Special Reports

10 Shows That Closed Prematurely Because of the Global Coronavirus Pandemic

We fondly remember the productions that didn’t get to play out their full runs.

New York City

If the news of Broadway and off-Broadway going dark wasn't sad enough, what's even sadder is the knowledge that there are a lot of shows that were forced to close early. Here, we look back on some of those all-too-brief runs and pay tribute to these shows.

Wai Ching Ho, Jo Yang, and Emily Kuroda in Endlings, which runs through March 29 at New York Theatre Workshop.
Wai Ching Ho, Jo Yang, and Emily Kuroda in Endlings, which runs through March 29 at New York Theatre Workshop.
(© Chad Batka)

1. Endlings
Written by Celine Song
Directed by Sammi Cannold
Produced by New York Theatre Workshop
Starring Wai Ching Ho, Emily Kuroda, Jo Yang, Matt DaSilva, Miles G. Jackson, Mark Mauriello, Jiehae Park, Keith Pinault, and Andy Talen
Original Closing Date: March 29

Beth Malone (on the ladder) stars in The Unsinkable Molly Brown, directed by Kathleen Marshall, for Transport Group at the Abrons Arts Center.
Beth Malone (on the ladder) stars in The Unsinkable Molly Brown, directed by Kathleen Marshall, for Transport Group at the Abrons Arts Center.
(© Carol Rosegg)

2. The Unsinkable Molly Brown
Book and New Lyrics by Dick Scanlan
Original Book by Richard Morris
Music and Lyrics by Meredith Willson
Music Adapted by Michael Rafter
Directed and Choreographed by Kathleen Marshall
Produced by Transport Group
Starring Beth Malone, David Aron Damane, Whitney Bashor, Alex Gibson, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Paolo Montalban, Karl Josef Co, Paula Leggett Chase, Tyrone Davis Jr., Gregg Goodbrod, Michael Halling, Keven Quillon, Kaitlyn Davidson, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Shina Ann Morris, CoCo Smith
Original Closing Date: April 5

Perry Sherman, Estelle Parsons, and Kerstin Anderson in Unknown Soldier.
Perry Sherman, Estelle Parsons, and Kerstin Anderson in Unknown Soldier.
(© Joan Marcus)

3. Unknown Soldier
Music and Lyrics by Michael Friedman
Book and Lyrics by Daniel Goldstein
Directed by Trip Cullman
Produced by Playwrights Horizons
Starring Kerstin Anderson, James Crichton, Zoe Glick, Emilie Kouatchou, Erik Lochtefeld, Jay McKenzie, Jessica Naimy, Estelle Parsons, Margo Seibert, Thom Sesma, and Perry Sherman
Original Closing Date: March 29

Samuel H. Levine, Kyle Soller, and Andrew Burnap star in The Inheritance on Broadway, reprising roles they originated in London.
Samuel H. Levine, Kyle Soller, and Andrew Burnap star in The Inheritance on Broadway, reprising roles they originated in London.
(© Matthew Murphy)

4. The Inheritance
Written by Matthew Lopez
Directed by Stephen Daldry
Starring Jordan Barbour, Ryan M. Buggle, Jonathan Burke, Andrew Burnap, Darryl Gene Daughtry Jr., Dylan Frederick, Tony Goldwyn, Kyle Harris, Paul Hilton, Samuel H. Levine, Carson McCalley, Tre Ryder, Lois Smith, Kyle Soller, Arturo Luís Soria, Mark H. Dold, Kate Goehring, Sam Lilja, Jake Odmark, Matthew Russell, Bradley James Tejeda, and Reggie D. White
Original Closing Date: March 15

5. Love Life
Written by Kurt Weill (music) and Alan Jay Lerner (book and lyrics)
Directed by Victoria Clark
Produced by New York City Center Encores!
Starring Kate Baldwin, Brian Stokes Mitchell, John Edwards, Sara Jean Ford, Isabella Houston, Owen Tabaka, Clarke Thorell, Adam Bashian, Sarah Bowden, Brandon Burks, Jonathan Christopher, Kerry Conte, Daniel Everidge, Maria Failla, Shiloh Goodin, Mary Illes, Andrea Jones-Soloja, Cory Lingner, John-Michael Lyles, Renni Anthony Magee, Tiffany Mann, Kristin Piro, Adrianna Rosario, Heath Saunders, Dave Schoonover, Daniel Schwait, Allyson Tucker, Vishal Vaidya, Ryan Worsing, and Minami Yusui
Original Run Dates: March 18-22

Elise Kibler plays Natalie Portman, and Kara Young plays Keyonna in All the Natalie Portmans.
Elise Kibler plays Natalie Portman, and Kara Young plays Keyonna in All the Natalie Portmans.
(© Daniel J. Vasquez)

6. All the Natalie Portmans
Written by C.A. Johnson
Directed by Kate Whoriskey
Produced by MCC Theater
Starring Joshua Boone, Montego Glover, Elise Kibler, Raphael Peacock, Renika Williams, and Kara Young
Original Closing Date: March 29

A scene from Cambodian Rock Band at the Pershing Square Signature Center.
A scene from Cambodian Rock Band at the Pershing Square Signature Center.
(© Joan Marcus)

7. Cambodian Rock Band
Written by Lauren Yee
Directed by Chay Yew
Produced by Signature Theatre
Starring Francis Jue, Abraham Kim, Jane Lui, Joe Ngo, Courtney Reed, and Moses Villarama
Original Closing Date: March 22

Janelle McDermoth in Young Jean Lee's We're Gonna Die at Second Stage.
Janelle McDermoth in Young Jean Lee's We're Gonna Die at Second Stage.
(© Joan Marcus)

8. We're Gonna Die
Written by Young Jean Lee (script and music), Tim Simmonds (music), John-Michael Lyles (additional music)
Directed and Choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly
Produced by Second Stage
Starring Janelle McDermoth, Ximone Rose, Debbie Christine Tjong, Kevin Ramessar, Freddy Hall, and Marques Walls
Original Closing Date: March 22

Sheldon Woodley, Jasminn Johnson, John-Andrew Morrison, Khiry Walker, and Alfie Fuller in a scene from Keen Company's New York premiere of Pearl Cleage's Blues for an Alabama Sky, directed by L.A. Williams, at Theatre Row.
Sheldon Woodley, Jasminn Johnson, John-Andrew Morrison, Khiry Walker, and Alfie Fuller in a scene from Keen Company's New York premiere of Pearl Cleage's Blues for an Alabama Sky, directed by L.A. Williams.
(© Carol Rosegg)

9. Blues for an Alabama Sky
Written by Pearl Cleage
Directed by L.A. Williams
Produced by Keen Company
Starring Alfie Fuller, Jasminn Johnson, John-Andrew Morrison, Khiry Walker, and Sheldon Woodley[br]]
Original Closing Date: March 14

Aaron Yoo and Johnny Wu in a scene from The Headlands at LCT3.
(© Kyle Froman Photography)

10. The Headlands
Written by Christopher Chen
Directed by Knud Adams
Produced by LCT3
Starring Laura Kai Chen, Edward Chin-Lyn, Mahira Kakkar, Mia Katigbak, Henry Stram, Johnny Wu, and Aaron Yoo
Original Closing Date: March 22