Middle School banned from performing "25th Annual...Spelling Bee"

[Observation]

Posted: 4/23/19 at 10:29pm

On May 2nd, the Hyattsville Middle School was set to open their production of the musical "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." The children had rehearsed for 3 months, giving up evenings and weekends to put all the final touches on their production of this beloved family musical. Parents had spent hundreds of dollars on costumes and props, and driven kids to and from dozens of rehearsals. And most importantly, these kids had found a community of loving, supportive peers and teachers who encouraged their desire to create art.

Then a parent complained. We don't know specifically what the parent complained about, but students were told the complaint was about the portrayal of a married gay couple in the play. One of the characters has gay dads and they appear briefly in the show. Concerned parents have been told several different reasons for the cancellation, and the PGCPS have contradicted their own reasoning on multiple occasions, obviously knowing the negative repercussions of cancelling due to the LGBT family being portrayed.

In 2019, as a gay parent, it's important that my son be able to see families like his represented. The idea that this is even a controversial topic, or that my family could be seen as "profane" by Prince George's County Public Schools is frankly abhorrent.

Please tell the Prince George's County Public Schools to reverse this unfair decision and allow the show to go on. These children and our families deserve nothing less."

 

Please take a moment to sign this petition. 

 

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 4/24/19 at 6:36am

Maryland.

[fistlast123]

Posted: 4/24/19 at 9:13am

I’m a gay student who attended this middle school in the past five years. I was extremely involved in the theater department. In fact, I attended this school because of the theater program. I want to make is clear that no one here cares about theater. Last year, the show was canceled because nobody would go to rehearsals. The teacher wants to stir up controversy because this is his second year at the school and the second year his show has been canceled. This school is not a loving community. These were the worst years of my life. I experienced the most homophobia within the theater program, not outside of it. Torment came from the students performing with me. This show was not canceled because of homophobia. There is literally a song in called “My Unfortunate Erection”. This is not appropriate for 12 year olds to perform. It doesn’t matter if kids say worse in class. This whole situation makes me furious. My friends and I suffered here, and the community wants to claim that they really care? They don’t. They want a news story. If they cared, they would do something to help actual LGBT students, but they don’t. They never have and I doubt they ever will.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/24/19 at 10:03am

It's "My Unfortunate Distraction" in the schools' version.

[freewilma]

Posted: 4/24/19 at 12:18pm

Text from Washington Post article on this situation.  

Post Article Link

By Donna St. George

April 23 at 11:08 PM

For months, students at Hyattsville Middle School in Maryland practiced for their spring musical. They recited lines, learned songs and imagined the world of the spelling bee contestants who were at the heart of their show.

Then, just before spring break, performances of the “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” were canceled with little explanation — setting off a wave of concern and criticism from parents who questioned whether the decision was related to gay characters in the musical.

“This is Hyattsville, Maryland, in 2019, and I can’t believe that is a reason,” said Elizabeth Tornquist, whose daughter was rehearsing for the show in the Prince George’s County school.

By Tuesday evening, school officials had agreed to revisit the issue, saying they would look into whether it would suffice to simply let people know the show was for more mature audiences so that they could decide whether to bring younger children.

 

School officials also said they would go back to the licensing agent for the Broadway hit to ask again about modifying language they said contributed to a decision that the musical was not appropriate for middle school.

None of the changes being requested involve eliminating the gay characters, they said, despite chatter on social media.

“I know that there was a rumor and a concern, but we’re not seeking to remove gay characters, nor was the play canceled because of gay characters,” schools spokeswoman Raven Hill said.

Parents gathered at Hyattsville Middle for a meeting Tuesday, demanding answers for the abrupt cancellation. A small group protested before the meeting, bearing signs with messages that included, “The Show Must Go On!” and “Three Months of Work For Nothing?”

Robert Kapler, whose 13-year-old daughter was involved in the musical as part of the school’s creative and performing arts program, said he was dismayed to hear of the show being halted so close to curtain time.

 

“She would wake up and practice,” he said. “She practiced after school, and she practiced at night. She practiced her singing. She practiced her dancing. She practiced her lines.”

