Slog
News & ArtsMonday, March 29, 2010
Theater Texas University Cancels Student Production, Lt. Gov. Thinks Theater Is More Dangerous Than Threats of Violence
Posted by Brendan Kiley on Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 1:40 PM
In slightly more exciting theater news: a Texas university has canceled a student production of Corpus Christi, a play about a gay Jesus and his gay disciples by Terrence McNally:
... early on Friday, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst condemned the performance, saying in a press release that “no one should have the right to use government funds or institutions to portray acts that are morally reprehensible to the vast majority of Americans.” Although Tarleton’s president, F. Dominic Dottavio, first defended the students’ right to perform a play he considered “offensive, crude and irreverent,” university officials changed course late Friday night, canceling the performance after receiving threatening calls and e-mail messages.
I'd like to see Mr. Dewhurst show his work. Can he demonstrate that gayness is "morally reprehensible to the vast majority of Americans"? But as long as we're pulling statistics out of our asses, I'm betting that a much vaster majority of Americans think murder is more morally reprehensible than gayness. As is incest. And rape. And cannibalism.
So we'd better make sure no government funds or institutions are used to teach Hamlet. Or Macbeth. Or Titus Andronicus or King John—really, best be safe and cut Shakespeare (that relentless portrayer of morally reprehensible acts) out of the curriculum altogether.
Right, Lt. Gov.?
Also: They're your people (your morally reprehending pals) who are making the threats that canceled the show, Lt. Gov. I hope you take as much time out of your busy schedule to condemn threats of violence as you do to condemn threats of theater classes.
Also-also: Slog commenter Proteus makes this excellent point:
Anybody who points to the threats against Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard as proof of the craziness of Muslims should pay close attention to the death threats employed by Christians in our very own country (well, Texas, but close enough) any time somebody portrays Jesus in way they don't like.
Clearly, they hate our freedom.
1
"So we'd better make sure no government funds or institutions are used to teach Hamlet. Or Macbeth. Or Titus Andronicus or King John—really, best be safe and cut Shakespeare out of the curriculum altogether. Right, Lt. Gov.?"
Actually Brendan given who this right wing jack-ass is he probably would agree that those plays shouldn't be funded by government money.
Actually Brendan given who this right wing jack-ass is he probably would agree that those plays shouldn't be funded by government money.
2
Anybody who points to the threats against Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard as proof of the craziness of Muslims should pay close attention to the death threats employed by Christians in our very own country (well, Texas, but close enough) any time somebody portrays Jesus in way they don't like.
5
Excellent point, Brendan.
What a silly, silly reason. Way to go Lt. Gov. Dewhurst. No Shakespeare or Opera for you.
Now back to listening to Cavalleria Rusticana for me. I can handle "morally reprehensible" subjects in art. It's all part of being human.
What a silly, silly reason. Way to go Lt. Gov. Dewhurst. No Shakespeare or Opera for you.
Now back to listening to Cavalleria Rusticana for me. I can handle "morally reprehensible" subjects in art. It's all part of being human.
6
Can't we just cancel all "morality" plays and have done with it?
I'd start with those Passion plays and the torture sessions the Southern religious freaks force Jewish and non-religious people thru every year. That would be a start.
I'd start with those Passion plays and the torture sessions the Southern religious freaks force Jewish and non-religious people thru every year. That would be a start.
7
Brendan,
I agree with you. Clearly, Tarleton State U. has the right to produce this play just like Martin Scorsese had the right to film "The Last Temptation of Christ" 22+ years ago. At worst, it might be in poor taste and provocative but the playwright, Terence MacNally knew that when he wrote the play several years. I believe he tried to have it produced in NY. I don't know whether it was successful.
Obviously, it caused a security concern for the production/university. If people are repelled by it then they shouldn't see it. I have a suggestion, try producing it in San Francisco.
As for the comparison of this case with the Danish newspaper publishing Mohammad's likeness, caricature etc., I guess it's similar. That's not taking anything from Westergaard. He's a brave cartoonist and I would defend him. But, I believe a far braver act would be a cartoonist in Mecca, Tehran or Jakarta doing what Westergaard did. Or, imagine a production of a play portraying the prophet Mohammad as a gay man in say Cairo? That would be remarkable. Salman Rushdie is correct, "free speech is free speech". It must be defended. Let potential audiences be the judge as to whether to attend or not.
I agree with you. Clearly, Tarleton State U. has the right to produce this play just like Martin Scorsese had the right to film "The Last Temptation of Christ" 22+ years ago. At worst, it might be in poor taste and provocative but the playwright, Terence MacNally knew that when he wrote the play several years. I believe he tried to have it produced in NY. I don't know whether it was successful.
Obviously, it caused a security concern for the production/university. If people are repelled by it then they shouldn't see it. I have a suggestion, try producing it in San Francisco.
