Hellobee Boards

@808love: well, the whole premise of Hamilton is social criticism so truly (not being snarky) I have to question Pence's judgement in attending at all.

My students are reading The Crucible right now and it has really sowed in me a deep appreciation for those artists and scientists who were willing to be blacklisted, of imprisoned, in order to advance social justice. I don't know who this person was but I know the theatre community in general has been a cultural touchstone for many marginalized groups. I think that person must have known he had a once in a lifetime opportunity to speak in defense of his community. I thought it was extremely brave and totally in keeping with the spirit of the play.

Hilary has the popular vote by 1.7 million. The Republicans have control of all branches of government. There is no "tasteful" way to express your dissent at this point. People like myself, blues in a red state, knew from the outset that their vote would have no value. There are a lot of disenfranchised voices out there. I would expect more tasteless displays as long as the Republicans have total control and the language they are using is so extreme, and the cabinet appointments continue to be extreme. Speaking out via art is one of the only channels of communication some people have now.

The cast of Hamilton deserves their platform by virtue of the success they've had in their work. I know many Christians businesses that are up front about their beliefs. I know several that are named after biblical verses (I live down south). I don't think of that as tasteless?

@Mrs. Sketchbook: I think the cast sent a clear message and set a precedent for future theater visits. Using the platform in this way will likely gain momentum by others in the artistic theater community.

I just finished "Lady Bird," a biography of Lady Bird Johnson. Artists have been criticizing politicians for quite some time. I was struck by the parallels to the Hamilton criticism to this story from the biography: Eartha Kitt criticized the Johnson administration at a White House luncheon, to Lady Bird's FACE, and was basically blackballed from working in the US and investigated by the CIA. Kitt said, "For years I went along with the idea that entertainers should not get involved with politics. Today, I realize that because of our contact with the public, we have to speak out, to make those who are responsible more aware of what is happening where they perhaps cannot see. Particularly someone like myself, who has lived the life of poverty.”

@808love: I hope it does! I'm a big music lover and have noticed recently there is a negative reaction fans have when artists get political. And yet rock and roll was built as a counter culture movement. And the most famous and successful pop musicians have always toyed with or flagrantly rejected social norms. Heck, Bob Dylan won the Nobel this year and isn't even showing up to accept the award. Without some element of social critique, art stops being art and becomes pure entertainment. I'm an English teacher so this stuff matters to me. Sometimes English class is the only place my students get to engage these big question.

@Mrs. Sketchbook: well, I may talk slow but the way I always saw it the social critique was part of the act, not a rambly speech made after the show addressing our new Vice President specifically.

@ShootingStar: the way you just described it makes it sound like they were innocently conversing with a terrible, dangerous man. I just don't agree with that. I think they were being immature and taking away from what was supposed to be a special night for a lot of people, including OUR new Vice President and his family. Since you know, he just won a national election.

@Modern Daisy: yes, how dare they take something away from Pence's special night as he has tried to take basic human rights away from people.

@sotofamilia: couldn't agree more!

@Modern Daisy: gay conversion therapy disgusts me. When I think of how destructive something like that is, it crowds out my ability to think of Pence's feelings. Elections are not trophies. He accepted a responsibility, not an award. The real work begins now for him. He won the right to be criticized and picked apart for as long as he remains in public life. He seems to understand this. If he were a true conservative he would value the expression of free speech. Which he indicated he did.