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Jul 19 10 tweets 5 min read
#ParadiseSquare has been overshadowed by a series of lawsuits & allegations that producer Garth H. Drabinsky cut corners, engaged in tyrannical behavior and failed to pay bills & benefits.

Variety's @rebeccaarubin, @GeneMaddaus & @BrentALang investigate: bit.ly/3AYbAow
“The show was never correctly budgeted,” says Karyn Meek, the show’s former production stage manager, who resigned in May over conflicts about salary concerns. “In my opinion, Garth felt by cutting back on labor, he could do the show more cheaply." bit.ly/3AYbAow
Drabinsky is now facing lawsuits regarding unpaid health, pension and 401(k) contributions. Actors’ Equity alleged the show has failed to pay $190,000. The union also said Thursday it would add Drabinsky to its “Do Not Work” list. bit.ly/3AYbAow
In a lengthy statement to Variety, Drabinsky stressed that the actors have received their salaries, which are bonded, and said the production has already consented to judgments for the other expenses.

bit.ly/3AYbAow
For Drabinsky, the Tony Award-winning producer of “Fosse” and “Ragtime,” “Paradise Square” was intended to be a comeback following his 2009 conviction in Canada for fraud and forgery and 17-month stint in prison. bit.ly/3AYbAow
“This is a small industry so the stories about Garth were certainly out there,” says Scott Mallalieu, who is suing the production for unpaid wages and for reneging on his contract to handle group sales. bit.ly/3AYbAow
One member of the crew, who identifies as non-binary, lost their pinky finger in an accident during a rehearsal. They were climbing up a ladder on the set, when they lost their footing and fell, according to two members of the production. bit.ly/3AYbAow
The severed finger could not be reattached. The person received a modest workers’ compensation payout & has since left the industry. They believe the incident was at least partly the result of “how emotionally & physically unsafe" the process was. bit.ly/3AYbAow
“When something doesn’t go Garth’s way, he throws a tantrum,” says a member of the Broadway ensemble who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retribution. “It’s really nasty. He bullies the creatives.” bit.ly/3AYbAow
Drabinsky disputed that he had engaged in toxic behavior.

“There was no continued pattern of abuse and neglect that created any unsafe or toxic work environment,” he said. bit.ly/3AYbAow

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More from @Variety

Jul 20
Beyoncé has revealed the tracklist for her forthcoming seventh album “Renaissance,” which drops July 29, a week from this Friday.

bit.ly/3zj6jGW Image
See the tracklist below:

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Earlier this month Beyoncé shared the album’s cover artwork. In a note accompanying the artwork, she wrote:

“I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.”

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Read 4 tweets
Jul 20
Michael Myers is back — again — in the first trailer for #HalloweenEnds. Universal released the first look at director David Gordon Green’s third (and allegedly final) entry in the horror series. bit.ly/3zjqLHx
The trailer dropped as a surprise on Tuesday evening. Franchise star Jamie Lee Curtis teased the unveiling only a few minutes before it appeared online. bit.ly/3zjqLHx
#HalloweenEnds is the 13th installment in the “Halloween” franchise and the fourth in the chronology established by 2018’s “Halloween,” which ignored every other film from the series aside from John Carpenter’s 1978 original. bit.ly/3zjqLHx
Read 5 tweets
Jul 19
Superhero movies have proven to be box office juggernauts. To celebrate the return of the San Diego Comic-Con on July 20, Variety ranks the 50 best superhero performances in movies of the last 50 years.

bit.ly/3RNFPo0 Image
50: Michael Peña – “Ant-Man” (2015)

Michael Peña’s sidekick storytelling antics in Peyton Reed’s take on “Ant-Man” has the immensely talented actor getting the biggest laughs of the film.

bit.ly/3uZJyoX Image
49: Zachary Levi – “Shazam!” (2019)

Levi’s star quality makes a remarkable impression, making the upcoming sequel even more anticipated.

bit.ly/3uZJyoX Image
Read 6 tweets
Jul 19
Updated subscriber totals for the leading streamers ⬇️

To get you fully briefed on $NFLX, Variety Intelligence Platform has disabled the paywall on the articles in this 🧵 til 3 pm PT. Enjoy a taste of what our subscribers get daily! (1/5) is.gd/sc9FYh
Read 6 tweets
Jul 19
A crew member for “Law & Order: Organized Crime” was shot and killed early Tuesday morning in New York while on location for filming of the show’s third season, Variety has confirmed. bit.ly/3IQ9Xv0
“We were terribly saddened and shocked to hear that one of our crew members was the victim of a crime early this morning and has died as a result,” NBC and studio Universal Television said in a joint statement. bit.ly/3IQ9Xv0
“We are working with local law enforcement as they continue to investigate. Our hearts go out to his family and friends and we ask that you respect their privacy during this time.” bit.ly/3IQ9Xv0
Read 6 tweets
Jul 19
Joe Rogan’s recent offhand remark to podcast guest Tom Segura that "Maybe you should just go shoot the homeless people" in Los Angeles has left several of the city’s unhoused advocates stunned and disheartened.

bit.ly/3yTFTu1 Image
In a recent episode of his podcast, Rogan and comedian Segura discussed homelessness in Los Angeles, seemingly comparing the city's response to crime to its response to its homeless population.

bit.ly/3yTFTu1 Image
Rogan: A homeless person’s property is protected?

Segura: Absolutely. If you were to try to move that or take that—

Rogan: You’d get arrested... But they wouldn’t arrest you if you shot somebody. Maybe you should just go shoot the homeless people.

bit.ly/3yTFTu1 Image
Read 6 tweets

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