Anonymous wrote:How does the theater suddenly have empty seats to give to Pence, or anyone with last-minute requests?

Well done, LMM and the rest. Pence needs to get confronted with the views he disagrees with and confronted, respectfully, by the people he's trying to harm or affect. That's democracy. Expressing viewpoints and protesting. Why should he be in a protected bubble?

Life makes more sense after one falls off the turnip truck. Theaters hold seats for VIPs for every performance. If no one takes them by the first curtain, they release the tickets through scalpers near the theater. it is that capitalist thing.

This is no different from the person who waits the rope line for hours and shakes hands with the president as he walks by and takes the opportunity to say something personal to him--"Sir, I hope you will consider how your policies on x affect people like me"--or whatever.

ANYONE who has any kind of access to powerful people can use that access to try to get a message across. Rich businessmen get to sit down with powerful politicians and make their case. In fact, they get invited to. Most of the rest of us never get such an opportunity.

There is nothing inappropriate about the cast, director, creator, and producer using their opportunity to send a message. They were asked for tickets. They could have said, "No, we don't want him here," or "Too bad, I'm not going out of my way to arrange tickets for that man."

Instead, they said, "Yes. Please come into our house and watch this performance that is actually ABOUT the experience of a poor, bastard, orphan immigrant to America who became a founding father of the country, that is performed by people of a variety of colors, creeds, ethnicities, and orientations. Please come, because we think this play embodies our hope for our country and we fear you aren't getting the message. And just in case you don't get the message, we will respectfully tell you after the show that, to us, this isn't just an opportunity to entertain but an opportunity to send a message about where this country came from and how we see it. That is why I, LMM, wrote the play and why the rest of us are happy to be a part of it. We think this is important and we hope you will see why and understand why we are concerned."

How bitchy and dramatic. And appropriate.

When is Trump going to stop tweeting? So unpresidential!

Im just curious, how do celebrities get tickets to sold out shows like this ?? There are only so many seats. Do producers reserve seats for VIPs?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Inappropriate for the cast to have done this.
They had a job to do - entertain.
They failed at that by feeling the need to deliver a partisan political message.

I'm pretty sure the audience was entertained. And most likely agreed with the cast. And if others don't like it, they can sell their tickets to someone else.

Yeah, because they are a bunch of liberals in NY. Look at the mayor - vowing to protect illegal criminals. All this stuff just shows why you guys lost.

So true. People hate Hamilton. ?

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if anyone demanded refund?

They all ate it up. These are liberal elites who agree that, if we just lecture hard enough, we will win.

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if anyone demanded refund?

Perhaps - and then were laughed out of the theatre

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Inappropriate for the cast to have done this.
They had a job to do - entertain.
They failed at that by feeling the need to deliver a partisan political message.

I'm pretty sure the audience was entertained. And most likely agreed with the cast. And if others don't like it, they can sell their tickets to someone else.

Would you be okay with that line of thinking if you attended a show or entertainment venue and heard a "David Duke" type message???

I don't equate a respectful plea for protection of people's civil liberties (the people who gave the statement being those whose civil liberties are at risk) with the hatefilled vomit spewed by the likes of David Duke.

If you had a cast of evangelical Christians who after a performance of Godspell came out and made a civil request for their religious rights to be protected including not servicing a gay wedding, while President Obama was in the audience, I'd be cool with that. And I'm sure Obama would be, too.

I wonder if anyone demanded refund?

They're self-absorbed fools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amusing that celebrities actually think that intelligent person gives two shits about their political views.

I don't even understand why Pence would want to see a show that so vehemently disagrees with his personal view of the world. Did he know there were GAY people in the show?

I am pretty sure Pence knows and respects many gay people.

He probably is in favor of legal unions too, just not to hickacking the traditional "marriage" term, or to forcing Christian wedding planners to work in gay weddings.

Not everything is black or white.

He respects them so much he wants them subjected to gay conversion therapy.

Agreed. He has nothing but revulsion for gay people. You can't respect people you want to torture.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

i have no problem if the cast member delivered the same message privately after the show (or before). But to do it publicly makes it a partisan and inappropriate statement.

What's next, will national anthem signers at ball games make personal statements in front of 40,000 people after singing the anthem. Will metro train drives start making annoucements over the intercom on the Red Line? Is that also appropriate? No, because that is not the time or place for expressing their personal opinions.

I simply disagree. Well, maybe the WMATA one, because it is quasi-government, but otherwise, entertainers, athletes and regular Americans have the right to express themselves when and where they want. Just because you are uncomfortable with the message doesn't make your opinion right. You probably agree that is ok for a town to display a manger scene at Christmas time (I do), but possibly object to Channukah lights as well? It isn't dis-similar, other than the religious component.

If you don't like it, then don't go to the play or download its soundtrack.

I think if someone is being paid to work or perform, then they are doing a disservice to their employer if they take advantage of their paid position to express personal opinions that are not in any way related to the job they are being paid for.

I give lots of speeches on behalf of my employer. If I expressed highly political or personal opinions during those speeches I would be fired immediately because that is not what I am being paid for and because my actions will certainly alienate some of my employer's potential clients and customers who heard my comments.

If they want to express their opinions while off-duty that is obviously fine with me, but not while on the job.

The creator, the director, and the lead producer wrote the statement. So, in effect, the cast of Hamilton was giving the speech on behalf of their employer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Inappropriate for the cast to have done this.
They had a job to do - entertain.
They failed at that by feeling the need to deliver a partisan political message.

Which part of that message was partisan? That was a direct statement of their feelings and fears to the man who has been elected vice president.

They didn't challenge his legitimacy. They didn't refuse to perform while he was in the audience.

They did their job, and at the end of the show they used their opportunity to ask him to make sure the administration he is a part of represents them, as well.

Sorry, completely inappropriate. The man was just trying to have a pleasant evening out with his family, and he has to be subjected to that.

I feel the same way about coercing women into having a funeral for a fetus..

Which is not a thing that's ever happened in America.

But keep giving your money to Naral. The executives and consultants there are happy to profit from your fear.

Tell it to Pence who offered legislation that would make this mandatory.

Stop reading Naral and PP talking points. Dial down your alarm.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's amusing that celebrities actually think that intelligent person gives two shits about their political views.

I don't even understand why Pence would want to see a show that so vehemently disagrees with his personal view of the world. Did he know there were GAY people in the show?

I am pretty sure Pence knows and respects many gay people.

He probably is in favor of legal unions too, just not to hickacking the traditional "marriage" term, or to forcing Christian wedding planners to work in gay weddings.

Not everything is black or white.

He respects them so much he wants them subjected to gay conversion therapy.