Courtney Balcombe

News Editor

clb6264@psu.edu

Suni Reid (who prefers the pronouns they/them), filed a complaint to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission stating that they were sidelined and eventually let go in September after requesting a gender-neutral space at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles where “Hamilton” was playing.

According to the New York Times, in the 28-page complaint, Reid, a Black, nonbinary performer who has performed with the New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles productions of “Hamilton” since 2017, outlined several other instances of discrimination and harassment by cast members and management over the years, including episodes in which Reid said they were physically threatened or intentionally and repeatedly misgendered.

“Publicly, ‘Hamilton’ is a beacon of diversity and appears committed to causes seeking social justice and harmony,” Reid’s lawyers, Lawrence M. Pearson and Lindsay M. Goldbrum, said in a statement. “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.”

In a response from the production, in its statement, “Hamilton” said Wednesday that Reid had been “a valued cast member” for years and said the show had “offered them a contract to return to ‘Hamilton’ with terms responsive to their requests.”

“We deny the allegations in the Charge,” the show said. “We have not discriminated or retaliated against Suni.” During the shutdown, it added, “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.”

According to Reid’s complaint, they were cast in the Broadway production of the show in 2017  and met hostility from the start. They eventually requested a transfer from the Broadway production and started with the Chicago company of “Hamilton” in March 2019, and came out publicly as transgender and gender-nonconforming. They were constantly misgendered by co-workers, “at times in a pointedly hostile or callous manner.”

According to BuzzFeed News, a spokesperson for “Hamilton” responded to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News denying the allegations that management had discriminated or retaliated against Reid. The spokesperson also said a contract “with terms responsive to their requests” was offered.

“We have treated Suni with the same respect and consideration as all the company members of Hamilton,” the spokesperson said. “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.”

Reid is not the only actor to be discriminated against while on broadway. Back in June 2020, many actors called out racism in the theatre following George Floyd’s death, including “Hamilton” playwright, composer, and lyricists Lin-Manuel Miranda.

“I’m sorry for not pushing harder and faster and speaking those truths under the Hamilton banner,” said Miranda. “While we live in a country where black people are under attack by emboldened white supremacy, police brutality, and centuries of systemic anti-black racism, it’s up to us in words and deeds to stand up for our fellow citizens, it’s up to us to do the work to be better allies and have each other’s backs.”

While Miranda has not commented on Reid’s incident of discrimination, it is hard to see one of his cast members discriminated against for being nonbinary.