This week I’ll celebrate the 20th anniversary of my arrival in NYC.

In those twenty years, Broadway has only failed to get its curtains up twice before:  the first on 9/11, and the second during the Blackout of ’03.

But this weekend, in walked a little trollop named Irene who rained-on-us and left-us with a weekend of canceled shows and lost revenues to make it thrice.

I’d estimate that about $8-10 million bucks got refunded this weekend, and that’s just on Broadway alone.  What about the Off-Broadway shows and all the other live entertainment options that went dark thanks to that little tart with the same name as a 1919 musical?

Most Broadway contracts have “force majeure” clauses, which release parties from financial and other obligations in the event of an “act of God”, which will give Producers some relief from their responsibilities.  And I’d bet that the phone lines at Broadway’s insurance agencies will be busy tomorrow as Producers try to get some of that $8-10 million back.

Maybe it’s the ol’ cliche about the show having to go on that gets me a little down the few times it my lifetime that it hasn”t.  But at the same time, it’s good to be reminded that there are things more important than entertainment . . .  and the safety and well-being of the people that provide that entertainment and the people that consume the entertainment should always come first.

Because they are worth a heck of a lot more than $8-10 million bucks.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the millions that were hit much harder than Broadway this past weekend.  I’ll be making a donation to the Red Cross to help with the recovery.  If you are in a position to do so, I hope you’ll join me.

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FUN STUFF

– 45 Days to Godspell!  Read the day-by-day account of producing Godspell on Broadway here.

– The next Broadway Investing 101 seminar is Tuesday, August 30th at 6:30 PM.  Register here.

– Enter the Sunday Giveaway:  Win 2 tickets to see Million Dollar Quartet Off-Broadway!  Click here.