Jagged Little Pill ending Broadway run over Omicron

Jagged Little Pill, the musical adaptation of Alanis Morissette's classic 1995 album, has officially ended its run on Broadway. Performances had been suspended amid the Omicron wave that's disrupting live performances, events, restaurants and other businesses in and around NYC, and producers announced on Monday night (12/20) that the musical would not reopen, New York Times reports.

In their statement, producers Vivek J. Tiwary, Arvind Ethan David, and Eva Price write:

We are so proud of this extraordinary show, and this extraordinary company, who every night in difficult circumstances, have told the Jagged Little Pill story. This show about healing, human connection, and catharsis, has been a salve to audiences, and to all of us, throughout these trying times.

Yet, the drastic turn of events this week with the rapid spread of the Omicron variant has, once again, changed everything. We are dismayed by what appears to be another substantial public health crisis, and – due to the detection of multiple positive Covid-19 cases within the company – need to prioritize the health and safety of the cast, crew, and entire team working on Jagged Little Pill. In light of the extreme uncertainty ahead of us this winter, and forced to choose between continuing performances and protecting our company, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors.

We know that the Jagged Little Pill story will continue to be told – and in the new year, will be announcing plans for subsequent productions, building on the show’s triumphant launch in Australia earlier this month. We also hope and intend to find a way to bring this vibrant and vitalizing musical back to the Broadway stage, once the current crisis is past, but at this time we are in the unfortunate position to determine Friday, December 17, 2021 as the final Broadway performance of Jagged Little Pill.

There is nothing in the world like live theater. There is no community in the world like this great Broadway family of artists and audiences. We will make it through this, together.

Deadline points out that about a third of all Broadway productions have cancelled shows during the past week because of breakthrough COVID cases, including Ain’t Too Proud, Freestyle Love Supreme, Hadestown, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Mrs. Doubtfire, Tina and Wicked, and at least four, Dear Evan Hansen, Aladdin, Hamilton and MJ, have cancelled all performances through Christmas.