May 2nd, 2010
03:35 PM ET

Broadway shows went on despite bomb scare

The security alert in New York's Times Square on Saturday evening did not prevent nearby Broadway shows from going on.

Although part of the area was evacuated after a T-shirt vendor alerted authorities to what turned out to be an apparent failed car bombing, no theaters in the famed district were evacuated, officials said Sunday. Some shows did start late, and in some cases audiences had to leave through different exits.

"Due to police activity that closed a few streets in Times Square, there were some late curtains but all shows did go on," said Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League, in a written statement.

The schedule for Sunday was unchanged, she said. "The proper authorities are doing their jobs to keep Times Square safe for everyone, and Broadway shows are setting their stages to delight audiences."

The car was parked along 45th Street, right around the corner from Broadway, which draws millions of people to Times Square every year. In the 2008-2009 season, more than 12 million tickets were sold, grossing $943 million, according to The Broadway League. More than 6 million tickets are bought by visitors who come to New York or extend a trip specifically to attend shows.

Broadway contributes $5.1 billion to the city's economy in addition to ticket sales and supports 44,000 jobs.

A few shows saw no impact in their schedules Saturday, including "Everyday Rapture" and "Fences," The Broadway League said. Some, including "Collected Stories" and "La Cage aux Folles," started a few minutes late.

"The Lion King" - one of the shows closest to the car - had a late start.

The shows "Lend Me a Tenor" and "Red" went up 30 minutes late, and audiences were instructed to leave through different exits.

After the show "God of Carnage," the audience was held for 15 minutes before being instructed to leave through a stage door alley, into the lobby of Milford Plaza and through to 8th Avenue.

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Filed under: Times Square Car Bomb
soundoff (7 Responses)
  1. Bluejeans8

    FIRST OF ALL, nobody gives a whit about Broadway shows in light of a terrorist attack. SECOND OF ALL, Janet Napolitano was way out of line in labeling the car bomb, "amateurish". Why would she bait anybody with language like that? She is the most stupid Secretary of Homeland Security this nation will (hopefully) ever see.

    May 2, 2010 at 4:45 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Randy

    On the contrary, bluejeans8, as in 2001, this simply continues to prove New York's indomitable will to go on. We're New Yorkers; we let nothing faze us.

    May 2, 2010 at 7:05 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Elizabeth Switaj

    Randy, get over yourself. The reaction of New Yorkers to this car bomb has been hilariously over the top from the perspective of Belfast.

    May 2, 2010 at 7:35 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Anthony

    Elizabeth Switaj,

    Randy is CORRECT!!! us NY'ers dont really care or even acknowledge BELFAST'S PERSPECTIVE! for you to come on here and say what you did was classless and with what us here in NY went through in 2001, we have to be tough and vigilant. you guys have NO CLUE and should just keep quiet. what is the worst thing you guys went thru in your lifetime??? Poison beer on st paddy's day?

    May 3, 2010 at 5:49 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Anthony

    bluejeans,

    these wack jobs who wanna blow themselves up to achieve what they think is martyrdom are not baited by Napolitano. she can say what she wants, these wackos dont need baiting, they will do what they want. they think by killing themselves and others will get them 50 virgins and eternal happiness. i dont think so! maybe 50 gay virgins and everlasting hell is more likely.

    May 3, 2010 at 5:53 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Anthony

    BAN BELFAST!

    May 3, 2010 at 5:54 pm | Report abuse |
  7. bwaygrl

    bluejeans,

    I can guarantee you at least one person cared about these shows going on, namely, ME! I work at the Lion King and was actually closer to the bomb than the bomb squad. If the car bomb had detonated, I would have died. Actors in the show were wondering if each line would be the last thing they said, and there were HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN in the theatre! I thank God every day for the fact that that bomb was done by an amateur... I was sitting less than 20 feet away from the bomb when it was supposed to go off. AND I guess you didn't know this, but they were afraid it was a dirty bomb. It SHOULD be made into a big deal, because if it was as bad as it could have been, there would have been almost a thousand children MASSACRED in the theatre alone, not to mention ones that were on the street and in surrounding buildings. The entire area should have been evacuated immediately, no matter the cost to the shows. If someone doesn't say something this time, next time when the bomb is made better thousands of lives will be lost.

    May 4, 2010 at 3:17 pm | Report abuse |
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