On May 6, ATG Entertainment and Broadway’s “The Book of Mormon” announced that performances of the long-running musical would be canceled through May 17. This follows the previous announcement that performances on May 5 and 6 would be canceled, due to a fire in the Eugene O’Neill Theatre that ignited on May 4. ATG Entertainment owns the O’Neill, the venue where “The Book of Mormon” has been playing since it officially opened on March 24, 2011.
According to the press statement, the fire broke out on the morning of May 4 and the FDNY was contacted immediately. That morning, multiple fire engines could be seen on 49th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, where the O’Neill is located, as well as on Eighth Avenue in the surrounding area. The fire was limited to the followspot booth of the theater. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
The New York Times noted in their report that “one firefighter, after sustaining minor injuries, had been transported to a hospital.” No other injuries have been reported.
ATG Entertainment and “The Book of Mormon” are currently working with a team of industry professionals to begin necessary building repairs.
“ATG Entertainment and ‘The Book of Mormon’ extend their deepest thanks to the firefighters and emergency responders for their bravery and speedy response,” the entities expressed via a press representative in the statement. ATG and “The Book of Mormon” expect to have an update next week regarding performances, which they said “are anticipated to resume at the Eugene O’Neill in the coming weeks.”
Ticket holders for impacted performances will be notified by their point of purchase to receive refunds or reschedule.
The O’Neill was built in 1925, designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp. It opened as the Forrest Theatre, named for Edwin Forrest, and was a combination theater and hotel. The venue was eventually renamed the Eugene O’Neill Theatre in 1959. Playwright Neil Simon took over ownership of the theater in the 1960s. In 1982, Jujamcyn acquired the Broadway house. When ATG finalized its acquisition of Jujamcyn in 2023, the company took over Jujamcyn’s five Broadway venues, including the O’Neill. The theater holds a capacity of approximately 1,066 seats.
“The Book of Mormon” has played 28 previews and 5,620 performances to date. In 2011, it won nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
