Amar Ramasar, the dancer who plays Bernardo in Broadway’s West Side Story, will remain in the cast, the production announced in a statement. Ramasar became an apprentice with the New York City Ballet in 2000 and joined the Company as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2001. Following the statement from the show’s management, Waterbury, Rabin, and Change.org (the site that hosts the removal petition) released a joint statement. Amar Ramasar was born in the Bronx, New York, and began his studies at the School of American Ballet. “West Side Story” doubled down on its employment of cast member Amar Ramasar as the musical continues to face protests outside the theater and backlash against his casting. In 2010, Dance Magazine reported that Ramasar was one of the few Asian American professional ballet dancers. The American Guild of Musical Artists contested these removals and, following an arbitration, Ramasar was eventually reinstated pending mandatory counseling. A group of protesters gathered outside the Broadway Theatre Friday night to speak out against the casting of Amar Ramasar in the “West Side Story” revival. We stand outside your theatre chanting because we have been told that Broadway is a safe, inclusive space. Finlay voluntarily resigned prior to Ramasar and Catazaro’s firings. are credited together. Update February 14, 9:oo a.m.: This piece has been updated to include a modified statement from West Side Story. Plus “Steve” Colbert and a very sexy slide whistle. (It was started by a Northeastern University student, Megan Rabin, who was motivated because “it just felt like no one was doing anything.”), According to the statement, the production is behind Ramasar 100 percent and has not and will not consider removing him from the cast. Amar Ramasar, who plays Bernardo, shared a sexually explicit photo of his girlfriend in 2018. UPDATED with response to statement: Broadway’s West Side Story is coming to the defense of cast member Amar Ramasar, who has been at the center of … Alexandra Waterbury – an NYCB dancer whose photos were shared by. 10.7k Followers, 1,230 Following, 183 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Amar Ramasar (@ramastar81) Roughly 100 protestors gathered outside the Broadway premiere of “West Side Story” on Thursday night, carrying placards and chanting in unison to demand the removal of cast member Amar Ramasar UPDATED with response to statement: Broadway's West Side Story is coming to the defense of cast member Amar Ramasar, who has been at the center of … Log in or link your magazine subscription, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, ‘We Stand With Alexandra Waterbury’: Inside a, Princess Diana’s Dance Partner Remembers Their ‘Uptown Girl’ Performance, Scott Rudin Will ‘Step Back’ From Broadway Amid Abusive-Behavior Allegations, The 50 Best Horror Movies on Netflix Right Now, The HBO limited series starring Kate Winslet is not, Paris Hilton Says 2004 Sex Tape ‘Will Hurt Me for the Rest of My Life’, “I didn’t want to leave my house, I felt like my life was over.”. It notes that the NYCB is a “different workplace” with “no affiliation” with West Side Story. In September 2018, Ramasar was dismissed from the NYCB after Waterbury filed a suit against him — as well as her former boyfriend, Chase Finlay, and another NYCB member, Zachary Catazaro — for sharing nude photos. While we support the right of assembly enjoyed by the protestors, the alleged incident took place in a different workplace — the New York City Ballet — which has no affiliation of any kind with West Side Story, and the dispute in question has been both fully adjudicated and definitively concluded according to the specific rules of that workplace, as mandated by the union that represents the parties involved in that incident. His behavior was disgusting, damaging and unlawful. The protesters chanted “Hey hey, ho ho, Amar Ramasar has got to go!” before the curtain went up even as the opening night celebration drew such stars as Andrea Martin, Julie Taymor, Vanessa Hudgens, Alec Baldwin and Iman. Debuting this particular character at this particular stage in the MCU opens up some intriguing future scenarios. It calls Ramasar’s behavior “vile” and says the lack of legal obligation does not nullify West Side Story’s “moral obligation to keep abusers off their stage.”