Katie Holmes' Broadway Debut Marred By Protesters

NEW YORK — Katie Holmes knows how to draw a crowd _ including anti-Scientology demonstrators.

Nearly 100 people lined up outside the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Thursday night an hour before Holmes acted on Broadway for the first time in a preview performance for "All My Sons."

Not in the line: roughly 30 Scientology protesters who stood behind a barricade and loudly chanted "Scientology kills!" Some wore masks like in the movie "V for Vendetta," and one poster read: "FREE KATIE."

Moments before the curtain went up, Holmes' husband _ and Hollywood's most famous Scientologist _ Tom Cruise entered the theater, where he mingled and shook hands with some other theatergoers who took photos and clapped. He then hugged Dustin Hoffman, who was sitting a couple rows away, which drew another cheer inside the theater.

Amid the hubbub, it took awhile for people to take their seats.

Melissa Doyle tried to ignore the ruckus. She said she took her spot in line early, and saw Holmes rush into the theater wearing skinny jeans, a black blazer and oversized sunglasses.

"I love Katie Holmes," the 27-year-old New Yorker said. "I think she's a great actress and right now, I really love her for her fashion, her style! I think she really kind of differentiates herself among young Hollywood. Plus, she's a mom _ and I just think she's a really good role model."

Meanwhile, 27-year-old Alistair Savides, visiting from St. Louis, said he wasn't there to see Holmes. He said he's a fan of Arthur Miller's drama, which first played on Broadway in 1947.

"I don't really care about who's performing as long as they're good at what they do and it's a good play," Savides said.

As protesters' chants grew louder, Savides called it "surreal to be right in the middle of this thing. But, you know, there's always two sides to every story and they just really strongly believe in one side of the story. ... If it adds to public debate, maybe that's a good thing."

Cruise's membership in the Church of Scientology has made him a controversial target of criticism. And last year, Jada Pinkett Smith felt compelled to deny her good friend Holmes is a prisoner in her marriage to Cruise, who's been depicted by the tabloids as a controlling husband.

"All My Sons" concerns businessman Joe Keller (John Lithgow) whose factory supplied defective cylinder parts to the military, resulting in the deaths of 21 pilots during World War II. Yet it was his business partner who went to jail for the mistake.

Dianne Wiest plays Keller's wife; Patrick Wilson his idealistic son; and Holmes the son's fiancee and daughter of Keller's disgraced partner.

The play officially opens Oct. 16.

Comments

[3fingerbrown]

I don't recall these "Scientology protesters" showing up when the late Isaaac Hayes was performing. I guess it's OK to be a Scientologist if you're a cool black guy, but it's an outrage if you're married to a weenie like Tom Cruise. Hollywood is crawling with converts to this wacky sect; why has Cruise become the whipping boy for the entire movement?

[realitycheck7]

because he is the most prominent public cheerleader

[3fingerbrown]

I think I might assign that role to Travolta. It was Travolta, not Cruise, who made that awful Scientology movie a few years ago, with the hope of spinning it into an entire series of films. It doesn't get more prominent or more public or more cheerleady (?) than that. But people generally like Travolta, as they generally liked Hayes, so they tend to ignore their eccentricities, whereas for some reason just the sight of Cruise makes a large segment of the population's blood boil. If it wasn't his so-called religion, they'd find something else to hate him for.

[doglove]

Most of them are smart enough to not discuss it in public. Cruise is not that smart.

He decided to use his celebrity status to influence his fans and try to convert them - and Oprah!!!

He is the one who opened this door. He has always been a member of this 'tribe'. No one bothered him about it, until he made a very foolish public display of himself.

The poor little girl, and I don't mean Katie.

[SenzuriChampion]

Oh /b/ I hate you so much.

Scientology is pretty messed up though.

[Josiwe]

I'm pretty sure this was done by people from ebaumsworld.

[SenzuriChampion]

I hate them, too.

[indyleftist]

It is amazing how religious bigotry is accepted as long as its done against a minority religion

[Marlyn]

Religion or Cult?

