Broadway extends coronavirus shutdown through June 7

[April 09, 2020]    (Reuters) - Broadway theaters, among New York's most-visited tourist attractions, will remain closed through June 7 due to the global coronavirus outbreak, an industry group said on Wednesday.

The theaters closed on March 12 for what was supposed to be one month while authorities urged people to avoid large crowds. With the coronavirus crisis continuing and much of the United States urged to stay at home, that timeframe was extended.

"All New York City Broadway shows have now been canceled through June 07, 2020," the Broadway League, which represents producers and theater owners, said in a statement posted online.

"When this unexpected intermission comes to an end – and, make no mistake, it will come to an end – we’ll once again gather at lobby bars, sit beside one another in velvet seats, and laugh, cry, and cheer together in unison," the statement added.

Shows that were playing at the time of the closure included hits such as "Hamilton," "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

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