A person walks by Broadway posters near Times Square as theaters remain closed following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on January 15, 2021 in New York City.
Cindy Ord | Getty Images
The Great White Way finally has an official reopening date — Sept. 14.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that Broadway theaters would reopen just after Labor Day at full capacity. Tickets are expected to go on sale starting Thursday.
The governor did not specify which shows will be operating on this timeline. Individual productions may require more time to hire or rehire actors, crew and other in-house employees as well as conduct rehearsals.
The timeline also depends on the state government’s approval of each theaters’ health and safety protocols.
The announcement of Broadway’s September reopening comes as Mayor Bill de Blasio seeks to have New York City full reopened starting July 1.
The delayed Broadway reopening is partially due to the time theaters’ need to restart production and the fact that tourists account for 65% of annual live theater ticket sales in the city. Still, pent-up demand from locals could fuel sales of tickets in the interim.
Broadway has been shuttered for more than a year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, crippling the local economy. In a traditional year, the theater industry in New York funds nearly 100,000 jobs and pumps nearly $15 billion into the local economy.
