Lin-Manuel Miranda – Law Street https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com Law and Policy for Our Generation Wed, 13 Nov 2019 21:46:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8 100397344 “Hamilton” Accused of Reverse Racism with Casting Call https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/blogs/entertainment-blog/hamilton-accused-reverse-racism/ https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/blogs/entertainment-blog/hamilton-accused-reverse-racism/#respond Thu, 31 Mar 2016 20:01:39 +0000 http://lawstreetmedia.com/?p=51594

An ad seeking "non-white" actors for roles is being accused of violating the law.

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"Obama greets the cast and crew of Hamilton musical" courtesy of [Pete Souza via Wikimedia Commons]

“Hamilton,” the smash-hit Broadway musical that has drawn universal praise for its diverse casting, may be in hot water over the thing that made it so special to begin with. CBS2 reports that the latest casting notice has drawn ire from a New York attorney over the fact that it specifically requests “non-white men and women” to audition for roles.

Randolph McLaughlin, a civil rights attorney, claims that the casting notice is in violation of the New York City Human Rights Law. The law declares it unlawful for any advertisement or publication relating to employment to express “directly or indirectly, any limitation, specification or discrimination” as to “race, creed, color,” among other characteristics.

While a press representative told CBS2 reporters that the ad was approved by Actor’s Equity, the Broadway union, an Actor’s Equity spokeswoman told Fortune that the ad was not in compliance with its standards and was not approved by the union.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show’s creator and star, has been outspoken in the past about the deliberate intention to cast minorities in these roles. He told The Hollywood Reporter:

In ‘Hamilton,’ we’re telling the stories of old, dead white men but we’re using actors of color, and that makes the story more immediate and more accessible to a contemporary audience. You don’t distance the audience by putting an actor of color in a role that you would think of as default Caucasian. No, you excite people and you draw them in.

A publicist for the show later provided a statement to Fortune that emphasized that the show did not break any laws through this posting. He said:

 The producers of Hamilton regret the confusion that’s arisen from the recent posting of an open call casting notice for the show. It is essential to the storytelling of Hamilton that the principal roles—which were written for non-white characters (excepting King George)—be performed by non-white actors. This adheres to the accepted practice that certain characteristics in certain roles constitute a ‘bona fide occupational qualification’ that is legal.

So, there you have it: it looks like “Hamilton” fans need not be too concerned. And considering the intense demand for tickets (seriously…good luck getting tickets before 2018) it is doubtful that the show’s future will be affected by this controversy. With fans like President Obama, Beyonce, and practically any other famous person you could think of, it seems like the “Hamilton” train isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

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Mariam Jaffery
Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

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Good News, Hamilton Fans: It Looks Like He Might Be Staying on the $10 Bill https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/blogs/entertainment-blog/good-news-hamilton-fans-it-looks-like-he-might-be-staying-on-the-10-bill/ https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/blogs/entertainment-blog/good-news-hamilton-fans-it-looks-like-he-might-be-staying-on-the-10-bill/#respond Fri, 18 Mar 2016 20:30:30 +0000 http://lawstreetmedia.com/?p=51356

"Hamilton" and Hamilton fans will be happy.

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"Hamilton $10 bill" courtesy of [Bob Denhaan via Flickr]

The Broadway show “Hamilton” created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is at the top of almost everyone’s must-see list. Based on the story of Alexander Hamilton–founding father, treasury secretary, and winner of the most awkward death award–the musical retells Hamilton’s story for a 21st century audience. The musical has attracted so many fans, in fact, that many were unhappy to hear that the Treasury Department was considering removing Hamilton from the $10 bill. But according to Miranda, Hamilton fans won’t be disappointed with the new bill.

The $10 bill is being redesigned after protests gained traction last year to put a woman on American currency. While the campaign “Women on 20s” originally aimed to change the $20 bill and remove Andrew Jackson’s likeness, the $10 was chosen for a female-friendly re-design instead. According to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, the choice was because it would help stop counterfeiting. He said “currency is primarily redesigned as necessary to address current and potential security threats to currency notes.”

However, when it was announced that the $10 would be redesigned and feature a woman, the reactions were mixed. While it will be great to see a woman’s face on the $10, Hamilton is significantly more beloved than Jackson’s–one of Jackson’s biggest legacies was signing the horrendous Indian Removal Act of 1830.

But never fear, Hamilton fans (or “Hamilton” fans)–as Miranda recently tweeted this good news:

Lew’s office also released the following statement:

On Monday, Secretary Lew welcomed Lin-Manuel Miranda to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The Secretary and Miranda talked about the enduring mark Alexander Hamilton left on our nation’s history, and the Secretary provided a brief tour of Hamilton’s possessions and portraits on display at the Treasury Department.

The Secretary thanked Miranda for the ingenious way in which he has been able to tell Hamilton’s story and ignite a renewed interest in one of our nation’s founding fathers. Secretary Lew also reiterated his commitment to continue to honor Alexander Hamilton on the 10 dollar bill.

It will be interesting to see how Hamilton is incorporated in the new redesign–and also how whatever woman is chosen will be featured. It’s expected that the new bill will be launched in 2020, to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of American women getting the right to vote.

Anneliese Mahoney
Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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