Broadway shows including The Phantom of the Opera have posted closing notices as tourism has failed to bounce back in New York City in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Democrat-controlled city is currently in the midst of a violent crime surge — fueled by spikes in robberies, shootings, assaults, and rape — that has kept many visitors away. Shows are also experiencing soaring costs due to record-high inflation caused by President Joe Biden.
In addition to Phantom, other shows that are closing or have recently closed include the musicals Beetlejuice, Come from Away, and Dear Evan Hansen.
Phantom, which is the longest-running show in Broadway history, recently announced that it will close its doors in February after 35 years and more than 13,000 performances. In an interview with the New York Times, producer Cameron Mackintosh blamed falling ticket sales as well as inflation, saying the weekly cost of running the show has hit $950,000 — an increase of about $100,000 from the pre-pandemic years.
He said weekly box office sales are “down 10 to 15 percent on average.”
Tourists account for the vast majority of Broadway revenue, with out-of-towners buying 63 percent of tickets, according to the Broadway League.
New York’s crime epidemic has not encouraged tourists from returning to the city post-pandemic. The New York Police Department recently reported that major crime is up 36 percent so far this year compared to last year, with rape jumping 10 percent, from 892 to 989, and felonious assaults up nearly 20 percent.
Grand larceny has surged a stunning 48.3 percent, while robbery is up nearly 40 percent.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has received support from George Soros, has implemented a soft-on-crime approach to law enforcement. As Breitbart News reported, he recently freed without bail a 16-year-old suspect who was reportedly captured on video brutally assaulting a New York City Police Department officer.
The Broadway community overwhelmingly supported Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential race, with stars including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Laura Benanti publicly voicing their support for the Biden-Harris ticket.
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