Eckern Resigns as Artistic Director of California Musical
Theatre
By Adam Hetrick
November 12, 2008
Scott Eckern has announced his resignation as artistic director of California
Musical Theatre following public turmoil in response to his financial support of
California's Proposition 8.

In a statement released Nov. 12, Eckern said,
"I am leaving California Musical Theatre after prayerful consideration to
protect the organization and to help the healing in the local theatre-going and
creative community. California Musical Theatre will continue to welcome with
open arms all staff, artists and audiences who collaborate in the experience
that live theatre does best – to lift the human spirit. I will continue to be in
the audience to cheer on all the good work. It has been an honor to serve
alongside those I love and respect in this noble profession. I am disappointed
that my personal convictions have cost me the opportunity to do what I love the
most which is to continue enriching the Sacramento arts and theatre community."
In his letter of resignation, Eckern also said that while he helped fund
Proposition 8, his sister is a lesbian in a committed domestic partnership,
adding, "I am loving and supportive of her and her family, and she is loving and
supportive of me and my family. I definitely do not support any message or
treatment of others that is hateful or instills fear. This is a highly emotional
issue and the accusations that have been made against me are simply not true. I
have now had many conversations with friends and colleagues, and I am deeply
saddened that my personal beliefs and convictions have offended others. My
choice to support the Proposition was personal, and does not represent the views
and opinions of California Musical Theatre or the many people associated with
the organization. I was required by law to identify my employer and occupation
at the time of my donation."
California Musical Theatre has not issued a statement on a replacement for
Eckern.
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Eckern's $1,000 contribution to the measure that would amend California's
state constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to a union solely
between a man and a woman was discovered through public record. Proposition 8,
which was approved by a vote of 52.3 percent on Nov. 4, overturns the May 2008
California Supreme Court decision granting marriage equality.
Word spread quickly throughout the theatre community via e-mails sent by Tony
Award-winning Hairspray composer Marc Shaiman and Tony-nominated actress
Susan Egan (Triumph of Love, Beauty and the Beast), as well as a blog
post from Tony-winning Avenue Q book writer Jeff Whitty, all of whom took
issue with Eckern's support of a measure that was created to deny gays and
lesbians the right to marry. The official title of Proposition 8 ballot reads:
"Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry."
Shaiman contacted Eckern and also issued a mass e-mail that stated, "The idea
that money from his salary that was, in a small way, made from a production of
Hairspray had now been put to use to pass this bigoted Proposition truly
hurt and sickened me and that no future project of mine would ever play his
theatre."
Egan's e-mail went on to call for a boycott of California Musical Theatre by
"ticket-buyers, writers, musical directors, crew, designers and performers and
more."
In response to the words of Shaiman, Egan, Whitty and numerous individuals
who contacted the theatre company, Eckern released an apology Nov. 11 and
donated $1,000 to the Human Rights Campaign, which works to achieve equality for
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.
"I understand that my choice of supporting Proposition 8 has been the cause
of many hurt feelings maybe even betrayal. It was not my intent. I honestly had
no idea that this would be the reaction. I chose to act upon my belief that the
traditional definition of marriage should be preserved. I support each
individual to have rights and access and I understood that in California
domestic partnerships come with the same rights that come with marriage," Eckern
said in a statement.
He continued, "I definitely do not support any message or treatment of others
that is hateful or instills fear. This is a highly emotional issue. I have now
had many conversations with friends and colleagues and I now have a better idea
of what the discrimination issues are, how deeply felt these issues are and I am
deeply saddened that my acting upon my religious convictions has been
devastating to those I love and admire… I am deeply sorry for any harm or injury
I have caused."