SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Vice President-elect Mike Pence stepped out last night to see one of the hottest shows in New York, "Hamilton: An American Musical." Mr. Pence was greeted with equally loud cheering and booing when he walked into the theater.
The show is a salute to the contribution of immigrants performed by a proudly and deliberately multicultural cast. The Trump campaign often pledged to ban immigrants from Muslim countries.
Members of the audience who were near Mr. Pence reported that he appeared to enjoy the show and applauded liberally, if you please. Others said there were particularly raucous crowd reaction to lines like immigrants...
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "YORKTOWN (THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN)")
DAVEED DIGGS: (Singing, As Marquis de Lafayette) Immigrants...
DAVEED DIGGS AND LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA: (Singing, as Marquis de Lafayette And Alexander Hamilton) We get the job done.
SIMON: ...We get the job done.
At the end of the show, Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays Founding Father Aaron Burr, stepped out and thanked Mr. Pence for attending and as the cast held hands and linked arms behind him, read a statement.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
BRANDON VICTOR DIXON: We, sir - we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us...
(APPLAUSE)
DIXON: ...Our planet, our children, our parents or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us, all of us.
(APPLAUSE)
SIMON: The vice president-elect was on his way out, but a spokesperson said that Mr. Pence stood outside the theater and heard the full statement.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE SCHUYLER SISTERS ")
JASMINE CEPHAS JONES AND RENÉE ELISE GOLDSBERRY AND PHILLIPA SOO: (as Peggy, Angelica and Elizabeth, singing) And we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.
SIMON: The president-elect tweeted his displeasure. The theater must always be a safe and special place, he said. The cast of "Hamilton" was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE SCHUYLER SISTERS")
JONES AND GOLDSBERRY AND SOO: (As Peggy, Angelica and Elizabeth, singing) Work, work - we're looking for a mind at work, work. Hey - work, work - hey - work, work - hey - work, work - in the greatest city, in the greatest city in the world, in the greatest city in the world. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