. All rights reserved. Her joyful-despite-everything pandemic paintings at Gagosian. West Side Story opens on Broadway on February 20, and Amar Ramasar, one of the main parties involved in the picture and video exchange, is starring as Bernardo. “West Side Story” is standing by its star Amar Ramasar, despite protesters at the show demanding he gets the boot. 15, Swan Lake, The Four Temperaments, and The Nutcracker. Amar Ramasar. Watch the artist formerly known as Meekakitty pay homage to 21st century cinema’s greatest scene: the, Amanda Seyfried Is Just Like Us, Wants ‘8. (The lawsuit accused Finlay of sending nude photos of Waterbury to Ramasar. There is zero consideration being given to his potentially being terminated from this workplace, as there has been no transgression of any kind, ever, in this workplace. COVID-19 Vaccination Site Opens in New York's Theater District with Words from Lin-Manuel Miranda & More, Catch Up with Sutton Foster, Lin-Manuel Miranda & More on. Ivo van Hove’s thrilling take on a musical theater masterpiece. Mr. Ramasar is a principal dancer in good standing at the New York City Ballet. FIND OUT WHERE. Catazaro was also cleared, but declined to return to the company. Two years ago, Amar Ramasar was fired from the New York City Ballet after engaging in an explicit group chat. He began his studies at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, in 1993. BROADWAY SHOWS SUSPENDED THROUGH MAY 30th. Photo: Lila Shapiro Ramasar was dismissed and … Sure, lots of ballet dancers are doing stints in Broadway shows these days. The West Side Story Company’s relationship to Mr. Ramasar is completely private to that company and exists solely between Mr. Ramasar and his fellow company members. Amar Ramasar (born 1981/1982) is an American ballet dancer and principal dancer of the New York City Ballet. Amar Ramasar was born in the Bronx, New York. Ramasar is described as a “valued colleague” who is performing “brilliantly.”. You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. But he condemned the controversial new voting law in an op-ed. The statement and Times article come on the heels of regular protests of cast member Amar Ramasar outside the Broadway Theatre, where West Side Story will open February 20. There is no cause here. Amar Ramasar’s behavior at City Ballet was vile — yet West Side Story chose to hire him anyway. But with this production, Scott Rudin and his team have set a precedent that talent justifies abuse — and that’s not something we intend to be quiet about. Protesters oppose the casting of Amar Ramasar as Bernardo outside the premiere of West Side Story at the Broadway Theatre. We chatted it up with the comedian on Instagram Live today. Isaac Powell, Shereen Pimentel, Amar Ramasar, Yesenia Ayala & Ben Cook (Photos: Emilio Madrid-Kuser for Broadway.com, Jiyang Chen & Getty Images) Ivo van Hove's West Side Story to … This story covers way more than just private photos being leaked. Something's Coming: Ivo van Hove's New Staging of. We will continue to ‘enjoy’ our right to assembly, and look forward to educating patrons about the sexual predator in your show again on opening night. He was the recipient of the Bessie Award for Outstanding Performer in 2015 and a Mae L. Wien Award in 2000. are credited together. © 2021 Vox Media, LLC. Just because the production is not legally obligated to fire him doesn’t eliminate their moral obligation to keep abusers off the stage. “After a period of reflection, I’ve made the decision to step back from active participation on our Broadway productions, effective immediately.”, Jeffree Star Hospitalized and in ‘Excruciating Pain’ After ‘Severe’ Car Crash, “This morning was one of the scariest moments of our entire lives. Julia Young Was the Most Popular Girl at Sleepaway Camp. Now, he’s back on Broadway. A characteristically chaotic office celebration for a fictional holiday finds. She also had a prolific stage career, appearing in over 25 productions since 1990. Already a subscriber? search. Over the past few weeks, tensions have risen around New York City Ballet principal Amar Ramasar's casting in the Broadway revival of West Side Story, set to open February 20.Ramasar is currently embroiled in a lawsuit surrounding the sharing of sexually explicit photos of a female dancer. *Sorry, there was a problem signing you up. “I gotta say, I didn’t do any neck training, and I regretted it.”