After a Texan church, Door Mcallen, produced an illegal, baptized rendition of the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton,” a legal battle prompted Door Mcallen to pay unspecified damages and end production. 

The modified play featured several of “Hamilton” playwright Lin Manuel Miranda’s famous songs with lyric changes to fit the Christian narrative of the church. Beyond the illegal nature of the show, many are upset at the homophobic sentiment expressed throughout, including the likening of homosexuality to addiction.

Because of internet outrage and the widespread popularity of “Hamilton” among youth, students at UHS had much to comment about Door Mcallen’s adaptation. 

“I definitely think [the church] paying [damages] was justified, since the original people behind the show didn’t condone nor give permission to repurpose their art,” sophomore Alisha Zhao said. “In this case, it risks altering whatever perception the public had on the original piece and risks misrepresenting the intentions of the true artist.” 

While the church did apologize for altering Lin Manuel Miranda’s work without prior consent, Door Mcallen failed to address other aspects of the show that garnered extensive criticism from the media and public, specifically, the usage of other artists’ creations to push one’s own controversial opinions. 

“The thing is honestly horrible,” sophomore Sophia Whyel said. “There’s [a] huge danger in taking another person’s artwork and then, against their wishes, warping it to fit your own agenda, especially if that agenda includes something as harmful as homophobia.” 

Following the trial against Door Mcallen, the “Hamilton” team has released a statement assuring the public that they do not stand for any of the values expressed in Door Mcallen’s play. This debacle shined a light on the violation of creative artists’ autonomy over their own pieces, a recently growing issue.