Did the CDC just close Brooadway for 8 weeks?

[BroadwayBen]

What are the ramifications of this new guideline?  

[Kimbo]

Yes.  Yes they did. 
The rest of the season is now unofficially canceled, and (one assumes) the Tonys 2 weeks after that as well.

Tragic. (on so many levels)

[trpguyy]

The CDC made a recommendation - it does not have authority to make laws, decrees, edicts, etc.

[BroadwayBen]

Do we know who made the original recommendation of 4 weeks, and how Broadway determined that number? 

[Broadway Joe]

They made a recommendation but the rate we are going it's going to be closed that long anyway, if not even longer.

[Robbie2]

It could and most likely will happen...this is NOT going away in 4 weeks...unfortunately!!!

Hang in there...BWW

 

 

 

[Heather4]

While the CDC cannot legally make anyone adhere to their guidelines, states more likely than not tend to adhere to them or use them as a baseline for the recommendations their health departments make. If social distancing is not practiced, it may very well come to shutting down Broadway an additional 4 weeks which would put an open date at minimum of May 15th (since the original 4 weeks started Thursday). It is entirely possible the recommendation could change again in either direction.

[ACL2006]

A mid-May reopening would likely close half of Broadway. Certain shows wouldn't open(Flying Over Sunset? Mrs. Doubtfire? Caroline, or Change?).

[honeybun110]

Really sad all around. Really feel bad for the shows that haven’t opened yet (and may never)

[quizking101]

Well shoot. I literally just re-booked my tickets for VIRGINIA WOOLF in May

[chuckydisc]

BroadwayBen said: "Do we know who made the original recommendation of 4 weeks, and howBroadway determined that number?"

I am sure health officials made the recommendation but Governor Cuomo made the 30-day no-over-500-peopke decree.

[everythingtaboo]

I'm just hoping this abundance of caution will cause enough of a short-term change that it goes back fo 4 weeks, maybe 5. Otherwise, this is devastating for tourism in general, not just Broadway.

[yankeefan7]

If this happens, you will just utterly destroy the US economy.

[yankeefan7]

"I'm just hoping this abundance of caution will cause enough of a short-term change that it goes back fo 4 weeks, maybe 5. Otherwise, this is devastating for tourism in general, not just Broadway."

Yep, there would be no more concerts and sports would be probably canceled for 2020. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Reports are that this could last until September. Obviously I hope I’m wrong but I don’t think there’s any way that a majority of these shows will open or reopen, maybe at all if that happens.

Actors, stagehands, etc will have to take other jobs at some point - most people can’t sit and wait and hope their show reopens. So what will be interesting if the worst does happen, is if broadway reopens 5,6 months from now, what will it look like? There will probably be an abundance of very low budget plays being rushed on stage and possibly some revivals of musicals with touring casts and crews who need very little rehearsal time and can start ASAP.

[SmoothLover]

The 30 day suspension was just an arbitrary number. It is going to take weeks to determine how many people have the virus. I think the decision to reopen will not be done lightly. They might even need the theaters to isolate people and make shift hospital space.

i agree with Jordon that we are looking at 5 to 6 months. Hopefully extending unemployment over 26 weeks will happen.

 

[yankeefan7]

"Reports are that this could last until September. Obviously I hope I’m wrong but I don’t think there’s any way that a majority of these shows will open or reopen, maybe at all if that happens."

I just have a hard time believing the world will continue to be kept shutdown into September. I am willing to bet after 4-8 weeks, you will have really lowered the odds of getting the virus in this country. There will be more testing, people are staying in confinement and people are scared enough to take the advice seriously about hand washing, coughing into your sleeve and staying home if you don't feel well. In addition, warmer weather might help although not totally sure it will. My gut feeling is Broadway may be shutdown at the very latest until mid May. We will see, be safe everyone. BTW - since my wife and I are "elderly", my daughters have insisted on going to the grocery for us. We have said we are fine but they are insistent -lol.

