That’s because its artistic director contributed money to the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign. Records show Scott Eckern contributed $1,000 to the initiative banning same-sex marriage.

Reaction in the local theater community has been swift. Tom Swanner is artistic director with the Lambda Players – a Sacramento-based gay, lesbian and transgender theater company.   

“People feel, especially gay people, they feel safe in theater, in the sanctuary of the theater itself. So finding out that somebody is helping to take their rights away makes people angry.” 

California Musical Theater produces Sacramento's annual Music Circus as well as plays at Broadway Sacramento. The company’s executive producer Richard Lewis did not return our request for comment.

Meanwhile, Eckern on Tuesday issued an apology for "any harm or injury" he has caused.