Air is so bad in NYC that Jodie Comer exited Broadway show mid-performance

The climate emergency that’s been bearing on the world for the last 30 years claims its first Broadway show. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but the theater isn’t immune against the toxic air from Quebec’s massive wildfires five-hundred miles north of the Great White Way. As such, 10 minutes into her performance of the one-woman play Prima Facie, Jodie Comer announced she couldn’t breathe and left the stage.

“I can’t breathe in this air,” Comer reportedly said, calling to the stage manager, who reportedly helped her down.

As the adage goes, the show must go on—though without its oxygen-deprived lead. Comer’s understudy Dani Arlington took over the role, restarting the play from the top.

Prima Facie isn’t the only show struggling through the crisis. Broadway World reports that today’s rehearsals for Shakespeare In The Park’s production of Hamlet have been canceled. On Twitter, Jeff Heimbrock, an actor in Wicked, wrote,
“The dressing rooms and backstage areas today smell like smoke,
everyone is having trouble breathing, especially during our physically
strenuous numbers. Folks with asthma don’t know if they need to call out
or try and push through.”

According to Rolling Stone, Canada is currently facing some of its largest and deadliest wildfires on record, with more than 6.6 million acres burning last month. The smoke from these fires has created a dangerous and toxic environment for much of the Northeast, including Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. However, the air in New York City is so bad that the city briefly ranked among the worst air quality in the world.

The EPA recommends those in areas with poor air quality wear N95 masks, which help prevent people from inhaling particles. The organization also recommends air purifiers with HEPA filters. There are even instructions for building DIY air purifiers and air cleaners. Stay safe out there.

[via Variety]