“Chicago,” the long-running revival of the classic musical about greed and corruption, canceled its Saturday performance on Broadway after two people who work at the Ambassador Theatre tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
The production said it has no scheduled performances for Sunday and plans to resume shows on Monday. The Sunday performance was canceled “…out of an abundance of caution,” according to a statement released by the musical’s producers.
“‘Chicago’ follows strict industry protocols with the safety of everyone a priority,” the statement continues. “Ticketholders for tonight’s performance will be contacted by their point of purchase.”
Broadway theaters began reopening in August after more than a year of being shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ticket holders are required to present proof of vaccination to attend shows and must be masked for the duration of the production except to consume concessions and drinks. And yet, there have been some breakthrough cases. Disney’s “Aladdin” shut down for two weeks due to a positive COVID test and Douglas Lyons’ “Chicken & Biscuits” canceled several performances after breakthrough cases were detected in its company.
“Chicago” boasts music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The revival has been running on Broadway since 1996, predating its Oscar-winning big-screen adaptation by several years. That film version debuted in 2002 and won best picture. The original production of “Chicago” opened in 1975 and ran for 936 performances. The current production won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical in 1997 and has become the longest-running revival in Broadway history.
