CMT Had Nothing to Do with Eckern's Grand
After calling and sending emails to California Musical Theatre re: artistic director Scott Eckern's $1,000 contribution to a pro-Prop 8 campaign, Back Stage has been rewarded with an official statement from the Sacramento theatre. Here it tis:
"Any political action or opinion of Scott Eckern does not represent the views or opinions of California Musical Theatre. We have a long history of appreciation for the LGBT community and are truly grateful for their long-standing support. We acknowledge the dedication, patronage and hard work of the many members of the LGBT community who have played a crucial role in our success. Our only mission is to present quality theatrical productions to enrich the cultural life of the community."
It's not surprising that CMT wants to distance itself from Eckern's politics, especially since Susan Egan and Marc Shaiman are spearheading a boycott of the theatre in protest. According to the LA Times' database of donors to pro- and anti-Prop 8 organizations, Eckern listed the theatre as his place of employment. But, of course, donors to any political cause have to list their employer. The LAT has some incredible info on Prop 8, btw, including breakdowns of how individual cities and districts voted -- very drool-inducing data for news geeks like me.
And there are more boycotts a foot in LA. Marriage-rights advocates are calling for a boycott of old Hollywood margarita joint El Coyote. Seems the restaurant's co-owner, Marjorie Christoffersen, gave $100 to pro-8 group ProtectMarriage.com (verified on the LAT database). Given LAT's database and the mysterious site AntiGayBlacklist naming names, I predict more boycotts on the horizon.
--Lauren Horwitch
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