Broadway to return in Fall 2021?

[Kimbo]

Word on the street is that several shows were informed today - Sing Street, obviously, but several others, including a few long-running productions (e.g, Phantom) that they aren’t looking at a reopening until fall 2021.  A long way off to be sure, but one that a majority of parties seem to be confidently targeting as realistic for a change (based on most projected timelines for a vaccine to be approved late this year or beginning of next year, but allowing for the logistics of that vaccine to reach a significant enough segment of the population.).

Makes sense to me. Tragic, no doubt, the idea of having to wait more than a full year from now, but at least It sounds like there’s a plan in place that seems possible, and that won’t feel like Chinese water torture as it almost would inevitably get kicked down the road month by month from the current January date, or that increasingly feels like unrealistic magical thinking between now and then. (Maybe they could even get the long-delayed Tony awards together in time for the 2021 holiday season!).  Has anyone heard similar reports, even unofficial or anecdotally as I have?

[blaxx]

I even think that Fall of 2021 is wishful thinking.

Things are not getting any better in the country, and investors are very much aware that the once risky business is now almost a lost bet.

I am only optimistic for productions with extremely low costs that could survive by only opening a portion of the theatre and keeping concessions and services closed. Yes, even washrooms - one acts where you can can keep your distance and go in and out the venue at minimum capacity.

If your show depends on packing big crowds into a compact Broadway venue, the light at the end of the tunnel is far far away.

[yankeefan7]

My daughter teaches with someone who was on maternity leave from "Wicked" before the shutdown and she has been told they will tentatively go back Oct 2021.

[ACL2006]

It was being speculated when they announced the shutdown through January that it would give the Broadway League time to work with all the unions and the CDC to try and formulate a plan to reopen in the Spring. If that's the case, it can only be at limited capacity and producers would have to be willing to take a financial hit for awhile.

[Broadway61004]

I think it makes sense that shows like Phantom and Wicked are being told that they won't likely reopen until Fall 2021, because even putting safety precautions aside, tourism likely won't start to pick back up again until at least a year from now, so it wouldn't make a ton of financial sense to have those shows running in March.

But some of the smaller shows may very well be able to open in the Spring still.  Still far too much uncertainty of where we'll be standing by then to say.

[JennH]

This is what I was afraid of...the whole point of putting everything on a mass pause was to buy time to figure out some sort of coordinated national response to a novel virus (international just really isn't possible), and It infuriates me every.single.day that we continue to fail at this. We're 5 months into this garbage and STILL don't have a clear way forward. Even certain family members of mine are finally seeing that not getting this under control is just going to be dragged out and take longer to get us back to "normal". Whether that sways their November vote, I'm not sure and I'm afraid to ask. 

Even our leaders in the theatre world can't seem to get their crap together. The theatre leaders in the UK seem to have somewhat of a concise plan that's potentially allowing them to safely reopen even this year. Heck the whole of the UK had a better response to this chaos overall even though it took them longer than us to respond at all, and that's not something I ever thought I'd say with a Johnson lead UK. 

[KJisgroovy]

This is all so ridiculous. 

A1. Pathetic that countries all around the world are working toward practical solutions to reducing and safely (relatively) living with the virus. Pathetic that we can't even conceive that our country could realistically get there without a vaccine. 

B2. ALL of this is speculation. If we believe we're not going to be able to reduce the risks of living with the virus by spring, there's no real reason to believe we'll be able to do so by fall. Fall 2021 is just as arbitrary as Spring 2021, just further away. We could develop treatments and vaccines by the end of the year allowing a relative normal by Spring 2021. These are unprecedented times and a miracle might happen. But. Just as likely no vaccine or no new treatments could be produced anytime soon, making Fall 2021 as much of a fantasy as Spring 2021. 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

 

Has anyone thought about off broadway coming back first?

Smaller theatres with less seats, less ambitious budget. 

It might be a good way to ease the idea of sitting in an audience back into existence. 

You might have to take out some seats

[massofmen]

off broadway makes no money as it is. There is NO WAY without restructuring all the contracts that off bway could open with less seats. 

 

[Broadway61004]

I agree it wouldn't make sense for Off-Broadway to return with social distancing in place, although I do wonder if once social distancing rules are relaxed, whenever that may be, if it may make more sense for Off-Broadway to reopen first.  Because ultimately, whenever things do reopen, the vast majority of audiences are going to be made up of New Yorkers for at least the first year or so until tourism starts to pick up again.  So it may be smarter for some off-Broadway shows that regular NY theatregoers enjoy to return first, rather than the big tourist shows ala Wicked, Phantom, etc.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Broadway61004 said: "I agree it wouldn't make sense for Off-Broadway to return with social distancing in place, although I do wonder if once social distancing rules are relaxed, whenever that may be, if it may make more sense for Off-Broadway to reopen first. Because ultimately, whenever things do reopen, the vast majority of audiences are going to be made up of New Yorkers for at least the first year or so until tourism starts to pick up again. So it may be smarter for some off-Broadway shows that regular NY theatregoers enjoy to return first, rather than the big tourist shows ala Wicked, Phantom, etc."

