Broadway To Return With Vaccine Sites For Theater Workers: Mayor

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Broadway shows could resume in New York City by September, thanks in part to a new set of vaccine sites for theater workers, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday.

Starting in April, the city will set up vaccine sites "in the heart of the Theater District," serving and staffed by theater workers, de Blasio said. A mobile unit will serve off-Broadway theaters.

The mayor said the effort would help revitalize an industry that employs nearly 100,000 workers and contributes billions of dollars to the city's economy, but which has been crippled by the yearlong shutdown of live performances during the pandemic.

"Broadway needs to come back and we will move heaven and earth to bring Broadway back," de Blasio said.

Shows could resume by September, de Blasio said, but the reopening timeline may depend on guidance from the state about mask usage and proof of vaccination for theater workers.

A spokesperson for the Broadway League, which represents New York's theater industry, said the organization got word Wednesday about the city's plans.

"We are pleased that the City and the State are working with us to help get people back to work and to raise Broadway curtains once again," the League said in a statement. "Our community has suffered catastrophic losses, and the sooner we can return to share our stories in a safe and secure way, the better our city will be."

The mayor did not specify how many vaccine sites would be created or where they would be located. Theater workers are not currently eligible for the vaccine, but de Blasio noted that all adults are expected to be eligible by May 1 under federal guidelines.

Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that arts and entertainment venues could reopen at 33 percent capacity in April. But the policy change did not apply to Broadway theaters, which will remain shuttered through at least May 30.

De Blasio was joined at Thursday's news conference by performers André De Shields and Telly Leung, who both hailed the news that shows could return within months.

"We’re ready. We’ve stayed in shape. Our voices are strong," De Shields said. "All we need is a stage."

In 2019, Broadway enjoyed its most successful season in history, raking in $1.8 billion in ticket sales from nearly 15 million people.