Broadway stars publicly chastised pop icon Madonna after she repeatedly used electronic devices during an April 2015 performance of the hit musical “Hamilton.”
Cast members, including Anthony Ramos and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, expressed frustration over Madonna’s behavior, which reportedly included utilizing an iPad throughout the entire show and checking her phone multiple times during the performance.
Hamilton cast voiced displeasure when Madonna repeatedly used iPad and phone during their live performance.
Ramos, a principal cast member, recounted the incident during an appearance on “Watch What Happens Live!” where he described Madonna’s presence as “terrifying” due to the distracting glow emanating from her device in the darkened theater.
While mimicking her hunched posture, Ramos emphasized how the singer-actress remained fixated on her screen rather than the stage performance, creating a noticeable disturbance for both performers and nearby audience members. He even suggested that if she wasn’t enjoying the production, she should have left the theater.
Miranda also addressed the situation in a now-deleted tweet, referencing an unnamed celebrity who had been texting throughout Act 2 and consequently lost backstage access privileges.
Though not explicitly naming Madonna, the timing and circumstances strongly suggested she was the subject of his criticism, reflecting the production’s commitment to maintaining performance integrity and audience etiquette.
Madonna’s representative quickly disputed claims that she had been denied backstage access, countering that she had been invited multiple times and had made a substantial fundraising donation.
However, this statement did not address the core allegations about her disruptive behavior during the show itself, which had generated numerous complaints from other theatergoers on social media.
Jonathan Groff, who portrayed King George in the production, also voiced his disapproval, describing Madonna’s illuminated phone as a black void in the audience’s darkness.
The incident highlighted tensions between celebrity culture and traditional theater norms, where using electronic devices is considered particularly inappropriate due to the intimate, live nature of the performances.
The bright illumination from screens proves especially disruptive in darkened theater environments, breaking performers’ concentration and diminishing the experience for surrounding audience members.
No formal public apology from Madonna was ever recorded following the incident, which continued to serve as a significant example of celebrity behavior clashing with the established etiquette expectations of Broadway productions.