As a former musical theater major and performer, I’m so excited to write this. As a person, really. Today Vice President Elect (oh god, this is hard to type) Mike Pence decided to attend a performance of the musical Hamilton. The audience booed him as he walked in, (which I learned from a friend’s Facebook post tonight). He tried to leave after the show, and the cast had a few choice words for him. The show posted it on their official Instagram.
“Vice president-elect, I see you walking out but I hope you will hear us,” said actor Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays the role of Aaron Burr. “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. But we truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values, and work on behalf of ALL of us.”
He said, “We hope you enjoyed the show, this wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men and women of different colors, creeds and orientations. We truly hope that you heard our message sir, because [this] represents all of us.” He also told the audience, “We don’t have to agree, but we have to live here,” in reference to their booing.
High five to Dixon and the entire cast for speaking out. High five!