Broadway Producer Garth Drabinsky Sues Actors’ Equity for $50 Million, Claiming Defamation and ‘Blacklisting’ After ‘Paradise Square’ Turmoil

Rebecca Rubin
·3 min read

Broadway producer Garth Drabinsky is suing Actors’ Equity for $50 million, accusing the theater union of defamation after he was placed on its “Do Not Work” list following his tumultuous production of Paradise Square.

“Drabinsky, more than any other producer in recent musical theatre history, has tackled the insidious issues of racism, prejudice and bigotry in America through the musicals he has produced for Broadway,” the suit claims. “Actors’ Equity, however, has turned Drabinsky’s remarkable record of achievements on its head by accusing Drabinsky of being a racist and creating a hostile and unsafe work environment stemming from the production of ‘Paradise Square.'”

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The lawsuit continues, “Without any evidentiary hearing or his ability to disprove the malicious and false accusations against him, Actors’ Equity went one step further by publicly branding Drabinsky with its Scarlet Letter and placing Drabinsky on its self-proclaimed ‘blacklist.’ Actors’ Equity’s conduct as particularized below has been reckless, callous, outrageous and deplorable.”

A spokesperson for Actors’ Equity said in a statement to Variety, “The lawsuit filed against Equity is entirely without merit, and Equity is confident it will prevail in this lawsuit. Equity will vigorously contest the suit and demonstrate that our actions were fully consistent with our legal responsibilities to protect our members.”

“Paradise Square” did, as the lawsuit mentions, tackle issues of “race, immigration, nationalism and diversity,” but the Broadway musical closed in July amid a wave of legal action brought against the production from unions including Actors’ Equity, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and United Scenic Artists. Moreover, cast and crew of the production allege that Drabinsky cut corners, engaged in tyrannical behavior and failed to pay bills and benefits.

In the lawsuit, Drabinsky alleges as “lead creative producer” of “Paradise Square,” he was not in charge of finances and he was “never the employer of any member of Actors’ Equity nor a party to any contract with them.”

“Paradise Square,” a show about racial tensions in Civil War era New York City, earned a Tony Award for star Joaquina Kalukango and was nominated for nine others. But it struggled to attract audience members and closed months after its opening night due to soft ticket sales. When “Paradise Square” opened on Broadway, the show was capitalized at $13.5 million and later raised $1.5 million in additional financing. Drabinsky said previously that the production was in a financial hole after enduring two COVID shutdowns.

Following its closure, Actors’ Equity, which represents the show’s cast, put Drabinsky on its “Do Not Work” list in an effort to stop him from producing other Broadway shows. Members of the cast and crew had written a letter, alleging that Drabinsky “withheld benefits and pay from many company members, and have created an unsafe, toxic and frequently hostile work environment.”

For Drabinsky, the Tony Award-winning producer of “Fosse” and “Ragtime,” “Paradise Square” was intended to be a comeback following his 2009 conviction in Canada for fraud and forgery and 17-month stint in prison.

He is suing for “defamation, intentional tort and/or negligence” because the union’s actions “decimated” his professional reputation, he says.

“As a consequence of Actors’ Equity’s actions, Drabinsky has sustained and continues to sustain serious damages,” the suit reads. “His reputation and his professional character have been decimated as he has been effectively blacklisted from working in theatre, television, and film.”

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