Trump over-reacts to a speech from the Hamilton stage

Trump over-reacts to a speech from the Hamilton stage

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norman lebrecht

November 19, 2016

This is the speech delivered from the Hamilton stage last night by cast member Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays Aaron Burr, to Vice-President-elect Mike Pence:

‘We, sir, 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 truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and work on behalf of all of us. All of us.’

Donald J Trump tweeted two responses:

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!

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!

mike-pence-hamilton

Proportionate response? Intimidatory?

UPDATE: Pence says ‘I wasn’t offended’.

Comments

  • Richard says:

    I’m shocked! A thin skin buffoon took exception to being asked to represent the diverse American public.
    A.) why with the transition going so roughly is the Vice President elect going to the theater?
    B.) do we have any precedent for a President Elect tweeting about such minor occurrences?

    • Mark Henriksen says:

      I think he was offended that the vp elect was condescendingly lectured “at” while attending the theater. Even in the era of incivility this is something surprising.

      • John says:

        I heard the remarks and they were anything but uncivil.

      • BrianB says:

        And paying about $1000 in tickets for the edifying prvilege. A customer is a customer.
        As for Mr. Trump there is no precedence for anything he does. Pence was very gracious about it. His boss should have said nothing.

    • Bruce says:

      (A) Anyone needs a break sometime. Ever taken a break from work or studying so that you can come back to it rested and with renewed energy?
      (B) I don’t think so.

      It is surprising in the sense of unprecedented, I guess, but not at all surprising given that actors are often left-leaning (and sometimes right-leaning) activists, and the things Trump has said — and more importantly, the things Pence has actually done while governor of Indiana — are much more threatening to the “diverse America” that the cast is speaking for than anything any winning Presidential candidate has ever said on the record.

    • Holly Golightly says:

      “Diverse”? Don’t make me laugh; more like self-actualizing, precious, insular groupies who all think alike. And they think they’re oh, so, special!!!

      The Left carved the society into distinct groups all speaking with different voices and now they’re complaining about ‘divisions’ in society. Absolutely priceless!!

      It doesn’t make Trump’s behaviour any better but these city buffoons created the petri dish for somebody like Trump to survive.

  • Clint says:

    The transition is going along well, and is ahead of schedule. Of course, liberal media would never let you know that part. The speech was out of line. Get over yourselves.

    • Liberal Trouble Maker says:

      Well, Clint…. Are you saying that, in a “Trump Democracy”, folks who don’t tow the party line aren’t entitled to freedom of speech and must keep their mouths shut? Are you saying that Trump & Pence should be shielded from the fact that 62,000,000+ Americans don’t agree with them?

    • Mikey says:

      Donald? Donald, is that you?

    • Max Grimm says:

      There isn’t enough available space on the www and not enough time in the average person’s lifetime to list all of the criticisms, snarks and churlish remarks made at the expense of politicians everywhere (conservative, liberal, American, German, French, etc pp and otherwise).
      As such, your last sentence is sound advice and should best be directed at them (the politicians)…..Get over yourselves, indeed.

    • William Safford says:

      You’re right. The nomination of bigots and white supremacists is going fairly smoothly thus far.

      • Holly Golightly says:

        We have, it seems, all have to tolerate your own projections. No; they are psychological projections and no more. What’s up snowflake; not enough safe spaces for you? Try using some Play Doh or stroking a kitten, if you need to feel good about yourself.

        • Mark says:

          Apparently both you and The Trumpster believe that Pence is entitled to safe spaces wherever he goes. That’s not really the way the world works.

          Perhaps both Pence and The Trumpster should avoid any locale, including Broadway shows, in which they might possible encounter those pesky lefties.

        • William Safford says:

          That’s really mediocre trolling. Surely you can do better.

  • mbhaz says:

    I anyone over-reacted it’s the thin-skinned, liberals in the cast who thought this was appropriate. A cast which specifically eliminated whites from auditions. Liberals are the least tolerant people alive. Get over it crybabies; Trump and Pence won it fairly.

