Topline
The Door McAllen Church in McAllen, Texas, has formally apologized for mounting an unauthorized manufacturing of the musical Hamilton and altering it so as to add Christian themes, saying Tuesday it might pay damages to the manufacturing after it “infringed on the rights and copyrights of many.”
‘Hamilton’ performs on the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway in New York Metropolis.
Key Details
The church and Pastor Roman Gutierrez posted an apology to Instagram to “personally apologize” to Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and others concerned with the manufacturing for its unauthorized manufacturing, which was carried out on August 5 and August 6.
Gutierrez acknowledged the church didn’t ask or obtain permission to carry out the present or alter it, because the manufacturing modified and added lyrics and dialogue to include Christian themes.
The church “pays damages for our actions,” the assertion mentioned, however didn’t specify the quantity, and also will destroy all video and photographs of the manufacturing and by no means mount future performances.
Hamilton will donate the damages it receives to the South Texas Equality Challenge, a neighborhood group that helps LGBTQ rights, Hamilton spokesperson Shane Marshall Brown confirmed to Forbes, after the church’s manufacturing of Hamilton included a sermon that described homosexuality as being a sin.
Door McAllen’s assertion got here after Miranda disavowed the Texas manufacturing on Twitter on August 10 and recommended the present would take authorized motion towards it, writing, “Now legal professionals do their work.”
Brown declined to remark additional on Hamilton’s response to the church’s apology or the quantity the manufacturing requested in damages.
Essential Quote
“Our ministry will use this second as a studying alternative about protected inventive works and mental property,” Gutierrez wrote on the church’s behalf, acknowledging it’s “by no means permissible to change an inventive work akin to Hamilton with out authorized permission.”
Key Background
Door McAllen Church drew widespread criticism for its manufacturing of Hamilton, which initially gained nationwide consideration after being livestreamed and broadcast on-line. Brown beforehand informed Forbes that the manufacturing despatched a cease-and-desist letter to the church after studying of its first efficiency on August 5, because the present was unauthorized, however allowed its August 6 efficiency to maneuver ahead so long as there have been no photograph or video recordings of the present. (The manufacturing was unaware of the anti-LGBTQ feedback being made through the present’s sermon when it granted permission for the second efficiency, Brown told the New York Instances.) Earlier than issuing its assertion Tuesday, the church had falsely acknowledged it had acquired permission from Hamilton for the present to happen, claiming throughout its service on August 7 that the present’s authorized crew had “giv[en] us the license to carry out our model of Hamilton”—which isn’t the case, as Brown confirmed the manufacturing solely gave the church “restricted permission” to carry out its August 6 efficiency solely and never a full license. Hamilton and different musicals which can be at present working on Broadway usually don’t grant licenses for any beginner or regional productions of the present, on condition that it may have an effect on the Broadway manufacturing’s ticket gross sales by giving audiences a less expensive approach to see it. Altering the content material of a present, because the church did, would additionally require extra permission even when it acquired the license to carry out it.
Additional Studying
‘Hamilton’ Says It Didn’t Give Texas Church Permission To Carry out Musical—And Change It To Be About Jesus (Forbes)
‘Hamilton’ Team Protests After Church Production Adds Christian Themes (New York Instances)
