Broadway Will Stay Closed Despite Official Clearance to Reopen
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Although New York Governor Andrew Cuomo cleared Broadway theaters to reopen as of May 19, it’ll be a little longer before curtains actually go up.
In his press conference on May 3, the governor acknowledged the possibility that Broadway would opt out of the May 19 opening. “They may make their own economic decision as to when they reopen,” Cuomo said. “We’re talking about Broadway.” He added that restarting production and selling tickets would take time.
Following the press conference, The Broadway League maintained that they don’t plan to reopen until the fall.
“We applaud the governor’s recent announcement easing capacity limits on performance venues in New York State,” the Broadway League wrote in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter following Cuomo’s announcement. “We are encouraged by this good news, which is a long-awaited indication that New York is truly on the road to recovery. We look forward to reopening at full capacity and are working to safely welcome audiences and employees back to Broadway theatres this fall. As always, we continue to work closely with our elected officials and will share more information as soon as plans become finalized.”
The May 19 date isn’t specific to theaters; Cuomo announced that many of the COVID-19 restrictions on businesses such as restaurants, bars, museums, and gyms will be lifted on that date. City Mayor Bill de Blasio has slated July 1 as the "full reopening" of New York City.
Cuomo stipulated that if theaters did open their doors, “social distancing measures would have to remain in effect in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unless patrons provide proof of vaccination or recent negative test results,” per The Hollywood Reporter.
Broadway performances have been closed since March 12, 2020.
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