You've seen the news reports: a major winter storm is on the way this week. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency Friday January 23, as meteorologists are forecasting eight to 12 inches of snowfall beginning Sunday morning on January 25. People are stocking up at the grocery store to hunker down for the worst, which leaves one question for theatre goers: Will the show go on for Broadway?
The answer, unfortunately, is we won't know until we know. The Broadway League, the trade organization that represents Broadway producers and theatre owners, has released a statement affirming that all Broadway shows are currently set to perform as scheduled. Cancelled performances means lost revenue and, worse, disappointed ticket holders, so don't expect to see anything cancelled before the League's hand is forced. Individual shows can elect to cancel their Sunday performances, though they will likely not make that call until Sunday morning.
The least likely scenario here is a decision to cancel all Broadway performances before the bad weather arrives, leaving open the opportunity for shows to be dark even though it would have been safe to go on as scheduled if the storm unexpectedly fizzles out.
Granted, a catastrophic weather event could still bring down curtains on the Main Stem. It's happened as recently as January 2016, when a major blizzard led to an officially declared winter weather emergency and a hazardous travel advisory, leading the League to shut down all of Broadway the evening of January 23, the peak of the storm. Famously, that event occurred the weekend of the first-ever BroadwayCon, an event that is happening January 23–25 this year, too. Only that one day's performances were cancelled; NYC is generally pretty skilled at quickly cleaning up after a snow dump.
If show cancellations do happen, you will find them reported here at Playbill and on our social media channels. Shows will post about them on their own social handles, too. And as far as any tickets you might already have in hand, you should expect to hear from your point of purchase about cancellation news and next steps on getting a refund. If you would like to exchange your January 25 tickets, please contact your point of purchase.
There's potential for a silver lining, too, if you're already in the city. When such events befall Broadway, producers often create special deals for any New Yorkers or visitors brave enough to venture out into the storm and take in a show—a way of filling seats as the bridge-and-tunnel crowd and out-of-state tourists' seats might be left empty. We haven't gotten news of any of that yet, either, but it's worth keeping an eye out for especially good opportunities to save a buck. And remember, you can still get two-for-one tickets as part of Broadway Week.
Nothing is more important than your safety and health. So no matter what you're up to this weekend, make sure you bundle up, wear warm shoes with good traction, and be safe!
To see what Broadway shows are scheduled to play this weekend, check Playbill's show listings.
