After a dark year, Broadway sees light at the end of the summer

"We will be back!" a dozen singers proclaimed in the middle of New York's Times Square, in a pop-up event commemorating the one-year anniversary of Broadway going dim. 

A clear sense of optimism filled the air -- despite the "Closed" signs still darkening the doors of nearby theaters.

Friday on Times Square, when the first familiar notes of George Benson's "On Broadway" sounded, a powerful chorus of voices -- some quavering with emotion -- quickly joined in. "It was wonderful," said Peppermint, who in 2018 became the first transgender woman to play the leading role in a Broadway musical, "Head Over Heels."

Despite a decision by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to allow theaters to reopen at 33 percent capacity, with a maximum of 100 people indoors as of April 2, the hard reality is that Broadway, with its compact theaters and huge production costs, won't be joining them right away.

Everyone is counting on an indication from Anthony Fauci, the White House coronavirus advisor, who said in January that theaters should be able to reopen by "early to mid-fall" with an end to the pandemic finally in sight. "There has to be a plan," said Clayton Craddock, a drummer who was working with the musical "Ain't Too Proud" until the theaters shut down.

Despite losing 12 months of revenue and probably six more to come, only a handful of productions -- three musicals and two plays -- have definitively thrown in the towel. That leaves 31 shows positioned to start up again in the fall, along with a few new additions, including a revival of "The Music Man" and "MJ: The Musical," with music and lyrics by Michael Jackson.