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In a notice posted on Twitter shortly before
the curtain was due to go up, producers said testing protocols
had detected an unspecified number of "breakthrough" infections
among vaccinated members of the "Aladdin" company at The New
York Amsterdam Theatre.
"Because the wellness and safety of our guests, cast, and crew
are our top priority, tonight's performance, Wednesday,
September 29th, is canceled," the tweet said, adding that
tickets would be refunded at their points of purchase.
It said the status of future performances of "Aladdin," based on
Disney's 1992 animated hit film, would be announced on Thursday.
A slew of Broadway's leading shows, among them "Hamilton," "The
Lion King," "Wicked" and "Chicago," reopened in mid-September,
some 18 months after the COVID-19 crisis forced an unprecedented
shutdown of New York City's life theater community. "Aladdin"
had just joined the fray on Tuesday.
Under health safety rules hashed out between theater labor
unions and producers, cast and crew members for Broadway shows
are required to provide proof of vaccination or a valid
exemption in order to work, and must be tested for the
coronavirus every three days.
Members of the audience and stagehands are required to wear
masks throughout performances.
The 74th annual Tony Awards, skipped during the 2020 season
because of the shutdown, was held on Sunday in a four-hour
ceremony celebrating Broadway's reopening.
According to the New York Times, Wednesday's cancellation was
the first and only one confirmed for a reopened Broadway
production since "Springsteen on Broadway" kicked off the
industry's return in June.
(Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York; Writing and additonal
reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; editing by Richard
Pullin)
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