TAMPA, Fla. – Due to the pandemic theaters across the nation were forced to close their doors. Since then, The Straz has had more than 1,000 cancellations. This continued intermission means the postponement of all previously announced Broadway performances at the Straz Center through late spring of 2021.
Last week, The Broadway League announced that shows in New York will remain closed until at least June 2021. While “the road” (touring presenters like The Straz) and Broadway producers in New York are members of this same trade association, decisions such as those about closures are managed independently.
While all the Broadway theaters in New York are just blocks from each other, road markets are, naturally, spread all over the country. That means the touring Broadway industry needs the health conditions around the U.S. to stabilize before each show can determine for themselves whether they feel safe enough to go out on the road.
“While we have opened our Patel Conservatory and are producing local work in our smaller theaters and on our Riverwalk Stage, we have now learned that touring Broadway, which is responsible for the majority of our revenue and attendance, will not resume in Tampa until June of 2021 when Hamilton is scheduled to return to the Morsani Hall stage,” said Straz Center President and CEO Judy Lisi. “We are collaborating diligently with the producers, general managers and agents of the tours to schedule new dates for all the shows which are now postponed and will share information about new dates for these previously announced shows as soon as it becomes available.”
These shows, previously scheduled to occur between October 2020 and March 2021, are postponed. New dates will be announced at a later time: To Kill a Mockingbird, Tootsie, Hadestown, My Fair Lady, The Band’s Visit, Wicked, The Prom, Shout! The Mod Musical, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Cats and Dear Evan Hansen.
The performance dates for Hamilton (June 1-27, 2021) remain unchanged. An on-sale date will be announced soon.
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY PURCHASED TICKETS?
All those who have purchased tickets to postponed shows will be placed into the same great seats they have already selected as soon as new dates are established.
Ticket buyers can rest assured that if any performance cancels at any time for any reason, they will be offered the option of a credit or refund, or they may donate the value of their tickets to the Straz Center.