Former Hamilton actor Suni Reid filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against the show, claiming their contract was not renewed in response to their request for a gender-neutral dressing room.
The official complaint was filed by the actor’s attorneys Lawrence M. Pearson and Lindsay M. Goldbrum of Wigdor LLP, as reported by Deadline. According to the complaint, the actor’s request for a gender-neutral dressing room was a “legally protected request.” The request for a gender-neutral dressing room was made by the actor in June 2020 while the show was at the Hollywood Pantages theater. “Weeks later, Hamilton suspended the renewal of Mx. Reid’s contract, sidelining them during rehearsals, previews, and finally opening night and beyond,” the actor’s lawyers alleged.
“Publicly, Hamilton is a beacon of diversity and appears committed to causes seeking social justice and harmony. Behind the curtain, however, the Company’s management will force out a Black, transgender cast member simply because they stood up for themselves and advocated for a more equitable workplace, and therefore called that public image into question,” the actor’s attorneys said in their statement. “We look forward to upholding Mx. Reid’s rights and hope this is a wake-up call for the theater industry about the systemic inequalities that persist even at its greatest heights.”
Reid has been seen onstage as Aaron Burr, George Washington, Hercules Mulligan/James Madison and Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson along with ensemble performances. The actor also claims that they experienced discrimination from their fellow cast members and management as well, “including incidents in which certain actors physically threatened Mx. Reid or intentionally and repeatedly misgendered them.”
“Suni Reid was a valued cast member for more than three years,” a Hamilton spokesperson said on the subject in their own statement. “We offered them a contract to return to Hamilton with terms responsive to their requests. We deny the allegations in the Charge. We have not discriminated or retaliated against Suni. Since the shutdown, our organization has taken care of our community. We have treated Suni with the same respect as all the company members of Hamilton. Specifically, we have given Suni direct financial support, paid for their health insurance, and paid for their housing. We wish Suni well in their future endeavors.”
This isn’t the first instance in which Hamilton came under fire for struggling to meet actor demands for equal treatment. When the Disney+ recording was in production, Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. nearly didn’t appear in the production over a payment inequality dispute. His demands ultimately paid off and he ultimately appeared in the recorded performance.
Hamilton is streaming on Disney+ now.
Source: Deadline
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