Broadway Musical Set to Close in February

Following its 99th sow, Broadway's How to Dance in Ohio will play its final performance on February 11, Playbill reports. The coming-of-age musical opened at the Belasco Theatre last December after previews began the previous month on November 15. By the end of its run, the musical will have played 27 previews and 72 regular performances. An adaptation from Alexandra Shiva's 2015 HBO documentary of the same title, the show follows the challenges of autistic young adults at a counseling center in Ohio. With the support of clinical psychologist Dr. Emilio Amigo, the center arranges a spring formal dance where the group faces their biggest social challenges with one another.

"Developing new work is always a risk, but producing this show was an endeavor we eagerly accepted," the show's producers said in a statement. "We're incredibly proud that this original, joyful, and life-affirming musical has deeply moved countless audience members at the Belasco Theatre and beyond. Broadway has been changed forever because of How to Dance in Ohio and all the artists involved. We look forward to seeing its legacy continue in new and exciting ways."

The production was one of a kind. Seven openly autistic actors starred as the show's seven autistic characters. The show's mantra is, "Nothing about us without us." The show released its cast album on January 19.

The show received positive reviews, with a review in The New York Times noting, in part: "The result is sometimes uplifting, the uplift comes at the expense of the depth and complexity the show might have achieved were it not so intent on cheerful persuasion." The reviewers appreciated the story staying true to the documentary. Furthermore, the seven autistic actors were praised for their performances. "The young actors, all making their Broadway debuts, are highly skilled, sparkly cute and perfectly comfortable holding the stage," the reviewer added.