Hugh Jackman Tests Poz for COVID, Again: He’s Out of The Music Man Through June 21

For the second time in this difficult Broadway season, Hugh Jackman has tested positive for COVID.

He’s out of “The Music Man” until June 21st.

Jackman performed on the Tony Awards last night. I was in the audience and thought he didn’t look right. He seemed ill. And it turns out, he was.

Jackman previously was out of “The Music Man” last winter when first Sutton Foster got the virus, then he did and others in the company. They briefly shut down.

COVID lurks around Broadway. Billy Crystal just recovered, Beanie Feldstein is still waiting to return to “Funny Girl.” There are plenty of cases we don’t know about.

Jackman, like everyone else connected to the Tonys, had to take a PCR test on Friday. He was obviously negative then. But these results turn on a dime. Trust me, I know.

Sending best wishes to Hugh, to their whole company, and all live performers everywhere.

During Jackman’s absence, his understudy, Max Clayton, will play the role of Harold Hill. I’ll bet he’s excellent.

Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com

Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.