Yes. That’s what I was getting at. Theatre should be aimed more towards New Yorkers than tourists in the beginning cause tourism in New York is dead for a bit

[Sutton Ross]

^ I completely agree. It's a lot easier for Off Broadway theaters to space people out if they need to. 

[HogansHero]

as always, no one knows. But to suggest that the imagination, relative flexibility, market, and alternate funding possibilities of non-profit off-B do not help it solve the reopening riddle in ways unimaginable on Broadway seems kinda wrong. I expect that we will see something manifest as soon as the state determines that the data permits it.

[blaxx]

KJisgroovy said: "Just as likely no vaccine or no new treatments could be produced anytime soon, making Fall 2021 as much of a fantasy as Spring 2021."

The country is in a hole regarding the pandemic. Everyday is a step further for tourism to even considering going back to travel in the highest risk country. Unless stricter measures are in place, any date in the future will be wishful thinking for theatre reopening.

[LizzieCurry]

The only place I've heard this type of speculation is on the Places Podcast (hosted by two Book of Mormon tour alumni, and it started as a travel pod) that American actors may start looking overseas for theatre work, in more covid-hardy and safe countries, as some had lucked out in the international Phantom tour that's currently playing in Seoul. I imagine actors from other countries would have priority, but I wonder how that'll pan out.

[HogansHero]

considering that Americans are persona non grata in much of the world, that seems a little far fetched right now. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Oh, good. Another rumor to obsess over for the next five months.

[SmoothLover]

I honestly don’t get how the schools can open this fall. Just seems like a disaster....

[Sutton Ross]

Some schools have already opened, and I give it a few weeks before they are shut down again. Colossal disaster. 

[Kimbo]

Sutton Ross said: "Some schools have already opened, and I give it a few weeks before they are shut down again. Colossal disaster."

Yup.  I saw a report today about an overnight summer camp (in Georgia) that opened last month, but less than a week later was forced to close again, because out of 360 campers (ages 6 to 19), more than 260 tested positive for COVID.  The outbreak was apparently traced back to a single counselor who had passed all the safety protocols, INCLUDING a negative COVID test.  The CDC is investigating it, but health experts at Harvard and elsewhere say it obviously doesn't bode well for anyone trying to widely open schools, or by extension, pretty much anything anytime soon.

Here's one article about it: https://www.wired.com/story/a-summer-camp-covid-19-outbreak-offers-back-to-school-lessons/

 

 

 

[stoptheworld38]

I honestly wish people would stop with saying/speculating things like this. There is absolutely zero way in which saying now that Broadway won't return til fall 2021 makes sense when that is over a year away. (Personally, I think that even deciding at the end of June to stay closed through 2020 may have been jumping the gun a bit, but I won't get into that). Is it possible that the shutdown could last that long? Sadly yes. But for anyone - those in the theatre industry, scientists, government officials, anyone - to say that now is just crazy and achieves nothing other than people's anxiety/uncertainty (whether that be for financial related reasons or mental health related reasons or both) to just sky rocket through the roof. As uncertain as it is, really the best thing we can do now is to wait and see and not jump to conclusions that are totally unrealistic (for better or for worse) this far in advance.

As other people have mentioned, I could see Broadway doing a staggered reopening and not bringing all shows back at the same time, in which case I'd agree that some shows might not return/open until fall 2021 (or later) especially new/upcoming shows that haven't yet started, or shows that were in previews before the shutdown but hadn't officially opened. But at this point it's not out of the question that some shows could return in winter/spring 2021, and we just won't know until we get closer to the time.

[teatime2]

This topic is out of our control. What is in our control are streamable options. London has been absolutely killing the game with new streamable live theater. I'm sick and tired of everyone being like "equity this equity that". The Theater Leaders in New York have been handling this pathetically. Having audiences in seats isn't the only way to experience art. If you think it is, you're small-minded. How amazing would it be to have more accessible theater and also employing artists? 

[Jordan Catalano]

Oh, the industry leaders in this country should be f*cking ashamed of themselves when they look at what the UK has been able and willing to offer the world during this time.

[Jordan Levinson]

I too am eager to see what a staggered B'way reopening would look like, we'll have to just wait and see. Maybe the full-on "tourist attractions" and upcoming shows will resume/start performances next fall at the earliest. 

Imagine next spring does give us a safer environment with an available vaccine of some kind. In that case, it's possible the shows that initially reopen cater to local audiences solely for a number of months before it's safe enough for the distant travelers and tourists to come back. 

Another idea would be to reopen some "chamber pieces" and smaller-scale shows first, some time before those with large ensembles. 

BUT... no one knows yet right now. Next year will likely give us lots more information about what will eventually be a highly notable reopening. Stay tuned!

 

[Sutton Ross]

The Theater Leaders in New York have been handling this pathetically. 

Despicable, repugnant, greedy, and useless I will also add.