(Photo courtesy thepoiriergroup.com)

The curtain closes on Broadway: Bad news, musical theater fans. Broadway will remain closed for the rest of the year.

Earlier today, the Broadway League, a trade organization representing producers and theater owners, announced that performances in New York City will be suspended through the remainder of 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

• The spotlight is now on 2020: The League said it would refund tickets through Jan. 3, and hopes that shows will be able to reopen “over a series of rolling dates in early 2021.”

Broadway’s prolonged closure could be very harmful to New York City’s economy. The week before the coronavirus closed NYC theaters, ticket sales reached $26.7 million across musicals and plays.

Broadway plays the starring role in NYC’s tourism industry. In the last year, Broadway generated $1.8 billion in ticket sales, 65% of which came from tourists. With so many travelers, it is estimated that during the 2018 to 2019 season, Broadway contributed $14.7 billion to the city’s economy.

Broadway still has a long Broadway to go, but in the meantime, the musical Hamilton! will be available to stream on Disney+ starting this Friday. Get excited! You can watch Disney’s hype video HERE. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSCKfXpAGHc&feature=youtu.be&cid=DSS-Display-BroadwayWorld-24304244-275564735-470733405-133842008)

Thanks for reading, we’ll see you tomorrow! And remember, a pineapple a day keeps your financial troubles away!