“Just two weeks after celebrating the return of Broadway, one of the most anticipated shows has been shut down,” announced CBS New York. Broadway’s famous show Aladdin opened to the public with much excitement after eighteen months of closure, only to shut down after one day. The much-anticipated return of Broadway hit a rough patch soon after. Aladdin first opened in 2014 and ran uninterrupted through March 12, 2020. After suspension caused by COVID-19, the show reopened on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 but immediately closed showings on Wednesday, September 29, because of a COVID-19 outbreak. COVID-19 cases were reported in the musicals’ company. Dr. Blythe Adamson who works with Disney’s theaters stated, “These positive cases are most likely related to an exposure from one positive case.” This one exposure caused the whole musical to shut down, and they were unable to perform for the many viewers in line, who were left disappointed. Chelsea Petterson was a fan waiting to see Aladdin when she was told it shut down, “We got here at 6:20. The show was at 7:00. As soon as we got in line, they said the show is closed because of COVID-19.” She also stated that they were upset to have missed the showing, but when the show opened again on Thursday, they were able to watch it. Understandably, the actor’s health is extremely important and must take high priority. According to Broadway this is a potential worrying experience as they look forward. Aladdin was their first show that needed to be shut down after the reopening. This will greatly affect the precautions they take so that a situation like this can be avoided in the future. The Broadway producers are worried that this is just the beginning of shut downs because of COVID-19. Several other shows have begun to reopen, including fan favorites like Wicked, Hamilton, and The Lion King. For now, these shows remain open and are bringing in the revenue Broadway needs, but the rising fear of more shows being cancelled is concerning for producers, actors, and fans. These Broadway shows are conscious of the decisions they make in regards to COVID-19. If they have even just one exposure, they must shut down like Aladdin did, which is one of their worst nightmares. Aladdin has raised concerns about whether Broadway will be able to stay alive during a time when the future is full of uncertainty.
