It's showtime on Broadway

NEW YORK -- Broadway came back to life Thursday as stage-starved fans lined up in the cold for tickets and theaters reopened their doors following a 19-day stagehands strike that took a big toll on the local economy.

The mood was ecstatic all around the theater district. Tourists, actors, stagehands, restaurants, musicians, hot dog vendors -- basically anyone remotely affected by Broadway -- were all thrilled about the return of musicals and plays.

"I never thought I'd have the opportunity to see a Broadway show! And the price is right," Canadian tourist Susie Biamonte said as she waited for steeply discounted $26.50 tickets to "Chicago" -- reopening Thursday with a new cast that included two stars from "The Sopranos."

The strike inflicted serious harm on Broadway during one of the best times of the year, when the city is teeming with tourists and Christmas shoppers. Officials estimated that the city lost about $38 million because of the strike.