Following a curtain call that capped off thunderous applause and appreciative ovations that peppered the re-opening performance of “Wicked” Tuesday night, the curtain came down.
The audience remained fixed in place, basking in the moment, not ready to let go of the magic the return to live theater on Broadway brought after 18 months away.
Minutes passed. The applause and cheers only grew louder.
And then the curtain was raised once more. The cast took another bow, the exchange between audience and company speaking volumes.
It’s been a hard road to get to this moment, filled with sacrifice, heartache, sweat, tears and logistics on the parts of so many.
Yet the work to sustain an industry that itself sustains so much of the lifeblood of New York City has in many ways also just begun.
The future is a question mark in a world still facing a pandemic that surges and mutates. As a result, keeping Broadway companies and audiences safe presents several challenges.
Broadway officially returned last month, with the new play “Pass Over.” At the start of September, it was joined by the returning musicals “Waitress” and “Hadestown.” “Hamilton,” “Wicked,” “Chicago,” “The Lion King” and “Lackawanna Blues” held their first performances on Sept. 14, and more productions will join the ranks throughout the next few months and into early 2022.
The early openings, as well as touring companies across the country getting underway, have given the Broadway League reasons for optimism regarding ticket demand and production safety protocols, St. Martin said.
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“Well, I have a very cloudy crystal ball,” she said. “Because we don’t know (what the future holds). What we know right now is that ticket sales are great for September, and many shows in October.”
St. Martin said ticket sales so far, combined with the success of COVID-19 protocols, are promising signs for the industry.
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“Our very, very thorough and strict protocols, so far — I’m knocking on wood, by the way — have not led to any outbreaks. We have had one show open for six weeks, and several more for a couple of weeks. A couple of weeks from now, (if) there are no outbreaks, I think what we’re feeling is that our protocols are working. We spent 18 months developing them with our colleagues in the union, to ensure that the audience, the cast and the crew are safe. I say to everyone, as much as we would like to have opened in two weeks, that we would not open until we felt assured that we were delivering the best possible safety that could be delivered.”
She said the industry is keeping a close eye as things develop.
“We’re watching it, we’re not sticking our heads in the sand acting like everything is hunky dory,” she said. “But we’re cautiously optimistic based on what we’re seeing.”
Abby Mueller (Jane Seymour), Samantha Pauly (Katherine Howard), Adrianna Hicks (Catherine of Aragon), Andrea Macasaet (Anne Boleyn), Brittney Mack (Anna of Cleves) and Anna Uzele (Catherine Parr) in the Broadway production of “SIX, a new musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.
Abby Mueller (Jane Seymour), Samantha Pauly (Katherine Howard), Adrianna Hicks (Catherine of Aragon), Andrea Macasaet (Anne Boleyn), Brittney Mack (Anna of Cleves) and Anna Uzele (Catherine Parr) in the Broadway production of “SIX, a new musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.
Catch a glimpse of the Broadway production of “SIX,” a new musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.
Catch a glimpse of the Broadway production of “SIX,” a new musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.
Catch a glimpse of the Broadway production of “SIX,” a new musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.
Catch a glimpse of the Broadway production of “SIX,” a new musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.
Rob McClure (Daniel Hillard as Euphegenia Doubtfire) in “Mrs. Doubtfire” on Broadway.
J. Harrison Ghee (Andre Mayem), Brad Oscar (Frank Hillard), Charity Angel Dawson (Wanda Sellner) and Rob McClure (Daniel Hillard) in “Mrs. Doubtfire” on Broadway.
Brad Oscar (Frank Hillard), Rob McClure (Daniel Hillard) and J. Harrison Ghee (Andre Mayem) in “Mrs. Doubtfire” on Broadway.
The cast of “Mrs. Doubtfire” on Broadway.
Rob McClure as Daniel Hillard in “Mrs. Doubtfire” on Broadway.
Rachel Tucker and the London company of “Come From Away” in 2018. Tucker is expected to join the Broadway cast.
Andre De Shields in a scene from “Hadestown.”
A scene from “Hadestown.”
A scene from “Hadestown,” which won the 2019 Tony Award for best musical.
Reeve Carney performs a scene from the musical “Hadestown” for the 2019 Tony Awards ceremony where the show won numerous awards, including “Best Musical.” The touring show is due in Boston in November. CHARLES SYKES/INVISION
Patrick Page and Amber Gray in “Hadestown.”
Jewelle Blackman, Kay Trinidad and Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer in “Hadestown.”
Eva Noblezada and the original Broadway cast of “Hadestown.”
Image from the Broadway performance of “Hadestown.”
Eva Noblezada and the original Broadway cast of “Hadestown.”
