Broadway Loves Activism Until the Show Is Good
Broadway this season feels incredibly contradictory. We spend all year talking about protecting marginalized communities, standing up to abusive behavior, condemning Trumpism, and presenting theater as this morally enlightened industry. Yet one of the leading revival contenders, and arguably the favorite to win Best Revival of a Play, is Death of a Salesman, which has effectively normalized Scott Rudin’s return to the Broadway ecosystem, and almost nobody seems interested in discussing it because the show is acclaimed. Little Bear Ridge Road, his other new show, is nominated for Best Play.
At the same time, one of the leading Best Musical contenders is Schmigadoon!, a show many people celebrate specifically because of its progressive themes, including its handling of homosexuality and queer identity. Yet the production is produced by the Schwartzman family (No Guarantees Productions), one of the Republican Party’s biggest donor families and longtime financial supporters tied to Donald Trump and conservative causes that many in the theater community publicly oppose.
What makes the inconsistency even more obvious is how quickly the industry and social media pile on certain people when it feels culturally safe or convenient. People were ready to aggressively go after Kristin Chenoweth over perceived political issues almost instantly, with endless discourse about accountability and values. But when acclaimed productions are involved, suddenly the conversation becomes much quieter and far more forgiving.
That contradiction is what makes the season feel so strange. Do we only care about these things when they’re convenient, and if we enjoy the work enough, we simply stop caring who is behind it?