[indyleftist]

They are the same thing

The only difference is size, and of course the willingness of people to be openly bigoted towards them

[roninracer]

there is no difference. they are all bad for humanity.
$cientology is so far from anything resembling a religion it's pathetic. A poster below is correct, it's a massively organized ponzi scheme. They only like you if you have money to give them.

[FrituresDeLiberte]

Religion or Cult?

SAME THING.

There is no difference between scientology, islam, christianity, ect., except for membership numbers. None of them have any kind of evidence of truth.

http://frituresdeliberte.blogspot.com/ -- check it out!

[libbygirl]

Any group formed around the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard can't be called a religion. Of course what is the criteria for being called a religion? I think I'll start my own.

[Zao]

Scientology is not a minority religion. It is not a religion at all. TIME magazine did a major cover story on it years back, and accurately labeled it THE THRIVING CULT OF GREED AND POWER. It operates much more like the mafia, than a "religion." They have a history of attempting to destroy the lives and careers of anyone who shines a light on how they operate. Their history includes lots of crimes for which they were caught. Google: Paulette Cooper

While small, 100,000 members world wide, they are worth billions and have a lot of power for their size. Their aim is to take over government, schools and businesses and "clear the planet." They see psychiatry "psychs," as the root of all evil in society. Again, this bizarre essential element of their beliefs can be easily traced if you read their history in BARE FACED MESSIAH (bio of Hubbard available free on the web), when Scientology was attempting to establish itself as a legitimate form of psycho-therapy, but came up against the medical community, with its need for testing and proof. Scientology hit two birds with one stone, by declaring themselves a religion, both for tax purposes and to avoid regulation by medical authorities, and in the process demonized psychiatry and drugs. All pretty ironic, since sci fi founder L. Ron Hubbard was mentally ill and a regular drug user.

[alsm9]

"THE THRIVING CULT OF GREED AND POWER"

This could be the title of an op-ed piece on the catholic church OR on American evangelicals....please, lust for wealth and power has been the motive of a lot of religions, not just Scientology.

[gypsy508]

I would agree in most cases but Scientology preys on young people and brainwashes them. I've had them try it on me years ago under the guise of taking a psychological study. When I realized what was going on I started looking for windows to jump out of to get out of their office.

[indyleftist]

Other religions don't attempt to indoctrinate young people?

[groosemoose]

I agree that all religion is corrupt. The Evangelicals and born-against send a chill down my spine.

But consider this: an author wrote a book exposing Scientology (in the 80s, I think?) They impersonated her and taped her impersonator threatening them with a gun. If the IRS had not raided for tax reasons, the documents for 'Operation Freakout' would never have vindicated her. That is dangerous.

All churches need to lose tax-exempt status. Scientology first and foremost. Then those so-called-Christians meddling in our politics.

[indyleftist]

I agree they should pay taxes, but only if everyone else has to

On your example operation freakout
With every religion you could find the same thing. Gosh, speaking out against the christian church would get you burned as a witch not too long ago
Larry Flynt is a good modern day american example of someone the christians have tried to get thrown in jail or property seized or just harassed in general.
It would seem that people get mad when you trash their religious beliefs, Go Figure?

[hoopesaz]

"All churches need to lose tax-exempt status"

STRONGLY disagree with that. There are clear rules governing a religion's involvement in poltics. Those rules should be rigorously enforced. Churches who abuse them should lose their tax exempt status.

If all Churches lose tax exempt status then all non-profits should lose such status as well.

[ZekeCDN]

They also entered Cooper's office on false pretense and stole some paper from her printer, which they later used to send a threatening letter to themselves. Of course when the police investigated, the paper was traced back to Cooper.

Doubters can sing "La-la-la" with their fingers in their ears all they want, but Scientology is NOTHING like other religions ... or even other cults.

[sisterdebmac]

It's not a religion. It's a tax shelter. Even Hubbard said so back in the 50's when he was cooking up the mythology.

[IslandGyal]

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[rwe]

Sarah Bernhardt thinks palin should be raped in Harlem by black men

[OutsourcedAgain]

When do tickets go on sale for this?

[CKieffer]

You lost me at "thinks" when the word followed "Sarah Bernhardt"

[SaskiaStars]

Now, really, wh would you write something like this??????? How is this is helpful?

