Protests at Brandeis University Force Cancellation of Lenny Bruce Play

By: Nov. 06, 2017
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It was reported today that administrators at Brandeis University have canceled an upcoming play about controversial comedian Lenny Bruce following vocal student and faculty outrage surrounding the play's content.

The play, titled "Buyer Beware" was set to premiere on stage this month, but was finally shuttered due to objections from faculty and the student body stemming from as early as last summer.

According to reports, the plot of the show centers on Ron, a Bruce fan, who sparks discussions of the application of Bruce's challenging work (Including the use of racial epithets) in modern times, as he attempts to perform comedy in the Bruce style.

The play, written by Michael Weller, was met with criticism that it unfairly portrayed the Black Lives Matter movement. One student protester described the play's portrayal of the movement as "ridiculous and vicious" caricatures.

In a statement from the school's faculty stated that they "felt that more time was needed to produce the play appropriately, and that its performance on campus should go hand-in-hand with robust educational programming."

In a statement, the university stated, "It was the playwright's sense, in his own words, 'that rehearsals of the play, and growing sentiment among some students in the theater department, might not be conducive to the creative atmosphere desired for a premiere presentation of a new work."

Despite the protests, the playwright has decided to bring the work elsewhere rather than delaying production.


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