US: Broadway takes legal action against casting directors cartel

The League, which represents commercial theatre producers and owners, filed a lawsuit accusing casting directors of forming a cartel to eliminate price competition between their companies.

The complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York December 5 from the League’s attorneys at Proskauer Rose, lists seven prominent casting companies in the theatre industry as defendants: Telsey + Company, Tara Rubin Casting, Caparelliotis Casting, Jim Carnahan Casting, Calleri Casting, Cindy Tolan Casting, and Stewart/Whitley Casting. Collectively, the named defendants have handled casting for roughly 75% of Broadway shows in the past five years.

Also named are the Casting Society of America and Local 817 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the union casting directors have rallied to join and to be recognized under by the League.

The lawsuit argues the casting directors’ actions in their pursuit of representation violates the Sherman Act, designed to maintain competitive behavior and pricing between companies. The League alleges this violation of antitrust law included a “conspiracy” to eliminate competition, in turn raising and fixing fees for their services, and boycott work for producers who did not meet their new terms.

Full Content: New York Times

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