Frozen will not reopen on Broadway, even once the globe has recovered from the pandemic, Disney Theatrical Productions has announced. The Disney show opened in March 2018 and was among the top five Broadway productions for both gross and attendance over both years it ran, pulling in over $2 million a week. However, it received lukewarm reviews and was shut out at the Tony Awards.
The appearance of the film Frozen 2 in late 2019 actually boosted the show’s fortunes, with sales spikes recorded in the months following the film’s release.
“This difficult decision was made…primarily because we believe that three Disney productions will be one too many titles to run successfully in Broadway’s new landscape,” said Disney Theatrical president Thomas Schumacher in a letter to staff.
Broadway performances were suspended on March 12 after Gov. Andrew Cuomo imposed a ban on gatherings of 500 or more people. There were 31 productions running at the time, including eight new shows in previews and another eight shows in rehearsals preparing for the spring season.
In addition to Frozen, the new play Hangmen and a revival of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf will also not be remounted. With Beetlejuice in limbo and Frozen gone, and more closures likely on the way, one wonders if the current age of megabrands on Broadway is closing, too.
