Tropical Storm Irene Passes On; Broadway Reopens

Hurricane Irene on New York City, which was downgraded to Tropical Storm status late Sunday morning, has now passed on and the East Coast is busy getting back to life as usual.  In New York City, the subway system was reopened at 6am, and bus service, along with bridge and tunnel access, has been restored.

The weather channel reports that the storm left nearly 5 million people without power, approximately 1 million of them being in lower lying areas of New York City.  The death toll in the 8 effected states has reached 24. While New York City was spared most of the damage expected, excessive flooding has crippled much of the east coast's suburban areas.

All Broadway shows had been cancelled this weekend, but those scheduled to play Monday performances are set to run.

The Broadway League issued the following statement at noon yesterday: "As of now, Broadway performances will play on Monday as scheduled, unless government authorities request otherwise."

All other off Broadway shows and arts events planned for today are also scheduled to run as usual.

While Monday is typically dark for most show, the curtains will rise for THE ADDAMS FAMILY, CHICAGO, HAIR, MAMMA MIA!, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, and ROCK OF AGES.  Click here for a performance schedule.

For those still in need of ticket refunds and exchanges from cancelled weekend productions, instructions from the Broadway League are as follows:

- If tickets were purchased via Telecharge or Ticketmaster via phone or online your credit card will be refunded automatically within 7-10 business days. For any issues, please contact the customer service information included with your tickets. Please have your Order Number/Confirmation Number handy. Original tickets need not be retained.

- If tickets were purchased at the Box Office: please return your original tickets to the Theater Box Office. You have the option of receiving a full refund to the original method of payment or exchanging your tickets for an alternate date of your choice, subject to availability.

- If tickets were purchased as part of a Group: please contact your Group Sales Agent for more information regarding refunds or exchanges. Original tickets should be retained until you contact the Group Sales Agent.

- If tickets were purchased through any other sales channel, please return to the original point of purchase for more information. If you have your tickets in hand, please retain them for a refund or exchange.

For more on Tropical Storm Irene and her aftermath, visit http://www.weather.com.