Next week’s Jay Leno show at Ruth Eckerd Hall postponed

Tickets went on sale last June for a Jan. 15 Ruth Eckerd Hall performance from Jay Leno, standup comedian and longtime host of NBC’s Tonight Show.

As late as Tuesday morning, the venue’s website was showing tickets on sale for the show – just 10 days away.

Then came the announcement, from Ruth Eckerd management, that the comic’s appearance had been postponed until Nov. 12. Tickets for the Jan. 15 date will be honored for the performance.

“I want to thank my fans for their patience,” Leno said in a statement. “I look forward to returning to Clearwater this Fall.” 

Since the earliest days of the pandemic, Ruth Eckerd Hall and is sister venue, the Nancy And David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, have continued to add new concerts to the schedule, only to move them back on the calendar as Covid numbers climbed.

The policy, Executive Vice President of Entertainment Bobby Rossi told the Catalyst in April, was a way of making sure that the venues would be “ready” as soon as public gatherings, at full capacity, could be re-introduced.

Although the venues have been opened in recent months for socially-distanced, limited-capacity shows, the majority of the major events – like Leno in the 2,200-seat main hall – continue to be pushed back on the calendar.

Still showing on the Capital website are a Fleetwood Mac tribute act (Jan. 15), Rosanne Cash (Jan. 16), a Classic Albums Live performance of Who’s Next (Jan. 20) and comedian Rob Schneider (Jan. 23).

At Ruth Eckerd Hall, “Winter Dance Party” is on the books for Jan. 24, “Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock IV” remains on the schedule for Jan. 31.