Broadway Casting Director Fired for Sexual Misconduct

[mattiek17]

Per Equity's October press release: “Everyone should be able to go to work free from the fear of sexual harassment. Equity expects all employers to provide a workplace where our members can do their work free of harassment. That’s the law. Any Equity member who experiences something that makes them feel uncomfortable and that they believe constitutes harassment can report it to their Equity Business Rep.”

Also, if you're not an AEA member but work in any sector of the entertainment industry, you should reach out to The Actors Fund for support. One-on-one and group sessions. http://www.actorsfund.org/workshops/sexual-harassment-drop-support-group-ny

[broadwaynerdnewbie]

IdinaBellFoster said: "I have an idea of the names we're about to hear, and it's really upsetting."

I’m very much anxiously awaiting the story on Monday. It’s gonna be a long weekend.

[elephantseye]

TheReckoning said: "If I wish to step forward with an allegation, whom could I reach out to?"

As the original story was exclusive to Variety, I would DM the reported at https://twitter.com/GCoxVariety. Unless anyone knows who the lead reporter on the NYT story is and could share that with you.

[nasty_khakis]

There's definitely a major director/choreographer who's known for inviting pretty young dancers to his parties in the Pines. I fully expect this name to drop too.

[raddersons]

TheReckoning said: "If I wish to step forward with an allegation, whom could I reach out to?"

This seems like a good place to start, since we know it'll be a NYTimes piece: https://www.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2016/news-tips/

Also... "The Reckoning"... account created today... damn you mean business. Power to you. Take these suckers down.

[sorano916]

The article will probably put a damper on the Gyspy performances on Monday & Tuesday, too.

[Kad]

I urge any actor who has been the victim of sexual misconduct to reach out to the Actor's Fund. They have trained professionals who can work with you. AEA can really only help insofar as the conduct relates to your employment; they're not counselors or social workers.

[LizzieCurry]

I was thinking the same thing, sorano916, especially since Mo work for Broadway Cares.

[Kad]

Broadway Bares is going to be... interesting.

[PalJoey]

 

I was just thinking the same thing, Kad. I hope they don't cancel it.

 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Advanced love and prayers to Broadway victims of sexual abuse. The article coming on Monday will be relieving to have the wicked be exposed. It's going to be a very hard read.

[BrightLights3]

TheReckoning said: "If I wish to step forward with an allegation, whom could I reach out to?"

Apart from other suggestions, you may consider talking to a lawyer.

[wssinsider]

I’m hearing Telsey + co are not longer Casting “Hello Dolly”, Tara Rubin is now the casting director.

[TheReckoning]

raddersons said: "TheReckoning said: "If I wish to step forward with an allegation, whom could I reach out to?"

This seems like a good place to start, since we know it'll be a NYTimes piece:https://www.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2016/news-tips/

Also... "The Reckoning"... account created today... damn you mean business. Power to you. Take these suckers down."

Thank you! Will do

[darquegk]

I haven't had time to read the Sam Wasson biography on Bob Fosse- I know he was an immense womanizer, but did he do anything that today is hard to look at without seeing sexual predation or harassment? "All That Jazz" certainly implies that he might have.

Much as I hate to speak ill of the dead or judge the past by the present's standards, if even legends like the late Alfred Hitchcock can be reexamined for his behavior towards women, our own favorite auteur might be worth a second look.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Kick their asses, TheReckoning. I'm so so sorry what you went through

[BroadwayConcierge]

I hate the feeling of waiting so anxiously to hear about news that has horribly affected so many lives, but I’m especially eager to learn how it might have a real effect on any current or upcoming productions. I’m speculating in my own head a lot this morning just based on the rumor mill.

[EvanHansen]

Michael Paulson tweeted the following: "Theater folks: if you want to talk about misconduct in the industry, feel free to e-mail me at [e-mail]"

Link: https://twitter.com/MichaelPaulson/status/936647367729786880

[wssinsider]

Also the producers of the “My fair Lady” have also let go Telsey and company. They are not longer Casting the show.
So far Hello Dolly and My Fair lady have switched casting directors.

[LizzieCurry]

Louis Peitzman is working on something too: 

https://twitter.com/LouisPeitzman/status/936652790558052352

[perfectlymarvelous]

wssinsider said: "I’m hearing Telsey + co are not longer Casting “Hello Dolly”, Tara Rubin is now the casting director."

Can anyone confirm this? I know Signature also recently switched from Telsey to Caparelliotis, but that could just be a coincidence. 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

My only hope is that child actors aren’t among victims.

[BrodyFosse123]

Is it wrong for a Broadway director to invite cute chorus boys to his Fire Island house? It seems like that would be the best part of being a Broadway director.

Any chorus boy accepting the invitation AND going is doing so consensually.  Now, if things occur they are not comfortable with, that's another story. 

[massofmen]

Radderson I was being sarcastic.

[GavestonPS]

Call_me_jorge said: "This is kind of off topic, but I’ve always wondered why casting agencies exist. Why can’t shows cast with their own personel? Like shows already have a plethora in of resident/assistant/associate directors/choreographers and stage managers that can be used for casting."

A couple of reasons, jorge. (My husband once worked as Joanna Merlin's casting assistant at the Hal Prince office.)

1. Casting is both a skill and an art. Not every associate director or choreographer has both.

2. Thanks to union requirements that Equity principal interviews be held in addition to open chorus calls, casting a full-scale Broadway musical requires hundreds of hours of work (all the while the casting director may be negotiating with stars and featured players).

3. Good casting directors are out at showcases and off-off-Broadway shows almost every night, looking for new talent. The same may be said of their assistants. (Don't ask how many bad shows I sat through when my now-husband was casting for Prince.)

3. Some shows require very special casting requirements. I remember Julie Hughes of Theater Now, Inc. talk about combing elementary schools in and around Chinatown trying to find enough Asian children for THE KING AND I. She said she was worried after a while that she might be arrested for stalking Asian children! Joanna Merlin had a similar experience with PACIFIC OVERTURES (only she wasn't looking for children).

4. Hiring a casting agency may pass the liability for some of the claims we are seeing now to the hired agency rather than the show's producers (unless the latter were direct actors in the harassment). This is common in a lot of industries nowadays: it's much safer to say "No thanks" to someone provided by an employment agency, and any claims of racism, sexism or the like are directed at the agency rather than the primary employer.

In the early 1980s, it made economic sense for Hal Prince to have two casting persons on staff, because in addition to new Broadway shows, he was casting umpteen tours of EVITA and SWEENEY TODD. That isn't true of most producers, so hiring an agency is actually cost-productive.