Broadway theaters will remain closed through May 30, 2021, the industry body said Friday, extending a performance suspension that was scheduled to end in early January as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect daily life in New York City and across the United States.
Broadway performances have been suspended since March 12 due to fears of the spread of COVID-19, the contagious disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The shutdown of theaters in central Manhattan has been seen as a symbolic development, showing the extent to which New York City is reeling from the virus outbreak.
"With nearly 97,000 workers who rely on Broadway for their livelihood and an annual economic impact of $14.8 billion to the city, our membership is committed to reopening as soon as conditions permit us to do so," Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League, was quoted as saying in a press release from the industry body.
"We are working tirelessly with multiple partners on sustaining the industry once we raise our curtains again," she added.
While many states across the country are seeing an uptick in the number of coronavirus infections recently, New York State remains relatively stable in terms of controlling the virus.
However, a resurgence of the virus has been reported in some sections of New York City, prompting the return of partial shutdowns of businesses and in-person schooling.
In Manhattan, indoor dining is allowed in restaurants with capacity restrictions, but many commuters still work from home and the presence of tourists in the city is limited.
