The show’s retro, 1940s-style marquee was unlit for first previews, as a result of President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade policies.
Previews are now underway for Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the show’s retro, 1940s-style marquee was unlit for first previews, as a result of President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade policies. The specialty lightbulbs required (Satco Decorative 11W LED Ceramic Yellow Indicator bulbs) are primarily sourced in bulk from a China-based vendor, and the long-awaited shipment had been held up by customs due to a delay caused by the recently enacted tariff policies.
The bulbs arrived in the United States on Thursday, March 13, and the marquee was finally illuminated after last evening’s performance at the Golden Theatre, making the venue ever more golden than before. Check out video and a photo of the now-lit marquee here!
In a statement, producer Jon Thoday said, “Broadway is shining just a little more brightly, thanks to the tireless teams who navigated labyrinthine tariff policies to make this happen. We’re particularly grateful to all the intrepid audience members who managed to find our show in spite of our darkened marquee.”
The darkened marquee hadn’t dimmed the excitement for the preview performances, which received a 5-minute standing ovation at the musical’s debut and has been attended by the likes of Steven Spielberg, Blythe Danner, Matthew Broderick, and Daniel Radcliffe, among others.
In Operation Mincemeat, it’s 1943, and the Allied Forces are on the ropes. Luckily, they’ve got a trick up their sleeve. Well, not up their sleeve, per se, but rather inside the pocket of a stolen corpse. Equal parts farce, thriller, and Ian Fleming-style spy caper (with an assist from Mr. Fleming himself), Operation Mincemeat tells the wildly improbable and hilarious true story of the covert operation that turned the tide of WWII.
Directed by Robert Hastie, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical’s official opening night is set for Thursday, March 20 at the Golden Theatre.
Starring in Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical is David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall, Natasha Hodgson, Olivier Award-winner Jak Malone and Zoë Roberts, who will reprise their original acclaimed performances for the musical’s Broadway (American) premiere. Brandon Contreras, Sam Hartley, Jessi Kirtley, Gerianne Pérez and Amanda Jill Robinson round out the cast as understudies.