Several shows, both on and Off Broadway, have canceled holiday performances or closed altogether because of surging COVID-19 cases. The Omicron variant has swept through the theater world, affecting Ain’t Too Proud, Freestyle Love Supreme, Hamilton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Jagged Little Pill, Moulin Rouge, Mrs. Doubtfire, Waitress, Thoughts of a Colored Man, Six, Hadestown, Aladdin, The Lion King, Dear Evan Hansen, the Rockettes’ Christmas show, Candace Bushnell’s one-woman show Is There Still Sex in the City?, and Tina. And in Los Angeles, the production of A Christmas Carol starring Bradley Whitford has also closed (per the Wrap.)
To Kill a Mockingbird
Aaron Sorkin’s staging of Harper Lee’s classic is leaving the Shubert Theatre Sunday, January 16. It will move to the Belasco Theatre on Wednesday, June 1 starring Greg Kinnear as Atticus Finch.
Girl From the North Country
The Bob Dylan musical will make its Broadway bow on January 23. The hope is that the show will come out of hibernation in the spring, after the Omicron surge. This follows the pattern set by Mrs. Doubtfire, which closed in hopes of coming back March 14.
Skeleton Crew
Skeleton Crew will resume performances on January 11 after cancelations due to breakthrough COVID cases. The show’s opening night, originally set for January 19, has now been delayed to January 26.
Come From Away
Come From Away canceled performances starting on December 30 and is set to resume on January 7. The return will come after eight standbys — Pearl Sun, Tony LePage, Monette McKay, Marika Aubrey, Julie Reiber, Holly Ann Butler, John Jellison, and Happy McPartlin — performed on December 26.
Mrs. Doubtfire
The show is going on hiatus until March 14, per Deadline. Its final show will be January 9 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Jagged Little Pill
Jagged Little Pill was the first show to announce an early closure on December 20 “due to the detection of multiple positive COVID-19 cases within the company,†the show’s producers said in a statement.
Waitress
Waitress, the Sara Bareilles–scored musical, was set to reopen after canceling performances on December 21 but instead will end its run early. “It has been such an honor to bring Waitress to Broadway. We feel so blessed to have been able to continue playing when Broadway returned in September of this year,†producer Barry Weissler said in a statement. “We are heartbroken that the COVID virus won’t allow us to finish our glorious scheduled run.â€
Thoughts of a Colored Man
Thoughts of a Colored Man is ending its historic run as the first show starring, written, directed, and lead produced by Black men. Its last show was December 22. In a statement obtained by Entertainment Weekly, the show’s producers called the closure “not the outcome we had hoped for.†However, they “remain undeterred, unflinching, and unstoppable. We have never been prouder to be theater-makers than at this very moment.â€
Ain’t Too Proud
Ain’t Too Proud, which has not had performances since December 15, will close on January 16.
Six
Six is scheduled to resume performances on January 2. All shows are refunding canceled performances at their point of purchase.
Hamilton
Hamilton on Broadway canceled its performances from December 20 to December 27 and tweeted that it “will have more information on upcoming performances as soon as possible.†Across the country, the Los Angeles production of Hamilton canceled shows from December 24 to January 23.
The Music Man
The Music Man has canceled performances until January 5 as both leads, Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, have tested positive for COVID-19. The show’s Christmas and Boxing Day shows were initially canceled due to breakthrough cases, but the cancellation has been extended until January 1. Jackman posted a video to Instagram on December 28 that he has “mild symptoms and looking forward to getting back on stage ASAP!â€Â He previously praised swing performer Kathy Voytko for filling in with aplomb in a video shared widely on social media.
Company
Company had to cancel performances December 26 due to illnesses within the cast and crew. Patti Lupone tweeted that she had the rotavirus and not COVID, and that her “toilet can confirm this.†The show resumed performances on December 28. Meanwhile, Moulin Rouge hopes to return on December 29 after canceling a day of performances due to “non-COVID related illness.â€
Westminster Dog Show
Even the dogs aren’t safe from Omicron. The Guardian is reporting that the Westminster Dog Show has been postponed due to COVID concerns. The event had been scheduled for late January, but will now be held at an as yet undetermined date later in 2022. “The health and safety of all participants in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show are paramount,†the Westminster Kennel Club said in a statement. “We appreciate the community’s continued interest and support as we delay the show to a time when we can safely convene.†As the CDC notes, COVID can travel from human to dog and vice versa, but it is rare.
This post is being updated as new details emerge.