The Wednesday, March 6, performance of Broadway’s “Hairspray” has been scuttled at Denver’s Buell Theatre following its opening-night cancellation due to a sprinkler-system mishap.
Ticketholders for the March 5 and 6 performances can exchange for alternate dates or receive a refund, according to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. But the 2-hour and 35-minute production is scheduled to play only through Sunday, March 10, at the Buell.
“Yesterday, we shared that there was an errant activation of the sprinkler system in the Buell Theatre causing a cancellation,” said Heidi Bosk of DCPA. “While we were optimistic that performances could resume today, upon further review we have determined that we need one more day to complete our load-in and thoroughly test our systems to ensure that we can provide the quality production our community is accustomed to.”
“We anticipate that performances will resume tomorrow – Thursday, March 7,” she added.
DCPA officials did not respond to a question about the financial impact of losing these lucrative shows, which support its nonprofit Theatre Company and other programs.
A crew was reportedly working in the Buell when a crew member bumped into a piece of equipment “that set off the sprinklers above the stage,” 9News reported. “The sprinklers were shut off in a matter of minutes, preventing any major damage,” according to Brian Kitts, director of marketing and communications for Denver Arts and Venues.
“The hold-up today was making sure the lighting was in good shape,” Kitts told The Denver Post Wednesday.
On Monday, the DCPA announced its Broadway lineup for the 2024-25 season, including blockbusters such as “Back to the Future: The Musical,” “Some Like It Hot,” “Hamilton,” “The Book of Mormon” and “Mean Girls.”
