Broadway stars mock Russia’s anti-gay laws in protest video
By Josh Haggis
Some of Broadway’s biggest stars have created a musical protest video in response to Russia’s anti-gay laws and the controversy surrounding next month’s Winter Olympics in Sochi.
The parody video, in which the Russian government “outlaws” theatrical performances, stars the likes of Looking’s Jonathan Groff, The New Normal’s Andrew Rannells (pictured right) and Ugly Betty’s Michael Urie.
In the video, the Russian theatrical community responds to the ban by putting on a musical called Love & Punishment.
“I know we’re just a musical and it might seem silly, but if we can help bring joy, inspire, and call people on bullshit, that’s a night of theatre,” Rannells’ character says in the video. The musical features scenes including a young Vladimir Putin losing his first girlfriend to another woman, and two modern-day male Olympic athletes falling in love with one another.
In June 2013, Russia passed laws banning the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations”, and there has been an increasingly hostile atmosphere towards the country’s LGBT community.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said gays visiting Russia for next month’s Sochi Olympics have nothing to worry about – provided they “leave children in peace”.
Watch the musical performance below – and find out what Attitude‘s Andrew Fraser and other critics thought of Jonathan Groff’s new gay drama Looking here.
[youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBDJGx8ck0c[/youtube]