“A Chorus Line” provokes debate

Controversy within the community over raunchy language in the Oak Park production of “A Chorus Line” has led to a discussion about censorship — and the possibility of canceling the show.

After conversations between the administration, cast members and parents of cast members, who cautioned the school against changing the play without special permission, the show is still scheduled to premiere March 26 — with edits approved by Tams Witmark, a licensing company for Broadway musicals.

“We wrote an exact word-for-word, line-for-line proposal of changes,” said drama instructor Allan Hunt, the director of the show. “If they didn’t approve it, we wouldn’t be doing it.”

Junior and cast member Aurora Schnurr said that the play, an “edgy deconstruction of the entertainment industry,” is “risqué” and may offend a young or conservative audience.

The musical, written by James Kirkwood, contains multiple songs with sexually explicit content. The songs of concern include “Dance: Ten; Looks: Three,” “Hello, Twelve; Hello Thirteen; Hello Love” and “Gimme the Ball.”

The edits approved by Tams Witmark include “a couple of lyrics and words,” Hunt said.

Parents of the cast were concerned about lines being cut — and the legality of the edits — and emailed Principal Kevin Buchanan asking him to keep the song lyrics.

Cast members arranged for a meeting to negotiate. Only nine cast members came, however, because they hoped to be, in Schnurr’s words, “less in [Buchanan’s] face.”

“We’re not doing anything vicious,” senior and cast member Yael Karoly said. “These are things we learn about in school. Just words and ideas.”

Hunt said that he and Buchanan have always “collaborated” regarding the inclusion of mature themes in school plays.

“In the past our performing arts program has enjoyed considerable artistic freedom, and that is the bottom line,” Hunt said, citing “Cabaret,” “Evita” and “Sweeney Todd” as examples.

The debate arose over the conflict between school restrictions, such as censorship, and the legality of editing a musical without the writer’s permission.

In 1988, the Hazelwood v. Kulhmeier case declared that schools can limit the personal expression of students if they do not align with that school’s educational values.

However, the writer of a musical holds intellectual property rights under copyright law, and schools must respect this legal boundary of censorship.

“Unless specific permission for changes has been given by the authors or their representatives, it’s not legal for schools to revise scripts or remove material,” students’ rights advocate and Arts Integrity Initiative Director Howard Sherman said. “It is essential that authors’ and composers’ work is honored wherever it is performed.”

Even so, Hunt noted that it is “impossible to monitor every production across America.”

Penalties of copyright infringement include court fines of any damages or profits.

According to Hunt, he strives “to be as true to the letter of the written word in any play but never losing sight of where and for whom we are performing.”

Buchanan was unavailable for comment.

“My biggest focus is to present Chorus Line with all its intended impacts on an audience,” Hunt said.