Sohn: Pence schools Trump with 'Hamilton' response [videos]

The headline was brief and to the point:

"'Hamilton' Had Some Unscripted Lines for Pence. Trump Wasn't Happy."

On so many levels, the story that reverberated all weekend simply pops with the irony of President-elect Donald Trump's call to "make America great again" by denying that diversity is what made America great in the first place.

The story began with Vice-president-elect Mike Pence making an evening outing to see the Broadway musical "Hamilton," a show that is a salute to the patriotic contribution of immigrants. The play is performed by a proudly and deliberately multicultural cast.

Against this backdrop, remember that the Trump campaign often pledged to deport Mexican immigrants and ban immigration and travel here from Muslim countries.

As the show ended and the cast made a curtain call, Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays Founding Father Aaron Burr, stepped out to thank Pence for attending and to ask him to hear a short statement.

"We, sir, we, are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir." (Cheers erupted from the audience.) "But we truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us. All of us."

The audience responded with a standing ovation and applause.

Dixon continued: "Again we truly thank you for sharing his show, this wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men, women of different colors, creeds and orientations."

The audience heaped applause with whoops of approval.

Pence had been on his way out, but a spokesperson told reporters that he stood outside the theater and heard the full statement. The following day he told Chris Wallace on Fox News, "I did hear what was said from the stage, and I can tell you, I wasn't offended by what was said."

Trump, however, took to Twitter Saturday to sound imperial:

"The Theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!"

In another tweet Trump called the behavior of the cast and producers "harassing" and "terrible" and said the show "is highly overrated." His supporters started a #BoycottHamilton tweet line.

But Pence would have nothing of that on Fox News, telling Wallace: "If you haven't seen the show, go to see it. It is a great, great show."

Pence also responded to the cast's message.

"The center of that message is one that I want to address: I know this is a very disappointing time for people that did not see their candidate win in this national election, and I know this is a very anxious time for some people," he said. "I just want to reassure people that what Donald Trump said on Election Night, he absolutely meant from the bottom of his heart. He is preparing to be the president of all of the people of the United States of America."

It's wonderful that Pence can be magnanimous, understanding and encouraging. We thank him.

Perhaps he might also remind the president-elect that this country was founded on the freedom of speech, freedom of religion and a melting-pot sense of unity.

The actor, Dixon, who read the cast's statement, responded in a tweet: "@realDonaldTrump, conversation is not harassment sir. And I appreciate @mike_pence for stopping to listen."

We would suggest that no apology is necessary from Dixon or the cast for what, in reality, was a very respectful entreaty.

Certainly no theater apology is necessary until we hear apologies from our president-elect for his Mexican rapists comments, his attack on a Gold Star family, his attack on our Constitution with his suggested ban of Muslims, his crudeness to women, his belittling of the first black American president whom he slandered with birther claims and his insults to all Americans who value freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

Apologize, indeed!

Finally, as to Trump's tweet that the "Theater must always be a safe and special place," well, he finally got one right. But there's more to it, Mr. President-elect:

All of America must always be a safe and special place, sir.

That's what the cast of "Hamilton" - and we - are hoping and praying you eventually will hear.