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Josh Gad<\/strong><\/a> has some words for Book of Mormon<\/em> director Casey Nicholaw<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t know, Josh <\/strong>portrayed Elder Cunningham in the original Broadway cast of the 2011 musical, and was nominated for a Tony for his performance. He was one of the first actors cast in the production, and the musical\u2019s director, Casey<\/strong>, was brought on in 2011 to help open the show. Casey<\/strong>\u2018s other Broadway directing\/choreography credits include The Drowsy Chaperone,<\/em> Spamalot<\/em>, and Follies<\/em>.<\/p>\n In Josh<\/strong>\u2018s new memoir, \u201cIn Gad We Trust,\u201d<\/a> he\u2019s speaking out about his experience putting up the show.<\/p>\n Keep reading to find out more\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Josh <\/strong>wrote (via EW<\/a>), \u201cOur director, Casey<\/strong>, was a genuinely brilliant creative visionary and truly helped to make the show the giant hit it would go on to become. What he lacked, however, are social skills and anything resembling team-building leadership,\u201d alleging Casey <\/strong>created an \u201cawful environment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo the best of my knowledge, he either did not like that I predated him on the project or that he was saddled with me, but to say he made every day completely unpleasant would be an understatement,\u201d Josh <\/strong>continued. \u201cThe best example I can give of his complete lack of leadership was the day after we won nine Tonys: we entered the theater to three pages of notes hung up on the bulletin board proclaiming how disappointed he was in all of us and the awful state of the show. That week, he brought us all in for rehearsals and proceeded to call me out in scene after scene telling me that every choice I was making was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Josh <\/strong>said the reason he decided to even write this was because of a quote Casey <\/strong>said in a New York Times<\/em> piece from 2023.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a lead-up to my return to Broadway in Gutenberg! The Musical!<\/em>, Casey <\/strong>was interviewed for a New York Times profile\u2026[Casey<\/strong>] said this about [Book of Mormon costar Andrew Rannells<\/strong>] and me: \u2018Josh<\/strong>\u2018s comedy basically just says \u2018Watch me. Love me. Josh <\/strong>is just out there. Andrew <\/strong>knows how to hold himself with grace and dignity and just go for it.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n Josh <\/strong>called this quote from Casey <\/strong>\u201chighly public and deeply hurtful.\u201d<\/p>\n He also said this impacted his relationship with his co-star, Andrew Rannells<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe either intentionally or unintentionally constantly tried to pit me and Andrew <\/strong>against each other. And for the record, for a little bit, it worked,\u201d Josh <\/strong>shared. \u201cI once confronted Andrew <\/strong>and said, \u2018I feel like you don\u2019t have my back,\u2019 and Andrew <\/strong>took Casey<\/strong>\u2018s side and really hurt me. We didn\u2019t speak for almost two weeks until I ultimately understood that it had nothing to do with Andrew <\/strong>and everything to do with the environment Casey <\/strong>had created.\u201d<\/p>\n Josh <\/strong>concluded by writing that Casey <\/strong>\u201chas never once apologized for his inexplicable behavior and the awful environment he created in an otherwise loving space\u2026 Maybe he\u2019ll read this and apologize, but after 13 years, I\u2019m not holding my breath. You know where to reach me, Casey<\/strong>!\u201d<\/p>\n You can buy Josh<\/strong>\u2018s book here<\/a>.
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