Producer Garth Drabinsky Appeals Antitrust Lawsuit Against Actors' Equity Association

Producer Garth Drabinsky has appealed the dismissal of his antitrust lawsuit against Actors' Equity Association.

Bit of backstory:

• Garth Drabinsky is a Canadian producer of film and theatre, whose stage credits include the original production of Ragtime (one of my favourite shows) and the Canadian productions of hits like Phantom of the Opera, Show Boat, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Sunset Boulevard.
• His production company Livent filed for bankruptcy in 1998.
• In 2009 Drabinsky was found guilty of fraud and forgery for misstating Livent's financials. He served 17 months in prison and was permanently banned from becoming a director or officer of any public company in Ontario.
• In 2022 Drabinsky was a producer on the Broadway production of Paradise Square where he failed to pay company members wages, fees and other entitlements. The working environment was alleged to be toxic. (The musical closed soon after on 17 July 2022, about four months after it started previews. It won one Tony Award - Joaquina Kalukango for Best Actress.)
• Actors' Equity took Paradise Square to court for unpaid union dues and benefit fund contributions. Equity also added Drabinsky to the "Do Not Work" list.
• In response, in October 2022 Drabinsky sued Actors' Equity for $50 million, claiming defamation and - later - anti-trust
• A judge dismissed this lawsuit in April 2023
• Drabinsky is now appealing this dismissal. If he wins, the case will be remanded (ie sent back) to the lower court.

I think the takeaway here (other than don't let Garth Drabinksy produce a musical) is that the machinery of the law moves at a glacial pace.