‘Hamilton,’ ‘Lion King’ among blockbuster musicals reopening today
By Web Staff
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NEW YORK (WABC) — The highest grossing Broadway musical of all time returns to the stage tonight, along with other blockbuster hits as well. Broadway is back!
“The Lion King,” “Hamilton,” “Wicked” and “Chicago” will once again raise the curtain, this time for crowds that are fully vaccinated and wearing masks.
Previews will also begin for “Lackawanna Blues,” with opening night scheduled for September 28.
After 18 months in the dark due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great White Way is springing back to life.
The Broadway League launched “This is Broadway,” a historic initiative to welcome theater lovers back to Times Square following the industry’s historic shutdown.
“This is Broadway” is the result of unprecedented partnerships between theater owners, myriad behind-the-scenes professionals, and industry competitors to create a unified comeback campaign that shouts to the world “Broadway is BACK!” and celebrates an international art form that is quintessentially American.
“It’s really really exciting, the energy is palpable,” Charlotte St. Martin said.
Martin runs the Broadway League which represents an industry responsible for billions of dollars to the city every year. Because of its uniquely tight spaces and high costs to operate, Broadway simply couldn’t reopen at reduced capacity.
Instead, it waited until it could require vaccines and masks, and an all clear from a platoon of experts that seeing a show is safe.
“Broadway will be here for hundreds of years and it will continue to be here. People have to have theater,” Martin said.
The first Broadway shows to resume production were “Springsteen on Broadway” (which ran through September 4), “Pass Over,” “Hadestown,” and “Waitress,” and more will re-open in the next few weeks.
Six begins previews on September 17 with opening night set for October 3, while “American Utopia” also opens September 17.
“Come From Away” comes back on September 21, “Chicken & Biscuits” debuts on September 23, “Moulin Rouge” and “Is This A Room” on September 24, and “The Lehman Trilogy” on September 25. “Aladdin” is the final show reopening this month, set to resume on September 28.
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