[Kimbo]

I’m not a disease expert or a social studies pundit, but with regard to what YankeeFan said, and trying to balance the unfortunate realities of the timing in the Broadway season with the warnings - at this point - still growing and expanding.... Even as an avid lifelong theatergoer I’d suspect the best case scenario as of now is that theatres are slowly reopened over the course of June or July, depending on what shows are able/ready/solvent enough, to open/reopen/continue. (And, along the same lines, the Tonys in June will be canceled, for the simple reason that even if performances resume in mid-late-May, there wouldn’t be nearly enough time to accommodate / reschedule all the nominator and voter tickets, and, frankly, not a very appropriate time for a celebration even if there was much in the boards to celebrate.  Best case scenario there, the awards would get rescheduled for late summer/early fall.)

If this comes to pass in the general way I predict, theatres would thus clearly be empty when the opportunity is there to get back to business as usual.   But as devastating as it is, Broadway, like other industries, will rebuild. 

[Justin_]

This doesn't mention the 8 week piece, but it looks like much more than Broadway is shutting down now.

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1239371198867419138

"BREAKING: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says he will sign executive order "limiting restaurants, bars and cafes to food take-out and delivery. Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues must all close."

 

Heather4 said: "While the CDC cannot legally make anyone adhere to their guidelines, states more likely than not tend to adhere to them or use them as a baseline for the recommendations their health departments make. If social distancing is not practiced, it may very well come to shutting down Broadway an additional 4 weeks which would put an open date at minimum of May 15th (since the original 4 weeks started Thursday). It is entirely possible the recommendation could change again in either direction."

 

[Robbie2]

De Blasio orders all NYC restaurants, bars go ‘take-out’ only, nightlife shutdown as of Tuesday! Our lives are all changing in ways that were unimaginable just a week ago. We are taking a series of actions that we never would have taken otherwise in an effort to save the lives of loved ones and our neighbors. Now it is time to take yet another drastic step.

This is major and crippling!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://nypost.com/2020/03/15/de-blasio-orders-restaurants-bars-go-take-out-only-nightlife-shutdown/

[yankeefan7]

Robbie2 - Exactly !! You can have issue with virus from taking food from the doordash driver so nothing is perfect. NYC will collapse economically if they continue to do this stuff for long period. In addition, think of all the waiters/bartenders that will be laid off. No theater or restaurants to go to and less movie seats will have people staying home and not spending money. Less people taking cabs and subway since everybody will be freaking locked up with nothing to do and that will effect the economics of the city. Tourism will basically stop and kill the hotel industry, why travel to NYC. This could be real ugly everyone.

[A0326T]

I can only look back on my week trip to Nyc last Feb 19 to 23. Four nights and five days of bliss ... NYCB Swan Lake to Moulin Rouge to To Kill A Mockingbird to Carnegie Hall Beethoven 5th and to West Side Story Revival.

Who knew that less than a month ... Broadway will shut down.

Then there is that only NYC deli like Barney Geeenhouse, Ben Deli then Gallagher steakhouse and Junior's cheesecake.

Now all the eatieries will also be closed.

This is New York for me. And i cannot wait to go back and see Broadway comes to lifd, again.

Let us end this disease and if it takes 8 weeks to 12 weeks, Broadway will be back.

[Sutton Ross]

They have to shut down all bars, nightclubs and dine in restaurants because people were not taking this seriously enough. I passed a dozen bars that were packed as hell this weekend on the UWS. Take out only, everything else is shut down except grocery stores, drug stores, liquor stores, a few retail stores and medical facilities. Buckle up. 

[ucjrdude902]

How does Broadway survive this? If ever?

[ArtMan]

Worrying if a Broadway show will be able to open should be the least problem.  If the issues associated with the restrictions we already have in place which have already created unemployment, reduction in work hours, food, water and household item shortages, and the inability  to get medications, continue THROUGH SEPTEMBER , we are screwed.  Add the chaos that will occur if airlines are no longer able to fly domestic as well as internationally then starts the quick demise to that industry.  I, like some others here, have lost thousands in the stock market since this has began.  Continuing  with an every day loss that would take me to September, there won't be anything left of at least my portfolio. The US economy as YankeeFan7 has already stated will be destroyed as well as the World's economy.  The world we envisioned living  in 2020, will go down the drain.  I am more worried that I have lost all my money and will not be able to survive going forward. I'm more worried if there is going to be food and water at the stores, based on what I have already seen in March.  I'm most worried that the government will not allow me to see my Mother who is in a nursing home with final stage Alzheimer's until September.  Someone who I have visited 5 days a week for over 11 years.  I'm just not that concerned which shows will reopen.