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Broadway takes a bit hit from Superstorm Sandy

Superstorm Sandy, which darkened Broadway for four days, predictably ravaged the box offices around Times Square, with shows losing more than $8.5 million.

By MARK KENNEDY | Published: November 7, 2012 Comment on this article

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Sandy joins other recent shocks to have rocked Broadway finances, including the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which shuttered theaters two days, and Hurricane Irene in 2011 that wiped away a weekend's revenue.

“Storms will not stop us, the terrible tragedy of 9/11 will not stop us. Theater will continue. It's one of the oldest art forms known to man and it will continue,” Weissler said.

The league said losses from Hurricane Irene were larger than for Sandy. Not only were 66 performances scrapped for Irene, but the storm struck in summer, not the slower fall.

Sandy may have hurt off-Broadway theaters more. The SoHo Rep and The Bank Street Theater lost power and had flooding, while many other downtown theaters lost power, including MCC Theatre and SoHo Playhouse. The Canal Park Playhouse canceled all November and December performances.

The Public Theater was shut down for almost a week. The lobby at its home at Astor Place is now a collection site for post-Sandy supplies.

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