New York Times (12/20/21) Paulson, Michael

Major Broadway productions like "Hamilton," "Hadestown" and "Aladdin" are canceling all performances until after Christmas, while "Jagged Little Pill" announced its permanent closure amid surging coronavirus cases across North America. The cancellations, fueled by positive virus tests among cast or crew members, could not come at a worse possible time for many shows, since the holiday season is typically the most lucrative time of year. About a third of Broadway shows canceled their performances this past weekend, and the producers of "Jagged Little Pill" said permanent cancellation became unavoidable due to "the rapid spread of the omicron variant." At least two-thirds of the 31 productions currently on Broadway are still running, but sporadic cancellations have become commonplace. Producers say in most instances the positive tests are associated with mild or asymptomatic cases, but performances are being canceled due to a lack of understudies or replacement workers to substitute for those who must miss the show. Although the cancellations have been spurred by the testing of arts workers, there are signs that safety protocols for audiences are likely to change, with the Metropolitan Opera recently announcing that both patrons and employees will have to have COVID booster shots starting in mid-January.

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