Why the Boos at Broadway’s Beloved ‘Hamilton’? Because Bibi.
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Getting in to see “Hamilton” is hard enough. But on Saturday night, the ticket line turned into a security check at Ben-Gurion Airport, as Benjamin Netanyahu attended the Broadway hit.
Visiting New York for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, the Israeli premier detoured to Richard Rodgers Theater to see the famed musical, and brought with him a retinue of handlers.
That irked some of his fellow spectators, who suffered through long wait-times at the door and had to go through body scanners. “The show started late because of his arrival — the heightened security slowed down seating,” kvetched one to the New York Post. “But he still entered and sat down before the lights went down, so everyone was focused on him. There was a lot of applause when he walked in, but definitely a few loud boos.”
Some of those boos, it appeared, had to do with the fraught situation in the Middle East. The Daily Mail reported that two women stormed out of the venue when he came in, screaming “Free Palestine.”
Other V.I.P.s have snaked the line at “Hamilton,” a show that celebrates the rags-to-riches ascent of the United States’ first treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton. With the Secret Service in tow, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton attended performances earlier in the year, when the musical still featured its original cast.
Contact Daniel Solomon at [email protected] or on Twitter @danieljsolomon
I’m personally matching all gifts to the Forward, up to $36,000. Can I match your gift now?
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