“My main concern is that they’re shutting down something that should have been allowed to go forward because they put so much work into it,” he said.

The issue hit a nerve in Hyattsville, a community that many say prides itself on being diverse, welcoming and LGBTQ-friendly.

School officials sent a letter to parents in mid-April, abruptly canceling a show not long from opening.

“Unfortunately we have decided to cancel the Spring Musical dates of May 2nd, 3rd and 4th,” the letter said, adding that a parent meeting would be held Tuesday to answer “any of your questions, comments or concerns.”

Some parents complained that they went through spring break without knowing why the show was being stopped.

 

Justine Christianson, president of the school’s PTSO, said she had received an email Tuesday morning from Monica Goldson, interim chief executive of the Prince George’s school system, saying the cancellation came after teachers expressed concerns about “the extended use of profanity” in the musical.

That email said the play’s content had been reviewed by school officials who decided to cancel the play because copyright laws did not permit a change in language.

“It was then deemed more appropriate for high school and not middle school,” the message from Goldson said. It added that school system officials would create a process for approval of plays before students begin practicing “to ensure this does not happen again.”

At the parent meeting Tuesday, school officials mentioned a number of concerns — with racial humor, sexual innuendo and what one described as some “cuss words.”

 

Parents pressed to know more about when and how concerns had arisen — and where the process had gone wrong.

“This play is two weeks out. . . . I find it completely unacceptable,” one mother said.

The decision to revisit the issue came after a student who was at the gathering suggested the disclaimer about more mature content, so families could decide if the show was suitable for the very young.

A school board member, Pamela Boozer-Strother, who represents the area and attended the meeting, supported the disclaimer.

“It was something that had been on my mind,” she said later. “I was glad the student asked it, and she was able to take us in a new direction of a solution that may be possible.”

The school system said it would report back within two days about whether the show will go on, Boozer-Strother said.

“I don’t think the reasons for all of this were made very clear, but I am glad there is a way forward and that the students don’t feel all of their hard work was for nothing,” Christianson said.

Karl Kippola, a professor and director of the theater and musical theater program at American University in Washington, directed a campus production of the musical. He called it a “lovely” show — lighthearted and irreverent but also moving as it depicts the struggles of young spelling bee contestants.

He said one contestant’s gay parents appear briefly, and there are a couple of instances of mild profanity “but not anything that people have not heard in school before.”

Jesus is invoked in an exclamation, he said — which leads to the appearance of an actor dressed as Jesus, who gives the speller advice.

“The idea that people would be offended by it, that seems to be a little bit of a stretch,” he said. He said he could not call it a safe, traditional pick for a middle school but could see how students would find it fun to work on.

“It would be something they could relate to much more personally and directly,” he said. “Above all, the musical is funny and it makes the problems accessible but not overwhelming.”

He added: “People who are looking to be offended can find something offensive in it, but I think you can do that with most musicals.”

[freewilma]

Posted: 4/24/19 at 12:20pm

Piece from Arts Integrity  Arts Integrity on Spelling Bee article

C-a-n-c-e-l-i-n-g ‘Spelling Bee’ at a Maryland Middle School

The communication announcing the cancelation of a production of the musical The 25thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Hyattsville Middle School in Maryland could not have been more terse.

Unfortunately we have decided to cancel the Spring Musical dates of May 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

Additionally, we will hold a parent meeting after spring break, Tuesday April 23rdat 4:30pm in Mrs. Gee’s Room to address next steps and to answer any of your questions, comments, or concerns.

The letter was signed by Genese Gee-Schmidtke, the Hyattsville Middle School Theatre Arts Director. The signature included the tagline, presumably common to all of her communications, which reads, “Respect Art, Create Art, Live art…Do good!”

Inquiries regarding the cancelation to the office of Dr. Monica Goldson, who holds the title of Interim CEO at Prince George’s County Public Schools (in lieu of the more typical title of Superintendent), which includes Hyattsville, received the following reply:

Thank you for contacting me concerning the cancellation of the play at Hyattsville Middle School. Staff spoke with the Principal and listed below is what actually took place.

