According to a post shared on Instagram, The Broadway League's Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Gennean M. Scott resigned January 2, with her last day as CDO being January 19. Scott hinted that she is leaving to pursue "another national role outside of Broadway."
Scott was first hired by the League in 2021, as its first director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. The League is the trade organization representing over 700 theatre owners, producers, and presenters on Broadway and around the country. As part of the League, Scott launched the now annual Broadway Celebrates Juneteenth concert and oversaw its regular Diversity Summits. She is also a host of The Black Business of Broadway podcast.
In her Instagram post, Scott admitted that she sometimes had "moments of discouragement where I not only questioned the state of Broadway but my role within it."
"The challenges faced by diversity practitioners, specifically as a POC in this field, are profound," Scott wrote. "The burdens we carry are not just professional; they are deeply personal. To borrow the words of a colleague, 'This work is intrinsically connected to our daily lived experiences.'"
Scott's announcement comes just after longtime Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin abruptly announced her retirement; she will be stepping down February 16. The trade organization is launching an official search for St. Martin's successor, while information regarding the CDO position has not yet been announced. In her post, Scott says that she's been contacted by news outlets for comment, but she declined to provide one: "The calls for my perspective, however, aren't rooted in genuine concern but a pursuit of sensationalism. Let me clarify: I won't be part of your next hot topic."
Within her post, Scott directed attention away from her departure, instead amplifying organizations that are continuing to call for more diversity on Broadway: including Black Theater Coalition, stage manager Cody Renard Richard's scholarship, Black Theater United, Broadway Bridges, The Industry Standard Group, Broadway Musicians Equity Partnership, Breaking the Binary Theatre, Broadway for Racial Justice, Broadway Advocacy Coalition, and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
"The spotlight in fact should be on those who are doing the dayum thang," Scott concluded. "The work is underway, change is happening and change takes time. To family and friends who hold me down and keep secrets tighter than a vault I LOVE YOU! To my colleagues, League members, and everyone pushing for a more equitable inclusive Broadway—thank you for your support, encouragement, and open-mindedness. You are seen and valued. To paraphrase one of the greats Tupac, 'I care if don't nobody else care … Keep ya head up.'"
