Yahoo Finance Wicked Cancels Several Shows Over COVID-19 Testing Results: 'Out of an Abundance of Caution'
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The coronavirus has once again put a halt on one of Broadway's most popular shows.
On Sunday, Wicked announced on Twitter that several weekend shows for the popular musical have been canceled due to "testing results." The play shared that performances are set to resume Tuesday, Dec. 7.
Production for the show — which also took a pause in 2020 due to the pandemic — was first expected to resume on Sunday following an initial round of cancellations.
"Out of an abundance of caution, based on previous testing results and scheduled absences in the company, today's performances of Wicked are canceled," read Wicked's social media statement.
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"We apologize for the inconvenience this causes ticket holders, but the safety of our audiences, cast, crew and the entire company remains our top priority."
All tickets for Sunday's show were expected to be refunded.
Other broadway shows including: Chicago and Aladdin were also canceled as a result of COVID-19 after returning in the fall, WNBC reported.
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News of the cancellations comes after it was announced that Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are set to star in the film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical as Glinda and Elphaba. The actresses, as well as director Jon M. Chu, announced the news on Instagram Thursday.
Wicked debuted on Broadway in October 2003 with Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth and Joel Grey as the original cast members playing Elphaba, Glinda and the Wizard, respectively.
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The musical is based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, and tells the story of Elphaba's life prior to becoming known as the Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (which was later adapted into the classic 1939 film starring Judy Garland).
The original Broadway production won three Tony Awards and six Drama Desk Awards, as well as a Grammy Award
Last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday that all New York City employers would have to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for employees.
"We in New York City have decided to use a preemptive strike to really do something bold to stop the further growth of COVID and the dangers it's causing to all of us," de Blasio said, per the Associated Press.
"All private-sector employers in New York City will be covered by this vaccine mandate as of Dec. 22."
