Broadway’s ‘Moulin Rouge!’ Star Aaron Tveit Tests Positive For COVID-19, Symptoms “Very Mild”

Broadway actor Aaron Tveit, star of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, announced today that he’s tested positive for COVID-19 and has been in quarantine since the March 12 Broadway shutdown.

“I’m feeling much better,” Tveit reports on his Instagram account (see it below). “I consider myself extremely lucky that my symptoms have been very mild – cold like with no fever…”

Moulin Rouge! had already canceled the March 12 matinee and evening performances due to an unidentified cast member’s illness even before the industry shutdown was announced that day. Tveit had not, at that time, been tested for the coronavirus. (Tveit, who also starred in the 2016 Fox television special Grease: Live, says he was tested on March 16).

Tveit’s announcement comes the day after Gavin Creel, Tony Award-winning actor (for Hello, Dolly!) and recent star of Waitress in London, said on Rosie O’Donnell’s livestreamed variety show special that he’s “pretty sure” he has COVID-19. “I’m pretty sure I have the virus,” Creel said. “I haven’t been officially tested, but I was doing Waitress in London and a bunch of our cast has fallen sick from it. One of my castmates did test the same day that I was starting to have symptoms and she’s positive, and we were together the whole time.”

Creel told O’Donnell the actress is not his costar Sara Bareilles. Both Creel and Bareilles both left the production on March 14 due to travel restrictions back to the US.

Both Tveit and Creel say their symptoms were not the most extreme. The Waitress actor compared the illness to “a cruddy flu,” with fever, headaches and the loss of senses of taste and smell. Tveit writes that, although his symptoms have been relatively mild, he has been taking the “situation extremely seriously.”

Here is Tveit’s Instagram post, followed by Creel’s segment on the O’Donnell show.

View this post on Instagram

Hey everyone. I just wanted to update you all that I’ve found out that I’ve tested positive for Covid-19. I’ve been in quarantine since Broadway shows shut down on Thursday, March 12th, and I’m feeling much better. I consider myself extremely lucky that my symptoms have been very mild – cold like with no fever – as so many are experiencing much more serious symptoms, because this is a very dangerous virus. One thing I have been experiencing is the loss of taste and smell, which I think is a big sign for people who are otherwise asymptotic. I was tested last Monday, and just found out the results, however, I have been taking this situation extremely seriously, even before I was tested. I want everyone to realize that this can affect anyone. And even if you aren’t feeling sick or showing drastic symptoms – please take heed, stay safe, stay healthy and I hope to see everyone at the theater again soon. And I wanted to post this with a picture of Miles because, they’re loving all this extra time at home with their Humans!

A post shared by A A R O N T V E I T (@aarontveit) on Mar 23, 2020 at 7:46am PDT