New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Calls to Bring Broadway Back: 'We Will Move Heaven and Earth'

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed efforts to bring the lights back up on Broadway in a press conference on March 25. In addition to outlining plans in the coming weeks that will help bring theater back, he also brought on Hadestown Tony winner André De Shields and Broadway alum Telly Leung to offer their perspective and encouragement. "We will move heaven and earth to bring Broadway back," said Mayor de Blasio.

Plans intended to be put into action within the next four weeks include a dedicated COVID-19 vaccination site on Broadway for and staffed by members of the theater industry, a mobile unit for off-Broadway and pop-up COVID-19 testing sites located in the Theater District. Plans to manage crowds before and after shows are also in development. As previously reported, the Actors' Equity Association (AEA) has been working with safety consultant Dr. David Michaels since last year to advise the union to develop the steps necessary for reopening Broadway and theaters across the country.

“Mayor de Blasio clearly understands that we cannot socially distance in our work, making the availability of vaccines and testing critical for maintaining a safe workplace," said Mary McColl, executive director of AEA, in a statement responding to the press conference. "We have been having conversations with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment about safety on a regular basis throughout the pandemic. It is clear that we were heard and the city is pushing forward-looking policy changes that will serve the entire theatrical community." The union began publicly asking for theater workers to be vaccinated in New York on a state level as of March 3.

Broadway has been shut down since March 12, 2020. As previously reported, all Broadway productions are scheduled to stay on hold—and will offer refunds and exchanges—through May 30. "Broadway is the cultural spine of this city that's so nice we had to name it twice," said De Shields during the press conference.

A few theatrical productions do have start dates in New York City. As previously reported, both Blindness and The Office! A Musical Parody will begin in April, and Shakespeare in the Park will return to the Delacorte Theater in July.