April 17, 2020
By Caila Barreiros
Staff Writer
“The show must go on” is a common motto in the entertainment industry, but in New York, it is anything but true right now.
On March 12, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that all Broadway theaters would be closed until April 12 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. However, on April 8, Cuomo declared that, in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all Broadway theaters will have to remain closed until at least June 7.
I have loved Broadway theater since I was little, so this news was difficult to hear, but I know it is necessary.
The first show I saw in New York wasn’t technically at a Broadway venue, but it made me fall in love with live entertainment. It was my seventh birthday, and my family took me to see the “Radio City Christmas Spectacular.” I had started dancing competitively three years prior, and as I watched the Rockettes reenact a scene from the Nutcracker and do a dazzling kickline, I knew I wanted to dance just like those beautiful performers on stage.
Then, when I was 10, my mom took me to see the musical “Wicked.” To this day, it remains my favorite musical because it provides an entertaining plot twist on the 1939 classic film “The Wizard of Oz.” This play focuses on the character of the ‘Wicked’ Witch of the West, who turns out not to be so evil after all. From the storyline to the music to the costumes to the actors, every aspect of “Wicked” was amazing. After seeing that Broadway show, I was hooked.
On March 16, my family and I were actually supposed to see the musical “Come from Away,” but when the performance got canceled, we were refunded and our plans for this theater outing had to be put on hold.
“Come from Away,” which takes place on 9/11 and the days that followed, bears some similarity to the situation we are experiencing now with the COVID-19 pandemic. In both cases, New York City was the epicenter of an American tragedy, but unlike 9/11—where people physically came together to offer assistance and support—the biggest way people can help out during this crisis is by staying home and practicing social distancing.
For me, the Theater District has always been a happy and lively place. It brings to my mind good memories and positive stories, so having to think that everything I’ve ever associated with Broadway is gone—at least for now—is confusing and upsetting.
From the storyline to the music to the costumes to the actors, every aspect of “Wicked” was amazing. After seeing that Broadway show, I was hooked.
During this challenging time, I keep in mind the message of three-time Tony Award nominee Brandon Uranowitz, who told the news organization Town & Country, “While being inside the theater is a magical experience, we now need to keep the shows alive online.”
What Uranowitz means is that theatergoers can still follow the shows and actors on social media to engage in a digital community.
He also encouraged theater fans to take the money they were refunded from show tickets and donate it to the Actors Fund or to the not-for-profit theater producing the canceled production.
Broadway theatergoers are strong and patient, and members of the theater industry are known for their resilience. One day, we’ll all come together again on the Great White Way, but for now, it’s best that we all stay home and enjoy the “Music of the Night” separately.
