BWW Blog: When the Lights Go Down on Broadway... Again

As a self-proclaimed theater kid and someone who has performed in musicals for years, continues to attend live shows and listen to soundtracks, it has broken my heart each time to see Broadway close yet again. The shutdown has just recently been extended until May of 2021 and New York City is missing both one of its most unique and detrimental aspects to the city's livelihood and business for the arts.

Since its initial closure back in March due to the drastic impacts COVID-19 was imposing on America, there has not been a show on any of the iconic Broadway stages. Fans, tourists and New Yorkers have felt the direct loss of the brightness the single street in Manhattan undoubtedly brings to life.

For many, the shock associated with the first announcement, and now the prolonged closure, has not disappeared. The possibility of seeing the well known lyric and song title by Billy Joel, "Seen the lights go out on Broadway", become a reality seemed near to slim. But like almost everything else part of our old "normal", COVID-19 immediately changed all we knew, including the way we enjoy theater.

Personally, I attended my last Broadway show without knowing back in November. My university hosted a trip to New York to see Disney's Frozen and I can never pass up a relatively cheaper option to attend a show. Taking the trip into the Big Apple with my best friend and getting to experience the magic of Frozen live is something I will always remember like the rest of my Broadway shows.

Unfortunately, when I left after the performance, I had no clue that would be the last theater I would step foot in for months then becoming close to over a year.

After finding out Broadway was closing temporarily, my desired birthday plans to finally see Dear Evan Hansen had to be scraped and then finding out Frozen closed shortly after the huge decision was made for the theater community, I truly realized how drastic this was. Never in my life did I think everything I knew would be flipped upside down in the ways COVID-19 has done, but losing something else that I love felt like a huge piece of my heart got left in the city I adore more than anything.

With both a strong connection to the arts and New York City through countless events in my life, living through one of the most quiet and dark times for Broadway is quite literally the most shocking and unprecedented moment I and fellow theater lovers across the nation will remember for years to come.

For "the city that never sleeps", the long and surprising closure of Broadway is proof that the bustling life in New York can come to an abrupt stop if necessary. So until the lights are lifted again, performers return to the stage and crowds are welcome back to fill the thousands of seats, we can mourn the loss of excitement that comes with going to a Broadway show, but there are still many ways we can all help.

Donating to organizations such as Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, The Actors Fund and New York Foundation for the Arts help everyone involved to make the magic happen at Broadway through this difficult time.

Hopefully intermission comes to an end sooner rather than later and Broadway welcomes back all its lovable life to New York City. Until then, keep listening to your favorite soundtracks and supporting the artists involved with shows in any way you can.

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