Coronavirus: Broadway extends shutdown through June, 'Beetlejuice' announces early closing
The Great White Way will stay dark for two more months.
On Wednesday, the Broadway League announced Broadway shows will extend their current suspension of all performances through at least June 7 amid the coronavirus crisis.
Theaters were initially slated to remain closed through April 12, after shuttering March 12 when Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered a statewide ban of gatherings of more than 500 people. But the possibility of reopening next week has seemed increasingly unlikely as coronavirus cases have surged in New York City, with more than 4,000 deaths and 76,000 cases reported across the city's five boroughs as of Wednesday morning.
“Our top priority continues to be the health and well-being of Broadway theatregoers and the thousands of people who work in the theatre industry every day, including actors, musicians, stagehands, ushers, and many other dedicated professionals” Broadway league president Charlotte St. Martin said in a statement. “Broadway will always be at the very heart of the Big Apple, and we join with artists, theatre professionals, and fans in looking forward to the time when we can once again experience live theatre together.”
People who have tickets for performances through June 7 will be refunded through their point of purchase.
More: 10 best movie musicals you can watch free at home, including Muppets and 'West Side Story'
The extended suspension will have a potentially devastating impact on Broadway, which brought in more than $1.8 billion in ticket sales and smashed attendance records last season.
Already, a revival of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" starring Laurie Metcalf and Martin McDonagh's "Hangmen" starring Dan Stevens prematurely canceled their runs because of the shutdown.
As a result of Wednesday's announcement, "Beetlejuice" announced that it will not return. The musical, adapted from Tim Burton's 1988 comedy, was already scheduled to close June 6 but now will have played its final performance March 12.
The Tony Awards, which honor Broadway musicals and plays, have also been postponed. The ceremony was set to air June 7 on CBS from Radio City Music Hall, but will now be rescheduled for a later date.