'Paradise Square,' Tony-nominated musical, closing

"Paradise Square," the exuberant Broadway musical about an intertwined Irish and Black community in lower Manhattan during the Civil War era, will close Sunday.

"We wanted to give 'Paradise Square' every chance to succeed, but various challenges proved insurmountable," producer Garth H. Drabinsky said, in part, in a long statement Monday, citing two COVID-19 shutdowns, related insurance issues and ineligibility for the federal Shuttered Venue Operators Grant. "For these many months, we have watched audience reaction and have read on social media how much 'Paradise Square' has touched them, but we just have not caught on with the general ticket buying public as we had hoped and expected."

The show, which opened April 3 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre after 23 previews, earned 10 Tony Award nominations, including for best musical. Joaquina Kalukango won the Tony for best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical. "I fervently hope audiences will take the opportunity to see and support 'Paradise Square' in its final performances on Broadway," Drabinsky added.