The Music Man should do the right thing and postpone/cancel the run now

They are holding onto a TON of money that people could use now. There is a zero percent chance that it is beginning in September as scheduled.

Everyone knows that Broadway would be fortunate to be able to open in March 2021 at the earliest. Why wait months?

The show will be postponed at some point, but we're still five months before previews start. They're going to wait as long as they need to figure out a plan to postpone. The fact that people "could use their money" doesn't mean a thing.

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Give it time. They are probably still trying to find out if Jackman is willing/able to make time in his schedule for a postponement.

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Although I understand the sentiment, there’s no way they’re going to pull the plug until they absolutely have to.
Although you’re probably right - there’s no way they can hold adequate rehearsals while the city is still on lockdown...

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they eventually just cancel it outright. I can’t imagine Hugh Jackman is the kinda guy who can just wait around for updates. Unless there’s a clause in his contract that would require an extension under circumstances such as these (doubtful) , by the time everything’s ready to go, there will probably be less than a year on his contract (assuming he signed up for an 18 month performance commitment, and that’s a generous guess). I can see them finding another star in effort to avoid having to pay for Hugh’s entire allotted performance contract for a measly couple months of performances, at best.

We’ll have to wait and see, but if I were a gambling man I wouldn’t bet on this show to open smoothly... Even if for some crazy reason NY is completely opened up by September.

It’s a shame. I was really looking forward to this...

SpookyFish13 said: "Although I understand the sentiment, there’s no way they’re going to pull the plug until they absolutely have to.
Although you’re probably right - there’s no way they can hold adequate rehearsals while the city is still on lockdown...

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they eventually just cancel it outright. I can’t imagine Hugh Jackman is the kinda guy who can just wait around for updates. Unless there’s a clause in his contract that would require an extension under circumstances such as these (doubtful) , by the time everything’s ready to go, there will probably be less than a year on his contract (assuming he signed up for an 18 month performance commitment, and that’s a generous guess). I can see them finding another star in effort to avoid having to pay for Hugh’s entire allotted performance contract for a measly couple months of performances, at best.

We’ll have to wait and see, but if I were a gambling man I wouldn’t bet on this show to open smoothly... Even if for some crazy reason NY is completely opened up by September.

It’s a shame. I was really looking forward to this..."

It WON'T open smoothly - which is what everyone on this thread has been saying. It will be postponed, most likely by approximately a year - and, much like Plaza Suite with Broderick and Parker, if -I- were a gambling man, Jackman and Foster (after doing other possible work in the meantime like Foster's TV series for her and TV movies like his brand-new one on HBO for Jackman) will both absolutely be there for it, to play these roles in this show and to help Broadway get back on its feet. There's hardly a reason to go from "might this be delayed so people get their money back" to "such a shame this will never happen" in only 5 posts.

Part of me wonders whether they should just postpone it a year, the way that Plaza Suite did. Automatically reassign people for corresponding performances, let people who can't make that work apply for refunds.

Clearly, this has to work for Jackman, but it is not like movie production is going to start like gangbusters when people feel safe. I can't help thinking that Jackman is a Tier 1 stage star, but really only a Tier 2 movie star, so who know's where his head is.

Of course, no one can anticipate what things will be like if there is no vaccine, but -- let's face it -- live theatre will be the least of our concerns.

briankershawjr said: "Everyone needs to chill!!!
We are all worried about getting the virus... and we can’t open Broadway til there is a vaccine, come on everyone
Broadway will open either by September or Later but not much later....

I do not believe they will postpone nor cancel it...,might open to smaller audiences but I think they will open ...
My personal belief is we can not be closed til a vaccine is available there is no way ... if everyone follows guidelines we should be fine , disagree with me all you like it’s my own opinion"

Sorry - I don't think anyone is being UNchill. But your own post is bonkers...which is it: Bway won't open until there is a vaccine or it won't wait? Because a vaccine could be a year away before it's actually available.

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I think something we all seem to be forgetting is that just because shows are cancelled through September 6th doesn't mean work can't be done on them beforehand. Now, September 6th seems like a longshot for Broadway to reopen, but it's not completely out of the realm of possible yet. The only reason Broadway is cancelled through then is because we know crowds of 1000 people won't be able to be in a theatre until at least then. That doesn't mean that workers can't come into the theatre before then and load in the set, focus the lights, clean the theatre and get it ready, etc. Nor does it mean that they can't hold rehearsals in smaller groups. So let's just say that theatres can in fact reopen on September 6th. Is September 9th a realistic start date? Probably not. But that wouldn't mean it couldn't start before December because of rehearsals. They probably would need 2 weeks from the point of Broadway reopening and could have it up and running. So no, they shouldn't cancel the production yet.

briankershawjr said: "I was stating that what people think “ can not open Broadway til there is a vaccine”
I think Broadway is going to have to down size on how many are allowed in the show
Cut back shows to 3 to 4 a week
Every other row
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I'm not sure about 3 shows a week, every other row, etc., but you're right in that there is absolutely no way Broadway is going to wait for a vaccine to reopen (barring a miracle and a vaccine being available in the next 5 months or so). Realistically, this vaccine may take 2 years to develop and fully implement. A giant NYC industry and the tens of thousands of people employed by it are not all going to say "it's cool, we'll just sit back and remain unemployed for the next 2 years until this is fixed". Whether or not that SHOULD happen is of course up for debate. But there is absolutely no way they're going to just sit around and wait.

Truthfully, I spent over $400 on two tickets to the show in November. I would like to have the money back now if they are going to postpone or cancel, which is almost certainly what will happen.

hak5 said: "Jackman is out... The role has been given to Alex Brightman"

Wait, isn't Brightman doing the Beetlejuice transfer? Because that's totally still happening, of course. A 13-year-old on TikTok said so.

Call_me_jorge said: "Broadway61004 said: "hak5 said: "Jackman is out... The role has been given to Alex Brightman"

Wait, isn't Brightman doing the Beetlejuice transfer? Because that's totally still happening, of course. A 13-year-old on TikTok said so."

Heard TikTok is being added as a producer for beetlejuice and Charli is taking on the role of beetlejuice"

Oooh, exciting! Do you think TikTok will stage door?

MollyJeanneMusic said: "This is all assuming Hugh won't want to renegotiate, which I could also very clearly see - although I did hear a rumor on a Disney news website that he's in negotiations to play Hades in Hercules, which could get in the way. But he's been so enthusiastic about this show - I couldn't see him walking away without a good fight."

I think that's by far the most likely scenario. If/when they have to reschedule, I think they'll do it based on Hugh's availability. Sutton too to a lesser extent, but definitely Hugh