As for the comparison of this case with the Danish newspaper publishing Mohammad's likeness, caricature etc., I guess it's similar. That's not taking anything from Westergaard. He's a brave cartoonist and I would defend him. But, I believe a far braver act would be a cartoonist in Mecca, Tehran or Jakarta doing what Westergaard did. Or, imagine a production of a play portraying the prophet Mohammad as a gay man in say Cairo? That would be remarkable. Salman Rushdie is correct, "free speech is free speech". It must be defended. Let potential audiences be the judge as to whether to attend or not.
10
LG Dewhurst has a reputation for craven grandstanding even worse than the more-publicized tendencies of Gov. Rick Perry, down here in Texas. Also, to take issue w/the NYT article, Stephenville is NOWHERE NEAR Austin. It's a hinterland of Dallas-Forth Worth, if anything. Point being, this kind of pub strengthens the NYT-as-clueless-coastal-elite argument.
11
Having spent a few summers in Arlington TX and going to school there, for the life of me I can't recall Stephenville.
It might be near Dallas or Fort Worth, but so were dinosaurs.
It might be near Dallas or Fort Worth, but so were dinosaurs.
12
@9: I'm more speaking to the people who contend that because there are crazy Muslims, all Muslims are therefore crazy.
13
I'm betting that a much vaster majority of Americans think murder is more morally reprehensible than gayness. As is incest. And rape. And cannibalism.
So we'd better make sure no government funds or institutions are used to teach
the Bible. That book contains all of that and so much more. Just sayin'.
14
@Will,
Stephenville is usually only known for their great football teams. It is Texas after all. It's on the highway that heads W-SW to Abilene, I think.
My point is just that the Times author's mistake distances most Texas-based readers, who see it and think, "These Times reporters can't be bothered to find out what's what and what's where in Texas. They think it's below them." Doesn't bother me but I know for a fact it bothers otherwise-persuadable ears in Texas.
Stephenville is usually only known for their great football teams. It is Texas after all. It's on the highway that heads W-SW to Abilene, I think.
My point is just that the Times author's mistake distances most Texas-based readers, who see it and think, "These Times reporters can't be bothered to find out what's what and what's where in Texas. They think it's below them." Doesn't bother me but I know for a fact it bothers otherwise-persuadable ears in Texas.
16
Or, imagine if the whole thing had played out in Walla Walla, and the Times reporter calls it "near Seattle". Doesn't that undermine the whole point, to someone who lives in Pullman and would otherwise be receptive?
17
Stephenville should be familiar to most Texans, it's the only real "city" on 281 between San Antonio and Mineral Wells. If you head out from SA at lunch time you get to Mineral Wells at dinner, Stephenville is usually a good place to stop for a pee break at around 4pm being about 2/3rds of the way to MW.
Having been up that route more than a few times on the way to tribal functions in indian country, I've seen the city in all its "glory".
Having been up that route more than a few times on the way to tribal functions in indian country, I've seen the city in all its "glory".
18
God I hate religion, and anything spiritual. And this is one of the reasons, they equate the most simplistic thing as a play with murder and rape. IT'S NOT THE SAME.
19
Well, what can you expect @18? These are people who believe that every episode depicted in a certain book actually happened exactly as described. Doesn't surprise me in the least they'd make that same mistaken assumption about any other piece of literature as well.
Metaphor being a concept clearly beyond their comprehension, of course...
Metaphor being a concept clearly beyond their comprehension, of course...
20
The entire point of the University system is to create a walled-garden environment in which thought can grow and ferment and mutate unencumbered by the everyday someone-might-be-offended concerns of the workaday world. That is the point.
But hell, it's David Dewhurst. He only looks sane because he stands near Rick Perry, but he's actually a stunningly incompetent blowhard who plays politics with all the grace and sophistication of a spam and cheeze whiz sandwich.
But hell, it's David Dewhurst. He only looks sane because he stands near Rick Perry, but he's actually a stunningly incompetent blowhard who plays politics with all the grace and sophistication of a spam and cheeze whiz sandwich.
21
We had a similar thing happen when Corpus Christi was produced in Cincinnati almost a decade ago. There were so many protestors that the theater had volunteers on hand to make sure people got too and from their cars safely.
On opening night there were people protesting the show on one side of the street, people protesting the protestors on the other side, and people protesting the cincinnati reds baseball team right in the middle.
It was kind of amazing. And, like with all things, all of the publicity that the protestors gave the show helped to sell out every single night.
On opening night there were people protesting the show on one side of the street, people protesting the protestors on the other side, and people protesting the cincinnati reds baseball team right in the middle.
It was kind of amazing. And, like with all things, all of the publicity that the protestors gave the show helped to sell out every single night.
22
UT (that's TN) produced "CC" in 2002. There were lines out the Clarence Brown Theater.
[But then again, TN is not as far south as TX. And TN is not TX either.]
[But then again, TN is not as far south as TX. And TN is not TX either.]
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