Broadway Shuts Down The Music Man: Because Covid Is Still the Show’s Unwanted Co‑star
Picture this: the Broadway revival of The Music Man—the glittering, ticket‑sizzling blockbuster stealing every show‑time— suddenly goes on a five‑day hiatus. Why? Hugh Jackman, the star behind the curtain, got a nasty case of Covid‑19. Not your typical “severe” variant; he complains of a scratchy throat and a runny nose, the sort of symptoms a cat would brag about in a Wi‑Fi phishing article.
What Happened?
- Enter Jackman’s Covid shockwave – The Broadway production cancelled all shows through January 1.
- Jackman’s performance drama – He’s off the stage until about January 6. After the curtain lifts, he’ll rush back, possibly with a bottle of “I‑am‑back‑in‑2025” coffee.
- Co‑star Sundering – Sutton Foster was hit last week. An understudy swoops in, but the main person returns on January 2. So basically a “who’s there?” stage‑craft twist.
Other Broadway Bumbles
- Legendary Titans – Hamilton, The Lion King and Aladdin have jettisoned some shows in the last fortnight.
- Rockettes Blast – The beloved Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall has decided to sleep through the holidays.
- Jagged & Hot – Jagged Little Pill and Ain’t Too Proud pulled the plug earlier than planned, influenced by break‑through cases and a traffic‑jam‑slow ticket sale graph.
Why It’s a Smash‑Crown Timing
Broadway just dusted off its dust‑bunny—from 18‑month shut‑down to full‑back stage. But January and February are the “dead‑bedroom” months, a time when audiences would choose staying in over paid entry tickets. Larger productions need full houses for the sweet “profit” anthem to keep the show running.
Current Scene (Of The Music Man)
Here’s the scoop: The production is still in preview mode, gearing up for its February 10 official opening. Ticket demand is spicy: Even with a capped $699 (or S$946) price, the secondary market has tickets floating above $2,000. Talk about “undervalued performers” paying fees above the ticket’s baseline!
Stay Tuned, Ink&Tickets!
Let the curtain call the next Broadway chapter— it will be a thrilling fandango, but the pandemic is still putting the “pay‑choice” on stage.
