After Hurricane, B'way Shows Will Play as Planned

Hurricane Irene roared up the Eastern seaboard over the weekend. Even though the damage was not as devastating as some predicted, Irene certainly left her mark. On Sunday, New York City’s mass transportation system remained largely shut down, as did all Broadway theaters, but both will be up and running today. The Broadway League posted this statement on its website yesterday: "As of now, Broadway performances will play on Monday as scheduled, unless government authorities request otherwise." Playbill reported that power outages or street flooding affected no Broadway theaters.

The closing of all Broadway theaters this past weekend was the first time since the theater stagehands’ strike of 2007 that the Great White Way has shuttered completely. The previous emergency shutdowns were: following the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 and when a blackout closed theaters for one night in 2003. Practically all Off Broadway was dark as well due to the weather. It remains to be seen how the weekend cancellations will affect the Broadway box office.