Pensacola Theater Insists on Hosting Blasphemous Christmas Drag Show

Let the blame game begin.

It’s clear that Jeffrey Sharp, the general manager of Pensacola’s Saenger Theatre, placed the city in a no-win situation. How? With his handling of the fiasco surrounding the city-owned and subsidized theater’s decision to host the blasphemous “A Drag Queen Christmas” show two days before Christmas—in the middle of the city’s family-focused Winterfest celebration.

Mayor Acknowledges Show Is Inappropriate—But It Remains on the Schedule

On July 24, two days after my previous article about this problematic event, Sharp told Michael Kenny, the regional vice president for ASM Global, which manages the Saenger Theatre, about a meeting he had the previous day with Pensacola’s deputy city administrator, Amy Miller, “in her office at City Hall.”  

At that meeting, Miller informed Sharp “that the Mayor [D.C. Reeves] has concerns about this event taking place during the City’s annual Winterfest celebration.” Specifically, Miller told Sharp that the “mayor believes that this show is not a suitable fit for the family-friendly environment that the City is promoting in the downtown area during the holiday.”

That’s exactly right. And yet, the show goes on.

It’s likely not a coincidence that Miller, who still has preferred pronouns in her email signature block, relayed that message only two days after receiving bad press about the show. She had known about the show well in advance, having received an email from Sharp with the celebratory subject line “Drag Queen Christmas Dec 23 is confirmed” over two months earlier—meaning she could have objected well prior.

City of Pensacola Has Final Say Over Content at the Saenger Theatre

Sharp informed Kenny that the “Mayor stated that the City is not involved in booking the venue,” and that ASM has “full responsibility for booking content.” According to Sharp, the mayor said that at the time of contract renewal, the city might add language giving it “some say in the content that is booked at the venue.”

But whoever told the mayor that the city has no say over what content is booked at the Saenger Theatre gave him bad advice. The city’s current agreement with ASM Global clearly gives the city the authority to step in and veto what plays at this premiere city-owned venue.

Paragraph 2.6(a) of the management agreement between the city and ASM Global does not appear to have been amended since the city signed the original agreement. It provides:

The City hereby reserves, along with all other rights enumerated in this Agreement, the right of approval of the following matters: . . . To review and approve the kind and quality of events, . . . and all other products or services provided and items to be sold or provided by [ASM Global], or any subcontractors, or users of the [Saenger Theatre].

In other words, this boring legalese means the city has the final say.

That raises a new question: Did Miller’s and other city officials’ acquiescence in the event, after being notified about it, amount to tacit review and approval of it?

The city ought to answer that question.

Saenger Initially Sought to Cancel Show After Public Blowback

What’s clear, though, is that immediately after the publication of my original article, Sharp sought to cancel the event. He sent an email early on July 24, saying, “We will be cancelling ‘A Drag Queen Christmas’ at the Saenger.”

However, he sought “an alternative venue in Pensacola for this show”—a venue he later revealed to be the Escambia County-owned and ASM Global-operated Pensacola Bay Center. Sharp said he wanted “to explore as many avenues as possible to prevent this show from going away.”

Over the weekend, negotiations took place, and it looked like an agreement had been reached to cancel the show—though it would cost $50,000 to do away with this debacle. When Sharp tried to provide alternative dates and arrangements, Steve Levine, an agent with Creative Artists Agency, told Sharp that he “thought we had an agreement already … I’m a little confused.”

Even Reeves, the mayor, seemed to think the show was going to be cancelled. When a constituent complained to him over the weekend about the show, he responded on July 27, asking whether she had “checked the current schedule or just relied on the internet for [her] information?”

But on July 28, Sharp notified Miller about the $50,000 buyout, and ASM Global Regional Vice President Michael Kenny confirmed with Sharp that “we are NOT executing, correct?”

Instead, Kenny reached out to Stacey Escudero, an outside PR expert, because, in his words, “ … got something bubbling up in Pensacola.” Eventually, two other outside PR professionals, Sydney Wade and Meredith DeSanti, as well as ASM Global’s regional vice president of marketing, Kate Girottie, were all brought in to brainstorm a response.

Escudero eventually sent over proposed talking points for employees, urging them to cast those who objected to this blasphemous content as “a small group of community members”—though they’re not. And she urged employees to emphasize that ticket sales for the show were strong—though she admitted she didn’t know if this was true.

Unsurprisingly, she urged employees to emphasize that since the Saenger Theatre “has been part of the Pensacola community for 100 years, we value community feedback and appreciate you reaching out to share your thoughts.”

Saenger Manager Initially Mocked Those Who Expressed Concern About the Inappropriate Show

What’s particularly galling about this pablum is that one month earlier, Jeffrey Sharp had actually mocked community members who reached out to raise concerns about this program. In fact, when a colleague forwarded him one complaint, Sharp replied, “I saw it, and a few more. Cracks me up!” 

Is that valuing community feedback? Doesn’t seem like it.

Questions City Should Answer Going Forward

Going forward, the city of Pensacola needs to answer at least five questions:

• Who from the city has the authority to review and approve shows at the Saenger Theatre pursuant to Paragraph 2.6(a) of the Management Agreement?

• Why did the city back away from its initial decision to cancel the show? 

• Who made that decision to move forward with the show?

• Is it appropriate for the manager of the Saenger to belittle those who raised concerns?

• If not, what remedial actions has the city taken?

Sharp worried that Reeves had “implied that whatever decision is made regarding this event may play a factor in renewing ASM’s contract to manage the facility.” And it should!

As one constituent reminded the mayor, “I can assure you that myself and many others take notice and remember [events] such as this when it is time to vote.”

Pensacolians are watching—and waiting—to see what happens.

The post Pensacola Theater Insists on Hosting Blasphemous Christmas Drag Show appeared first on The Daily Signal.