Charlotte St. Martin

"We will be back!" a dozen singers proclaimed in the middle of New York's Times Square, in a pop-up event commemorating the one-year anniversary of Broadway going dim. A clear sense of optimism filled the air - despite the "Closed" signs still darkening the doors of nearby theaters.

The shutdown on Broadway has been extended again — until at least early September.

Although an exact date for performances to resume has yet to be determined, Broadway producers are now offering refunds and exchanges for tickets purchased for shows through Sept. 6.

New York's celebrated Broadway theaters have been shuttered since March 12 and may well not reopen before September. The very real fear is that with no public funding to help them weather the crisis, some shows may never reopen.     

Veteran Broadway actress and singer Elaine Stritch, who enthralled theatre audiences for 70 years with her brassy voice and quick-fire comedy delivery, has died. She was 89.
      
Her death at home in Birmingham, Michigan was confirmed to US media by a close friend. Before moving to Michigan last year, she had lived for years at New York's luxury Carlyle Hotel.