    • clarrieu says:

      Fairly, with one million votes less…

      • Adam says:

        You are aware that the office goes to the person who takes the most electoral votes, right? Not the popular vote. Something, rather ironically, that Hamilton favored.

      • Bruce says:

        Actually it was fair, within the (rather strange) rules of the American electoral system.

      • Rich C. says:

        Yeah, due to overwelming votes from California. Americans do not want to be ruled by the loony-bins from the left coast. I celebrate that my Pennsylvania vote, due to the Electoral College, is worth 10x the vote of a Hollywood elite. When I put my loccatelli cheese on my pasta tonight I know I’m “Making America Grate Again”!

    • Seattle Musician says:

      • “f” should follow “I” to make the word “If”.
      • No comma after “thin-skinned”.
      • Comma after “Get over it”.

      If you’re going to criticize, please do so with a modicum of literacy.

    • John Borstlap says:

      A comment which explains why it is possible that a crazy buffoon has been elected in the US.

      The cast standing on the stage during this very appropriate, and polite, speech, was remarkably mixed in terms of skin colour. Just for the record.

      This incident – the real incident is mr T-Rex’s reaction! – is merely a gentle prelude of what can be expected. This man takes everything personal, as his slogan was meant, in reality: ‘Make ME great again’. This man thinks the world is his, and now he will try to act that way. After attacking minorities, this buffoon claims that his side kick was ‘harrassed’, while that speech was clearly inspired by his own hate speeches.

    • John Borstlap says:

      If winning an election by lies and hate speeches is ‘fair’, then Hitler’s election was fair.

      • Mark Henriksen says:

        So, I don’t know where you get your information over in your neck of the woods. Trump was elected because the economic recovery didn’t include much of the middle class. Those people perceive a rich businessmen as a leader, not a career politician, who can help them get back to where they were. You are not alone in believing racists elected a racist. But most liberals who wonder how an unpopular public figure could win an election are beginning to see the truth behind the results.

        • John Borstlap says:

          For anybody who has more or less followed the campaigns, it was clear that the T-Rex camp produced lies, nonsense, truly embarrassing speeches, the man is clearly a charlatan, with a track record of narcissist buffoonery and fraud. The worrying thing is that so many people knew this but did not mind: THAT is the great embarrassment of the USA in the face of the world. Which does not in the slightest diminish the real problem of the white lower (!) middle classes, which are traditionally the most vulnerable to fascism. This election is the result of base populism and a record low of Western democracy.

          Any defense of mr T-Rex is an immediate disqualification in terms of intelligence and ethics.

          • Adam Stern says:

            Dear Mr. Borstlap,

            You’d better duck — I predict some pretty vitriolic responses (some of them badly punctuated and/or using all-caps and/or playing fast and loose with spelling) are about to come hurtling your way.

            Also, I’d acquire some spray-paint remover for your car and residence, for use on the destructive modes of communication current;y in use by some ardent Trumpophiles.

          • Adam Stern says:

            “currently”

            (typed without my eyewear on)

          • John says:

            His hiring of a truly vile person, Steve Bannon, a prince of the racist alt.right movement, put to rest any remaining doubts about Trump and the collection of buffoons he is assembling to lead the country for at least the next four years.

            As an American citizen, I am looking to Angela Merkel as the next leader of the free world. Any differences I might have with her positions notwithstanding, she has the stature, integrity and intelligence to assume that position. God knows the US has suffered a terrible — and self-inflicted — blow by elevating this huckster to the highest office in the land.

          • Sally says:

            To Adam: talking about ducking…. this morning after church, we had some sort of situation here at the gates where a group of white lower-middle-class people from the village had gathered with banners, loudly screaming things we could not understand, and the banners were unreadable because the lettering of most of them were upside-down. But when we ducked to read them, we knew that the action was against foreigners, although expressed with lots of misspellings (one of them being ‘continentalents’). Some exchanges at the railings revealed they were much angry about them being related to fascism by our boss, who had wisely kept to his study, and some threats were made as to physical violence to show they’re all civilized, modern Brits. When handed-out the scones we’d just made, they quickly dispersed, to our relief. Internet is dangerous.

      • John says:

        John, on both your comments I completely agree.

