With COVID outbreaks, Broadway's understudies take center stage
Breakthrough infections from the omicron variant have been spreading like wildfire among casts and crews, so understudies and swing performers have been helping keep shows afloat.
Today is Sunday, May 17, 2026 Opening: The 70th Drama Desk Awards Broadway Baby Birthdays: Michael Trent Reznor David Eigenberg Michael Mastro Kathy Rich Jennifer Butt Bob Saget Jerry Lanning Peter Gerety Dennis Hopper Frederick Neumann David Vaughan Lidija Franklin Bob Merrill Gordon McDonald Buster Brown Maureen O'Sullivan Horace McMahon Elliot Norton Ruth Donnelly Byron Russell Conway Tearle Bertram Marburgh Bertha Kalich Ellis Jeffreys Tom Lewis Alice Barnett Jane Robertson Sandy Rochelle John Patrick Ioana Alfonso Armand Schultz Al White Taj Mahal Raymond Gerome Zinka Milanov Ferdi Hoffman