New York City is gearing up for what they hope will be a very busy fall with the reopening of Broadway theaters. Now that the three current powerhouses — Hamilton, Wicked and The Lion King — announced their return dates together on Tuesday, it's showing signs that the Big Apple is coming back to life.
Good Morning America's Michael Strahan sat in the middle of Times Square, outside the ABC Studios, with The Lion King's L. Steven Taylor, Hamilton's Krystal Joy Brown and Wicked's Alexandra Billings. All three shows will return on the first day Broadway is allowed to reopen at full capacity: Tuesday, September 14, 2021. That trio, along with Chicago, will be the first to usher back performers to the stage — other shows have staggered openings throughout the rest of the fall.
"From Rafiki's opening call [in The Lion King], it's really a call for the community to come together," Taylor said on GMA. "And I feel like this is what it's symbolic of — Broadway coming back. It's really a community coming back and making New York really start to go."
The New York theater community has been out of work since Broadway shut down on March 12, 2020. Over 97,000 workers had to pivot their entire lives and careers to make ends meet over the last year and a half. With only 18 weeks left until Broadway reopens, the roar of the crowd is just around the corner.
Here's a list of Broadways shows and their official reopening dates:
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The musical is back Oct. 16 with a special gala performance. Tickets are currently on sale for shows through July 2022.
American Utopia
The show returns to Broadway on Sept. 17. Tickets are currently on sale through Jan. 2022.
Chicago
The longest-running American musical in theater history is back on Tuesday, Sept. 14. Tickets are currently on sale through Feb. 6, 2022.
Come From Away
The musical will return on Sept. 21. Tickets are currently on sale through the end of June 2022, but look for a filmed version of the musical to air on Apple TV+ in the future.
Company
The Stephen Sondheim revival will begin previews on Dec. 20 and open on Jan. 9. Tickets will go on sale starting on May 11 at 12:01 a.m. ET.
Diana The Musical
Diana The Musical will air on Netflix beginning Oct. 1. The Broadway previews begin on Dec. 1 before its opening night on Dec. 16. Tickets are currently on sale through Nov. 2022.
Hamilton
The show comes back on Tuesday, Sept. 14 with tickets available through June 2022. If you can't find tickets, the musical is also available to watch with the original cast on Disney +.
Jagged Little Pill
The musical returns to Broadway on Oct. 21. Tickets are currently on sale through the end of 2021.
MJ
The show is based on the life of Michael Jackson is scheduled to begin previews on Dec. 6 and open on Feb. 1, 2022. Tickets go on sale via Ticketmaster to the general public on May 18.
The Lion King
The show comes back on Tuesday, Sept. 14. Tickets can be purchased through August 2022.
The Minutes
The Tracy Letts play will open on Broadway on March 15, 2022. Tickets are not yet available for sale.
Mrs. Doubtfire
The show begins previews on Oct. 21 and it's scheduled to open on Broadway on Dec. 5. Tickets are currently on sale.
The Music Man
Previews begin on Dec. 20, with the official opening night slated for Feb. 10, 2022. Tickets are currently available through July 2022.
The Phantom of the Opera
The Andrew Lloyd Webber show is back beginning on Oct. 22. Tickets are currently available through March 2022.
Six
The show begins previews starting on Sept. 17 with opening night set for Oct. 3. Tickets are currently available through March 2022.
Wicked
The show comes back to the Gershwin Theatre on Tuesday, Sept. 14 and tickets are available through March 2022.
Before you go, check out: The World Choreography Awards Bring a Much-Needed Boost to the Los Angeles Dance Industry