Broadway shows keep doors open, despite Irene

[August 27, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- The threat of Hurricane Irene hasn't halted any Broadway shows -- so far.

The Broadway League, the national trade association, said early Friday that all Broadway shows this coming weekend are playing as scheduled. The Off-Broadway League also said early Friday it was unaware of any show cancellations.

Irene is expected to hit North Carolina's coast sometime Saturday and trudge up the East Coast. The National Weather Service has issued a hurricane watch for New York City, and the storm is expected to come closest to the city sometime Sunday.

Weekends on Broadway are its busiest times, with most shows offering two performances on Saturday and two more on Sunday. Potential theater closures may be triggered if officials shut down the city's entire transit system, which is expected.

[Associated Press]

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