Eckern's $1,000 contribution to the measure that would amend California's state constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to a union solely between a man and a woman was discovered through public record. Proposition 8, which was approved by a vote of 52.3 percent on Nov. 4, overturns the May 2008 California Supreme Court decision granting marriage equality. Word spread quickly throughout the theatre community via e-mails sent by Tony Award-winning Hairspray composer Marc Shaiman and Tony-nominated actress Susan Egan (Triumph of Love, Beauty and the Beast), as well as a blog post from Tony-winning Avenue Q book writer Jeff Whitty, all of whom took issue with Eckern's support of a measure that was created to deny gays and lesbians the right to marry. The official title of Proposition 8 ballot reads: "Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry." Shaiman contacted Eckern and also issued a mass e-mail that stated, "The idea that money from his salary that was, in a small way, made from a production of Hairspray had now been put to use to pass this bigoted Proposition truly hurt and sickened me and that no future project of mine would ever play his theatre." Egan's e-mail went on to call for a boycott of California Musical Theatre by "ticket-buyers, writers, musical directors, crew, designers and performers and more.