      • Marshall says:

        Whenever I see the Hitler/Trump comparison it always says more about the ignorance of the person making the comment. Do a little homework-Hitler didn’t come to power through an election. If you wanted to defeat Trump you might have tried to get a better candidate other than the Clinton syndicate.

        I have enough trouble with the extreme right, but the left/liberal-I’ve reached the conclusion are really intolerant of democracy. That’s what happens in elections-your side doesn’t always win…but you really don’t
        want someone you dislike, or disagree with to win, do you? Speaking of intolerance.

        As to popular vote vs. electoral-that is the present system. It can be a double edged sword, but try and change it-legally.

        I thought the display in the theater was the self-righteous nonsense we’ve seen since the election. Pence had a right to see the show in peace. (I’d have no interest in it myself, and would need earplugs as all serious classical music lovers would need to wear)

        I don’t get it-the election is finally over-let’s see what happens. What will you all do if he’s actually OK-mass suicide? I thought Reagan no saint, but this was the same reaction when he won-a B actor, who will blow up the world etc.

      • Holly Golightly says:

        This is not only cheap but intellectually lazy. But, as the old saying goes, if it’s working keep doing it! I’m sorry for YOU that you have to cast aspersions on a great many million decent Americans because they don’t follow your relativist bible.

        • John Borstlap says:

          Relativist? It should be clear that I am defending the opposite all the time, but of course that would require reading what is written. That millions of Americans know of all the charlatanie of their ‘hero’ and do not mind, that says a lot about the state of the population, and of their uncontrolled despair – they will vote for a Hitler if he would promise them what they need and want. As simple as that. And this seems to be the result of the failure of many years of conventional politics which have neglected the damage that globalization and unregulated capitalism does to so many simple folk. This tragedy has nothing to do with not understanding decent Americans, but the opposite: the lower middle clases are traditionally the most vulnerable to fascism, which cannot possibly be a decent attitude, and the last months made that very, very understandable.

          I remember a TV reporter asking a Trumpist why he would vote for mr T-Rex, and the enthusiastic answer was: ‘He says exactly what I think so he must be right!’

    • geoff says:

      The majority of the citizens of the US (not the Electoral College) voted for Hilary Clinton. So they have a right to say anything they like about the TV reality star and developer that won the deal.
      Get with reality

      • Nick says:

        When a country elects a thin-skinned megalomaniac whose continued outright and often vicious lying in his disgraceful campaign brought international politics further into the gutter than ever before, what else can one expect than a pathetic “tweet”. The awful new President Duterte of The Philippines who has called the Pope and President Obama amongst others “sons of whores” now has a new friend!

      • Clint says:

        The majority of the country is not served by democratic views. In fact, virtually all of middle America. The number of votes is not the only thing of relevance, so move on from that already. The fact that there are millions of liberals living in California, is no reason to screw everyone else in middle America who disagree with many of those views.

      • M2N2K says:

        Before making a comment like that, Geoff, you should get acquainted “with reality” yourself. Here it is: barely 58% of eligible voters participated in this election and HC received not more than 48% of their votes, which means that approximately 29% of eligible voters voted for her. Not anywhere near the “majority of the citizens of the US”.

      • M2N2K says:

        My inaccuracy: that last number is much closer to 28% actually. That is the true reality.

  • Leah says:

    The arts are not merely to entertain, they reflect and expose societies. The very definition of art is “out of line”. If you don’t want to be a subject of art, don’t give art a reason to take notice of you and your actions. Get over that!

  • Brian says:

    It’s all an engineered distraction by Trump to get people not to focus on his Trump University fraud case settlement. Or the far-right turn of his cabinet appointments.

    Of course, the line “This should not happen” has a distinct menace about it, the implication being “and it won’t happen in the future.”

  • Richard says:

    I love how conservatives love to claim liberals are intolerant, whereas the only thing they are intolerant of is intolerance, hatred, and bigotry.

  • Richard says:

    I love how conservatives love to claim liberals are intolerant, whereas the only thing they are intolerant of is intolerance, hatred…

  • Joel stein says:

    How did he get first row seats?

