A Tony-nominated Broadway star is suing the hit show “Come From Away,” alleging that he was fired for his Christian beliefs.
Chad Kimball claims in a new lawsuit exclusively obtained by Page Six that the popular musical’s production company “unlawfully terminated [him] wholly or partly because [his] religious beliefs simply made them uncomfortable.”
The suit also alleges that the “failure to re-hire” Kimball, 45, after he appeared in 1,100 performances “was based wholly or partly upon [his] religious faith.”
Kimball describes himself in the court documents as “a devout and practicing Christian” who began starring in “Come From Away” in 2016. (The Canadian show debuted on Broadway in 2017.)
The suit notes that Kimball previously starred in “Memphis” and “became more outspoken regarding his beliefs” after he was injured in that show in 2010 and subsequently credited “his recovery to his faith.”
In November 2020 — while Broadway was shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic and Kimball was in his hometown of Seattle — he made headlines for tweeting that he’d “respectfully disobey” Washington state COVID-19 guidelines that limited religious services.
The actor, who’d previously battled the novel coronavirus, tweeted at the time: “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.”
He later added of his stance on religious services: “To be clear: nobody is going maskless. The overreach – in my opinion! – is not being able to sing even WITH a mask. No singing WITH a mask ON. Everyone will continue wearing masks. With respect and with hope and with care.”
But in the lawsuit filed against Kiss the Cod Broadway Limited Partnership this week in New York State Supreme Court by attorney Lawrence Spasojevich of Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins, Kimball alleges that the November tweet led in part to his termination from the show.
Spasojevich says in the suit, “On Nov. 15, 2020, Mr. Kimball tweeted from his personal Twitter account expressing his faith in God and that no one will stop him from living his faith. … Thereafter, until Jan. 4, 2021, Mr. Kimball was forced to explain and defend his Nov. 15, 2020 tweet to Defendants’ agents and employees.”
The Tony nominee claims that he was contacted on Jan. 18 by a producer for “Come From Away,” who allegedly “informed Mr. Kimball that there was a question regarding Mr. Kimball’s belief as a ‘Conversative [sic] Christian’ as there was a conversation around Mr. Kimball’s ‘freedom to believe’ in what he believes.”
Kimball claims in the court docs that the same producer “expressed concerns the Defendants had about Mr. Kimball’s ‘beliefs,’ stating, in sum and substance, that the events at the Capitol, [Sen.] Josh Hawley and the Conservative Christian movement were tied together and implied a connection between Mr. Kimball, by virtue of his faith, to the ideas and actions of the Jan. 6, 2021, events at the US Capitol.”
The producer allegedly “ended the conversation by stating she doesn’t agree with what Mr. Kimball believes, but that he was a man of integrity” and also “encouraged a ‘reconciliation,'” saying it was “very important that there was a real ‘trust’ and ‘understanding.'”
But Kimball alleges in the court papers that days later, on Jan. 22, he was informed that he was “not invited back … and was terminated.”
He also claims he was told “that there was ‘too much work to do’ and that the ‘Come From Away’ production needed to focus on bringing the show back together and ensure people’s safety.”
The show reopened on Broadway last month after being dark since March 2020.
Broadway show “Come From Away” centers on a group of stranded travelers on 9/11. AFP via Getty ImagesKimball alleges in the suit that after he was let go, he “expressed that he was in despair due to being terminated because of his faith and said such termination arose partly due to the ‘religiosity’ of his Nov. 15, 2020, tweet.”
He further claims that he spoke to the show’s director about the matter in February.
Kimball’s lawyer says in the suit, “As a result of his termination as a result of faith, [he] felt extremely humiliated, degraded, victimized, embarrassed, emotionally distressed, extremely distraught and intimidated.”
Spasojevich also alleges that his client was “made to suffer significant economic and professional harm, in addition to emotional and physical pain and suffering, economic loss; physical and emotion stress; and, in some instances severe emotional trauma, depression, illness, hopelessness and anxiety, loss of confidence, self-esteem and self-worth, and other irreparable harm resulting from the strain of employment controversies caused by Defendants and/or Defendants’ agents and/or employees.”
He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and lost wages as well as attorneys’ fees and costs.
A rep for the show told us: “The producers declined to comment.”
Kimball battled COVID-19 last year.InstagramKimball’s tweets during the pandemic kicked up an online debate with his “Come From Away” co-star Sharon Wheatley, who tweeted: “I respectfully totally and completely disagree with you. I respectfully feel you are very much on the wrong side of this. … I love you like a brother, but I disagree with you.”
Others in the Broadway community were not as polite. “Frozen” star Patti Murin tweeted to Kimball, “No one said you can’t sing. You can sing. Alone. In your own home. Possibly for the rest of your life, after this tweet.”
Another theater and TV star, Colin Donnell, called Kimball’s opinions “f–king moronic.”
Prior to his controversial tweets, Kimball boasted about serving “the ‘common good’ by rolling up my own sleeves, and relying not on the government to do the service for me.”
He’d also tweeted that he was “leery of the dictates, mandates & edicts.”
Kimball is married to Emily Swallow, an actress in “The Mandalorian.”
After making a full recovery from COVID last year, he told The Post of his battle, “It came in waves. … Two days after I felt better, it came roaring back. It felt different than anything I had before, especially when I lost my sense of smell.”
“Come From Away” — which follows a group of stranded American travelers in Newfoundland, Canada, on 9/11 — was recently made into an Apple TV+ movie.