Teachers expressed concern given the extended use of profanity in the play even though it was play was identified as PG13 appropriate. The supervisor for Performing Arts, was then requested to review content during which time it was decided that the play should be cancelled since copyright laws did not permit the change in language when she reached out to the company.  It was then deemed more appropriate for high school and not middle school.

A letter will be crafted and sent home to the school community this week.

In addition, we will work with the central office Creative and Visual Performing Arts team to create a process for approval of plays prior to students practicing and preparing to ensure this does not happen again.

The 25thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Bee is the comic recreation of a student spelling bee. It ran on Broadway from May 2005 to January 2008 and received a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for Rachel Sheinkin, as well as a Tony for Dan Fogler who played one of the student competitors. It has widely been produced since, however for school productions, the lyrics of one song, “My Unfortunate Erection,” have been revised to “My Unfortunate Distraction” to remove the obvious sexual connotation.

According to news reports, the Hyattsville production has been in rehearsal for months, and as Gee-Schmidtke’s brief communication indicates, the cancelation came over spring break, with the performances scheduled for the weekend following the return from break. Presumably, Gee-Schmidtke did not cancel her own show, but rather was communicating the decision of others above her in the school or district hierarchy.

With the material most obviously problematic already revised and implemented for the Hyattsville production, precisely what concerns remained? A report from WJLA TV references a statement from the communications office for the district, saying that a review of the script yielded, in WJLA’s characterization, “concerns surrounding profane language, sexual innuendo, and several lines in the play that could potentially be viewed as racist.” Coverage of the Tuesday meeting in The Washington Post characterized school officials as citing “a number of concerns — with racial humor, sexual innuendo and what one described as some ‘cuss words’.”

Arts Integrity has written to the CEO and the Hyattsville principal, as well as the communications office asking for those specific examples. As of publication time, the only response received, from Raven Hill in the district communication office, read, “I will follow up with you later today.” This post will be updated with that response upon receipt.

It has been widely rumored online that the main concern about the show pertains to the characters of the two gay dads of one of the student characters. Schools spokesperson Hill was quoted by the Post as saying, “I know that there was a rumor and a concern, but we’re not seeking to remove gay characters, nor was the play canceled because of gay characters.”

James McGonnigal, an area resident who does not have a child who is a student at the school, but attended the meeting, characterized the conversation in the meeting in an e-mail with Arts Integrity, writing:

The meeting last night was not only filled with contradictions to the statement made earlier in the day about reasons for the production’s cancellation. The meeting began with Principal Thorne reading the county’s prepared statement and followed with questions and replies. During the questioning from parents and community members, the Principal and County representatives first attempted to blame MTI for not allowing the changes being requested.

McGonnigal went on to write:

There was more discussion of the list of requested changes, this time from Ms. Gee – the director of the show. One parent asked for that list to be shared and they said it would take a few days to compile it. And then I asked if the director could confirm that the inclusion of gay parents was not on the list of requested changes. After replying “Well, there were several requested changes made and we just want to make sure that we’re offering a show that’s appropriate for all ages.” When I asked again, “Can you confirm that the inclusion of gay parents was not a concern brought to MTI,” she replied “No, I cannot confirm that.”

McGonnigal has set up an online petition in support of the play going forward.

In a video recording of the start of the meeting, the school principal, Thornton Boone, reads a prepared statement which includes making a distinction between MTI school edition scripts, which he says are prepared for high schools, and Broadway Junior editions, which he cites as being for elementary and middle schools, noting that there is no Broadway Junior edition of Spelling Bee. He proceeds to say, “Based on this information, it is recommended that this production not be presented by Hyattsville Middle School.” He then outlines the intention to develop a plan for the future approval of shows for the 2019-2020 school year and proceeds to cite the school’s adherence to policies against discrimination and harassment.

Boone goes on to recount a conversation between MTI and Ms. Gee-Schmidtke in which she was ostensibly told that any changes to the script would be in violation of copyright. He goes on to state that LGBTQ content was not the reason for the cancelation, and announces that in a June performance, students will present excerpts from prior school productions, including Into The Woods, Fame, Once on This Island, Romeo and Juliet and Annie.

