Broadway Dims Their Lights For Joan Rivers – Except For A Few Theaters

While the Broadway League determined its theaters wouldn't dim their lights to commemorate the passing of Joan Rivers, a small but influential theater chain is defying the group.

Broadway League executive director Charlotte St. Martin told The New York Times the decision not to honor Rivers was because, "Under our criteria...People need to have been very active recently in the theater, or else be synonymous with Broadway...We love Joan…but she hasn't acted on Broadway in 20 years."

It should be noted that the League recently greenlighted a dimming of the lights to honor Robin Williams, who did occasionally appear on the Great White Way, but like Rivers, was more known for his work in other media.

The Broadway League's decision was met with rancor from fans, some of whom started an online petitionand the hashtag #Dim4Joan to try to get the slight reversed, and the lights off.

However, Jordan Roth, President of the Jujamcyn Theater chain went one better, and posted defiantly to Twitter Monday night, "In memory of the legendary Joan Rivers, we will dim the lights of our...marquees, Tuesday at 6:45pm."

Jujamcyn Theaters are currently home to four hit Broadway musicals: The Book of Mormon is running at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Jersey Boys runs at the August Wilson Theatre, Kinky Boots still packs 'em in at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, and recent Tony winner A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder plays at the Walter Kerr Theatre.