Elizabeth Stanley and Celia Rose Gooding in “Jagged Little Pill.”
Celia Rose Gooding, Derek Klena, Elizabeth Stanley and Sean Allan Krill In a scene from “Jagged Little Pill.”
Celia Rose Gooding, Lauren Patten and the cast of Broadway’s “Jagged Little Pill.”
Celia Rose Gooding and Antonio Cipriano in “Jagged Little Pill.”
Antonio Cipriano and Celia Rose Gooding in “Jagged Little Pill.”
Celia Rose Gooding and the cast of Broadway’s “Jagged Little Pill.”
Elizabeth Stanley, Kathryn Gallagher and the cast of “Jagged Little Pill” on Broadway.
Sean Allan Krill and Elizabeth Stanley in “Jagged Little Pill.”
Elizabeth Stanley and the cast of “Jagged Little Pill” on Broadway.
Elizabeth Stanley and Heather Lang in “Jagged Little Pill.”
Elizabeth Stanley and the cast of Broadway’s “Jagged Little Pill.”
Elizabeth Stanley in a scene From “Jagged Little Pill.”
Derek Klena and the cast of “Jagged Little Pill.”
The cast of Broadway’s “Jagged Little Pill.”
Natalie Mendoza will join the Broadway cast of “Moulin Rouge!” as Satine.
Danny Burstein as Harold Zidlerin “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” on Broadway.
The cast of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” on Broadway.
Sahr Ngaujah as Toulouse-Lautrec (from left), Aaron Tveit as Christian and Ricky Rojas as Santiago in “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” on Broadway.
The cast of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” on Broadway.
The cast of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” on Broadway.
“Chicago” will return to Broadway on Sept. 14, 2021.
“Chicago” will return to Broadway on Sept. 14, 2021.
Ryan Worsing, Bianca Marroquin and Michael Cusumano in “Chicago. “Chicago” will return to Broadway on Sept. 14, 2021.
Amra-Faye Wright and the cast of “Chicago” in 2012. “Chicago” will return to Broadway on Sept. 14, 2021.
“Chicago” will return to Broadway on Sept. 14, 2021.
“Chicago” will return to Broadway on Sept. 14, 2021.
Ephraim Sykes, left to right, Jeremy Pope, Jawan M. Jackson, James Harkness and Derrick Baskin in a scene from “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations.”
(L-R) Derrick Baskin, Jawan M. Jackson, Jelani Remy, Saint Aubyn and E. Clayton Cornelious in “Ain’t Too Proud.”
(L-R) Derrick Baskin, Jelani Remy, Jawan M. Jackson, Ephraim Sykes and James Harkness in “Ain’t Too Proud.”
Ephraim Sykes, Jawan M. Jackson, Jeremy Pope, Derrick Baskin and James Harkness in “Ain’t Too Proud.”
Derrick Baskin (from left), Jawan M. Jackson, Jeremy Pope, James Harkness, and Ephraim Sykes in “Ain’t Too Proud.”
Christian Thompson, Saint Aubyn, Ephraim Sykes, Jeremy Pope, Derrick Baskin and Jawan M. Jackson in “Ain’t Too Proud.”
Ephraim Sykes, Jeremy Pope, Jawan M Jackson, James Harkness, Derrick Baskin and Rashidra Scott in “Ain’t Too Proud.”
Taylor Symone Jackson, Candice Marie Woods and Nasia Thomas in “Ain’t Too Proud.”
Derrick Baskin in AIN’T TOO PROUD (photo by Matthew Murphy)
Ephraim Sykes (kneeling) and the cast of”Ain’t Too Proud.”
“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations.”
The cast of Broadway’s “Ain’t Too Proud.”
Ephraim Sykes in “Ain’t Too Proud.”
Photographer Matthew Murphy shoots Karen Olivo at “Moulin Rouge” on Broadway.
Jeanna de Waal poses at a meet and greet for the cast and creative team of the new musical “Diana” on Broadway at The Lotte New York Palace on January 30, 2020 in New York City.
Christopher Ashley and Kelly Devine pose at a meet and greet for the cast and creative team of the new musical “Diana” on Broadway at The Lotte New York Palace on January 30, 2020 in New York City.
Joe DiPietro and David Bryan pose at a meet and greet for the cast and creative team of the new musical “Diana” on Broadway at The Lotte New York Palace on January 30, 2020 in New York City.
Jeanna de Waal as Princess Diana in ‘Diana’
Jeanna De Waal And Roe Hartrampf in “Diana.”
Jeanna De Waal, Erin Davie and Roe Hartrampf in “Diana.”
68/68 SLIDES
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Broadway’s return is a time for celebration, but what happens next?
