Overview

• Criss told audiences after the August 20 matinee that he will resume the role of Oliver beginning November 5.
• Feldman will perform as Oliver from September 2 through November 1 during Criss’s planned leave, a limited engagement the production says was pre-arranged.
• The casting of Feldman, who is white, prompted pushback given the show’s setting in South Korea and its predominantly Asian cast.
• Writers Hue Park and Will Aronson reiterated that the lead roles are allegorical robots intended to be race-neutral and said they were saddened by the hurt caused.
• Responses included BD Wong’s open letter with more than 2,400 signatures and Conrad Ricamora launching a scholarship, as the Tony-winning show continues on Broadway and prepares a North American tour starting fall 2026 in Baltimore.