Enjoying (and Protecting) Theater in Our Schools
Let's make sure future students the opportunity to shine on stage
Congratulations to the cast and crew of this year's Emmaus High School performance of Fiddler on the Roof. Those lucky enough to see it called it "touching and beautifully done," "Broadway worthy," and a "phenomenal show." Wow! And the outstanding quality of the production is reflected in the cast and crew receiving 15 different nominations for Freddy Awards, which recognize the best high school theater productions in the Lehigh Valley each year.
Dozens of students spend months putting their hearts and souls into productions like this, with the support of dedicated teachers and staff. They involve not just student actors, but also student directors, set builders, designers, sound and light technicians, musicians, and much, much more. And their investment shows plainly on their faces:
As we reflect on the accomplishments of all the East Penn students involved in Fiddler, it's worth remembering too that none of this is possible without a strong commitment to the arts in the district. And that commitment can quickly evaporate if a district gives in to a vocal and growing minority who are always looking to censor ideas and materials in our schools. Those in favor of censorship-- whether in the name of a particular viewpoint or their own idea of "age appropriate"-- seldom stop with banning books from classrooms and libraries. They also come after theater productions like Fiddler on the Roof.
Don't think it can happen here? Well, just west of us the Northern Lebanon school board voted to cancel their student performance of a school edition of The Addams Family this year, with one board member citing "songs, scenes, lines and phrases" in the show that he didn't support and another noting "scenes of smoking" that made the play objectionable. For context, The Addams Family is one of the most popular high school plays in America right now, and was Emmaus High School's musical just last year (for which they also received 15 Freddy nominations).
And this kind of theater censorship isn't an isolated incident. Earlier this year a school board in Ohio halted their district's production of another popular high school play, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. They gave in only after some key words, like "virgin" and "good lord" were removed from the script. In Houston, student trips to see the childhood classic James and the Giant Peach were cancelled over concerns about its "age-appropriateness," apparently because some male actors play female roles (a practice which, of course, has been common on stage since at least the time of Shakespeare).
I hope you'll join me in wishing good luck to everyone involved in Fiddler on the Roof at this year's Freddy Awards. You can tune in LIVE to watch the awards show yourself on WFMZ this Thursday, May 25th, at 7pm. As you watch the amazing talent and dedication of our community's young people, please also remember that future students in our district won't have these same experiences unless we actively support them and protect such opportunities from those whose commitment to the arts and freedom of expression isn't as strong.
Take care,
Ziad
Some related previous posts you might enjoy:
PS: Click below for a sneak peek into some of the highlights from Emmaus High School's production of Fiddler on the Roof
I'm not suggesting that at all. My point is that we shouldn't assume that it couldn't happen here, if we stop paying attention or stop speaking up to oppose censorship and bans. It has happened in many places, including 'good' districts like ours.
Speaking in generalities can create unnecessary fear in a community. Can you be more specific as to who is not protecting such opportunities for the arts and who in East Penn you are referring to does not have a commitment to freedom of expression? My wife Angelic Schneider is running for a board seat and would love to join in your efforts to expose those interested in censorship. Our daughter an EHS student is Grandma Tzeitel in Fiddler, was in Adams family and a lead in 3 Eyer productions. We would like more information as to who you believe would or has begun a movement in our community of censorship.