. I n the Broadway revival of West Side Story, Amar Ramasar pulls the actor who plays Anita in for a kiss and tosses her around the dance floor. The amended statement, provided by the show’s press agents, now says the show’s “management” stands with Ramasar. I’m so grateful to be here still.”, Oscars to Bring You ‘Husavik’ in Húsavík, Best Song Noms in Pre-Show. Search where Amar Ramasar and . Amar Ramasar. Alexandra Waterbury (left) led the protest against Amar Ramasar, who stars as Bernardo in West Side Story on Broadway.Here, she poses with her friend, Shilpa Yarlagadda. Performer. And the producers and creative teams should know too. There is no reason why someone who has taken advantage of his power and violated countless women, while stating his intent to violate more, should be able to show his face onstage. The rapper born Robert Ross had recently shared a message of love following the death of DMX. He was also prominently featured in works choreographed by Benjamin Millepied, Jerome Robbins, and Christopher Wheeldon. Protesters gathering outside the Broadway Theater before “West Side Story” last month. On February 6, 2020, the Broadway revival of West Side Story will open at the Broadway Theatre. John Stamos plays basically the anti–Ted Lasso in Disney+’s new family drama centered on a girls’ basketball team. They’re calling for the removal of Amar Ramasar, a cast member who had … He was promoted to Soloist in 2006 and Principal Dancer in 2009. He is a valued colleague who was hired to play a principal role in this production, which he is doing brilliantly, and which he will continue to do for the entire unabated length of his agreement.”. Simon & Schuster Won’t Distribute Book by Cop Involved in Breonna Taylor Killing. An earlier statement, given exclusively to Playbill, said the “company” of the show stands with Ramasar. The West Side Story Company does not as a practice terminate employees without cause. He is also a member in good standing of both AGMA (representing the company of NYCB) and Actors’ Equity Association (representing the company of West Side Story). Amar Ramasar should be reminded after every performance what people think of his casting. IBDB (Internet Broadway Database) archive is the official database for Broadway theatre information. John Corbett Swears on Chanel That Aidan Is in HBO Max’s. Also Starring: Amar Ramasar [Jigger Craigin] MusicalDramaRevival. The Broadway revival of West Side Story issued a new statement today in support of the casting of Amar Ramasar.The production noted that "The West Side … In advance of its Broadway opening on February 20, West Side Story has released a statement of support regarding its most controversial cast member, Amar Ramasar. Alexandra Waterbury – an NYCB dancer whose photos were shared by another male dancer in the company – recently held a protest outside the Broadway Theatre. All five Best Original Song nominees will be performed during a pre-Academy Awards special. SJP has neither confirmed nor denied this. Ramasar shared explicit photos of fellow ballerinas without their consent. Ramasar was featured in numerous works by George Balanchine including: Agon, Divertimento No. In 2018, Ramasar played Jigger Craigin in the Broadway revival of Carousel. He is also a faculty member of the New York City Musical Theater Summer Intensive of The Joffrey Ballet School. It claimed Catazaro had exchanged different images with Finlay.) Amar Ramasar was born in the Bronx, New York, and began his studies at the School of American Ballet. Ramasar is a Principal Guest Artist with the Teatro dell Opera di Roma and a Principal Guest Artist with Ballet Next. While much of the interest in this show will be Ivo Van Hove’s “creative” staging of the iconic piece, what shouldn’t be glossed over is the controversial casting of Amar Ramasar. The management of West Side Story stands, as it always has stood, with Amar Ramasar. Stephen Colbert can play the surprise fourth dad. Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show A petition calling for Ramasar’s removal has garnered tens of thousands of signatures. The statement released by West Side Story today demonstrates that the production cares more about money and talent than the safety of its performers. Ramasar, who plays Bernardo in Ivo van Hove’s reimagined production of the Bernstein classic, is currently a principal dancer for the New York City Ballet, having been reinstated following a dismissal for sharing nude photos of other female dancers without their consent. As one protester’s sign put it, “A boy like that should not be on Broadway.” Photograph: Gregory Pace/Rex/Shutterstock Performer. Since preview performances began late last year, protesters have gathered outside of the Broadway Theatre, chastising the casting of Amar Ramasar, who plays Bernardo in … In addition, he originated several roles in works by Mauro Bigonzetti, Wayne McGregor, Justin Peck, and Alexei Ratmansky, among others. In addition, he studied at the American Ballet Theatre Summer Program and The Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet. Protesters have sought to remove Amar Ramasar from the musical over a photo-sharing scandal, but his girlfriend said she had forgiven him for sending explicit pictures of her. 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