Blizzard Cancellations All Broadway Shows

A powerful blizzard that swept into New York City in late February 2026 has prompted Broadway theatre producers and owners to cancel all evening performances on Sunday, February 22, in the interest of public safety and in response to severe weather warnings. The move comes as the city braced for up to two feet of snow, whiteout conditions and official travel restrictions that made theatre travel hazardous for performers, crews and audiences alike.

The decision was announced by the Broadway League, the body that represents producers and theatre operators across the Main Stem, after forecasts showed blizzard-level snowfall and strong winds moving into the northeastern United States. In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, the League confirmed that all Sunday evening shows with curtain times at 6 p.m. or later were cancelled as a result of the impending storm and its impact on travel and road conditions. Matinee performances earlier in the day were still scheduled to go ahead.

Among the high-profile Broadway productions affected by the cancellations were several current favourites and long-running shows. Titles such as & JULIET, THE BOOK OF MORMON, CHICAGO, OH MARY!, STRANGER THINGSt: THE FIRST SHADOW and WICKED were all scheduled for evening performances that were subsequently called off due to the blizzard forecast.

One particularly notable impact of the decision was on OPERATION MINCEMEAT, which had been due to present its final performance with the original Broadway cast that evening at the Golden Theatre. The show’s producers initially left the decision on whether to cancel up to the company itself, given the significance of the performance, but later confirmed that the 7 :30 p.m. show would not go on as planned due to what they described on social media as “dastardly weather.” As a result, the 2 p.m. matinee that day became the official final performance for the departing original cast.

Off-Broadway productions were also disrupted by the storm. Shows such as BIGFOOT!, BURNOUT PARADISE, DATA AND YOU GOT OLDER announced cancellations for their Sunday performances in light of the weather warnings and travel advisories.

The League’s announcement echoed similar decisions taken by Broadway producers during major winter weather events in the past, including a notable shutdown during a blizzard in January 2016. In that instance, an officially declared winter weather emergency and hazardous travel advisory also led to Broadway’s evening cancellations as conditions deteriorated.

For theatre-goers who had tickets for the affected performances, producers and venues advised patrons to contact their point of purchase directly regarding refund or exchange policies. Many shows and theatres have established policies in place for weather-related cancellations, which typically allow patrons to receive refunds or exchange tickets for other performances based on availability.

Despite the cancellations for Sunday evening, some theatres and organisations sought to offer alternative experiences for audiences. For example, on previous weather-impacted days Broadway companies have created “snow day” ticket deals or other incentives to encourage attendance at performances that were able to go on, though similar promotions for this storm may vary by show and venue.

The blizzard warning and subsequent Broadway shutdown was part of a broader severe winter weather event impacting much of the northeastern United States around February 22–23. Meteorologists forecast areas across the I-95 corridor, including New York City, could see historic snowfall totals, prompting emergency preparations and travel advisories statewide. Cities like New York and others in the region issued blizzard warnings and urged residents to limit unnecessary travel until the storm passed.

Broadway and Off-Broadway have seen weather-related disruptions before, but the scale of Sunday’s cancellations highlighted how seriously the theatrical community takes patron and performer safety. Canceling performances is never a decision made lightly, given the financial and scheduling implications for productions, but in this case all parties agreed that the extreme weather posed too great a risk.

For anyone planning to attend Broadway shows in the days following the storm, producers and venues recommended checking show listings and official theatre announcements for the latest updates, as schedules may continue to be affected by travel conditions and ongoing weather impacts.