Broadway Casting Director Fired for Sexual Misconduct — Page 5

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.

Updated On: 12/1/17 at 01:17 PM

Kad said: "leefowler said: "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."

No.

But it's wrong to force yourself on them or coerce them into having sex in exchange forthe promise ofemployment."

It also can create a lot of pressure for those wanting roles to go to these parties. If you see that the ten people who went out to The Pines party all ended up getting hired, even if they all went consensually and even happily, then you might feel the only way to land a role is to go out to one of these parties too. It can create a culture where people feel like sex is just part of the bargain- even if they’re attracted and into it- to get cast in a show.

"It can create a culture where people feel like sex is just part of the bargain- even if they’re attracted and into it- to get cast in a show."

What's all this "CAN" create stuff?

^THIS

MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "Also: does anyone else find it weird that Playbill is the only major Broadway outlet reporting this? BroadwayWorld, Theatermania, Broadway.com are all radio silence. They'll only be able to avoid mentioning it for so long (aka Monday) before they will look silly."

BWW has a story on it, paraphrasing Variety.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Broadway-Casting-Director-Terminated-Over-Sexual-Misconduct-Allegations-20171130

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "My only hope is that child actors aren’t among victims."

Should we really start making up worst case scenarios?

haterobics said: "disneybroadwayfan22 said: "My only hope is that child actors aren’t among victims."

Should we really start makingup worst case scenarios?"



Anthony Edwards

Anthony Rapp

https://twitter.com/JennyHatch/status/936579915213705216

Anakela said: "haterobics said: "disneybroadwayfan22 said: "My only hope is that child actors aren’t among victims."

Should we really start makingup worst case scenarios?"



Anthony Edwards

Anthony Rapp

https://twitter.com/JennyHatch/status/936579915213705216

"

That woman also seems very wrapped up in Pizzagate, so I wouldn't take her to be a serious journalist.

That twitter account is BONKERS.

Why is everyone so happy about Telsey being fired from shows, when they fired their accused employee? Am I missing something? Is the entire organization forever tainted by just having once had such an employee?

newintown said: "Why is everyone so happy about Telsey being fired from shows, when they fired their accused employee? Am I missing something? Is the entire organization forever tainted by just having once had such an employee?"

This is what I'm not understanding either. Is this a notoriously pervasive issue with the entire Telsey company? Seems weird to remove the whole agency's involvement from a show because of the actions of one director who's been fired.

Just like Weinstein....there is NO way they didn't know about it, and looked the other way. And it's unlikely that he's the only one. There was talk...someone here even confirmed it.

Updated On: 12/1/17 at 03:08 PM

newintown said: "Why is everyone so happy about Telsey being fired from shows, when they fired their accused employee? Am I missing something? Is the entire organization forever tainted by just having once had such an employee?"



Thank you. Although I'm not at all surprised by it, I really don't get the lynch mob mentality of many in this thread. So much joy with each new ALLEGATION and gleeful grabbing of pitchforks and torches. The east and west coast liberal factions are now so focused on turning on their own in these sex scandals, and the media is practically ignoring the important things --- like the republican tax bill and health care --- which is exactly what the repugs want.