Actor fired for confronting heckler during performance of "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof"

Actor John Lacy as "Big Daddy" in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

At a performance of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof Saturday at the Repertory East Playhouse in Santa Clarita, California, one of the actors was fired for taking matters into his own hands when a heckler continued to yell "fag" from the audience.

From The Wrap:

John Lacy, who played Big Daddy in Tennessee Williams’ classic play that tackles homophobia among other themes, was fired after jumping off stage and physically confronting an audience member who repeatedly made noise and yelled “fag” during emotionally tense scenes, according to audience members’ accounts of the incident on Facebook.

The show apparently continued following the confrontation and concluded to a standing ovation. Lacy was apparently not let go until after the performance.

Lead actor Anton Troy resigned in solidarity with Lacy, writing on the social networking site that the show's producers should have handled the unruly patron, who had apparently been drinking before the show and returned to the audience after consuming more alcohol during intermission.

“I will not support homophobia or an establishment that doesn't support its talent,” Troy wrote. “Hate in any form is not something I choose to subscribe to. John is a seasoned professional and an honorable man. It should never escalate to a point where the talent has to handle an unruly drunk in the audience themselves regardless of the outcome. Producers dropped the ball, the fish stinks from the head on down.”

John Lacy has issued this statement:

Amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience at the theatre last. Wish I could say it was positive.

An audience member took it upon himself to heckle us all the way thru Act I, when it persisted in Act II and the producers did NOTHING about it, after admitting to me moments before I walked on stage it was "the drunkest audience they ever had," and then he called our lead actor a "fag," I took charge and showed him what was what.

And, get this, the producer, Michael Ovington Michael Owston FIRED ME! Insert laugh track!

Sorry for those who planned on attending. Right is right. Stood up to bullies my entire life, not gonna stop now