We've gotten a number of announcements already, and I don't think there's anything new that'll be coming in this season, so I figured it isn't too early to start keeping track. As with other threads like these, "official" musicals will be ones with either dates or a theater announced.
Update: with the pandemic shutting down Broadway for just about all of 2020, I've changed this to track what shows have been pushed forward to whenever Broadway comes back again. All dates are 2021 unless otherwise noted.
New Musicals - Diana, Longacre Theatre (P: TBA, O: May 25) - Flying Over Sunset, Vivian Beaumont Theatre (Spring 2021) - MJ, Neil Simon Theatre (P: Mar. 8, O: Apr. 15) - Sing Street, [Shubert House TBA (formerly Lyceum Theatre)] (Winter 2021-2022)
Musical Revivals - 1776, American Airlines Theatre (Spring 2021) - Caroline or Change, Studio 54 (Spring 2021) - The Music Man, Winter Garden Theatre (P: Apr. 7, O: May 20)
New Plays - Birthday Candles, American Airlines Theatre (Fall 2021) - The Minutes, Cort Theatre (P: Mar. 1, O: Mar. 15) - [Untitled Lynn Nottage Play], Helen Hayes Theatre (Fall 2021)
Play Revivals - American Buffalo, Circle in the Square (P: Week of Mar. 22, O: Apr. 14) - How I Learned to Drive, Friedman Theatre (2020-2021 Season) - Plaza Suite, Hudson Theatre (P: Mar. 19, O: TBA, C: Jul. 18 ) - Take Me Out, Helen Hayes Theatre (P: Week of Mar. 22, O: Apr. 22) - Trouble in Mind, American Airlines Theatre (Winter 2021-2022)
Glad that this has helped other people too because it definitely helps me keep track of what has and hasn't announced that they're coming back. And feel free to let me know if there's anything I missed!
Really curious how the Tonys will play out. Do they combine them? Do a double show awarding Tony’s for shows that actually opened during the 19/20 and then shows that opened during the official 20/21 season. It would suck bit to give the shows that actually opened the recognition they deserved but at the same time only awarding one per category for two seasons combined would also not be fair. A long way to go before any of this is answered but still interesting to think about
BwayinVan said: "Really curious how the Tonys will play out. Do they combine them? Do a double show awarding Tony’s for shows that actually opened during the 19/20 and then shows that opened during the official 20/21 season. It would suck bit to give the shows that actually opened the recognition they deserved but at the same time only awarding one per category for two seasons combined would also not be fair. A long way to go before any of this is answered but still interesting to think about"
Some season combination could probably be made, pay attention in the months to come for ATW and B'way League announcements. Also, I believe the odds of a 2021 Tony ceremony actually happening are 50-50 at the moment. It all depends on vaccine/treatment progress; let's see where we are at the height of the holiday season. We should get some efficacy data from some Phase 3 trials by the end of the year, to say the least.
The same old same old shows will have to return as they are a given for tourists[if they ever return], but it would be wonderfully refreshing if they got swept away with the virus and all those new and revisited shows mentioned above could put new life/new blood back into Broadway.
As much as the beloved LuPone/Peters etc etc seem to be the stalwarts on the GreatBroadWay, there must be just so many others waiting for their chance to move on up.
Now is the time for that Great Big Broom, and lots of disinfectant, to re-invent the wheel.
BwayinVan said: "Really curious how the Tonys will play out. Do they combine them? Do a double show awarding Tony’s for shows that actually opened during the 19/20 and then shows that opened during the official 20/21 season. It would suck bit to give the shows that actually opened the recognition they deserved but at the same time only awarding one per category for two seasons combined would also not be fair. A long way to go before any of this is answered but still interesting to think about"
If they really do open up in April, having the Tonys June or July 21, the combination of the two years into one 'season' would make total sense to me, in that May 19 - March 20 followed by March 21 - May21 in fact represents single season months-wise. Why dilute the awards. I personally am betting that there will not be that much new product in the April - May (or June) period anyway, so it is probably not going to be that big a deal. And if someone or something that you love loses because of that, well Barbara Streisand lost to Carol Channing and Ethel Merman in Gypsy lost to Mary Martin in Sound of Music and Dreamgirls lost to Nine and Pippin lost to A Little Night Music and...and...and.
IMO it would diminish the award to give a Tony for the March to May or June 21 mini-season.
Jarethan said: "BwayinVan said: "Really curious how the Tonys will play out. Do they combine them? Do a double show awarding Tony’s for shows that actually opened during the 19/20 and then shows that opened during the official 20/21 season. It would suck bit to give the shows that actually opened the recognition they deserved but at the same time only awarding one per category for two seasons combined would also not be fair. A long way to go before any of this is answered but still interesting to think about"
If they really do open up in April, having the Tonys June or July 21, the combination of the two years into one 'season' would make total sense to me, in that May 19- March 20 followed by March 21 - May21 in factrepresents single season months-wise. Why dilute the awards. I personally am betting that there will not be that much new product in the April - May (or June) period anyway, so it is probably not going to be that big a deal. And if someone or something that you love loses because of that, well Barbara Streisand lost to Carol Channing and Ethel Merman in Gypsy lost to Mary Martin in Sound of Music and Dreamgirls lost to Nine and Pippin lost to A Little Night Music and...and...and.
IMO it would diminish the award to give a Tony for the March to May or June 21 mini-season.
I completely agree, Jarethan. The biggest obstacle, however, would be getting the voters to remember shows that they had seen nearly 2 years ago. I'm talking about shows that opened in the fall or winter of last year (like Betrayal, Sea Wall/A Life, Lucy Barton, The Sound Inside, A Soldier's Play, Slave Play, The Inheritance, etc. etc.)
I know there's already been a lot of discussion on why releasing the NYPL archives to the general public isn't feasible, but could that be something the 2022 Tony voters use for shows from this past fall?
I actually suspect that it will not be an issue, from two key perspectives:
-- Things like Slave Play, The Inheritance, The Sound Inside are not going to be quickly forgotten, due to the level of excellence achieved. Similarly, WWW (as the only revival) may be polarizing, but the people who love it are not going to lose their fervor. Same thing with Moulin Rouge, a likely 2021 winner of many awards. Smaller things may get lost, e.g., Lucy Barton and Laura Linney but, as big a fan as I am, there was no way she was going to win a Tony for that. Mare Winningham or Lauren Patton may be 'hurt' by the gap, but that assumes either had a chance against Patti Lupone (and Patti Lupone is not going to be forgotten). She may not win, depending on what does open in April - May or June, but she won't be forgotten. I am sure there are other examples, but I think these are representative.
-- I really don't think there will actually be that much produced in the Spring when we look back. Maybe wrong, but I can't believe that that many productions that have not already been capitalized will get investors excited for a Spring 2021 opening. Maybe Fall 2021 or Spring 2022, but not Spring 2021. Also, I don't pretend to know how much additional funding (if any) the productions that were in previews will require to open and the productions that were open will need to reopen, but I am still guessing that some of them will never make it back. Hopefully, I will be proven wrong.
Has American Utopia announced an official cancellation or is it just assumed?
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Sutton Ross said: "Huh? American Utopia closed on February 16th after several extensions."
Which is also the date they announced they'd be returning for another run at the Hudson September 18, 2020 - January 17, 2021.
Jorge, I don't recall seeing an official cancellation from them, but I'd imagine with everything shut down through at least 1/3 and Plaza Suite's rescheduled run beginning on 3/19, American Utopia won't be returning.
I'm sure there will be plenty of theaters to pick from come next Fall if AMERICAN UTOPIA wants to return.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.