On Friday, November 18, Vice President-elect Mike Pence went to the evening performance of Hamilton. According to social media reports, Pence was greeted with boos from the audience members prior to the show.

After the show, Brandon Victor Dixon (Aaron Burr) asked the audience, including Pence, to remain in the theater for a brief statement following the curtain call.

Reading off a piece of paper, Dixon addressed the diversity of the cast, American values, and protection for all citizens. The full speech can be seen courtesy of a clip on Broadway World.

After news of the speech broke on social media, some angry users took to a hashtag in order to rebuke Dixon's statements.

The hashtag? #BoycottHamilton

Obviously, the hashtag is circulating to mixed reviews. While some think that Dixon was out of line for calling out the VP-elect after a performance, others believe that Dixon was simply voicing concerns by exercising his right to free speech.

As always, Twitter's thoughts on the matter are the most entertaining.

All jokes aside, this hashtag has some serious implications for actors and fans alike. Kaleb Jenkins, a first-year BFA Musical Theatre student at Coastal Carolina University, said, "The issue that's truly heartbreaking is the general statement that Pence shouldn't be allowed to see Hamilton or any piece of theatre. It goes against everything we stand for as artists."

"We create art on stage just like painters create art on the canvas. You would never tell somebody, 'Sorry, you can't look at this painting because you wouldn't get it.'"

Others agreed that the hashtag only deepens the divide between the arts community and society, a breach that the reach of Hamilton was beginning to mend.

"That's what makes Hamilton so great, as well as America," said high school actress Chloe Corley. "Different people, different ideas all coming together."

Still, there is resistance. The apology that President-elect Donald Trump demanded from the cast of Hamilton weighs heavy on the hearts of those who did not see anything wrong with Dixon's statements on Friday.

Some say that there was not any malicious intent behind Dixon's words, though others believe it was rude to so publicly address concerns about a VP-elect before he even takes office.

However, the majority agrees that theatre should be celebrated as an art form, not be used as a political battleground. It can be said that attacking the theatre is like attacking a doctor - art works to heal damaged relationships and celebrate others.

In the days going forward with both this hashtag and with the future, it's healthy to try to find the humor in situations, no matter your political stances. Take a hint from Twitter and just let yourself take a deep breath.

As for what this hashtag means for the theatre, Jenkins said it best.

"There's a reason theatre has stayed relevant throughout hundreds of years and why it's not going anywhere anytime soon."