[pjones006]

Thats Sandra Bernhardt I believe

[marymansour]

As a devoted Obama supporter, I must tell you, IslandGyal, that this post is very much off the topic.

[lioness39]

I don't agree, mary. Any thread will do to talk about Obama. I simply love that guy. .

[NewArtz]

It takes a lot of faith to believe something that isn't true, that's why religious people have so much of it. Faith merely means you have sustained trust in something which is true only because you believe it is.

Scientology is yet another distraction from reality so that someone can be richer than someone else.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and he loves rich children more than poor ones....you can tell by the gifts he gives.

[MichB1]

Lighten up, Francis.

[Marlyn]

"something which is true only because you believe it is." ???

Believing something does NOT make it true.

[SenzuriChampion]

I have faith that I am actually at a keyboard typing something on the internet and not in a cell in my own mind and that all of this is real

isn't HAVING FAITH IN REALITY really the MOST COMMON RELIGION ????

:oo

[libbygirl]

Who's reality would that be?

[jojojo]

Most religions preach peace, but practice intolerance of other views. I think religion's mostly hogwash in its practice, though lots of good gets done through various charity works. Alas, it's overbalanced by the rigidity and hate that's also its by-product.

Many terrific people are believers, and I envy those who do good works in the name of their faith while deriving such comfort from it, but Lenin, I think it was, was right. Religion is the opiate of the masses.

[Johnagain]

I think it was Karl Marx who said that.

[SenzuriChampion]

Nah, Groucho Marx.

[RichDavid]

I knew the Pope and religion were in deep trouble when earlier this year george bush visited the Vatican and the Pope invited him to pray in a private garden reserved for Popes.....
bush....someone who is responsible for at least 2 wars and the deaths of hundereds of thousands of people.....what a great religion that is!

[Phasis]

Problem is that Scientology is not really a religion, not even in the minds of its most ardent "practitioners". Rather it calls itself "technology" and is in actuality a ponzi scheme. Scientology is a criminal conspiracy--a kind of western 419 scam.

[rocky786]

Kafir!
Come to the right path of Islam!

[mcthfg]

Or stop pretending the invisible sky daddy exists...

The "right path of Islam?" I know a few Jews who would disagree with that assessment. A few Christians, too.

But then when three myth-believing groups are all vying for the same real estate...

[Marlyn]

Islam too is screwed up. The prophet Mohammed, blessings be upon his name, says women have full rights under Islam, but look at the practice.

[marymansour]

The rights of women vary from one Islamic country to another. Egypt, being secular, is filled with liberated women. Has been for many years as is Jordan.

[proudloudlib]

Just leave Katie alone. Doesn't she have enough problems as it is, being married to Tom?

[Zao]

Scientology switched from a money grubbing self-help pseudo-science to a "religion" for tax purposes only. There is nothing religious, or "applied religious philosophy" (whatever that means) about this nutty UFO cult.

The "space opera" that founder L. Ron Hubbard concocted, to make members pay over $300,000 to learn its secrets -- about the galactic overlord Xenu -- are nothing short of a form of gradual brain-washing. Cruise, Travolta, and the current leader of this cult, David Miscavige, are all high school dropouts. Yet, they are taught to believe they know "all the secrets of the universe" or can get there, if they stick with Scientology for a billion years.

Scientology, which totally lacks scientific proof, embodies the anti-intellectualism of Sarah Palin, only their creation story believes Jesus was a "mind implant."

That the star power of Cruise and Holmes sucks vulnerable people into this idiocy is reprehensible. So, the protests perform a worthy function. What other religion operates prison camps, sucks the life savings out of them, dumps them on the street when they can't pay up, or indentures them to servitude in what is a tremendously lucrative enterprise for the few at the top of the pyramid.

Holmes made a Faustian trade off, selling her soul to Scientology, to be married to this controlling superstar. Maybe a little protest, will cause her to google something about the reprehensible practices of this cult. Cult members no doubt packed the opening. Free Katie!

[michiganfan]

"Maybe a little protest, will cause her to google something about the reprehensible practices of this cult. "

There's no way she would make it past Tom's web filter...

