Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Broadway: Sutton Foster’s “Music Man” Understudy Praised by Hugh Jackman, But “Waitress” Closes in COVID Disaster

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There was a lot of excitement last night at the Winter Garden Theater on Broadway. Sutton Foster didn’t appear in the fourth preview– does she have COVID? so far no word — so her understudy Kathy Voytko went on without notice and from all reports was terrific. At the end of the show — see below– Hugh Jackman introduced her to the audience as well as all the other understudies and swings who are being pressed into service during this difficult time. Well, done, Hugh! (PS They must be keeping him in a Zip Loc bag between shows.)

Meanwhile, long running musical “Waitress” closed because they can’t sustain during this COVID crisis. Also closed is “Thoughts of a Colored Man,” because of COVID. About a dozen shows are paused right now or trying to soldier through this mess.

So glad this video was captured and put on Twitter. Gives a little hope for brighter days ahead.

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz411. He wrote the FOX411 column on FoxNews.com from 1999 to 2009 and previously edited Fame magazine and wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine. His bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, and the Miami Herald. He is a voting member of the Critics Choice Awards (Film and Television branches), and his movie reviews are tracked by Rotten Tomatoes. is 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. With D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, he co-produced the 2002 documentary "Only the Strong Survive," which screened at Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

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