Broadway shows continue amid bomb scare

The shows went on on Broadway after some delays Saturdaydespite the shutdown of New York's busy Times Square amid a bomb scare.

Times Square was evacuated and cordoned off in the evening as authorities investigated a suspicious SUV that wasparked andemitting smoke. Inside, officers discovered bomb-making materials, including propane tanks, gasoline, explosive powders and a timing device.

Though thousands of people were cleared from the landmark and tourist-friendly district, the many theatres in the area homes to hit shows like Billy Elliot, Next to Normal and The Lion King largely continued on with their evening shows, according to Broadway officials.

Productions like God of Carnage, Lend Me a Tenor and A Behanding in Spokane delayed their opening curtains by about half an hour, for instance, and played to smaller than usual audiences, according to spokesman Adrian Bryan-Brown.

After the performances ended, officials released theatregoers away from 45th Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues, directing them to alternate exits.

"There were no evacuations from Broadway theatres," Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League, said on Sunday.

By Sunday, the Broadway matinee and evening shows in the vicinity proceeded as scheduled. Theatres located away from the area were unaffected.