Concerns about Broadway as 10 shows set to close

NEW YORK - Tourism is not back to pre-pandemic levels and some experts say, as a result, Broadway is continuing to take a hit.

Michael Riedel is a Theater Critic and Radio Host with 710 WOR.

"The tourist audience is not back in a big way in the way Broadway had hoped," Riedel says.  "I do believe Broadway should be worried."

Ten Broadway shows are closing this month including Beetlejuice, Almost Famous, Death of a Salesman and 1776.  

Riedel says Broadway depends on international tourism.

"Missing from New York is the Chinese audience," Riedel says. "The Chinese foreign tourist audience, they after the Europeans, were the number one tourist component before the pandemic."

Adam Feldman is a Theatre Editor and Critic with Time Out New York. He says although tourist-driven industries like Broadway have been slower to rebound, it is standard for about ten shows to close every January.

He says it helps make room for new shows opening in the spring.

"In January of 2020, which was before the pandemic, a very successful year on Broadway, there were 11 shows that closed in January," Feldman says.

The Music Man with Hugh Jackman is also closing this month.  It is an enormous financial success, but falls into a category of its own featuring a megastar who wants to move on to other projects so, the musical is saying goodbye.

Feldman says, "Let's just quit while we're ahead and not try to replace Hugh Jackman with someone who might be less of a draw."