Republican Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado was forcibly removed from a performance of the “Beetlejuice” musical in Denver, sparking a discussion about how theaters should handle disruptive audience members. The incident occurred during a show at the Buell Theater, part of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
According to an incident report from the city of Denver, Boebert was accused of causing a disturbance at the theater. This is not the first time she has been involved in such incidents, as she famously heckled President Biden during the State of the Union last year and previously refused a search of her bag by Capitol security.
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts released a brief statement acknowledging the incident and stating that they have specific guest policies in place. They confirmed that two patrons were escorted out of the theater for not adhering to these policies.
The incident report from the city of Denver described the details of the disturbance. After receiving complaints from other audience members about noise, singing, and cellphone use, officials warned the patrons to be respectful to their neighbors. However, the disturbance continued into the second act, leading the theater to involve the Denver Police and ask the party to leave. On their way out, the patrons allegedly made comments such as “do you know who I am?” and “I will be contacting the mayor.”
The Denver Post identified Lauren Boebert as the person involved in the incident. Boebert’s campaign manager, Drew Sexton, confirmed the incident but interpreted it differently in a statement. Sexton emphasized Boebert’s support for the performing arts and described her enjoyment of the “Beetlejuice” performance. He also expressed appreciation for the theater’s strict enforcement of their no-photos policy, drawing a comparison to the Biden Administration’s approach to border laws.
Despite being ejected from the show, Boebert expressed her continued enthusiasm for “Beetlejuice” in a post on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). She encouraged others to see the show and jokingly requested they let her know how it ends.
The incident raises broader concerns about rowdy behavior in theaters, particularly in England where similar issues have arisen. Theaters globally are grappling with the issue of how to handle disruptive patrons. While confrontations like this have been less common on Broadway, the incident with Boebert has brought attention to the topic once again.