Broadway Closings Now, Soon, and Postponed

As usual, today, the first Sunday after New Year's, brings a rash of New York show closings. Some are the limited-engagement holiday shows (Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Cirque du Soleil's Wintuk, and Irving Berlin's White Christmas) that will no longer have an audience with Christmas come and gone. Other closings are struggling Broadway shows (Shrek the Musical and Superior Donuts) that could no longer afford their running costs because of low ticket sales. Meanwhile, Ragtime, a Broadway musical revival that was just recently scheduled for the January 3 chopping block, received a last-minute extension to January 10. If ticket sales increase, perhaps it could receive yet another reprieve before next Sunday. It was also just announced that the Broadway musical revival Finian's Rainbow will be closing this month, on January 17.

Holiday Shows Bring Theatrical Joy To New York City

'Tis the season to see holiday-themed theater. For decades, the ultimate Christmastime show has been the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, which continues to bring eager audiences in by the droves to Radio City Music Hall at Rockefeller Center to see the world-famous Rockettes. But in recent years, other holiday shows such as a stage version of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas and a new musical of A Christmas Carol have turned up in New York City in November and December. This year we have Cirque du Soleil's winter wonderland of a show, Wintuk, and at the Marquis Theater on Broadway Irving Berlin's White Christmas has returned for another limited holiday engagement. These shows are closing by New Year's or shortly thereafter, so if you want to get into the holiday spirit Broadway-style, you should act fast. If you miss them, they may very well be back - and, if not, they will have likely been replaced by something similarly jolly.