"The Show Must Go On!'

With the snow piling up outside in New York City today, I was having a debate with a friend at work about the folks who determine whether or not to cancel a Broadway show due to inclement weather, or any other factors.

I understand that the Producers and all involve stand to lose money when a show isn't performed, but when should the safety of the performers, backstage crew, and theater employees be considered? Many stagehands that I know personally live in Westchester, Jersey, or Long Island and drive to work. On a day such as today, with weather pretty crappy out and the snow supposedly not subsiding until the wee hours of the morning, why do a select few (Broadway League, Producers) get to decide when a show is canceled? Will they be at a theater that night? Chances are, they'll be at their own homes staying in from the storm.

Yes, the audiences will come. But with MTA and officials telling citizens that if one doesn't need to travel, one shouldn't (sorry, Broadway isn't a life or death experience, ya'll - you don't NEED to see the show tonight!) - why are they allowed to still perform?

I'm just interested to get some differing opinions on this issue. I'm not sure that I'm for or against shutting down Broadway during a snowstorm - but I do have to consider the commutes of the thousands of employees who have to get to the theater, perform, and then get home afterwards.

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I agree, theater and show employees who live outside the city have plenty of places to crash if they can't get home. With thousands of tourists and workers who stay in hotels, restaurants and theaters do a pretty good business in a storm. A few shows who are not sold out are offering big discounts for their tix today and tomorrow.

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Broadway will pretty much only shut down when a state of emergency is declared and ALL non-essential travel is restricted and/or outright banned.

As long as the subways are running, the shows will go on. Along 42nd St tonight, the sidewalks were plowed extremely well and walking around was no problem at all (except for the cold winds). According to telecharge, many shows gave ticket buyers the option to exchange to another date, so those from places like Long Island and NJ would be accommodated. By tomorrow morning, you won't even know there was a snowstorm in Manhattan. The hardest part will be putting on your boots and walking to the subway station.

Lizzie for the win.

http://www.longisland.com/news/01-21-14/governor-cuomo-declares-state-of-emergency-as-winter-storm-hits-new-york-state.html

I'm always astounded at the lack of reading comprehension by so many posters:

"According to my parents, a state of emergency has been declared."
"Please provide a link to your parents."
or
"Gov. Cuomo is your daddy?


What on earth does the fact that someone reports their parents told them about a state of emergency have to do with thinking that means that it was those parents who declared the state of emergency?

That's like saying "My parents told me a plane crashed in the ocean last night." "Really, why did your parents crash the plane?"

Sorry, Patash, you are the one that didn't get it.

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Guess Patash needs SARCASM spelled out for him/her.

Omg, it's LJAY! (I demand that you stop disappearing from the Board!)