Three hundred and eighty-seven days after Broadway went dark, a dim light began to shimmer on Saturday.
There were only two performers – one at a time – on a bare Broadway stage. But together they conjured up decades of theater history and referred to the songs, shows and stars that once filled the big houses in and around Times Square.
The 36-minute event in front of a masked audience of 150 people, spread over a 1,700-seat auditorium, was the first such experiment since the coronavirus pandemic that closed all 41 Broadway houses on March 12, 2020, and industry leaders hope it will. A promising step on the road that is sure to be a slow and bumpy road to eventual reopening.
Dancer Savion Glover and actor Nathan Lane, both Tony Award winners, represented a universe of unemployed artists and fans who lacked show as they performed a pair of pieces created for the occasion.
Glover, a well-known tap dancer, played an improvised song-and-dance number in which he seemed to conjure up ghosts of past productions. He went on stage, removed the ghost lights, traditionally left on to keep the ghosts out of an unoccupied theater, and then sang lyrical samples accompanied only by the sound of his gleaming white tap shoes. “God, I hope I get it,” he began, quoting the longing theme “A Chorus Line”.
And from there he went off and quoted from “The Tap Dance Kid”, “Dreamgirls”, “42nd Street” and other shows that he said had influenced him, often celebrating the urge to dance and at the same time the challenges of the Entertainment recognized industry. (“There’s no such thing as show business,” he sang before adding, “Everything about it is like.”) He was also referring specifically to black life in the US, interpolating the phrase “knee-to-neck -America “” In a song from “West Side Story”.
“I was a little nervous, but I was excited and happy and there was nostalgia and I was sentimental – it was all,” he said in an interview afterwards. “And I felt very safe. I want to rub my elbows and hug myself – that’s what we’ll be looking for at some point – but there’s no safer place than in the middle of this phase. “
One of Broadway’s greatest stars, Lane, performed a comedic monologue by Paul Rudnick in which he portrayed a die-hard theater fan (with an alphabetical Playbill collection) who dreams (or was it real?) That a Broadway parade Stars, led by Hugh Jackman, Patti LuPone, and Audra McDonald, arrive at his rent-controlled apartment and vie for his attention as they rudely mend each other.
“It’s the first step home – the first of many,” said Jordan Roth, president of Jujamcyn Theaters, which own and operate the St. James Theater, where the event was held. Roth was visibly tearful before the event even started, moved by the moment. “That’s not” Broadway is back! “This is ‘Broadway is Coming Back!’ “He said,” and we know that this is possible. “
The performance used a range of safety protocols: a limited audience, mandatory masks, and socially distant seating. In addition, all participants were required to provide evidence of a negative Covid test or completed vaccination regimen and complete a digital questionnaire confirming the absence of Covid-19 symptoms or recent exposure. The arrival times of the participants were staggered. there was no break, food or drink; and although the bathrooms were open, participants were encouraged to use a bathroom prior to their arrival to reduce potential overcrowding.
A historic city landmark built in 1927, St. James was chosen in part because it is large – one of the largest theaters on Broadway – and empty. The theater also has a modern HVAC system that was installed when the building was expanded in 2017. The air filters were upgraded during the pandemic to reduce the spread of viruses in the air.
While the event was free, it was an invitation only, and the invitations were mostly to employees of two theater social service organizations, the Actors Fund and Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. Among them was a Broadway Cares volunteer, Michael Fatica, who is an actor; He was on the cast of “Frozen,” the final show at St. James, which announced it wouldn’t reopen on Broadway. “You were fantastic,” he said afterwards. “And it’s unbelievable that people perform. But it’s so far from commercial theater and tens of thousands of actors are still unemployed. “
The event was also an opportunity to bring the theater staff back. Tony David, a doorman, wore his black suit, tie and hat with the Jujamcyn logo, as well as latex gloves and a face shield over a mask. “It’s nice to be back and do something,” he said. “Hopefully this is the beginning.”
The event was led by Jerry Zaks, a four-time Tony winner who has served as both a St. James and a director over the years. “This was the longest time I haven’t been to a theater in 50 years,” he said. “I don’t want to sound dizzy, but I am excited and feel like a kid. There’s a pulse – it’s weak, but there is and it’s a good sign for the months to come. “
The performance was sponsored by NY Pops Up, a partnership between the state government, producers Scott Rudin and Jane Rosenthal, and artist Zack Winokur. Empire State Development, which funds the state’s economic development initiatives, has allocated $ 5.5 million from its marketing budget to fund 300 shows through August. The purpose, the state said, is to boost the mood of New Yorkers and boost the entertainment industry.
Organizers said they would read up on the lessons of the Saturday morning event and expect nine more programs at Broadway homes over the next 10 weeks. However, most producers assume that full-size plays and musicals won’t return to Broadway until the fall. Commercial theater producers have stated that they do not find it financially feasible to reopen at reduced capacity, and the state is hoping to increase occupancy limits and decrease restrictions over time.
“I don’t have a crystal ball – neither of us, but we have shows that are slated to reopen in September, October and November,” said Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League. St. Martin, who attended the Saturday event, said the Pops Up performances should be helpful steps towards reopening.
“It will give the health department a chance to see how the theaters work and hopefully learn what we need to get 100 percent open,” she said. “And it’s also a great opportunity to remind us all of what makes New York so special.”
