Marty Walsh says Hamilton cast ‘got a little bit out of control’ addressing Mike Pence
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh says he wishes the cast of Hamilton didn’t address Vice President-elect Mike Pence from the stage in New York over the weekend.
“I think it got a little bit out of control,” Walsh told reporters Monday outside the State House, per video from NECN.
“I think the vice president-elect was there to enjoy the play,” the mayor continued. “I think it’s a very slippery slope.”
Walsh said the acclaimed musical—which depicts the life and political career of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton—”shouldn’t have gotten political.”
“I think people from different backgrounds go to see plays all the time, and Hamilton in particular is such a great play,” he said. “I think at some point you need to let things alone, and the theater is for people to go and enjoy themselves and take what they want out of it.”
Walsh also suggested the cast members may now regret the widely-covered address, which incited several angry tweets from President-elect Donald Trump.
“I think if you asked them today they would probably realize they probably wouldn’t maybe do the same thing,” Walsh said.
Brandon Victor Dixon, the Hamilton cast member who delivered the statement, was asked about it Monday and told CBS This Morning he had “nothing to apologize for.”
For his part, Pence has said he “will leave to others whether that was the appropriate venue to say it.” Nevertheless, the vice president-elect agreed with Walsh in part.
“It’s a great show,” Pence told Fox News.
The Hamilton Twitter account posted video and transcript of the statement following the performance.
Tonight, VP-Elect Mike Pence attended #HamiltonBway. After the show, @BrandonVDixon delivered the following statement on behalf of the show. pic.twitter.com/Jsg9Q1pMZs
— Hamilton (@HamiltonMusical) November 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/HamiltonMusical/status/800047444599795712
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