The Eugene O’Neill Theatre is currently home to The Book of Mormon, which has played there since 2011. There were no scheduled performances Monday, and as of the CBS report, there was no word yet on whether the incident would impact Tuesday’s performances.
The Eugene O’Neill is not just another Broadway address. It is a historic theatre, and for the past 15 years it has been the home of one of the biggest musical comedy hits of the modern era.
We here at OnStage Blog are wishing everyone at The Book of Mormon, the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, and the surrounding Broadway community well today. Hopefully the damage is limited, the building is safe, and the company can return when it is appropriate to do so. For now, the best news is the one detail that matters most: no injuries have been reported.
UPDATE: 5/4 – 3:00 pm – It is now being reported that The Book of Mormon performances have been halted for an indefinite period of time.
“The building is going to be out of service, pending repairs,” said David Simms, an assistant chief at the New York Fire Department. “There’s been substantial damage on the fourth floor, in the electrical room, which contains lighting equipment and hanging chandeliers.”
In a joint statement, “The Book of Mormon” and the theater’s owner, Ambassador Theater Group, said they would “take time to assess the extent of the damage, and any news of disruption to performances will be announced as soon as possible.”