President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday demanded an apology from the cast member who gave Mike Pence an onstage earful about equality.
Actor Brandon Victor Dixon told Pence after the curtain call that the multiracial and multicultural cast is concerned about the Trump administration.
“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,” said Dixon, who plays Aaron Burr, the nation’s third vice president. “We truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and work on behalf of all of us. All of us.”
Pence, a Republican, ducked out before Dixon finished the unprecedented message but heard the full remarks from the hallway outside the auditorium.
“Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing,” Trump tweeted Saturday. “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!”
The atmosphere was tense from the time the vice president-elect arrived at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, triggering both cheers and boos as he slipped into row F in the prime orchestra seats. After the curtain call, Dixon called Pence out from the stage, with the cast behind him.
“Vice President-elect Pence, I see you walking out, but I hope you will hear us, just a few more moments. There’s nothing to boo here, ladies and gentlemen,” Dixon said. “We’re all here sharing a story about love.”
Outside, many protesters jeered, including one woman who held up a sign with a line from the musical that always gets a cheer: “Immigrants, we get the job done.” Dixon’s speech, which ended with a plea to donate to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, brought down the house.
“Hamilton,” which won 11 Tony Awards, has been praised by politicians and rap stars alike, influenced the debate over the nation’s currency and burst through the Broadway bubble like none other.
The first family has been big boosters of the show. President Obama took daughters Sasha and Malia to see it last year after first lady Michelle Obama caught it last spring. Pence’s predecessor, Vice President Biden, also has seen it.
The show is by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the musical’s book, music and lyrics. It stresses the orphan, immigrant roots of Alexander Hamilton and has a terrifically varied score, ranging from pop ballads to gospel to sexy R&B. It has been cheered for reclaiming the nation’s founding story by a multicultural cast.
The Hamilton whom Pence saw was Javier Munoz, an openly gay actor. Pence supported numerous efforts to ban same-sex marriage as governor of Indiana and opposed unfettered federal funding for HIV and AIDS treatment.
After Pence left, Jeffrey Seller, the show’s lead producer, said he hopes the politician would share the show’s message of empathy: “I hope that maybe it inspires him to feel for those not like him.”
Seller, a Tony Award winner who has produced such shows as “Rent” and “Avenue Q,” said such notable Republicans as former vice president Dick Cheney and presidential speechwriter Peggy Noonan have come to “Hamilton.”
“This show is absolutely for Republicans as well as Democrats, and we would like to host any Republican who would like to see the show,” he said.
yess to rass him did een deh a when him reach out deh, in a passage, him run out, him run out to rass, MET u see how him timid and yet chump set up people, him normal but the tedda one no normal a pence have to tek the pilla and case to rass. trump aint goin to that production, he’s just venting his feelings for everyone trust me the world change suddenly even canda them spraying hate message at some schools
Dem turning the whole world upside down but dem fi know people nah go tek nothing whey dem a dish out so people nah go stop shame di two a dem. It dus a start
Maddaready up at York U dem post bare posters bout white supremacy…can u believe that….at a university????? Anyways Trump clearly nuh undastand the seriousness of his position…like seriously nitpicking on twitter….such a fcking embarrassment. Trump is a disgrace but mek him keep it up….the silver lining is that impeachment is closer with each passing day. This is so surreal to me. I honestly am still in shock…..dont know when I will recover.
Marie seh silver lining ____________________ u deh roun yah too long :hammer
Nuh recovery oooooooo dem a go exalt him den shame him
But a wah tek likkle man – child Donnie Trump doe eeh? It’s not the cast of Hamilton that needs to apologize, it’s Trump and Pence! He who lives by insulting and intimidating others is demanding an apology? What a fuqqing hypocrite!
Pence need fi gweh…everywhere dem go it muss reach them rass!!!! The fashion designer that come out and say she will not dress dunce bat Melania Trump….it swwet mi..She Melanie fi get it to…because obviously she uphold the orange orangutan slackness…or she sell fi har soul fi money and fame..all of a sudden she classy….bitch cant even hold the spark of a match to Michele Obama! You notice how them say she and michele had conversation about their children….like what kind of substance other than that she can add to any conversation…
I wonder what that conversation was like being that chumup last son autistic?
I knew Baron had something off. He’s unemotional in every photo.
You know mi never know him autistic….but mmmmmmm ironically she sit down there advocating against cyberbullying and orange leads the that there wolf pack…..why not advocate for something dear and close to you heart..like autistic children..she is hot ghetto soviet mess!
Mi nah seh a rerd……….everybaddie seh di son look some kinda way and when mi look and go google mi si seh a so people a seh
I avoid the television news like dem a plague. Now a days me just read news online. The media seem to be missing the reality of this circus.
Mighty Rome and it’s greatest fell, so why not America? Chump a nero 😀 😀 😀 😀 him de pon twitter while the country “burn”.
I dout he will be impeached! He gets away with everything! He is the beast 666
Met you a kill me; I watched him during the speech and thought that something was seriously wrong with him. They blamed it on his tiredness but that was far from the truth – the boy is autistic. In regards to that orange jackass, his is going to twitter himself out of the white house. which president ever have the time to address every issue via social media? Did anyone see the 60 minute interview last week when Leslie asked him if he will take a fence instead of a wall? He said yes in some places…me still dey a grung!!! The Mexicans ago jump over the fence………….
Autism it shows all when him walk. And Trump did a mock disabled reporter shame pan him