Trump demands ‘Hamilton' cast apologize to Pence
The bitter back-and-forth came after the vice president-elect caught Friday night's performance of “Hamilton” with his nephew and daughter. Boos and cheers could be heard inside the theater as Pence took his seat. When the show ended, Pence was asked by a cast member to hear a prepared speech after the curtain call from the multiracial and multicultural cast.
“We, sir, 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,” said Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays Aaron Burr, the nation's third vice president, as his fellow actors joined hands. “We truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us.”
The unusual address quickly went viral and Trump on Saturday tweeted that Pence was “harassed” and urged the cast to apologize. Dixon responded on Twitter that “conversation is not harassment sir” and added that he appreciated Pence stopping to listen.
In the aftermath, some Trump supporters have threatened to not buy tickets to future performances. “Hamilton,” however, is sold out through September 2017.