BROADWAY puts on the razzle dazzle this month after an unprecedented 18-month pandemic shutdown. A rousing video promotion by Oprah Winfrey, a television special, refundable tickets, and a week of outdoor performances in New York’s Times Square will highlight the 18 musicals and five plays that open over the next few weeks. “I think audiences are drooling to get back to live entertainment,” said Ken Davenport, producer of “Kinky Boots” and “Once on This Island.” “One of the best things that Broadway did over the past 18 months was not try to return too early. That policy has done us very well in making sure we had customer confidence that when we came back, we’d be back for good,” Davenport said. Protocols agreed with unions, producers, and the New York City authorities stipulate that actors, audiences, musicians and backstage staff must be vaccinated against the coronavirus and audiences must wear masks, but capacity at venues is not limited. London theater, by contrast, returned in fits and starts earlier this year, with closures, changes in quarantine rules and limited capacity at venues. Broadway tickets are selling well through September, according to show websites, but the following months could be a test of nerves given the tenacity of the Delta variant and the absence of most tourists. International tourists accounted for some 19 percent of Broadway ticket sales in 2019, according to the Broadway League. More than 14 million tickets sold overall, making theater one of New York City’s biggest attractions. “I’m encouraged that as soon as the shows announced (opening dates), people started buying tickets. That gives me hope that the appetite is still there to gather in the dark and tell stories,” said Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the award-winning musical “Hamilton.” About 16 Broadway shows are due to open in September, many of them returning musicals or plays that had been running for years before the shutdown. With many foreign tourists still barred from visiting the United States, producers are hoping that people living in or near New York will fill seats. Despite the challenges, there is excitement and optimism for the future. Tickets of up to US$700 each are selling fast for the revival of “The Music Man,” starring Hugh Jackman, although the musical doesn’t officially open until February 2022. (SD-Agencies) | 