MobileChelonian

FULTON, Mo. — When Wendy DeVore, the drama teacher at Fulton High here, staged the musical "Grease," about high school students in the 1950's, she carefully changed the script to avoid causing offense in this small town. She softened the language, substituting slang for profanity in places. Instead of smoking "weed," the teenagers duck out for a cigarette. She rated the production PG-13, advising parents it was not suitable for small children.
But a month after the performances in November, three letters arrived on the desk of Mark Enderle, Fulton's superintendent of schools. Although the letters did not say so, the three writers were members of a small group linked by e-mail, all members of the same congregation, Callaway Christian Church. Each criticized the show, complaining that scenes of drinking, smoking and a couple kissing went too far, and glorified conduct that the community tries to discourage. One letter, from someone who had not seen the show but only heard about it, criticized "immoral behavior veiled behind the excuse of acting out a play."

Read more in the NY Times piece here.

I thought Missouri was mostly out of the Bible Belt? Then again, they tried to kick Darwin out of the classroom in Kansas, and that's as Midwest as it gets. And people make fun of the South. Hah! Eat that, you bratwurst sucking farmboys! Seriously, this is begging for an Onion treatment. How about, I don't know...

IRAN, SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION COME TOGETHER FOR PROTEST

JOHN TRAVOLTA, GEORGE BUSH BURNED IN EFFIGY

NY TIMES REFUSES TO POST REVIEWS OF "SALACIOUS" PLAYS

Just an idea.

Posted by Aaron on Monday, February 13, 2006 at 10:29 AM | Permalink