Overview
- Andrew Barth Feldman is set to begin performances as Oliver at the Belasco Theatre in early September
- The Asian American Performers Action Coalition and BD Wong have publicly condemned the replacement of half-Filipino Tony winner Darren Criss
- Writers Hue Park and Will Aronson defended the decision by describing Oliver and Claire as ethnically neutral robot characters
- Early development workshops featured race-blind casting with Denée Benton and Corey Cott in the lead roles
- Industry observers warn the debate over representation threatens to overshadow the Tony Award–winning musical’s broader achievements