Were 75% of the Cast of 'Moulin Rouge' Infected with COVID-19?
Cast of Moulin Rouge! (Joseph Marzullo/WENN)
Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder
Much has been made over the closing of Broadway shows due to COVID-19. There’s no question of how that virus would’ve put the cast and crew at risk by performing every night in front of thousands of people. We’ve also started to see the strict measures that have to be in place for those shows to reopen. But some news this morning regarding how the virus may have infected a specific Broadway cast is proving how quickly it can spread backstage.
During a Musical Theatre Educators' Alliance webinar this morning, some startling news was disclosed that 75% of the cast of Moulin Rouge had been infected by COVID-19. The comment was made by Dr. Wendy LeBorgne, a voice pathologist and vocal athlete expert, who is working with a cast member in the show.
Counting swings, Moulin Rouge has 32 cast members. If what Dr. LaBorgne is true, that means 24 of them were infected.
The video is below and is shared at the 24-minute mark when the comment comes up. The video does glitch, so it’s unclear what she says after that.
We already know that some of the shows principals were infected, both Aaren Tveit and Danny Burstein were among the first to reveal that had been infected. Thankfully it looks like they’ve recovered. So given that two cast members were infected by COVID-19, it’s not a surprise to hear that others working the show were also infected. What’s not mentioned is how many of the crew might have been infected either.
The point of me writing this is not to point out anything scandalous or elicit outrage. I would hope that the moment someone in the cast was diagnosed, the rest of the production company was notified and therefore able to get tested. I’m also not seeking to reveal who was infected. There are privacy laws regarding that and if someone wants to reveal that news publicly, that’s up to them.
But what I do want to point out that if what Dr. LaBorgne is true, this clearly illustrates how this virus impacts theatrical shows. Given the close contact, singing in groups, choreography, close proximity to the audience, this is a nightmare scenario even if one person was infected, let alone 24.
While many theatre fans understand the need for safety measures to be met before shows can reopen, I’ve seen some comments that aren’t as patient.
I hope that this serves as a reminder of why theatres need to be 100% safe to return before actors, crews, and audience members walk into these spaces.