It’s impossible to work in the theatre industry and not have colleagues, business partners and life-long friends who are gay. I have always viewed this fact as one of the most wonderful and enriching dynamics of the theatre community.  It’s so invigorating being part of a show (which very soon takes on the characteristics of a family) and have people from every walk of life represented, often by “Type A” personalities who bring joy and variety to the daily routine of presenting a show.

After collaborating with gay associates for almost thirty years, I’ve reached the conclusion that most gay men hold a fundamentally center/right view on most economic and national security issues.  The over-riding feeling expressed to me from my gay friends is the deeply held desire to be left alone.  And after watching GOProud Chairman Christopher Barron take this obnoxious attack from non-entity Cenk Uyger for having the temerity to identify himself as a conservative, I’ve reached the greater conclusion that the conservative movement needs articulate and courageous voices like this as part of our team.

As Mr. Barron puts it: “I have an easier time being openly gay with conservatives than I do being a conservative with other gay people.”  So, if CPAC and the Republican Party can be accepting of gay conservatives who don’t hold exactly to every single position espoused by the party, why can’t Broadway do the same?
(more…)

“A chill wind is blowing in this nation. A message is being sent through the White House and its allies in talk radio and Clear Channel and Cooperstown. If you oppose this administration, there can and will be ramifications.” – Tim Robbins, National Press Club, April 15, 2003

Nearly seven years after those over-the-top, melodramatic words at the National Press Club, many of us are still waiting to see the “ramifications” for opposing the Bush Administration.  If you want to call winning Oscars, signing huge TV contracts (despite awful ratings), and selling millions of recordings “ramifications” then, baby, sign me up!

Mayor Ron Dellums

But, anyone with a semi-balanced view of the industry we work in will see that the vast, vast majority of repercussions for being on the “wrong side” of a political issue are reserved for those of us on the political right.  And, unfortunately, it is not the rich and famous conservatives in the entertainment world who bear the brunt of it.  It is the regular, everyday workers in the industry who are intimidated into keeping their political leanings a secret.

Stories like the downfall of Scott Eckern serve as a clear warning shot that if you speak out about an issue like keeping the definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman, you must fear for your job.  That is the climate that we all know we work in and we reluctantly accept.  Private companies and organizations have the right to pick and choose who they have working for them, we understand that.  We don’t like it, but we ultimately understand it because … we are conservatives.  We embrace liberty and freedom, for everyone. (more…)

It has been almost one year since I began writing here at the Big Blogs of Breitbart.com.  When it all began, I was motivated by the events that brought down Sacramento Music Theatre executive Scott Eckern.  Ironically, his story, which inspired this new avocation also served as a real-life lesson in the new political world we inhabit.  You see, Mr. Eckern was forced to resign his position because it was discovered that he donated money to the anti-same sex marriage Prop. 8 campaign.  Knowing that, I would have been a fool to put my name on the things I’ve written here.  So, “Stage Right” was born.

Since then, I have been fortunate enough to have free-reign on all things theatre at Big Hollywood (gently guided by the collective wisdom of Andrew Breitbart and John Nolte) and I’ve had a fantastic time writing about the industry, about the non-profit world… even about my favorite shows.  But now, things have changed just a bit.

It started with Patrick Courrielche’s now famous expose’ on the NEA Conference Call.  Just like the Scott Eckern story, what bothered me most at the time was the media and especially the left-leaning theatre writers’ attack on Patrick.   Instead of showing any level of skepticism over the appropriateness of staff members of the NEA and the White House coordinating discussions with artists about how they can help move the President’s agenda by creating works of art in favor of specific issues, Patrick was attacked and libeled for the sin of telling the truth and bringing the subject to light.

Next came the media’s reaction to James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles’ blockbuster series of videos exposing the corruption at ACORN offices from sea to shining sea.  Again, the venom and outrage is directed at the messenger while the message gets rationalized and obfuscated.  This story raised my ire to such a degree that I began posting at Big Government. (more…)

Variety is reporting that as part of a fundraiser for multiple same-sex marriage organizations, “Hairspray” composer Marc Shaiman’s satirical “Prop 8: The Musical” will be staged live.  The event called “Defying Inequality” will be performed on a dark night on the set of “Wicked” at the Gershwin.  The star-studded Internet video was released in response to the Scott Eckern episode in which Marc Shaiman was a central figure. 

I’m sorry, but this is just bad writing.  I think I’ve been pretty fair on these pages about giving liberal writers their due when they are talented and create great work.  I’m glad Mr. Shaiman had years and years of royalties from the Broadway run of “Hairspray” (not to mention the modestly successful movie version) because I really think he’s jumping the old hammerhead with this thing.  At this point, Mr. Shaiman seems to be wrapping himself in a rainbow flag and beating the Prop 8 drum like Pete Best on a bad night at the Cavern Club.  (more…)

That’s what I felt like yelling during last November’s horrifying public shaming of a theatre executive in California.  Scott Eckern, the Artistic Director of Sacramento Music Theatre, was forced to resign after the public revelation that he donated $1,000 to the Prop. 8 campaign.  I felt like calling all of my friends in the theatre industry and saying “I’M SCOTT ECKERN!”  I felt like responding to all of the e-mails I received from my colleagues urging me to join the drive to remove him from his post by saying:  “I’M SCOTT ECKERN!”  “If you take him, you should take me! ” Like all those slaves standing in solidarity with Spartacus.  I was also an executive in the industry with similar views.  There but for the grace of God….

But I didn’t stand up and shout.  I didn’t because I am a coward.  I didn’t because I have children and a mortgage and I might need the next job that comes along so I keep my mouth shut.

But make no mistake, there are many of us working in the theatre industry and the spectacle that was Scott Eckern’s ouster was terrifying and enraging to us.  Many readers of Big Hollywood suggest that as long as we are effective in our jobs and we “put butts in seats” then we should have the courage to speak out and fight for our beliefs even if we are a minority in a hostile environment….  I hope this morality tale speaks to you…

I was fortunate enough to witness this witch-hunt from inside the Facebook bubble that helped create it.  You see, one of my friends, actress Susan Egan, circulated an open letter to all of her friends.  And then her friends circulated it to their friends and well, by now you know what happened.  Her letter has been reported many times and she seems proud of her involvement in this episode.  She actually wrote her initial letter and then, within 24 hours wrote a follow-up.  The full text of Susan Egan’s original letter can be found here.   Her follow-up letter is harder to come by, but it contains much more revealing information.  In the spirit of “full context” I include the entire second letter here:  (my comments follow below)

(more…)