Gay artists seek boycott of Sacramento theater
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
(11-11) 10:39 PST Sacramento, CA (AP) --
Gay and lesbian artists are seeking a boycott of Sacramento's oldest performing arts company after its artistic director contributed toward Proposition 8.
Campaign records show Scott Eckern of the California Musical Theater contributed $1,000 to the voter-approved initiative, which wrote a ban on same-sex marriages into the state Constitution.
"Hairspray" composer Marc Shaiman is among those leading the boycott effort, The Sacramento Bee reported Tuesday.
California Musical Theater is the state's largest nonprofit musical theater company. It produces Sacramento's annual Music Circus and plays at Broadway Sacramento and the newly opened Cosmopolitan Cabaret.
more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/11/11/state/n103927S55.DTL&tsp=1Sacramento Bee Link...
Prop. 8 gift gets theater's leader in a ruckus
By Marcus Crowder
mcrowder@sacbee.com
Published: Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008 | Page 1B
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1387273.htmljust found this link too...
California Music Theatre Artistic Director Eckern Issues Apology Following Prop 8 Backlash
By Adam Hetrick
11 Nov 2008
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In response to the words of Shaiman, Egan, Whitty and numerous individuals who contacted the theatre company, Eckern released an apology and has donated $1,000 "towards the fight for equal rights for all."
"I understand that my choice of supporting Proposition 8 has been the cause of many hurt feelings maybe even betrayal. It was not my intent. I honestly had no idea that this would be the reaction. I chose to act upon my belief that the traditional definition of marriage should be preserved. I support each individual to have rights and access and I understood that in California domestic partnerships come with the same rights that come with marriage," Eckern said in a statement.
He continued, "I definitely do not support any message or treatment of others that is hateful or instills fear. This is a highly emotional issue. I have now had many conversations with friends and colleagues and I now have a better idea of what the discrimination issues are, how deeply felt these issues are and I am deeply saddened that my acting upon my religious convictions has been devastating to those I love and admire… I am deeply sorry for any harm or injury I have caused."
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http://www.playbill.com/news/article/123235.html