From The Los Angeles Times: Scott Eckern, the Sacramento theater director whose political donation in support of California’s Prop. 8 ban on same-sex marriage turned into a lightning rod in the debate over gay rights, resigned Wednesday, saying he wanted to protect the California Musical Theatre, his artistic home since 1984, from further controversy. Word of Eckern’s $1,000 donation — publicly reported under state elections law — spread rapidly on the Internet last week, and Eckern drew criticism from some prominent stage artists, including Tony Award-winning composer Marc Shaiman (”Hairspray”) and Jeff Whitty, the “Avenue Q” librettist.

“I am disappointed that my personal convictions have cost me the opportunity to do what I love the most,” Eckern, the nonprofit stage company’s artistic director since 2003, said in a written statement. By resigning, he said he hoped to “help the healing in the local theatergoing and creative community.”

– When the gay community forces the resignation of a celebrated theatrical director because of his position on gay marriage, it appears that their idea of “tolerance” isn’t the same as everyone else’s…

Have PoliticalMavens.com delivered to your inbox in a daily digest by clicking here