  • Cyril Blair says:

    First, Brandon Victor Dixon said absolutely nothing worth apologizing for – it was all very civil and polite. Second, if anyone needs to apologize, it’s Mike Pence, for helping dozens of Indiana residents become infected with HIV because he dithered so long in agreeing to a needle exchange in his state when there was a huge HIV outbreak. He also needs to apologize to gays and lesbians and women of Indiana for all the anti-LGBT, anti-woman laws he signed.

    And if anyone ELSE needs to apologize, it’s the fascist creamsicle, for a list of things far too long to mention. Defrauding Trump U investors, grabbing women by the you know what, calling Mexicans rapists, threatening Muslims and Latinos….I’ll stop there. It’s so pathetic that the person who has wronged the most people and never apologizes for any of it is demanding apologies of OTHERS.

  • Doug Grant says:

    Dear All
    There are other forums for this kind of discussiin. It has no place on Slipped disc – Your fault, Norman.

  • Heath says:

    Sad that the cast members had to act in such a horrible way. How about a little optimism? Get over the defeat already, and have a little faith in the incoming president and vice president. They said later that they were justified because it was a conversation. A conversation by definition is at least two-way. Pence was already out the door.

  • Pamela Brown says:

    Let’s get real. First, imo, we had a choice between a tyrant and a crook. I didn’t like either of them. So the choice was for the lesser evil.

    However, to start editorializing at the end of a performance opens the door to a new type of protest — in this case unanticipated. I don’t think that was fair or appropriate.

    Just my 2 cents…

    • Jim says:

      Thank you for your thoughts about when the 1st amendment does and doesn’t apply. It’s your right.

      Meanwhile, we’ll see which one is the crooked one. Methinks the one who didn’t release any tax returns and who has unknown business interests in every corner of the globe – potentially untold levels of conflicts of interest and opportunities for personal enrichment.

  • Richard says:

    Fair or appropriate? We are talking about this and not how the President Elect of the United States settled a FRAUD suit today for tens of millions of dollars!

  • Cavemanfromthenorth says:

    As a Canadian, I have to say something I never thought I would ever dare to utter, but so be it: long live Justin Trudeau. We have lots of space available up north. Pack up and we’ll provide the booze.

    • Holly Golightly says:

      Be very very careful what you wish for!!!! Otherwise, you’ll end up with one third of the South American continent living on your doorstep. That gives ‘sharing’ a new meaning.

  • William Safford says:

    I’m torn on this one.

    The office of the Vice Presidency is owed decorum.

    The offensive policies of the person about to occupy it are not.

    This particular speech was decorous.

    It asked for inclusion and tolerance.

    Judging by his response to it, these values are repugnant to the President-elect.

    • John Borstlap says:

      Indeed…. all of that is the point. Well said.

    • Pianofortissimo says:

      The text of this particular speech was decorous as well as the text of “T-Rex”‘s response in this particular case. However, as we all have seen in the TV, the body attitude of Mr Dixon was intimidating, yes I would say very aggressive. As for “T-Rex”‘s body atttitude when writting we can just imagine (and the media gives some help to those who can make the wrong interpretation, and that is also a problem, the media assumed a very irrational attitude concerning all “T-Rex” says or tweets).

      The American people made a decision in a democratic process. Bad or good they chose “T-Rex” and we Europeans have to accept it (just think what crazy choices some of us have done lately), and do some constructive thinking about what really is going on, not only in America.

  • Nick says:

    How, I wonder, can you respect the Office of the Vice Presidency when it is occupied by someone whose “offensive policies” you disdain? At what point to these two statements come together? They don’t!

    The on-stage speech was calm, considered and delivered in a respectful manner. Speeches have been delivered from stages worldwide for a variety of reasons. To suggest that this “should not happen” is typical of a man whose aggressive treatment of those who oppose him – real or imaginary – is to vilify and shout them down – continuously, until people start to believe it.

    Tell that to the villagers near Aberdeen whom he evicted to make way for his golf links course. Tell that to Mrs. Molly Forbes whose only water pipe was severed during the course’s construction and who since then has had to collect water from a stream – for FOUR whole years. For those not aware of this true story of trumpery, Mrs. Forbes in 92 years old. And President-elect Trump continues to defy Scottish law by refusing to reconnect Mrs. Forbes to the water supply.

