Karen Olivo, the Tony nominated star of the Broadway hit musical Moulin Rouge! will not return to production when the industry reopens in protest at what she says is the industry’s silence over the workplace harassment and abuse claims against film and theater producer Scott Rudin.
“Social justice is more important than the sparkling diamond,” referring to one of its major ones Red mill! figures in a scathing Instagram video today. “Building a better industry for my students is more important than putting money in my pockets. Building a better industry – I am now calling out – building a better industry is more important than putting money in my pockets.
Watch the Instagram video below.
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‘For all of you who don’t hear me, the silence over Scott Rudin – unacceptable. Unacceptable. That’s the easy one, yes. That’s a monster. That should be a no-brainer … What does your integrity say you should do? Are you going to protect your wallet and send people to the emergency room so you can go to your next concert? “
Olivo’s announcement comes two days after three theater associations – SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity Association and American Federation of Musicians Local 802 – condemned workplace harassment, calling out, “ every board of directors of the company should be deeply alarmed by credible reports of long-standing, repeatedly violent and aggressive intimidating behavior by persons in high positions within a company or in a production and who exercise managerial power over subordinates. “
While the unions didn’t name Rudin, the statement followed last week’s Hollywood Reporter story with allegations made by four former Rudin employees about what they say is the producer’s volatile and sometimes violent behavior. The workers described a toxic work environment in which the famous temperamental producer repeatedly cursed, verbally and in at least one case physically, abused and fired assistants. The article featured reports of Rudin throwing items like a potato, a tea cup, a stapler and a laptop during his tantrums and in one case allegedly smacked a computer monitor on an assistant’s hand, forcing him to the emergency room.
In her announcement today, Olivo, who won a Tony Award for her performance in the 2009 Broadway revival West Side Story, spoke to her colleagues and colleagues: “What does your integrity tell you to do? Are you going to protect your wallet and send people to the emergency room so you can go to your next concert? “
Olivo is one of musical theater’s biggest stars and has performed in the Tony Winning In the heights and the Chicago production of HamiltonUntil her announcement, she was expected to play the lead role of Satine red windmill, for which she is currently nominated for a Tony. (Rudin is not a producer of Moulin Rouge!).
“I could easily go back to a show and make a lot of money,” said Olivo, “but I still couldn’t really control what I brought into the world.” The actress said she posted her statement on Instagram because “I don’t want anyone going to spin why I’m not coming back to ‘Moulin Rouge!’ You heard it from me. “
Olivo said in her video that she spoke in part “to my students who still dream about making art because they don’t know the bullshit that’s out here … I want a theater industry that matches my integrity. Come on everyone, why don’t we make it? It is clearly not here. Let’s go get it. “
Rudin has not commented on the allegations. The deadline has reached the Moulin Rouge! production for comment.
Red mill! like all Broadway productions, it is currently on hold due to the closure of the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the biggest hits of the 2019-2020 Broadway season, the show has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical (Olivo), and Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical ( Aaron Tveit, the only nominee in the category). Nominations were announced last fall, but no ceremony date has been set pending the resumption of Broadway performances.