Broadway Stays Open Despite Blizzard Conditions

If you have tickets to a Broadway show on Monday, never fear: the show will go on. All scheduled performances will proceed as planned, according to the Broadway League, despite blizzard conditions paralyzing transportation networks throughout New York City and the Tri-State region.

“How come your radio station doesn’t close? Because you just gotta do it and go on with the show,” said Paul Libin, chairman of the Broadway League. “The only time we’ve ever closed was when there’s been a strike, and we closed for two days after 9/11.”

Libin says it’s a Broadway tradition to keep the theaters open no matter what the challenges. But there might be a financial incentive for producers to avoid closing as well. Libin says that the week between Christmas and New Years is historically the biggest selling week for Broadway shows. Theaters will be refunding and rescheduling tickets for snowed-in out-of-towners who need to miss their shows, which means they’ll have to make up for the losses by selling seats to locals looking for a last minute Broadway bargain.

According to reports in The New York Times, those discounts included a $79 snowstorm special for “Billy Elliot” tickets and $22 tickets for “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Most of the canceled tickets, however, are selling for their regular prices.

The Broadway League posted a message on its Web site to encourage New Yorkers to use the blizzard as an excuse to go out to Broadway, writing, “Whether you live in New York or are a visitor stranded in our city, it's a wonderful time to see a show!”

According to David LeShay, a spokeman for the Theater Development Fund, New Yorkers are going for the bait. He says that despite the deep snow and punishing winds, lines outside the TKTS discount tickets booth in Times Square were healthy when he checked in at 3 p.m. “More tickets are available than normally on a Monday,” he said. “But I can’t say whether or not that’s because of the blizzard.”

For the most part, New York City museums brought out their shovels bright and early and prepared to receive visitors today. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim, MOMA and the American Museum of Natural History all were open for business. However, a number of museums were forced to close, including the Rubin Museum, the New Museum, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, the New York Hall of Science, and, not surprisingly, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

Many performing arts organizations presented their regular programming despite the snow as well. The New York City Ballet, Metropolitan Opera and Big Apple Circus all anticipated smooth shows Monday evening.