'Artists must pick a side': How Israel's assault on Gaza is shifting the culture on Broadway

Artists must pick a side : How Israel's assault on Gaza is reshaping theatre culture in New York

Despite a surge in support for Palestinian rights among theatre professionals, Palestinian performers continue to be sidelined. Six months after Israel's March 2024 assault on Gaza, during which over 120 Palestinians were killed daily, Broadway actress Allie Trimm was approached by a writer from a project she had been fired from.

The writer expressed shared concern over innocent casualties, but emphasized differing views on who is innocent. After witnessing graphic images of children harmed by US-supplied weapons during the October 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict, Trimm became an advocate for Palestinian rights. Over 1,200 people were killed in that attack, including civilians from both Israel and Gaza.

Subsequent Israeli actions, deemed a genocide by the UN and Holocaust scholars, have since resulted in the deaths of 74,000 Palestinians, including more than 22,000 children. Advocacy for Palestinian rights has reportedly led to accusations of being a "jihadist" and "antisemite" from industry professionals, who warned Trimm that her advocacy endangers people.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli officials in November 2024, intensifying international condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza. This has led to job losses for some artists, like Trimm, who was unemployed for nine months before securing a prominent role in the Broadway hit Wicked in 2025.