# @nextshark on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CwllS4ospzg
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/8430372-nextshark-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/e59a1e2a5d.jpg
- **Posted:** 2023-08-30T23:30:13.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** NextShark (@nextshark) — https://gondola.cc/nextshark

## Caption

Broadway star Zachary Noah Piser has withdrawn from the LEADING ROLE in the musical “Tiananmen: A New Musical,” just weeks before its debut in Phoenix, Arizona.⁠
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“I have withdrawn from the musical Tiananmen,” Piser wrote in a brief signed statement posted on Instagram. ⁠
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A day before Piser’s withdrawal, he was quoted on Playbill saying, “I am proud to bring this powerful story to life on stage. Having helped develop this piece since 2015 makes originating this role that much more meaningful.”⁠
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Although Piser’s manager said Piser quit the musical due to “creative differences,” it is speculated that pressure from Chinese authorities might have played a role. ⁠
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The Tiananmen musical, which is directed by Darren Lee with Music Director Kevin White, is about the bloody 1989 crackdown on democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square that resulted in hundreds — if not thousands — of deaths. According to a press release, the musical is “a vital reminder of the fragility of human rights and the importance of bravery and self-determination in the face of totalitarianism.”⁠
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Jason Rose, the musical’s lead producer, confirmed that the show will proceed as planned from Oct. 4 to 29 at The Phoenix Theatre Company. ⁠
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“This story needs to be told and will be told. Censorship and pressure will not carry the day. Our celebration of bravery for lovers of freedom will,” Rose told CNN.⁠
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Piser’s recent announcement highlights the complexities Western celebrities face when dealing with political sensitivities related to China.⁠
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dearevanhansen, tiananmenprotests, news, chinesegovernment, censorship, broadway, tiananmenmusical, broadwaystar, asianamericanactor

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