Is Broadway Dying? A Few Thoughts

Every time a spate of closings is announced on Broadway, the same thing happens. Cries of "Broadway is dying!" are heard all across the land. Every. Single. Time. So, basically every year or two I find myself chuckling at these doomsayers. That's what happens when you've been following the theater scene as long as I have.

Is Broadway Dying?

A Few Thoughts...

This time around, it's the Moulin Rouge! closing, followed by announcements for upcoming closures of & Juliet and Six. Surely, death of the main stem is eminent! Well, let's think about it with a clear head. All three shows had/will have had lengthy runs, all three at well over 1,000 performances each. And all three recouped their initial investments. The truth is, all three have simply run out of box office steam, as all shows will do. These closures may sting a bit more because they each have ardent, very vocal fan bases, and of course, they are upset by it. 

Clumps of closures also stick out more in this era of super long-running shows. 1,000 performance runs seem paltry against shows like Chicago, The Lion King, Aladdin, etc. It is also true that all shows will close eventually, even these stalwarts. The circle of life as it is said. In my time, people thought Grease, A Chorus Line, Cats and The Phantom of the Opera would never close. But they did. And guess what? Someday, Hamilton will, too.

Then, there is the seasonal pearl clutching over Broadway gasping its last breath that occurs twice a year. Once, after the holidays, and second, after the Tonys/during the summer. It happens more reliably than the Farmer's Almanac. Let's look at the post-holiday purge already taking shape. As of today, there are SEVEN shows scheduled to close on January 3, 2027. Seven! Let's look at those:

• Long-runners bowing out with months of advanced notice: Six and & Juliet, and for a play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow would certainly qualify.
• Limited runs ending as scheduled: Schmigadoon! and Paranormal Activity (to be fair, I wouldn't be shocked to find out the both extend, though this year's Best Musical isn't really a blockbuster).
• Shows that haven't even started yet scheduled for limited engagements: 860, Now You See Me Live!

There are many other reasons to be concerned about the health of Broadway, to be sure. The closing of Cats: The Jellicle Ball stings on many levels. I can tell you that in some four decades, I've felt that same sting many times. (I don't think I'll ever get over the quick death of The Scottsboro Boys...) That is for another day. 

And though it isn't as common as it once was, I find a lot of hope for original and small shows when I think about the runs/critical success and audience love of shows like Kimberly Akimbo, The Outsiders, Maybe Happy Ending and Hadestown, and even shows that defy the odds and are audience darlings like Just in Time, MJ, The Great Gatsby and the like.

But if crime, Disney, jukebox shows, a terror attack and a global pandemic couldn't kill that which we all love so much, it's hard to see it going anywhere soon. And always keep in mind that other shows had to close to make room for Moulin Rouge!, Six and & Juliet to open.

January 3, 2027 will not be on Broadway's tombstone. Trust me.