BroadwaySF has now canceled all of its remaining performances of “A Christmas Carol” at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre after some members of the stage production tested positive for COVID-19.
“Despite robust measures being in place, breakthrough COVID-19 cases have been detected within the company of ‘A Christmas Carol,’” BroadwaySF representatives said in a prepared statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, and for the wellness and safety of our guests, cast and crew, our final performances through December 26 at BroadwaySF’s Golden Gate Theatre have been canceled.”
Organizers were in the process of contacting patrons about the cancellations on Wednesday.
BroadwaySF had originally announced, early in the afternoon on Wednesday, it was canceling both the matinee and evening shows scheduled for that same day due to the COVID-19 breakthrough cases. At the time, no decision had been made about the remainder of the run of this Charles Dickens’ classic.
A few hours later, however, another statement came from organizers saying that the rest of the shows were canceled as well.
“A Christmas Carol brought much-needed joy to the Bay Area this holiday season and we are deeply disappointed that we will not be able to provide that magic for a few days longer,” said Rainier Koeners, managing director of BroadwaySF. “At BroadwaySF, our first priority is the safety and comfort of all of our patrons. We regret any disappointment or inconvenience this has caused.”
For more information, visit broadwaysf.com.
The acclaimed production, which has won five Tony Awards, opened in San Francisco in late November and drew rave reviews. Read our review here.
Word of the “Christmas Carol” cancelations comes at a time when many Broadway productions are lowering their curtains in response to the surge in COVID cases — including a number of backstage outbreaks — in New York City. “Hamilton,” “Lion King” and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” are among the major Broadway shows that have at least momentarily hit pause while the omicron situation continues to play out.
“It reflects that our protocols are working,” Charlotte St. Martin, the head of the Broadway League, told New York’s WABC-TV. “The shows have their tests. If they have any positive test cases, they do not go on that night. And they’re very cautious, which is what allowed us to run for four months and serve 2.3 million theatergoers.”
Source: www.mercurynews.com