A smash-hit West End musical transfer was forced to cancel its opening night on Broadway hours before the famous theatre district was ordered to close to combat the spread of coronavirus.
New York state governor Andrew Cuomo announced the suspension of shows yesterday as part of new regulations to prevent public gatherings over 500 people.
The closure came shortly before the hit show Six was due to officially open on Broadway.
Producer Kevin McCollum said they did not “even question” the decision to close the theatre.
He said: “We’re going to be part of the reopening of Broadway, we are suspending, we are not closed, we are a show that is ready to be launched in North America. We are ready to open as soon as we feel the city, the state and the country are ready.”
Rob Dex reports from Broadway on this episode:
Lucy Moss, 25, became the youngest woman to direct a Broadway musical when Six first previewed almost four weeks ago.
The young Londoner, who created the show inspired by the wives of Henry VIII with co-writer Toby Marlow while they were students at Cambridge, said she was in a taxi on her way to get her hair done for the big night when she heard the news on the radio.
She said: “I guess it’s been a relief because there’s been concerns growing and it’s felt like we’ve been talking about what the right thing to do is and fortunately that’s been taken out of our hands.
“This isn’t the end for Six on Broadway, it’s just a postponing so the main thing is we’re going to take this virus seriously and not be blasé about it.”
