After a long 18 months, the world’s most famous stage, Broadway, finally reopened its doors to a full audience. In September, shows like “Waitress,” “Wicked,” “The Lion King” and “Hamilton” opened their doors while other musicals like “Dear Evan Hanson” are set to reopen in December. The reopening of Broadway has been long awaited and many people were curious if returning to Broadway would be the same as it was before. I was also curious, so I bought a ticket to go see “Waitress” in late September to see for myself.
It has been a long time since I went into the theater district, and I felt happy seeing all of the lights outside the theater lit up. I have seen to several Broadway musicals, so I kind of knew what to expect, but it’s been almost two years since my last show. With new protocols for everyone’s safety being used, like showing proof of vaccination and wearing a mask at all times, I felt safe going back.
After trying to find my seat and everyone getting settled in, it was finally time for the show to begin. As the curtain folded back, all I could hear was the biggest applause from the audience. Everyone in the musical had a big smile on their faces when they performed, and after every song there was even louder applause. The woman who wrote the music for “Waitress,” Sara Bareilles (who sang “Love Song” from the 2000s), was also performing that day. It made the musical sound more authentic and was enjoyable to watch.
Even with the new protocols for the audience and staff, this is what our new normal looks like for now. The city is slowly but surely coming back to life. It was a great opportunity to go see a Broadway show again, and the shows are better than ever before.