Theater company leaves in protest over Prop 8 (San Diego)

[FreeState]

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/feb/10/1m10ion003424-theater-company-leaves-protest/?zIndex=50700


Theater company leaves in protest
'We couldn't sleep at night' over Prop. 8 support, director says
By James Hebert
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
2:00 a.m. February 10, 2009

SAN DIEGO — Ion Theatre, a small but well-regarded young theater company, has vacated its performance space in what it calls a protest of the property owner's personal contributions to Proposition 8, the November ballot initiative that banned same-sex marriage in California.

“It is with a very heavy heart that we make this decision,” said Glenn C. Paris, Ion's producing artistic director. “(But) we believe theater teaches us to act.”

<snip>

Brian Caster, the company's chief executive and president and the chairman's son, noted that the Academy of Performing Arts itself was planning to move. He said the campaign by Proposition 8 foes has been tough on company morale but that “the last thing we are is bigoted or prejudiced or anything of that sort.”

Last year, company Chairman Terrence R. Caster – whose company owns the A-1 Self Storage network as well as the Stadium Industrial Park where Ion was located – gave nearly $700,000 in support of Proposition 8. The initiative passed Nov. 4.

[chollybocker]

1. Caster gave nearly $700,000 ?!

That's a lot of hate.

[tbyg52]

2. Hooray for his son, at least -

I think I am reading correctly that the son is going directly against his father, the jerk....?

[FreeState]

3. Nope hes playing the reverse bigotry card...

calling out the No on 8 supports as bigots for not giving his company money. Its poorly worded (what else do you expect from the Union Tribune - GOP paper).

[tbyg52]

5. Oh, you mean the paper that once edited a LTTE of mine

to say the exact opposite of what I meant, and inserted a grammatical error to boot? (No kidding - back in the 80's.)

[FreeState]

7. LOL - sounds like them! Im hoping they got out of business soon...

they are trying to sell it - but no takers yet. Amazingly the owners have gay family members too...

[davidinalameda]

9. you're reading it wrong

I was too at first

[frylock]

4. i've known the casters for years..

and this really isn't a surprise at all. Most of them are pretty good people, but TR is batshit crazy to be sure.

[FreeState]

6. An interesting San Diego rumor about Castor and Manchester

its been floating around for a bit now... both of them have two things in common - they are both Catholic and more importantly they are both on the board of USD. Apparently both were pressured to give large amounts by San Diego Bishop Robert Brom and if they did not they would be removed from the board.

I would not be surprised if it was not true seeing the history of the Bishop and the gay community here ( he denied a gay man a burial http://www.10news.com/news/4297683/detail.html ).

[frylock]

8. most interesting..

and I know for a fact that the Casters have a VERY close relationship with the diocese. Wouldn't surprise me in the least to learn that he was strongarmed by the bishop.

[Iggo]

10. THE BISHOP!!!!

[ReliantJ]

11. It's a theatre

of course lol

[KitchenWitch]

12. Your point?

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

13. What does that mean?

[bluedawg12]

14. It's only a prayer.

[tbyg52]

15. Hey, ReliantJ!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

That said, what the heck are you trying to say?