    And what of the 6,000 new jobs Trump promised to create when seeking permission to build the course? Less than 100 exist. Those is the rust belt of the USA and elsewhere who believed the promises of millions of new jobs and 4% annual growth – guys and gels, it’s time to stop the partying. You’ll soon be crying!

  • Tony says:

    Having surrounded himself with Tea Party zealots like Mr. Bannon who defend their right to be offensive, his reaction to this dignified protest is puzzling, to say the least. If he allows a bunch of actors to upset him so much, goodness knows what will happen when someone more influential takes a real pop at him. You can’t have it both ways, Trumpie…

  • Una says:

    Who cares! The people have voted, get on with life and stop shouting on all sides from the stage, the stalls and from the future President, and accept the vote and the will of the majority. The ‘great and the good’ should be allowed to go to the theatre without a bunch of actors getting on a soap box bawling into the stalls. Otherwise, the Americans need to change the electoral system …

    • Patrick says:

      “accept the vote and the will of the majority.” Well…. except that Clinton won the majority of the votes by over a million. Maybe this is why some have trouble moving on?

    • V.Lind says:

      In a democratic society people are supposed to “stop shouting on all sides of the stage”? I think not. That’s the rule in totalitarian societies — in free ones, the right to shout on all sides is sacrosanct and a part of demonstrating a nation’s health.

      That said, I am torn on this one. I think Pence is a bad, bad man, which is the reason I hope the septuagenarian president-elect does not overcome himself with apoplexy over some of these things he sputters out and stays the course till he can be electoral-colleged out of there in four years. On the other hand, I’m tempted to think anyone should be entitled to an evening’s recreation in relative peace. But I can’t decry freedom of speech in a free society, so I come down on the side of the theatre.

      By the sound of it, the VP-elect did not slip into the theatre for a private recreation, he somehow wangled front-row seats to a long-sold-out show, which seems rather triumphalist. Up in Canada we are used to prominent politicians slipping into less ostentatious seating at all sorts of events, suggesting they are there because the event is expected to give them pleasure, stimulation or escape — whatever they go to concerts, the ballet or the theatre for. In London I am used to seeing well-known actors slip into obscure seats perhaps halfway through a play, perhaps because they have finished their own performances for the evening and want to take a look at a colleague, friend or rival in something else. But the man who essentially acts out “Hey, see me. You know who I am?” is rather inviting the “Yes, I see you, yes I do, and furthermore…”

    • Holly Golightly says:

      Bravo. Apparently democracy is only for the bien pensant. Pass me the bucket!!

      I’m sure Trump will do what is in Trump’s best interests. Meanwhile, the bien pensant will disclaim any responsibility whatsoever for his victory but, there it is, writ large in the outcome. People force-fed with shovels their ‘progressive’ ideologies of relativism, parsing a society into distinct groups rather than a social whole…the whole catastrophe. And that shrill Clinton with her endless city-centred, parochial cries of ‘glass ceiling’ – when people with families have them and, for their trouble, are labelled ‘deplorable’. All the while projecting their own parochiality.

      The whole ‘progressive’ project is coming to an end and we can only thank God for that – oops, I’m a total deplorable!! And proud.

    • Mark says:

      The great and the good? Who exactly would that be? Pence doesn’t seem to be a truly evil person, but, as governor, he did lots of bad. I don’t think he’s done enough yet to remotely be considered great. Some people seem to set the bar much too low.

    • William Safford says:

      Oh, a bit like the Republicans deciding to “live and let live” when they decided that their overarching goal was to make Obama a one-term President….

  • John Borstlap says:

    What does the surge of rightwing populism and extremism in the West mean for culture, and thus: for music? The arts are forced to develop a narrative which will protect it from the accusations of being elitist, meaningless, a waste of money, pretentious etc. Something is only ‘elitist’ and ‘meaningless’ if the wrapping paper is fraudulent: pretending to be something which it is not. So, both the visual arts and art music need to shed nonsense and get to the core of their purpose, which does not mean: shunning pluralism and diversity, but formulating ‘meaning’ within the context of the modern world.

