NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Free speech groups have condemned the abrupt cancellation by Florida administrators of a high school student production of Paula Vogel鈥檚 play 鈥淚ndecent,鈥� which explores a flashpoint in Jewish and queer theatrical history.
urged school officials to rescind their decision and work with students to stage the play as planned in March.
Administration at Douglas Anderson School of Performing Arts in Duval County, Florida, this month pulled it from production 鈥� a few weeks after casting had been decided. It was swapped out for 鈥淭he Seagull,鈥� a classic Anton Chekhov play.
Sonya Duke-Bolden, a Duval County district spokesperson, told The Associated Press the decision was made because the play 鈥渃ontains adult sexual dialog that is inappropriate for student cast members and student audiences. It鈥檚 that simple.鈥�
Duke-Bolden denied the decision had anything to do with a new Florida law restricting discussion of race and gender topics. Critics have dubbed the ban the 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� law and say that type of restriction marginalizes LGBTQ people.
鈥淭he decision has no relevance to any legislation but is rather a function of our responsibilities to ensure students engage in educational activities appropriate for their age,鈥� Duke-Bolden said.
is a behind-the-scenes look at the true story of a controversial 1923 Yiddish play, which featured the first Broadway stage kiss ever between two women and led to censorship and violence. It was nominated for a best new play Tony Award in 2017.
Vogel told PEN America she is suspicious about the county's reasoning: 鈥淚鈥檓 not in the business of politics, but whatever that board says in terms of statements that they鈥檝e released about why they鈥檙e doing this, they鈥檙e putting sheep鈥檚 clothing over a wolf.鈥�
In previous years, the Douglas Anderson School of Performing Arts has mounted performances of 鈥淩ent鈥� and 鈥淐hicago,鈥� both works that have addressed sex and adult situations. Students were required to provide parental consent to appear in 鈥淚ndecent.鈥�
The coalition of free speech groups said the cancellation of 鈥淚ndecent鈥� is "deeply hurtful to LGBTQ+ students, including members of the cast, who see the rejection of the play as a denial of the historical experience of LGBTQ+ people and the persistence of discrimination against them.鈥�
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Mark Kennedy is at
Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
