NYC Mayor Calls for Temporary Closure of Theaters & More

Bill de Blasio, Mayor of New York City, has declared that all theaters, concert venues and nightclubs be closed temporarily in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to NBC News. An executive order is set to go into effect on the morning of March 17.

"Tomorrow, I will sign an Executive Order limiting restaurants, bars and cafes to food take-out and delivery. Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses and concert venues must all close," said de Blasio. "The virus can spread rapidly through the close interactions New Yorkers have in restaurants, bars and places where we sit close together," he continued. "We have to break that cycle."

The news of de Blasio's regulation on small theaters follows a shutdown of Broadway venues that was put into place on March 12 as Governor Andrew Cuomo enacted a restriction prohibiting gatherings of 500 or more people due to COVID-19.

Many off-Broadway productions followed suit. Those which have remained open, including Stomp, Harry Townsend's Last Stand and The Office! A Musical Parody, are now expected to pause their runs in response to de Blasio's executive order.

Update, March 16:

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared a shutdown of all movie theaters, performance venues, bars and restaurants, effective at 8:00PM tonight. "The faster and better societies close down, the sooner they reopen," Cuomo said.