The most popular musical in Broadway history feuding with the second-most popular Presidential candidate of 2016.
On Friday night, Vice President-Elect Mike Pence attended a showing of Hamilton, getting booed lustily on his way in to the theater and then receiving a speech from actor Brandon Victor Dixon on his way out of the theater.
It was pretty remarkable and most definitely in precedented.
“We welcome you, and we truly thank you for joining us here at Hamilton: An American Musical – we really do,” Dixon said on stage.
He continued:
“We are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir.
“But we truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values, and work on behalf of all of us. All of us.
“We truly thank you for sharing this show, this wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men and women of different colors, creeds and orientations.”
What specific beefs do the cast of Hamilton have with Pence?
The lead star of the show is gay and Pence has actively supported the concept of gay conversion therapy, in which homosexuals are taken away and essentially tortured until they “convert” to heterosexuality.
He has also said that marriage equality would lead to “societal collapse.”
In 2013, Pence signed a bill to jail same-sex couples in Indiana for applying for a marriage license.
So the cast of the production took this as an opportunity to send a message to Pence. Fairly? Unfairly?
It’s clear where the President-Elected stands on that question.
Tweeted Donald Trump in light of this incident:
“Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing. This should not happen!”
And also:
“The Theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!”
It’s unclear how the theater was unsafe in this situation and one could easily argue that this type of speech is exactly what makes it special.
One could also laugh over Donald Trump telling anyone at all to “apologize” over being “rude.”
But we’ll let readers choose a side in this Hamilton vs. Trump feud.
We’ll just give Dixon a chance to respond to Trump’s above Tweets.
“@realDonaldTrump conversation is not harassment sir,” he wrote online. “And I appreciate @mike_pence for stopping to listen.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda – the show’s Pulitzer-Prize winning creator and former star – also stood behind the actions of his cast.
“Proud of @HamiltonMusical,” he wrote. “Proud of @BrandonVDixon, for leading with love. And proud to remind you that ALL are welcome at the theater.”
Check out Dixon’s public speech to Pence below:
Do you think it was deserved? Sound off now!