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Sexual Harassment Has No Place On Broadway

How Amar Ramasar's casting in the West Side Story revival is putting performers at risk.

Fiona Ross

Feb 04, 2020

Missouri State University

137

Sexual Harassment Has No Place On Broadway

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April 2018- Amar Ramasar makes his Broadway debut as "Jigger" in Carousel

May 2018- Ramasar sends nude photographs of New York City Ballet's (NYCB) female company members to another male dancer.

September 2018- Ramasar is fired from his position in the NYCB.

May 2019- Ramasar is reinstated to his position in the NYCB after "mandated counseling."

February 2020- Ramasar will return to Broadway as "Bernardo" in Ivan Van Hove's revival of West Side Story.

While many people tout the ability to "separate the art from the artist" as a positive trait, it is not a quality as simple to attain for those who face performing with a sexual harasser. In an industry where the workforce is constantly reminded that "everyone is replaceable" and that "there is always someone who will say yes" there is an immense pressure to be inherently comfortable with any situation.

With this difficult mindest considered, returning a known sexual harasser to a place of power by casting him in a revered musical's revival is knowing endangerment. Not every performer has the luxury of turning down a job (and a paycheck) because they feel threatened by the presence of a coworker, nor should they have to.

Amar Ramasar's casting is a slap in the face to survivors of sexual assault and harassment, displaying that the only people who are truly "replaceable" in this industry are the women who quit their jobs out of fear after experiencing abuse in their workplace.

The 2020 West Side Story revival was cast by the largest name in New York casting- Telsey + Company. This is a casting group that controls the majority of casting on Broadway stages, the widely revered pinnacle of theatrical performance in the United States. The message Telsey sends to aspiring performers is that a powerhouse in the industry is comfortable jeopardizing the safety of hundreds of other professionals for the sake of hiring a known sexual harasser; that women and their safety is less vital than the success of men.

If you are making a trip to New York anytime soon, I urge you to skip spending your hard-earned money supporting the work of a sexual harasser and pass on viewing the revival of West Side Story. Amar Ramasar, "a boy like that," doesn't deserve your time.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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Sexual Harassment Has No Place On Broadway

How Amar Ramasar's casting in the West Side Story revival is putting performers at risk.

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The struggles of having an RBF are all too real

1. People asking if you're mad at them.

2. Those people who hand out flyers don't always try to stop you.

3. Creepy guys telling you to smile.

4. "I thought you were a bitch when I first met you."

5. People telling you you'd be "so much prettier if you smiled."

6. Doing your makeup and looking great, which somehow intensifies the bitch face.

7. Regularly explaining "it's just my face."

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That moment that someone you never looked twice at suddenly makes you do a double take out of no where.

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Because you don't have a crush, there's no reason to tell anyone about anything. Right?

But then they do something irresistible and you start to lose it.

Now accepting the fact you have a crush, you have to keep it under control.

Then there's the part where you tell your friends who will claim they called it.

They'll be excited and cheer you on. That's until they realize that your crush is all you'll be talking about.

Your obsession has become so bad, that your Facebook stalking is getting out of control.

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You can't focus on anything because all your attention is on them and everything they do.

Anybody who comes near your crush is now an enemy, and you are willing to fight for your crush.

When you see them, you act like an idiot. Trying to hide your feelings may not be as discrete as you think.

Keeping your feelings inside will start to be harder and harder until you can't keep it inside anymore.

Who knows, maybe it will work out? Take a chance.

Everybody hurts sometimes.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

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6. You are a college pro.

7. You'll have more free time.

8. You're happy you're still in school.

9. You feel like a guru.

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