The Board of Guardians of British Jews is to support a campaign by the British Jewish Actors and Performer Association (BJAPA) to raise awareness of the casting of non-Jews in clearly defined Jewish parts both on screen and also on stage.

The first “Put Jews back in the Spotlight” campaign will start on October 26 to highlight the lack of Britsh Jewish actors getting lead roles in the London production of Mel Brooks musical The Producers.

The British Jewish Actors and Performers Association which was founded by Bernie Winters in 1974 and is currently chaired by Dan Stein. It was formed by merging two groups, Anglo Jewish Performers and British Jewish Actors Society both of which were established in the late 19th century under Royal approval from Queen Victoria who was concerned herself when Jews were not allowed to perform lead roles in Yiddish theatre.

“We have been getting very concerned over the past few years as members have been contacting us and saying they have not been getting clearly defined Jewish roles,” said Dan Stein, chairman of The British Jewish Actors and Performers Association. “When we looked more into this we were shocked to discover that major productions such as Mel Brooks’ The Producers have yet to cast Jewish people into the lead roles despite the two lead characters being Jewish.”

“We are as concerned as the BJAPA and its members,” said Board president Harry Greenberg. “Queen Victoria signed and supported the Jewish performers act of 1892 and for years it has been respected. We therefore call on those casting Jewish roles for stage and screen to make sure they comply with the rule. As we have shown in the past, we will not hesitate to take appropriate legal and boycott action against those who flaunt the law.”

The move by the BJAPA follows that of a similar campaign in the United States when Jewish performers raised concern over the way Jason Biggs kept on being offered leading Jewish roles in films such as American Pie and Woody Allen’s Anything Else. This was dispite Biggs not being Jewish or having any Jewish connection.

Earlier this year, the New York Jewish Actors Collective staged a 14 day protest outside the theatre where Biggs was the lead Jewish character in Modern Orthodox.

Members of the New York Jewish Actors Collective (NYJAC) are advising the BJAPA and how to organise direct action.

“The Biggs situation was resolved by the hard work of the NYJAC and we are grateful for their help to British Jews,” said BJAPA chairman Dan Stein. “If we need to also organise a 14 day protest outside The Producers or even a 73 day protest, we will do it too.”