Vice President-elect Mike Pence saw Hamilton tonight on Broadway, where he was both jeered and cheered by a sometimes disruptive audience. At the curtain call, Brandon V. Dixon, who plays Aaron Burr (the third vice-president of the United States), made the following statement on behalf of the cast:
“Vice President Elect Pence, welcome.
Thank you for joining us at Hamilton-An American Musical.
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.
We hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values, and work on behalf of ALL of us.
Thank you.”
Tonight, VP-Elect Mike Pence attended #HamiltonBway. After the show, @BrandonVDixon delivered the following statement on behalf of the show. pic.twitter.com/Jsg9Q1pMZs
— Hamilton (@HamiltonMusical) November 19, 2016
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I’ve never been more proud to be a part of a company. https://t.co/7Ikqlp83at
— Rory O’Malley (@RoryOMalley) November 19, 2016
Proud of @HamiltonMusical. Proud of @BrandonVDixon, for leading with love.
And proud to remind you that ALL are welcome at the theater.— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 19, 2016
The production had received Pence’s request to attend the night’s performance earlier that afternoon, producer Jeffrey Seller told The Hollywood Reporter, which noted: “Both Rory O’Malley, who plays King George, and Javier Munoz, who now plays Hamilton, are openly gay and involved in LGBT advocacy. As governor of Indiana, Pence opposed gay marriage, signing into law a bill that made it legal for business owners to refuse service to LGBT customers, citing religious freedom. He is also known for supporting ‘conversion therapy.'”
With Pence in attendance, the audience reaction to the show was unusually heightened, with notable applause for George Washington’s line “Winning is easy, young man; governing is harder,” and a standing ovation for Hamilton and Lafayette’s line: “Immigrants, we get the job done.”
Update: Two Tweets from Trump
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2016
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2016
—
(From writer for “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”)
Sure Mike Pence got booed at Hamilton but Steve Bannon wants to stage a nation-wide revival of just the last scene of Fiddler on the Roof.
— Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman) November 19, 2016
When our next president is a man who’d rather have a feud with the cast of a Broadway musical than with David Duke, we must sing out, Louise
— Benj Pasek (@benjpasek) November 19, 2016
New reason to boo Trump: he’s internalized the pernicious ideology that theatre should preserve audience defenses instead of challenge them https://t.co/7t9bRtCccm
— Christopher Shinn (@chris_shinn) November 19, 2016
It’s ok Donald it’s just “Theatre Talk”. Sorta like “locker room talk” except in that it was completely thought out & respectful. https://t.co/aGtEbgc1vo
— Colin Donnell (@colindonnell) November 19, 2016
The theater must always be a special place, dangerous to anti-intellectualism & regressivism. The cast was conciliatory & polite. Apologize. https://t.co/gMCtKp7IFl
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) November 19, 2016
@realDonaldTrump conversation is not harassment sir. And I appreciate @mike_pence for stopping to listen.
— Brandon Victor Dixon (@BrandonVDixon) November 19, 2016
New hashtag making the rounds: #NameAPenceMusical
e.g.
Les Deplorables pic.twitter.com/XY5St2BoDM
— Common Trump Girl (@CommonTrumpGirl) November 19, 2016
My Fair Lady (Has No Right To Choose) #NameAPenceMusical
— Cee (@seajaypea) November 19, 2016
Joseph Isn’t Allowed To Wear His Technicolor Dreamcoat In Public Anymore #NameAPenceMusical
— Tamara Rose (@misstamerica30) November 19, 2016
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I am totally outraged by this! How dare this actor disrespect the vice-president elect Mike Pence? I Will NEVER waste a penny on seeing this show. Broadway has reached a new LOW!!!!
suck it up buttercup, this is how over 1/2 of america feels.
Oh no, political opinions from people who are paid to impersonate other people. Surely the Trump team is finished now ! lol
I find this so disrespectful! No matter what your political views are, this man IS the next vice-president of our country! He takes family out to enjoy a night of theatre and this opportunity is used as a way to disrespect him in public? I have always wanted to see Hamilton, after this outrage I would never contribute my money to this cast.
Pleased to hear that. I suppose this will cut the potential customers down to only half of the population of the US and likely 75-90% of the world’s population. (Don’t stand downwind when you try to spit on us.)