Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Aaron Burr
in the rap musical about America's founding fathers, said in a prepared
statement the cast also hopes the show inspires Pence to work on behalf of all
Americans, the New York Times reported.
“We, sir — we — are the diverse America who
are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our
planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable
rights,” Dixon said after the performance as Pence left the theatre, videos
posted on social media showed.
“We truly hope that this show has inspired
you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us,” Dixon
said as audience members cheered and clapped.
The statement came hours after
President-elect Trump picked three conservative loyalists to lead his national
security and law enforcement teams, underscoring his campaign promise to take a
hard line confronting Islamist militancy and curbing illegal immigration.
Trump's critics have accused him of being a
racist after he made campaign vows to build a wall on the Mexican border,
deport millions of illegal immigrants and scrutinize Muslims for ties to
terrorism.
Since his election, the real-estate mogul
has called for unity as anti-Trump protests unfolded across the country.
Pence was met with a mix of boos and cheers
as he entered the Richard Rodgers Theater in Manhattan before the performance,
the New York Times reported.
"Hamilton" is a musical biography
of Alexander Hamilton, who rose to become the right-hand man of General George
Washington, as well as a key figure in the creation of the US financial system
and the creator of the US Coast Guard. He was killed in an 1804 duel with then
Vice-President Aaron Burr.
The musical has been hailed as transforming
both theatre and the way Americans think about 18th century history,
immigration and diversity. The show stands in contrast to some of the rhetoric
Trump used during the campaign, the Times noted.
The election was "painful and
crushing" for cast members, the show's producer Jeffrey Seller told the
Times.
"We are honoured that Mr. Pence
attended the show, and we had to use this opportunity to express our
feelings," said Seller, who helped write Dixon's remarks.
