“Pet Sounds: The Life and Times of Nigel Zingraff and Petula Clark”

The above is the name of a musical to be performed by Granby High School students. But the students won’t be performing at the school. Why?

The gay and racial references and profanity all raised red flags, [Granby principal Ted] Daughtrey said. He had many considerations to balance: the wishes of taxpayers who finance the public school, the desires of parents to protect children from adult material, and the First Amendment rights of the students.

“It was hard because the kids are great,” said Daughtrey, who hopes to support the students by attending. “The scene where it’s insinuated two boys are kissing, it just stepped over the line, I think.”

He consulted with school division leaders and the city attorney’s office. They decided the group could rehearse at Granby and use school property as props.

But performances would take place at another venue, and the group couldn’t bill itself as the Granby Players.

[…]

Bruce Hanson, Granby’s theater teacher, said he understands the administrators’ decision but feels hurt.

“We can do a play where a man sleeps with his mother – ‘Oedipus Rex.’ Mass murder – ‘King Lear.’ Jews in a concentration camp – ‘The Diary of Anne Frank,’ ” said Hanson, who is gay. “But we can’t have one about a boy coming out of the closet.”

I have to agree with Hanson here.

Kudos to my friend, Frankie Little Hardin, for stepping into the breach and allowing this play to be performed at The 40th Street Stage. Now, the rest of us just need to support these kids. Catch the show at 8 p.m. tonight or and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, or at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through June 23.