    Therefore, NL’s inclusion of this story is meaningful.

    In music, some people are already working on the subject:

    http://www.futuresymphony.org

    • Holly Golightly says:

      It means we’ve tried it your way and people are fed up with that. I can’t stop cheering.

      Meanwhile, back in Trumpland – he’ll be thanking you, too, for making his rise possible.

      • John Borstlap says:

        I repeatedly have the impression that either you are on the wrong website, or have been instructed by the AfD, or the FN, or have read too much Bourdieu. Please continue to give some edge to the conversation….. showing what is at stake here.

      • Geoff Radnor says:

        Comments on the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.’s news now must be from people who post their names and not from those that can make comments to further more spurious and hateful comments behind a pseudonym.(golly Goheavily

  • Lk Ash says:

    It seems that very few of those making comments have actually read the facts about or watched the video of what happened at that performance. It was the audience that first noticed Pence and started booing him. The cast asked them to stop, defending Pence’s right to be there. Then they made a respectful request, there was nothing rude or threatening about it. If this election taught us anything, it’s that you should always verify your information before acting upon it.

  • NYMike says:

    Regarding the good seats for Pence – On B’way, management reserves “house seats” – perhaps two for every performance – for press, visiting dignitaries, and available to buy even to cast and orchestra members if not otherwise used.

  • Neil van der Linden says:

    A taste of things to come. The Hamilton cast welcomed Pence, and spoke of hope that certain values that according to many people might become a cause for concern. would continue to be upheld. I read somewhere else that the cast asked those who were booing Pence would stop to do so.
    In a way ti was nice of Pence to visit this celebrated musical, which among other things has diversity as a theme.
    Even though it is not about classical music, I agree with the fact that Norman Lebrecht posted about this topic here.

  • MomeRath says:

    Mr. Pence, however he secured his front row seat, was clearly attending as a public persona, thereby waiving any claim to a reasonable expectation of privacy. As such, the cast acted entirely appropriately in exercising our cherished freedom of speech, which they conveyed to him at the end of the performance. Both Mr. Pence and Mr. Trump need to get used to the fact that we are a democracy, in which our citizens have every right to voice their grievances to those who govern us, especially without the imprimatur of the majority of the voters. For someone who spewed the most vile, hateful, malicious and false condemnations of his opponent during the election campaign, Mr. Trump can hardly object to such relatively innocuous and well-meaning protests.

  • Walter says:

    #Whineylittlebitch !!!!!

  • Neil van der Linden says:

    From the BBC world news website:
    ‘The sounds of freedom?
    Mr Pence was asked about the way he was treated when attending a performance of the Broadway musical Hamilton on Friday.
    The audience booed the vice-president elect and a cast member read out a letter saying “diverse America” was “alarmed and anxious” at the future administration.
    Mr Pence told Fox News Sunday that he was relaxed about it and had said to his daughter during the incident: “That’s what freedom sounds like.”

    But Mr Trump renewed his criticism of the cast on Sunday.
    “The cast and producers of Hamilton, which I hear is highly overrated, should immediately apologize to Mike Pence for their terrible behavior,” he tweeted.
    On Saturday Mr Trump tweeted: “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!”
    Hamilton won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, along with 11 Tony awards for live theatre. Tickets to the show are the most coveted on Broadway, sometimes changing hands for thousands of dollars.’
    A taste of things to come with this president. Because they spoke to his protégé, he derides the whole musical, “which I think is highly overrated'” according to him.
    Those who are not with him are against him. And he will go after them. Putin, Erdogan, the Gang of Four, Beria?
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38044943

  • Holly Golightly says:

    Today’s fury from the ideologically indoctrinated, placard-waving totalitarians who cannot believe they have been rejected in favour of Donald Trump is, hopefully, a welcome end to this shallow phase of history.

    • John Borstlap says:

      Interesting….. people keen to defend some minimum of decency in politics and already protesting against expected anti-civilizational measures, and rightly so, are supposed to be ‘totalitarian’.

