway shutdown, the revival of Company was able to have its first preview. Photo credit: Jenny Anderson March 12 was a day we'll never forget- the start of the shutdown. Photo credit: Jennifer Broski After the death of George Floyd, people around the country took part in Black Lives Matter protests, including those in New York City. Photo credit: Jessica Fallon Gordon And with 2020 showing us that anything can happen, Hamilton made its screen debut on Disney Plus over the summer. Photo courtesy of Disney Plus. The theater community always finds a way-- Berkshire Theater Company was able to perform Godspell as one of the first Actors' Equity approved-shows in the country since the pandemic began. Photo credit: Emma K. Rothenberg-Ware The Ensemblist brought together Broadway performers for a return to Times Square in a moving tribute to theatre. Photo credit: Michaelah Reynolds and Mati Ficara 2020 also brought many film adaptations of stage favorites, including The Boys in the Band streaming on Netflix. Photo courtesy of Netflix. Diana had just started previews when Broadway shutdown. In August, it was confirmed that the company was filming the production for Netflix. Photo credit: Little Fang 100 artists gathered in Times Square to demonstrate the vitality of arts workers as a call to senators to include arts workers and institutions in the federal relief conversation. Photo credit: Michaelah Reynolds Remember how we said the theater community finds a way? That continued on throughout the year as popular events were made virtual, including Miscast2020! Radial Park at Hallets Point Play also created innovative theater with their drive-in productions. The season premiered with The Phantom of the Opera, starring Ali Ewoldt and Derrick Davis. Photo credit: Tricia Baron Traditions were upheld: the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was not without its usual Broadway performances as Hamilton, Ain't Too Proud, Jagged Little Pill, and Mean Girls performed. Photo credit: Virginia Sherwood / NBC Casts were reunited in emotional ways at the year's end, like during the Disney Holiday Singalong when Broadway performers from Disney's shows came together in song. Photo credit: Ben Hider/ABC The Grinch didn't steal Christmas this year! Instead, NBC gave us the gift of another television musical to enjoy for the holidays. Photo credit: David Cotter/ NBC 80 freelance creatives, actors, and musicians were able to be employed for The Old Vic: In Camera stream of Jack Thorne's A Christmas Carol. Photo credit: Manuel Harlan The celebration of theater continued on NBC with their One Night Only special, which raised over $3 million for BCEFA. Photo credit: Virginia Sherwood / NBC Netflix showed us that even in 2020, there's still time to dance! The film adaptation of The Prom had us singing and dancing. Photo courtesy of Netflix. The cast of the 15-time Tony Award-nominated musical Jagged Little Pill reunited for an on-stage concert to wrap up the year. Photo credit: Chad Kraus

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