Flashback: ‘Hamilton’ once had casting notice seeking ‘non-white’ performers

by Joe Concha, contributor - 11/19/16 5:44 PM ET

President-elect Donald Trump’s feuding with the cast of “Hamilton” on Saturday wasn’t the first time the hit Broadway show found itself embroiled in controversy over issues of diversity.

The musical was at the center of another controversy in March after posting a casting notice seeking “non-white” performers.

The notice for an open casting call in New York advertised open auditions for singers “who rap,” adding, “Seeking NON-WHITE men and women, ages 20s to 30s, for Broadway and upcoming Tours!”

The flyer specifically excluding white candidates from applying to audition for the production was first reported by CBS-2 in New York.

The show was thrust into the spotlight again late Friday after Vice President-elect Mike Pence attended an evening production to a mixture of cheers and boos from the audience.

After the musical was over, cast member Brandon Victor Dixon made a statement from the stage imploring the incoming Trump administration to “work on behalf of all” Americans.

“We, sir — we — are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights,” he said. “We truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us.”

Pence had no public comment after Dixon’s statement.

Trump tweeted on Saturday that the production owed his running mate an apology while calling the statement directed at Pence “rude.”

Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing.This should not happen!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2016

The Theater must always be a safe and special place.The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2016

After the March casting notice was discovered by CBS-2, the station spoke to civil rights attorney Randolph McLaughlin about the legal ramifications of the notice.

“What if they put an ad out that said, ‘Whites only need apply?’” asked McLaughlin. “Why, African-Americans, Latinos, Asians would be outraged.”

McLaughlin added that the advertisement violated the New York City Human Rights Law.

The law states that it is an unlawful “for an employer… because of the actual written or perceived… race of any person, to discriminate.”

In a written statement released days after the CBS-2 report, the show’s producers said they regretted “the confusion that’s arisen from the recent posting of an open call casting notice for the show.”

The producers said it was “essential to the storytelling of ‘Hamilton’ that the principal roles, which were written for nonwhite characters (excepting King George), be performed by nonwhite actors.”

Hamilton won 11 Tony Awards in June, including Best Musical.

Concha is a media reporter for The Hill.

The views expressed by Contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

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