A church in Texas has come under fire for performing a Christian based version of the Broadway musical 'Hamilton' followed by a sermon with anti-LGBTQ comments.
The Door Christian Fellowship Ministries church in McAllen together with RGV Productions held a two-hour performance, which was produced and livestreamed last Friday 5th August 2022.
Several biblical references - that were not originally included in the Tony Award-winning musical - were featured in the performance, according to the director of the Arts Integrity Initiative at The New School in New York City, who watched the show.
The production was also criticised for a sermon they delivered after in which an associate pastor, Victor Lopez, compared homosexuality to "struggles" with alcohol and drugs addiction.
Pastor Lopez said: "Maybe you struggle with alcohol, with drugs, homosexuality, maybe you struggle with other things in life, your finances, whatever, relationships."
"God can help you tonight."
Senior pastor Roman Gutierrez from The Door McAllen church told Morning News that the church was not anti- LGBTQ saying "everyone is always welcome."
Shane Marshall Brown, a spokesperson for "Hamilton" said: "Hamilton does not grant amateur or professional licenses for any stage productions and did not grant one to The Door Church."
They also said officials behind the musical were not aware of the "unauthorised staging" until the day after the church's first of two scheduled performances and sent a cease-and-desist letter.
In a statement to The Dallas Morning News, pastor Gutierrez said the church had received legal permission from 'Hamilton' to reproduce the show.