The impression that no changes to the Spelling Bee text are permitted, even when properly requested, is rebutted by WJLA’s report, which also cites McGonnigal:

“There are a handful of ‘damns’ or ‘Jesus Christs’ that are in there, that could easily be cut out, I don’t think with any complaint from the licensing agency,” said Jamie McGonnigal, who says he is very familiar with ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’.

ABC 7 reached out to the licensing agency, Music Theatre International, and a spokesperson confirmed that they have accommodated similar requests in the past.

If gay dads aren’t the issue, if mild curse words can be altered with permission, what remains a problem with Spelling Bee? Again, the school district isn’t being specific. The most likely point of contention may well be a brief scene when one of the student spellers utters, “Jesus, can’t you come up with a harder word than that?” and Jesus appears to that student in a one-page scene in which he explains that spelling bees aren’t something he much concerns himself with.

If it is the depiction of Jesus which is a problem under the PGCPS guidelines, then presumably that is not a matter that would be any different in the high school than the middle school. Is this the “extended use of profanity” alluded to in an e-mail from Goldson to the Justine Christianson, president of the school’s PTSO? Are we to parse the language carefully to distinguish profane from what is often seen as its synonym, obscene?

There may be a solution at hand, namely that the show proceeds, despite losing days of rehearsal, with a “mature content warning” appended in materials promoting the show, as if anyone in the community isn’t now aware of such reservations on the part of the administration after major press coverage. The school and the district will reportedly issue their decision by tomorrow. But what’s worth noting is that the solution didn’t come from anywhere in the school hierarchy. Rather, it was proposed by a student at yesterday’s meeting.

It seems that Hyattsville Middle School’s leadership, and the district leadership, has an awful lot of work to do very quickly if they are to dispel both rumors and establish the clear facts about any censorious intent. They need to be transparent about what changes they’re requesting and to eliminate any sense that gay parents aren’t a problem and that their reasoning isn’t in any way arbitrary or that they have failed to seek genuine solutions.

But it also seems clear that in both this decision and their plans to implement a review process, which would likely only serve to reduce the variety of work available for performance at the school, they should listen to their students and include them in that process going forward. Because, with teachers often silenced in such cases, it seems the students may have the most creative ideas about how to solve problems, and get on with the show.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 4/24/19 at 12:29pm

Yokels x

[binau]

Posted: 4/24/19 at 12:33pm

Religion is like that annoying Republican uncle that just won't shut the **** up and stay out of everyone's business. 

[trentsketch]

Posted: 4/25/19 at 10:05am

Every time this kind of thing happens, I blame the administration of the school. I can't think of a school program in my area where the theater teacher or adviser does not have to jump through hoops to get shows approved by the administration. They're asked to provide scripts, recordings, explanations for why the show is good for the school, and go to numerous meetings over it. Every time this happens, there's suddenly a review of the script right before the show opens that means they have no choice but to cancel. If they read the script before approving the show and had objections, another show could have been chosen. 

Spelling Bee is one of my favorite shows. Spelling Bee is also show with some bad language and adult content in it. Damn is used a lot. Barfee describes one of Olive's ideas as the r word. Many of the suggested improvs for audience volunteers are sexual innuendos. My Friend the Dictionary has that line "I heard that she's pro-choice, though still a virgin." Marcy and Olive reveal they come from abusive households before/during their songs near the end of the show. There's more than that. I, personally, wouldn't do the show with a middle school even with the alternate lyrics to Chip's Lament (that come with every licensing package), but I've seen posters for plenty of middle schools doing the show in this area.

Technically, you can't change the script without a license. That's a weak excuse to cancel a show so close to production. The administration of the school has an obligation to the students and the community to make sure the material being studied/performed in school is appropriate per the school/community's standards. You can hear most of the things I pointed out just by listening to the cast recording. You don't even need to read past the first song to find the first "damn" in the libretto. Instead, another school chooses to punish the students who worked hard to put on a show because the school couldn't be bothered to care until someone complained. The school messed up, cancelled the show to save face, and blamed the show itself for their mistakes. 

