Jack O’Brien has replaced Gregory Mosher as the director of the Broadway production of “All My Sons,” after a dispute Mosher had with the Arthur Miller estate over casting, the producers confirmed Tuesday.
“Despite our shared commitment to having a diverse cast in our production of All My Sons, Gregory Mosher and the Arthur Miller estate did not ultimately share the same vision of how best to achieve that. They couldn’t agree on the specific casting choices that would lead to the richest-possible ‘All My Sons’ for 2019, and thus, Gregory Mosher has decided to step aside,” Todd Haimes, chief executive and artistic director of the Roundabout Theatre Company, said in a statement. “We welcome Jack O’Brien as our director, and we’re looking forward to presenting his production of this Arthur Miller masterpiece this spring.”
According to the Washington Post, which broke the story late Tuesday, Mosher, the chairman of the theater department at Hunter College, had planned to cast two black actors as siblings, in roles that have typically been played by white actors, but that idea was objected to by the Arthur Miller Estate. Those actors would have joined Annette Bening and Tracy Letts in the revival at the American Airlines Theater.
The Post reported that the Miller Estate objected to the diverse casting of the siblings specifically, but would be open to diverse casting in other areas of the play.
The revival will still play as scheduled, with previews beginning April 4, 2019 and an opening set for April 22.
O’Brien will take over directing, after last directing the recent “Carousel” revival.
