New York's Public Theater is refusing to back down after its production of "Julius Caesar" sparked controversy over overt references to President Trump, Variety reported.
The company's modern-day depiction of "Julius Caesar" features a Julius Caesar character with blond hair and a business suit, and his wife speaks with a Slavic accent similar to that of first lady Melania Trump.
The previews of the play generated controversy, even though Trump’s name is never mentioned in the production.
In the play’s climatic scene, the Trump look-alike Caesar is brutally stabbed to death by his associates in the Senate due to jealousy and greed for power.
The scene spread nationally on Sunday after Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., retweeted a Fox News story stating, “A New York City play appears to depict President Trump being brutally stabbed to death by women and minorities.”
NYC Play Appears to Depict Assassination of @POTUS https://t.co/jEjnDtT7dw
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 11, 2017
I wonder how much of this "art" is funded by taxpayers? Serious question, when does "art" become political speech & does that change things? https://t.co/JfOmLLBJCn
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 11, 2017
Donald Trump Jr. wondered whether the "art" was taxpayer-funded.
Delta Air Lines and Bank of America pulled their financial support for the theater in the wake of the controversy. Still, the company refuses to back down.
"We stand completely behind our production of ‘Julius Caesar,'” the theater said. "We recognize that our interpretation of the play has provoked heated discussion; audiences, sponsors, and supporters have expressed varying viewpoints and opinions. Such discussion is exactly the goal of our civically-engaged theater; this discourse is the basis of a healthy democracy."
