NYC composer allegedly cheated out of Wicked Broadway gig because hes a white man: lawsuit

He would have had a better chance of joining “Wicked” if he was green.An NYC-based composer claimed he was cheated out of a Broadway directing opportunity with the iconic musical “Wicked” because he’s a white man.Kevin Lynch wasn’t even considered for a three-week paid apprenticeship with the show because the nonprofits behind the program only hire racial minorities, women and nonbinary people, which is against the law, he said in a Manhattan Federal Court lawsuit.“Broadway is known for breaking rules, suspending reality, and—in the case of the blockbuster musical Wicked—defying gravity,” he said in court papers filed this week against the musical and the nonprofits.“But one thing Broadway can’t defy is the law, including the many laws banning status-based discrimination.”The 35-year-old producer, composer and songwriter’s eyes lit up when he came across a Facebook post by Maestra and Musicians United for Social Equity, or MUSE, in June 2023, according to court papers.The two nonprofits announced they were partnering with the smash Broadway hit and were scoping out aspiring directors for its “Music Director Experience” — a role Lynch thought he’d be perfect for. A graphic allegedly shared as part of the post stressed the competitive experience was only for “MUSE and Maestra directory members.” MUSE’s directory is specifically for people of color, while Maestra’s is catered toward women and nonbinary people.Lynch, a Juilliard graduate with accompanist experience, thought he was perfect for the role and tried to apply anyway, attempting to join the two groups — only to get shot down, he said in the lawsuit.About a month later, the lucky winner of the “Music Director Experience” — who would have the chance to work on the set of the musical that has grossed more than $1.8 billion since 2003 — was announced as a nonbinary person of color. While Lynch does not name the winning musician, Maestra member PJ Ju, who acc...