The newest revival on Broadway is The Music Man starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City. The show started previews December 20th with the show officially set to start on February 20th, 2022.

Many shows on Broadway have been forced to close or go dark due to the rise in the Omicron variant of COVID. The Music Man is not exempt from this COVID surge as star Sutton Foster was recently pulled from the cast list due to testing positive for COVID. Understudy, Kathy Voytko, had mere hours to rehearse in the starring female lead, Marian Paroo. Hugh Jackman praised her and other integral people of the cast and crew of Broadway plays after her debut in the female lead.

Here is the speech from Hugh Jackman with Voytko:

My amazing friend @KathyVoytko went on with NO rehearsal for Sutton Foster last night in The Music Man. Thank you, @RealHughJackman for this speech. Understudies are heros and should be paid respect every day! pic.twitter.com/70s9ybia5n

— Pamela Bob (@ThePamelaBob) December 24, 2021

In a sad turn of events, Hugh Jackman posted today on Twitter that he has also tested positive for COVID.

See his Announcement here:

Just wanted you to hear it from me. I tested positive for covid. Mild symptoms and as soon as I’m cleared … looking forward to getting back to The Winter Garden! @MusicManBway pic.twitter.com/q1oEAzXX02

— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) December 28, 2021

Luckily for Jackman, his symptoms are mild. However due to his positive test, the show has decided to go dark until January 1st with Sutton Foster expected to return on January 2nd in the starting female lead. Jackman will be out until at least January 6th says Playbill.com.

Theatre goers with tickets during the time of the closure can get a refund or exchange where they bought their tickets states the New York Times.

With the rise of the Omicron virus, shuttered Broadway shows may be something that continues. Broadway has been certainly been hit hard during the pandemic having not returned until September of 2021. All of Broadway shutdown on March 12, 2020 only to slowly open this September.

As of now, COVID has shut the doors of the Winter Garden Theatre and the revival of Broadway’s The Music Man. But as Broadway has proven, it is resilient and will surely bounce back from these setbacks. We’ll see Hugh Jackman tap dancing again soon!