‘Frozen’ musical won’t return to Broadway after coronavirus hiatus ends

Having three simultaneous Disney shows on Broadway has become ‘untenable’

The 'Frozen' musical played at New York City's St James Theatre, which shut down in March due to the coronavirus pandemic (pictured on 8 April 2020). (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

The Frozen Broadway musical won’t return to theatres even after the coronavirus hiatus ends.

The announcement, which came on Thursday, is one of the most vivid indicators of the long-term effects of the coronavirus crisis on the industry.

“In the summer of 2013 when Frozen began its road to Broadway two things were unimaginable: that we’d soon have five productions worldwide, and a global pandemic would so alter the world economy that running three Disney shows on Broadway would become untenable,” Thomas Schumacher, president and producer Disney Theatrical Productions, told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement.

“The extraordinary contributions of Broadway’s original company plus those who have joined more recently cannot be overstated.

“Frozen, like all shows, is wholly dependent on those who create and perform them but this was an uncommonly close and talented group and they’ll be missed.”

In addition to Frozen, Disney has musicals for Aladdin and The Lion King on Broadway.

Aladdin opened in 2014, and The Lion King has been a mainstay since 1997.

It’s the third longest-running Broadway show, behind The Phantom of the Opera and Chicago.

Frozen opened on Broadway in March 2018 and was playing at the St James Theatre.

Broadway theatres shut down in March this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

They are expected to remain closed throughout the summer.