    • William Safford says:

      Now who is projecting?

  • Neil van der Linden says:

    I would never have imagined that an eloquent statement plus welcoming word to the upcoming Vice-President, with the speaker excellently making use of his right to free speech, could generate to much resent and hatred, among people who supposedly have love for music and arts in common.

  • Marie Therese says:

    My favorite was the comment heard (while watching ABC Evening News) from a woman whom after leaving the performance that night said,”We spent a lot of money to come and see Hamilton and we really don’t want to hear political statements”!! WTF did she think the entire point of the show was?!!

  • Helene Kamioner says:

    MY MESSAGE TO THE CAST OF HAMILTON:
    AN OVERPRICED OVERRATED BROADWAY SHOW DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ME. NEXT TIME TAKE OUT A 90 THOUSAND DOLLAR ADD IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

    • Candace Allen says:

      Oh dear, Helene Kamioner, have you not considered the possibility that Hamilton isn’t trying to speak for you? Rather it’s giving voice and joyous agency to the abundance and even majority of humanity that embraces its brilliant vision of inclusiveness (yes, game-changing and brilliant, and so-acknowledged not just by civilians but by an overwhelming percentage of practitioners of this art form). Perhaps an artwork that re-inhabits the WASP personae of America’s Founding Fathers with black and Latino players, one of the most famous lines of which is “Immigrants, we get the job done!” doesn’t fit in the parochial bubble which you inhabit. That’s your right, but please do remember that this president-to-(may)be has been elected by legal technicality; but he has no overall mandate. He doesn’t even have a plurality. And perhaps you’ve forgotten that speaking truth to power is one of the sacred duties of art? Hamilton isn’t some minstrel show shuffling and jiving for massa’s lazy entertainment; but perhaps you’ve been misinformed? Perhaps you’ve mistaken it for The Music Man or 42nd St? Those shows are indeed great escapist fun. Go ahead and enjoy them; but don’t think your peevishness (which you are entitled to of course) is going to affect the Hamilton juggernaut. We are multitudes.

      • Helene Kamioner says:

        FYI, I am an immigrant and my parents were immigrants from Hitler’s Europe. I’m all for free speech, but not at my expense. If the cast of this show wanted to make a statement, and by the way…..they do not represent the multi-dudes, they should have taken thousands of dollars out of ticket sales and THEIR salaries and correctly EXpressed their political sentiments in The New York Times or The New Yorker, or dropped leaflets from a Zeppelin, instead of the cheap publicity trick of “spreading the news” at ticket buyers expense. Just because these actors may represent a minority does not give them the right use what is supposed to be an uplifting evening in the theater to send their message. Do it correctly or don’t do it. By the way, I am not a fan of popular broadway musicals except Fiddler on the Roof so your message of what I should see in “musical” theater is a waste. And furthermore, I wouldn’t waste a nano second seeing this show even if I got a free ticket.

        • Candace Allen says:

          We completely disagree on so many levels, on the definition of free speech, on the protocols of theatrical “uplift” and protest to name but two; but you are entitled to your opinion, and I shall leave it at that.

        • Nydo says:

          Let’s get something straight here. The musical was OVER when this speech took place. During the holidays, all Broadway shows have speeches after the show asking for donations to a fund drive for Equity Fights Aids in conjunction with several other charities, including the Phyllis Newman Breast Cancer Initiative. Pence, as well as much of the rest of the audience, was on the way out. If you find it offensive that the vice president elect had to hear a general statement championing inclusion and fairness from the stage is an awful thing, then I (and much of the country) disagree with you. Beyond that, I do agree with Christine G; Trump is quite devious in the way he manipulates the public, and tweeting something outrageous like this is just a distraction from his Trump U settlement, which reflects very, very badly on him.

  • Christine G says:

    His tweet was nothing more than low-hanging fruit that the media latched onto. Trump doesn’t care about what those actors did. But while we were distracted talking about it. Trump was up in the tree devouring the juiciest fruit – a $25mil tax deduction – without so much as a flinch from the media.
    Hook, line and sinker.

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