“Let’s face it — producing on Broadway in the best of times is a ridiculous proposition, and the amount of risk involved doesn’t make sense for any sane person,” said Mara Isaacs, a lead producer of “Hadestown.” “But the dreamers will continue to dream. Yes, it’s going to be harder for a little while, but I do believe we will recover.”
One major challenge producers face now is shoring up consumer confidence. Follow the social media account of any Broadway show and you’re likely to see a simple message: Broadway is open. Worried about safety? All patrons are vaccinated and masked, and many theaters have stopped selling food and drinks so masks can stay up.
The most popular shows are still packed, but not quite as tough to get into as they were: Last week, there were seats available even at the industry’s most in-demand shows, including “Hamilton,” “The Music Man” and “Six.” (Premium seats at “Hamilton” were selling for $299, compared to $847 before the pandemic.)
And this has become a good time for bargain hunters. Tickets to shows like David Byrne’s “American Utopia” and the best musical Tony winner “Moulin Rouge!,” both of which were routinely sold out before the pandemic, are now discounted at the TKTS booth in Times Square. And the city’s annual Broadway Week, which starts Tuesday and offers 2-for-1 tickets for most Broadway shows, this year will last 27 days — the longest in the program’s history.
“I would never be able to afford a normal Broadway ticket, but now it seems super affordable to someone like me,” said Amy Grimm, a 45-year-old administrative assistant from Brooklyn, who this month has seen “Girl From the North Country” and “Six.” She said she enjoyed “Girl,” but added, “There was hardly anyone in the audience, and it was sad to see.” “Six,” she said, felt more normal. “I hooted and hollered through my mask,” she said, “and it was fine.”