Like most theaters in other parts of the country, the 41 theaters in New York City’s Broadway district are open for visitors, albeit with stringent vaccine and masking requirements.
Photos of shuttered Broadway theaters were among some of the most iconic images early in the pandemic. The city’s theaters went dark in March 2020 and remained closed for 18 months. The reopening in September 2021 was a highly publicized but difficult undertaking, as producers, actors, musicians, technicians and others had to essentially remount productions after such an extended downtime.
The reopening proved a remarkable success. Today, there are shows in all of the district’s theaters. By the end of 2021, more than 2,000 performances took place and were attended by more than 2 million theater fans.
Although some shows canceled performances because of cast and staff shortages during the omicron wave in December and January, theater operators are proceeding with their 2022 schedules. All Broadway theaters will require guests over 12 years old to show proof of vaccination through at least the end of February. Guests are also required to wear masks inside the theaters.
Groups that venture to Broadway this year can catch longtime favorites such as “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Chicago,” as well as more recent hits such as “Hamilton” and “Come From Away.” Several highly anticipated shows are set to debut this year as well, including “The Music Man” with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster.