[ZekeCDN]

That's correct. One of the first thing CoS does for new recruits is to install filtering software on their PCs. Allegedly to protect them from bad influences, in fact it blocks out all Scientology truth and protest web sites. Even the strangest Christian or Muslim-based cults do not exert this degree of mind and thought control over their followers.

[rphillips4165]

I believe that religion is just the next phase of the high school clicks. It's the same thing. You surround yourself with people who believe the same things and view life the same way. And yes in those groups there are the leaders and followers. The quaterback in high school, the preacher in the religion. In high school the players "pray" in the stadium or gym. For some reason this is just human nature. We have to find and fit into groups to feel connected. Even if we have to change some of the ways we act and feel.

[HWNA]

All that is required of a religion is a set of beliefs and a group of people who adhere to them.

[doglove]

Many other 'religions' do what you refer to in your fourth paragraph, The Divine Light Mission for one.

When things got too hot and they got caught, they re-opened and re-packaged as "Elan Vital"

ALL religions are the scourge of the planet

[AurigaRa]

"I think she's a great actress and right now, I really love her for her fashion, her style! I think she really kind of differentiates herself among young Hollywood. Plus, she's a mom _ and I just think she's a really good role model."

Heeeyyyyyy - maybe KATIE should run for president - style, great actress and a MOM. Everything we
need. Get rid of the old guy and let the two role models run us even further into the ground. A blithering religous fundamentalist and a captive Scientologist. WOW!

Isn't America great?!?!?

[pjones006]

Great actress? Your going to have to work really hard to sell that to anyone.

FYI: Joan Crawford was a mother too!

[sisterdebmac]

That begs the question, could a Scientologist ever be elected president? I think not. Once you peel back the layers, it is just a mind-control cult that believes they're reincarnations of trillion year-old aliens. Don't think that would make it past most Americans' BS detetcor.

[Paralogos]

I could go into quite a rant here, but I'll just say http://www.xenu.net and leave it at that.

[Phasis]

& http://www.exscientologykids.com while you are at it.

[Ohg]

Who can say which 'faith' is more credible than another? ...............
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/09/16/mormon-scientologists-for-jehovah-on-the-7th-day/

[realitycheck7]

scientology is nothing but a pyramid scheme

[elr50]

I will never see another Tom Cruise movie. I haven't seen a good one since Top Gun, and the few I have seen were AWFUL (Eyes Wide Shut comes to mind especially). He is toast. Go Away, Mr. Cruise, and take your scientology with you.

[Okieborn]

How "TRUE !!
WHAT A CREEP and add JERK also !!
Katie has not looked happy or content since she married this FREAK !!!

[HWNA]

Yeah, I'm sure that she is miserable living in luxury with the father of her child.

[ezbreezer]

Was he in "Eyes Wide Shut" ?
I only remember Nicole Kidman. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....................

[Jaysus]

Let's see here, you LIKED Top Gun and you thought Eyes Wide Shut was awful? Who is going to take your appraisal of cinematic achievement seriously after coming out with that one.

[Wilsonfisk89]

I'm going to see this play tomorrow night (Saturday), and I couldn't be more excited. It is a fantastic, chilling work of american theatre, and I'm sure the performance is going to be first class. However, I really don't feel like dealing with these so called protesters. I'm all for protesting the war, etc , but give me a f**king break, this is a play! So what if an actress in the play belongs to a wonky pseudo religion that you don't agree with? You need to amass a group of people to 'protest' it? Perhaps selfishly, I don't want chanting, screaming idiots in my face, bothering me, or tainting my experience in anyway. I payed good money for these tickets, to a play that deserves respect. Katie Holmes aside, Arthur Miller is an American icon, and to lavish all this unneccessary press on this aspect of the show is disheartening to say the least.

[kmdippenger]

Enjoy yourself, I'm going to try to get tickets...it sounds great.

[sisterdebmac]

Yeah, well, get over it. Everywhere Scientology goes, people protest. It's always very small groups because not many people bother to get educated about this dangerous organization. They're not protesting because they think it's "wonky" and don't agree with it. They're protesting because they know that it's a destructive cult that has ruined lives and even murdered. Now do you understand?

Enjoy your play.

[universalveil]

SEQUOIABISON...very well put. I agree wholeheartedly.