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'Hamilton' Producers Agree To Amend Casting Call For 'Non-White' Actors

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The producer of the Broadway smash "Hamilton" has agreed to amend an audition notice that had called for "non-white" performers.

As CBS2's Tony Aiello reported, the casting notice hit a sour note with Actors Equity, the union representing Broadway performers. A prominent attorney said the notice might even violate city law.

But late Wednesday, "Hamilton" producer Jeffrey Seller said, "The casting will be amended to include language we neglected to add, that is, we welcome people of all ethnicities to audition for 'Hamilton.'"

One critic had said "Hamilton" takes a story that "valorizes dead white guys" and replaces it with black, Latino and multi-ethnic performers playing America's founding fathers.

But as the blockbuster musical looks to expand to other cities, the casting notice with its call for "non-white" performers had looked problematic to civil rights attorney Randolph McLaughlin.

"What if they put an ad out that said, 'Whites only need apply?'" said McLaughlin, of the Newman Ferrara Law Firm. "Why, African-Americans, Latinos, Asians would be outraged."

McLaughlin said he believed the ad violated the New York City Human Rights Law, which makes it unlawful "for an employer… because of the actual written or perceived… race of any person, to discriminate."

"You cannot advertise showing that you have a preference for one racial group over another," McLaughlin said. "As an artistic question – sure, he can cast whomever he wants to cast, but he has to give every actor eligible for the role an opportunity to try."

That is also the policy of Actors Equity, the Broadway union, which says, "...producers agree that auditions for all productions... will be conducted in such a manner as to provide full and fair consideration to actors of all ethnicities."

The press representative for the show told CBS2's Aiello the language in the notice, "seeking non-white performers," was approved by Actors Equity.

But the union general counsel denied that, saying such language was not and would not be approved. And in fact, the audition notice approved by the union welcomes performers of "all ethnicities" to audition, which is posted on the site Backstage.com.

Producer Seller had earlier defended the diversity of the "Hamilton" cast and the legality of the "non-white" casting notice.

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