You get the career break of your life a year contract for much of a hot New York show. And then the coronavirus strikes, and all of Broadway closes.

It has been in recent days for Jawan M. Jackson, the Detroit, who plays bass Melvin Franklin in "Ain & # 39; t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations" by Dominique Morisseau at least until Mayor Bill DeBlasio closed all cinemas last week.

Reached at his Harlem apartment, Jackson, who also played Melvin Franklin in "Motown: The Musical" 2013, said he is doing well. "Try to stay active," he said. "I have a dog, so I can take him running. Do a workout. And I cooked. I love to cook. And I watched cooking videos. "

Dishes recently prepared at his home include baked turkey wings with cornbread stuffing and Alfredo chicken.

Jackson and the rest of the cast were informed on March 12 that the theater was getting dark. His performance from the day before turned out to be his last.

Just before he heard the news, Jackson said he was outside to speak with a director of another theater, and as he was remember, she said, "No, they won't close Broadway. That makes too much money for that. They could just cut the audience in half."

Oops.

What do actors in big cities do when the series ends before the end of their contract? They go unemployed.

"Our union is currently in talks with the producers of all the shows, trying to find a solution," said Jackson, who grew up near Seven Mile and Greenfield and graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2011.

"The only thing they offered us was unemployment, but they said they would give up the waiting period. As for the show," he added, "I get my last check tomorrow ", and that's it.

"Then you are alone until you return."

Does he think the show will reopen?

"At the moment, the calendar says April 13," said Jackson. "I guess we will come back."

The Ferndale High School graduate, however, is lucky. He's been with the show for two years now, first on an out-of-town tour, and then opening on Broadway last March, so it's not like it it closed before it was known.

And he wants everyone to know that he is not in the wrong place. "This show has opened so many doors," said Jackson, "and I have had so many opportunities to meet people that it's okay."

Given that he has lived in Franklin for the past two years, does Jackson ever tire of him?

"I never tire of Melvin at all. He is such a fun character to play," he said. "He looks a lot like me. Playing Melvin is like breathing."

Speaking of which, is Jackson paying attention to the coronavirus?

"Oh absolutely," he said. "I take a walk, I make sure to keep my distance on the street. When I come into the house, I wash my hands immediately. And my apartment is sterile all wiped clean. I don't want anything bad happens."

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