Texas Church's Controversial ‘Hamilton' Performance Was ‘Unauthorized'

“Maybe you struggle with alcohol, with drugs — with homosexuality — maybe you struggle with other things in life, your finances, whatever,” a Rio Grande Valley pastor said during a sermon that followed the performance

By Michael Williams and Maggie Prosser • Published August 8, 2022 • Updated on August 8, 2022 at 10:58 am

A McAllen church is facing controversy for its rendition of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s popular musical "Hamilton," which had several scenes edited to incorporate biblical themes, followed by a sermon that compared being gay with having an addiction.

Much of the criticism about the show, produced by RGV Productions and The Door McAllen church, centers on the idea that the edited performance and sermon are the antithesis of what Hamilton and Miranda, known for his support of LGBT causes, represent.

The Dallas Morning News obtained video of the performance, which ran for about two hours, and a brief sermon that followed. The show incorporates several biblical messages and references not included in Miranda’s original musical. Theater-centric OnStage Blog first reported on the controversy.