The small screen may start resembling the Great White Way.
“Law & Order: SVU” showrunner Warren Leight says the acclaimed drama wants to bring in as many Broadway actors not working due to the coronavirus as possible.
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“We are trying to hire every Broadway actor we can while we and they wait for the curtains to rise again,” Leight tweeted last week after sharing news that Eva Noblezada and Alex Brightman — both Tony Award-nominated actors — will appear in this week’s episode.
“And yes, by Broadway, we of course also mean off, and off-off, and off-off-off,” Leight wrote in a follow-up tweet.
Broadway has been shuttered due to the coronavirus, leaving actors out of work until shows open again. The “Law & Order” franchise shoots in New York, so having Broadway actors appear in the drama is a good marriage.
Raúl Esparza, who's been nominated for four Tonys, reprised his role as Assistant D.A. Rafael Barba in a recent episode. He has played the part in more than 100 episodes of the NBC series.
Leight told Deadline that providing Broadway actors with work helps them meet the minimum standard needed to qualify for health insurance.
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“We know how hard the community has been hit here,” Leight told Deadline. “The goal is to get as many jobs to as many theater actors as we possibly can.”
The “Law & Order: SVU” family has been directly affected by the coronavirus. Last March, a costumer on the show, Josh Wallwork, died from the virus.
“Heartbroken we are. I don’t think I ever saw him without a smile on his face," star Mariska Hargitay wrote on Twitter. "He brought love and kindness everywhere he went. Always ready with the joke. The SVU Corredor will never be the same. We will miss you Josh.”
The “Law & Order” universe continues plans to expand, although a spinoff featuring Chris Meloni’s Elliot Stabler titled “Law & Order: Organized Crime” was delayed last fall. Despite that, Meloni will reprise his role on “SVU,” while Hargitay has signed on to appear on “Organized Crime.”