Broadway star Chad Kimball has filed a lawsuit against the producers of Come From Away and claims he was not rehired for the show due to his Christian beliefs.
Kimball, who has been a member of the cast since its premiere in 2017, describes himself as “a devout and practicing Christian” and claims those beliefs made the producers “uncomfortable”.
Kimball was not rehired for the production after Broadway reopened nor included among the cast for a filmed special, produced for Apple TV Plus.
The Tony Award winner has previously spoke out against Covid protocols, in particular those aimed at limiting the amount of people that can attend a church service.
After Washington State prohibited “congregation singing” and required all church attendees to wear masks, Kimball tweeted: “Respectfully, I will never allow a Governor, or anyone, to stop me from singing, let alone sing in worship to my God. Folks, absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is not about safety. It’s about power. I will respectfully disobey these unlawful orders.”
For his comments, Kimball was heavily criticised by others in the theatre industry, which has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.
The lawsuit adds that Kimball was “forced to explain and defend” his comments about Covid protocols.
He also alleges that he was told he was not being brought back because “production needed to focus on bringing the show back together and ensure people’s safety”.
Kimball is a noted theatre performer who was nominated for a Tony Award for his role in Memphis.
He is married to Emily Swallow who appears in The Mandalorian.
The Independent have reached out to the producers of Come From Here for comment.
