Broadway Is Coming Back in September. But Can It Stay Open?
Even without the delta variant, New York theater faces daunting financial odds.
Mrs. Doubtfire, whose opening was delayed by Covid-19, returns to the stage in October.
Illustration: Richard Chance for Bloomberg Businessweek
After The Phantom of the Opera shut down with the rest of Broadway in March 2020, John Riddle was overcome with relief. “We do shows eight times a week, and you never really have a day off,” says the actor, who plays Raoul, one of the leads. “So for the first two weeks, it was glorious.”
A year and a half later, the thrill has worn off. Riddle, who stayed in New York for much of the pandemic doing street performances, teaching classes on Zoom, and getting the odd outdoor gig, is set to return to rehearsals on Sept. 27 in anticipation of Phantom’s reopening on Oct. 22. But he’s begun to eye Covid‑19-related cancelations in London and Australia with concern. “Now that I have a return date, I’ve sort of based my life around it,” he says. “There’s a little thing in the back of my mind that hopes the world gets it together for our health and safety, but also to bring Broadway back.”