LEESBURG — There will be no ‘Brohemian’ rhapsodies in the Tropic Theatre.
A promoter working for comedian Owen Benjamin initially booked a weekend-long event at the Tropic but left the premises when asked about the type of humor involved.
The previously scheduled show, “Brohemian Grove III,” was advertised to feature stand-up comedy by Benjamin and co-headliner Sam Tripoli, with host Shane Cashman. The two-day event was billed in promotional material as a show that “dives deep into aliens, the occult, hidden history, and pure, unfiltered stand-up comedy.”
Beyond edgy and ironic, the fringe comedian and podcaster prides himself on cobbling entertainment out of cultural taboos. An entire page on the Anti-Defamation League website is dedicated to Benjamin, citing instances of racist, antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ jokes and comments. Benjamin’s show would have taken place during June, which is Pride Month. Also, there was a high-profile terror attack this month in Boulder, Colorado.
The “Brohemian Grove III” show would have included live podcast recordings along with performances from Tower Gang, Nephilim Death Squad and “a wild Conspiracy Round Table,” along with “surprise guests.” The promotional flyer solicited “skeptics, seekers or anyone just ready to laugh until you question everything.”
The event would have fetched $150 a ticket. The promoter, Toplobsta, has not yet posted an event cancellation notice, but in an email to the Daily Commercial did confirm that the show has been canceled. The flyer for the Leesburg page was still on Toplobsta’s Instagram page as of June 5.
Benjamin’s fans refer to themselves as “bears.” He uses the nickname “Big Bear” for himself.
A reader alerted the Daily Commercial to the event, and we reached out to Leesburg Mayor Alan Reisman and Special Events Manager Maggie Lyden for comment. Neither knew about Benjamin and his Brohemians.
Both officials referred a reporter to Melon Patch Players’ Artistic Director Dustin Lavine, who leads the Tropic’s resident theater company, for making the booking.
“I got duped,” Lavine said, clearly shaken while discussing the booking snafu.
“I’ll be honest. I did not get a full list of the comedians and people who would be present. And when I found out just now, that it happened to be that this group was (inside the theater) taking some measurements for things, I immediately went to them with the concerns, and they cleared out.
“I told them we cannot have this. And the next thing I know, they were just gone. So, I believe very strongly that they were trying to get it past me, and I just took the bait.”
Lavine said he hopes that other community theaters take note and don’t book the show.
“We’ve never had this issue in our history where somebody even came to us with an act like this to vet. Everything we’ve had has been good, wholesome. I mean, we’ve got some boundary-pushing things (such as ‘August: Osage County,’) but in a good way, not in this type of way.”
Since the Tropic is a city building, Lavine said he plans to vet programming much more carefully, consult with Leesburg City Manager Al Minner, and ensure a questionable event doesn’t nearly get staged again.
The Brohemian rental would have earned $1,000 for the city, and the promoter had declined publicity. Online posts boasted that the show was about to sell out.
“I’m Jewish. My assistant is LGBTQ. So this could have been bad on all levels,” Lavine said. “I thought I was covering the bases by going through a full contract and doing all the nuts and bolts of protecting the business side of things. I did not realize that I should have dug deeper.”
As previously reported in the Daily Commercial, the city of Leesburg purchased The Tropic and entered into a lease agreement with Melon Patch Players Inc.
The Melon Patch Players Inc. moved into The Tropic in January and regularly stages dramatic plays, comedies and musicals in the historic venue. The company leases the space from the city, paying a total of $150,000.
Said Mayor Reisman: “As a strong supporter of the arts, I’m truly excited about all the incredible things happening at the Tropic in downtown Leesburg. The Melon Patch Theatre has brought new life to the space with their creative energy, and it’s inspiring to see their continued success.
“Looking ahead, I’m especially thrilled that the Leesburg Arts Center will be joining them in the adjoining space at the start of the new year. Having all these amazing arts organizations under one roof, right on Main Street, is a huge win for our community.
“This renewed energy in the Tropic building is also one more step the city has taken to enhance not only our downtown, but Leesburg as a whole. It’s a reflection of our ongoing commitment to revitalization, community connection, and celebrating what makes Leesburg special.
“If you haven’t already checked them out, I’d highly encourage you to learn more about the important work they’re doing. It’s an exciting time for the arts in Leesburg!”
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: The ‘Bro’ show will not go on as Leesburg learns tricky lesson in event booking
Reporting by Staff Report / Daily Commercial
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