A Dolly Parton-themed musical had to be suspended mid-show in Manchester because of homophobic harassment, according to one of the actor’s in the production.
One of the performers in the musical Here You Come Again, Stevie Webb, said that homophobic incidents at the show have gotten so bad the cast was at one point forced to leave the stage.
Webb, who explained the story on TikTok to his 102.7k followers, said that last Wednesday the whole cast had to ‘leave the stage, because a woman was so disgusted there was a gay character.’
He wrote on TikTok that the incident on Wednesday was followed by a similar moment when a man had to be escorted from the audience for shouting homophobic comments.
Webb said there had also been problems during the London run of the production.
Webb said the incidents have really opened his eyes to the realities of homophobia, explaining that the man who was removed from the audience shouted a slur and then: ‘I just want to see Dolly Parton.’
Webb said: ‘We’re in such a bubble in this industry. But travelling the country and seeing how many people literally cannot bear to see a gay person depicted on stage – it’s wild.’
ATG Entertainment, which runs the Manchester Opera House, told the BBC it took a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to hate speech and disruptive audience members.
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Directed by Gabriel Barre, the musical comedy is a light hearted romp through Parton’s iconic music.
Publicity for Here You Come Again says the show is about ‘a diehard fan whose fantasy version of international icon Dolly Parton gets him through trying times.’
The country singer, 79, is a longtime advocate of LGBTQ+ rights and spoke publicly in favour of gay marriage before its legalisation in the US.
She also previously hosted Gay Days at her themepark Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
In 2016, in the midst of LGBTQ+ controversy about gender-assigned toilets, Parton told CNN: ‘I think everybody should be treated with respect. I don’t judge people and I try not to get too caught up in the controversy of things.
‘I hope that everybody gets a chance to be who and what they are. I just know, if I have to pee, I’m gon’ pee, wherever it’s got to be.’
Dolly Parton musical halted after ‘homophobic abuse’ hurled at the stage