Another great article! I just want to slightly correct the statement on Broadway (source: I am a techie in the NYC area).
Broadway has been shooting for a fall opening for some time before Cuomo’s press conference (source), even while smaller Off-Broadway theatres have alreadystarted. A full Broadway production, especially the expensive spectacle-driven musicals (Lion King, Wicked, etc.), can not run at a profit for long (source for those interested in a breakdown of just how expensive Broadway is to produce) with anything less than 100% capacity. Industry reasoning is that September/October is when people (especially tourists, which are the bulk of audiences) are willing to return to theatres.
Essentially, while Cuomo’s announcement was a surprise, nobody was looking to open in May regardless of Cuomo. A delay implies being slower than originally planned, and Broadway productions are currently still on schedule for a fall opening.
Another great article! I just want to slightly correct the statement on Broadway (source: I am a techie in the NYC area).
Broadway has been shooting for a fall opening for some time before Cuomo’s press conference (source), even while smaller Off-Broadway theatres have already started. A full Broadway production, especially the expensive spectacle-driven musicals (Lion King, Wicked, etc.), can not run at a profit for long (source for those interested in a breakdown of just how expensive Broadway is to produce) with anything less than 100% capacity. Industry reasoning is that September/October is when people (especially tourists, which are the bulk of audiences) are willing to return to theatres.
Essentially, while Cuomo’s announcement was a surprise, nobody was looking to open in May regardless of Cuomo. A delay implies being slower than originally planned, and Broadway productions are currently still on schedule for a fall opening.