Updated On: 4/25/19 at 10:05 AM

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 4/25/19 at 10:16am

Quick, send the cast of The Prom out there!

[freewilma]

Posted: 4/25/19 at 10:18am

The show is back on......but being delayed for 2 weeks to make up for lost rehearsal time.  It's being given a PG-13 rating to inform audiences.  Additionally, actors performing in the show must have a signed permission slip from parents.  AND they are making the script available for folks to read before the show if they want more info about the content.  

[John Adams]

Posted: 4/25/19 at 11:38am

trentsketch said: "Every time this kind of thing happens, I blame the administration of the school. "

I agree, and I would also like to hear from the director regarding why she chose this show in the first place.

Having taught middle school students for more than a quarter of a century, I think the director should have been called upon to disclose her educational objectives regarding why she chose this particular show. Furthermore, she should have been asked to explain how producing this particular show meets those educational objectives.

This is a school. Its primary objective is education. And middle school in particular is the MOST diverse (mixed bag) of physical, social, cognitive, and emotional levels of maturity than any other grade level(s). Teaching middle school students requires an exceptional respect for that diversity. And defining solid, educational objectives that encompass that diversity, and also place the students' educational growth at the forefront is quite a challenge.

I am not as interested in these parents' opinions, nor the PTSO's, nor the School Board's, as I am in the teacher/director's specific educational objectives for choosing this show over any other of the many choices that could easily be considered more age appropriate.

I would hope that Ms. Gee-Schmidtke would have taken the time to establish educational objectives before selecting a show, and would have then selected a show that best gave her the opportunity to teach those objectives. It's what teachers are required to do. I think Ms. Gee-Schmidtke should have taken the opportunity to explain her choices regarding what her objectives were, and why she felt this show was the best (most appropriate) show to teach those objectives.

Would I have selected Spelling Bee to be performed by middle school students? No. But given my college coursework regarding behavioral and cognitive development of middle school-aged children, I think my educational objectives might differ from Ms. Gee-Schmidtke's. 

To cancel the show without hearing from Ms. Gee-Schmidtke is (IMO) the biggest mistake being made, here.

Updated On: 4/25/19 at 11:38 AM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 4/25/19 at 12:22pm

I don't think the educational objectives of the show are entirely relevant, as the entire process of producing a show has educational value. I find it interesting time after time when this happens, there seems to be no real oversight of the teacher's show selection, and it always comes as a shock to administrators what the show is about. That said, there is nothing in Spelling Bee that middle school-aged children of the last 50 years would not have been exposed to, nor is any of the show's material societally unacceptable. I find it ridiculous that schools allow one or two parental complaints enough credibility that they cancel or change the material. If you don't like the show, don't see it. If you think it is inappropriate for your kid, don't let them participate or see it. You simply cannot appease everyone.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/25/19 at 12:28pm

I remember when our high school did "Little Shop of Horrors" a few members of the audience (grew up in a very conservative, Republican town) gasped when the plant said "No ****." As if they;d never, ever heard or used that word before.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/25/19 at 12:41pm

I've NEVER been asked to provide educational objectives.  Of course, I'd also never chosen to do anything AT the middle school that could in anyway be seen as inappropriate for that age group.  And I agree with poisonive: the entire process of rehearsal/performance is a phenomenal objective.   

Additionally, MANY directors of school shows are not even teachers.  They don't have to be.

As someone else said, the real fault is with the administration (and possibly the director himself in making the choice.)   Admins that choose not to pay any attention to shows being selected are part of the problem.   How many people are involved when choosing a new novel to read?  Or new text book.  Certainly not just an individual teacher.  (I DO choose my own shows without input, however, I'm always sure to make my admin aware of anything that MIGHT be seen as "mature" or what have you.  I have a new admin now, so we'll see if I'll be able to push the envelope as far as I have been able to in the past.  I've had my fair share of pissing off my community: but always with the support of my principal.)