Amid growing anger over allegations of bullying, Broadway and Hollywood producer Scott Rudin broke his silence on Saturday, saying he was “deeply sorry” and would retire from his theatrical work.
After a period of reflection, I decided to retire immediately from active participation in our Broadway productions. “My roles will be filled by others from the Broadway community, and in a number of cases, from the roster of contestants who have already been on those shows,” Rudin said in a statement.
The move comes more than a week after the Hollywood Reporter’s report on Rudin was told about the production of heavyweight glass bowls, staples and baked potatoes by former employees. In his statement Saturday, he did not deny the allegations.
‘A lot has been written about my history of worrying interactions with colleagues, and I’m very sorry about the pain my behavior has caused directly and indirectly to individuals. “I am now taking steps that I had to take years ago to address this behavior,” he said.
The revelations in the Hollywood Reporter also led to unions SAG-AFTRA, Actors Equity and the American Federation of Musicians Local 802 coming together to condemn illegal harassment and harassment that creates a toxic work environment for entertainment workers.
The revelations also led to the winner of the Tony Award, Karen Olivo, wanting to retire to Moulin Rouge! The Musical as soon as it reopens. There are also plans for a protest march on Broadway on Wednesday, stopping at both Rudin’s office and the Winter Garden Theater, where Rudin is delivering the Broadway revival of The Music Man. There’s also a campaign to persuade Actors’ Equity Association to add Rudin to a Do Not Work list.
In addition to The Music Man, Rudin’s current Broadway shows include The Book of Mormon, To Kill a Mockingbird and a revival of West Side Story. It was unclear whether Rudin would also retire from producing films, which include the upcoming The Humans and The Tragedy of Macbeth.
In his statement, Rudin cites the upcoming reopening of Broadway after the pandemic closed theaters for more than a year. He said he did not want to “interrupt” the work ahead.
“My passionate hope and expectation is that Broadway will soon reopen successfully, and that the many talented artists associated with it will begin to flourish again and share their artistry with the world. I do not want any controversy related to me interrupting the well-deserved return of Broadway, or specifically, the return of the 1,500 people working on these shows. ”
But the Actors’ Equity Association, which represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theater, was not pleased by Rudin to just step back.
“We hope Scott Rudin will also release his staff from any non-disclosure agreements they may have signed as a condition of service,” the organization said. “This is an important step in creating truly safe and harassment – free theater workplaces on Broadway and beyond.”