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The musical “Frozen” is the first Broadway show to officially shutter amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Disney show opened in March 2018 and placed among the top five Broadway productions for both gross revenue and attendance over both years it ran, often pulling in more than $1 million, even $2 million a week.
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Until now, only shows that were waiting to officially open have announced postponements or cancellations. Disney still has “The Lion King” and “Aladdin” on Broadway and five productions of “Frozen” worldwide.
Citing the “global pandemic,” Thomas Schumacher, president and producer of Disney Theatrical Productions, said Thursday that running three Disney shows on Broadway was “untenable.”
Actors’ Equity Association, which represents 51,000 actors and stage managers, reacted with dismay to the news and urged New York and national politicians to rescue the arts sector.
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“Today’s news should be an all-hands-on-deck moment for Gov. [Andrew] Cuomo, Mayor [Bill] de Blasio and Congress,” said Mary McColl, executive director.
“The arts and entertainment sector drives the economy of New York, just like it does in cities and towns across the country. Decisions made in the days and weeks ahead will shape the future of the arts sector for years to come," she said. "Public officials at all levels must think much more boldly about supporting the arts or our entire economy will be slower to recover.”
Disney Theatrical gets no corporate subsidy from the Walt Disney Company, and its stage shows must be financially self-sustaining. The ”Frozen” musical is based on the Oscar-winning Disney movie franchise, with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.
Although an exact date for performances to resume on Broadway has yet to be determined, Broadway producers are now offering refunds and exchanges for tickets purchased for shows through Sept. 6, 2020.
Broadway performances were suspended on March 12 after Cuomo imposed a ban on gatherings of 500 people or more. There were 31 productions running at the time, including eight new shows in previews and another eight shows in rehearsals preparing for the spring season.
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Some shows -- like an upcoming revival of Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite” starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, as well as a musical about Michael Jackson -- have pushed their production to next year.
Other shows scheduled to open this spring have abandoned their plans, including “Hangmen” and a revival of Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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