Vice president-elect Mike Pence got a special shoutout after taking in a performance of “Hamilton” on Broadway Friday night.
The cast of the Tony-winning Broadway musical singled out Pence during their curtain call, and as the audience booed, Brandon Victor Dixon, the actor playing Aaron Burr, read a statement on behalf of his cast members — and many Americans.
Update: President-elect Donald Trump tweeted his dismay with the cast of “Hamilton” early on Saturday, claiming they made the theater unsafe for Pence and that they should apologize.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/799974635274194947
“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,” said “Hamilton” star Dixon, after urging audience members to record and share the video and message on social media. “But we truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values, and work on behalf of all of us.”
Donald Trump’s second in command got an icy reception the whole night at the Richard Rogers theater, where he was reportedly booed on his way in and then heckled during relevant lyrics in various musical numbers detailing the founding of the United States.
Show creator and former star Lin-Manuel Miranda was not in attendance Friday night, but he, director Tommy Kail, the show’s producers and cast all wrote the statement together after learning Pence would be attending the performance, according to New York Times reporter Patrick Healey, who also said the VP-to-be was walking out of the theater as Dixon begun reading the statement, so it’s unclear which parts, if any, he heard.
Healey also said Trump himself has not seen “Hamilton” and has not requested tickets.