When people think of New York City, one of the first things that come to mind is Broadway shows. Times Square is filled with theaters, and Broadway advertisements loom above the bright city. Most of New York City’s established attractions have shut down, including these Broadway shows. Felix Valdescona, a parent, enjoys Broadway shows quite a bit and was saddened when they shut down.

“I was planning to watch more musicals in 2020, but the pandemic stopped those plans,” Valdescona said. 

Many musicals that had just started showing, like Six the Musical, and those that had been running for decades, like Lion King, all had to shut down for the safety of all parties involved and to avoid the spread of COVID.

Broadway is one of the most important industries in New York City, having previously generated over $1 billion in revenue per year before the pandemic. 

“I think Broadway is very important to New York City, as it is a very popular tourist attraction,” Valdescona said.

Some of the shows that are returning to Broadway are adaptations of media that many people are already familiar with, like Mean Girls, Wicked, Six, and Beetlejuice. Six the Musical brings the six wives of Henry the Eighth back to life and makes them sing about their stories. Other musicals that are returning, like Dear Evan Hansen and Book of Mormon, are entirely original works.

“It’s cool to just be there and engrossed in the story in front of you,” Valdescona said.

There is a lot of work behind these shows, including creating sets, rehearsing the script, and much more. Many of these shows carry important messages that resonate with all audiences, and now, they are returning to New York City.