All performances of “The Book of Mormon” have been officially canceled through Sunday, May 17, following a three-alarm fire at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre.
The blaze originally broke out on the morning of Monday, May 4.
Nearly 200 FDNY and EMS personnel quickly responded to the beloved venue on West 49th Street.
Fire officials stated the incident was largely contained to the follow spot booth and involved electrical equipment between the fourth and fifth floors.
FDNY Assistant Chief David Sims noted it was a complex situation, describing it as a “deep-seated fire in a hard-to-reach area, involving catwalks and rigging.”
Thankfully, there were no major casualties, though one firefighter was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries.
The historic theater, which first opened its doors in 1925, suffered substantial smoke, water, and fire damage.
The Department of Buildings has issued a full vacancy order while structural inspections and necessary repairs take place.
The impact on the neighborhood
A sudden Broadway shutdown doesn’t just affect the immediate cast and crew; it ripples through the surrounding Midtown streets.
Stewart Smith, owner of the neighboring Pattin’ NYC Restaurant, noted that the theater’s massive daily crowds are their absolute biggest driver of business.
“We have a thousand people lining up in front of us, every day, eight times a week,” Smith shared, hoping for a swift recovery for the venue.
Randy Andos, the original trombonist for the production, also expressed his hopes to PIX11 for a quick fix so the dedicated industry professionals who rely on the show can get back to work.
What to know if you hold tickets
If you were planning to catch the Tony-winning musical over the next couple of weeks, you don’t need to stress about your purchase.
Ticket holders will be contacted directly via their point of purchase to easily arrange for full refunds or date exchanges.
ATG Entertainment and the show’s producers are actively working with a team of professionals to repair the building as quickly as possible.
They anticipate performances will resume in the coming weeks, with a more detailed schedule update expected sometime next week.
