The cast of Hamilton is telling their story on Broadway again.
The Lin-Manuel Miranda-created hit production announced on Tuesday (May 11) that it will return to Manhattan’s Richard Rodgers Theatre when Broadway reopens Sept. 14. Also on Wednesday, fellow Tony Award-winning musicals The Lion King and Wicked announced they will return to their respective stages, at the Minskoff Theatre and at the Gershwin Theatre, on the same day. Tickets for all three shows are now on sale at ticketmaster.com.
“This rare alliance between three of Broadway’s fan-favorites sends a message that Broadway is united in its commitment to ending a devastating period of hardship for the tens of thousands who make their living directly on Broadway shows and the tens of thousands in dependent industries,” reads the joint press release. Cast members from each production — Alexandra Billings from Wicked, Krystal Joy Brown from Hamilton and L. Steven Taylor from The Lion King — appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America on Tuesday to announce the news.
Hamilton, The Lion King, and Wicked have consistently been the best-attended shows since they opened; Hamilton six years ago, Wicked 17 years ago and The Lion King 23 years ago. Combined, the three musicals have played to 176 million audience members in dozens of countries. On Broadway, the three productions combined have employed nearly 1,000 performers during their runs, per theater owners the Nederlander Organization.
The trio of long-running hits top a running list of on- and off-Broadway shows to have announced reopening dates following last week’s joint announcement from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Broadway League that theater will turn the lights back on in the fall. Hard-hit from the coronavirus pandemic, Broadway has been shut down since March 12, 2020. At that time, 31 productions were running, including eight shows in previews and another eight in rehearsals.
“Broadway is a major part of our state’s identity and economy, and we are thrilled that the curtains will rise again,” Cuomo said when announcing that the NYC theaters will open at 100 percent capacity starting Sept. 14. The Broadway League followed the news by directing theatergoers to Broadway.org to track developing information on ticket sales, as productions will be announcing their return dates in coming weeks on a show-by-show basis.
“Nothing beats Broadway,” said Broadway League president Charlotte St. Martin last week of restarting an industry that has been dormant for over a year. “The theater owners, producers, and other League members will continue to work with the N.Y. State Department of Health and the governor to coordinate the industry’s return and the related health and safety protocols required to do so. We remain cautiously optimistic about Broadway’s ability to resume performances this fall and are happy that fans can start buying tickets again.”
Broadway shows with return or opening dates set and tickets available, as of Tuesday, include The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Come From Away, Tina — The Tina Turner Musical, Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations, Jagged Little Pill, Mrs. Doubtfire, Company, Six and Diana: A True Musical Story.
This story was originally published in The Hollywood Reporter.
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