Drama controversy over “Play It Again, Sam”

Read full interview transcripts and notes for this article here

Due to multiple parent, student, and administrative objections to perceived inappropriate content, Director Shane Smuin has twice changed his planned spring play, bringing to light a possible trend to the conservative in the Aragon theater.

“On Monday, I started hearing murmurings, at which point I started to consider other options. On Tuesday, I ordered another script to look at,” says Smuin. He received an email from the drama boosters on Monday afternoon, Dec. 5, that raised the subject of parental opposition to “Play It Again, Sam,” a romantic comedy written by Woody Allen which includes several scenes in which characters joke about rape and homosexuality and objectify women, as per its 1970’s setting.

The email from the drama boosters objectively presented the prevailing views of some drama parents and students. “The Drama Boosters always run interference for me, so they tell me what the pulse of the community is,” says Smuin.

Taking into account the objections of parents and students and the constrictions of the show’s locale—the Student Lunch Room converted into a black-box theater—Smuin decided to change the show time between Tuesday, Dec. 6, and the pre-scheduled Drama Booster meeting last Thursday, in which the topic of the spring play was an agenda item. The alternative play Smuin chose but had not yet disclosed to the Drama Boosters was a series of vignettes called “Sometimes I Wake Up in the Middle of the Night,” monologues about both lighthearted and serious topics faced by teenagers; the authors wrote the play with high school audiences in mind.

Yet when Smuin presented this alternative to the administration, he was dissuaded. “I showed [‘Sometimes I Wake Up in the Middle of the Night’] to [Principal Pat Kurtz], and I showed her a particular part and said, ‘fair warning—this is a part of the show.’ She shot it down right then and there.”

In reference to her and Smuin’s meeting, Kurtz says “He presented parts of the play that he was concerned about. We talked about it and then he decided that that was not an appropriate play also to do, and it probably also was not going to work in a black box theater.”

The scene in question is a monologue entitled “Thankful,” in which the cast members take turns saying, “What am I thankful for? Beer, women, parties, drugs, rock ‘n roll, birth control, pizza places that deliver, bikinis, dancing, sex, phone sex, video sex, Jane Fonda’s workout, crushproof boxes of cigarettes, Playboy, The Playmate Stat Sheet, warning labels, pockets, Velcro…”

Smuin has since decided upon another play, Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of errors “The Importance of Being Earnest.” While Smuin technically makes the final decision regarding the play, he says “I can’t go forward with a production without administrative support. It’s appropriate to have the administration behind me,” says Smuin.

Smuin continues, “There’s been similar levels of discussion in past plays. There has never been this much resistance from administration. They have a job to do, to make sure that what happens at school is appropriate. I just disagree with their decision.”

The administration, however, would have supported Smuin if he stood by his original choice: “Play It Again, Sam.”

Senior Sammy Shufton qualifies the perceived vulgarity of “Play It Again, Sam,” saying “I feel like people don’t really understand the era this was coming from. All the stuff about rape and deals with women is all said by Humphrey Bogart. But back then it was appropriate. The show is making fun of it. If you don’t know enough about Humphrey Bogart and the period, you would find it offensive.”

Indeed, perhaps the sexist era in which “Play It Again, Sam” is set may explain the general outcry from Aragon parents. Drama booster Linda Bass says, “It’s too adult. What reference point do high school students draw from? They live today trying to be politically correct. The content was written at the end of an era when we were not as aware of how jokes affected people and demeaned women. As a person ‘over fifty’ I have lived through those times and on into correctness. Our audiences, however, are not all over fifty and we have to consider that.”

However, looking back onto past Aragon productions, “Play It Again, Sam” can seem almost tame. In the past four years, “Cabaret,” “The Producers,” “The Grapes of Wrath,” and “Bat Boy” stand out as the most controversial of his choices. Smuin defends his avoidance of vanilla shows, saying, “I would die of boredom. It’s just not me. It’s not something I could commit to professionally and do a good job on.”

Smuin continues, “Every director has his own personal taste, which guides his professional taste. I’m not a Disney happy artistic person. I’d much rather participate in something that stirs people up and makes them talk.”

However, Smuin’s tendency toward the edgy has provoked some dissent both among students and parents. Several students decided against participating in the spring play upon reading the script of “Play It Again, Sam.” Aragon drama parent Barbara Carey says, “I had the impression that Mr. Smuin was focused more on putting on a provocative show than focusing on the experience the students were having, and what would be a good learning experience for them.”

Shufton disagrees, saying “All shows are expressions of people. It’s all from the art. It’s all to make the statement. Even if you can’t agree with the statement. I don’t think its right to not allow a statement to be made. We even said it was PG-13. If there are things we can’t show little things, that’s understandable. You shouldn’t reject the actors from making the statement that they want to make.”

An active drama booster and board member, parent Daniel Brenner says, “I have heard complaints in some form about every production that has been performed at Aragon—in particular with respect to the choice of [“Play It Again, Sam”]. This includes both Shakespearean plays and a production based on the work of a Nobel Prize winning author whose work is included in Aragon’s high school English curriculum, as well as those that could be considered “edgy.” As is the case in many situations, the voices of dissent have tended to be much more vociferous than those who have no objections.”

Yet much of the opposition to “Play It Again, Sam” derives from the perception that Allen’s statement—if he has one—is fundamentally inappropriate. Senior Brynn Mitchell says, “[T]here were some really intense materials in the last few shows in intense scenes, but in those shows there was some intense underlying message. But for this show it’s witty, funny and cute but it doesn’t have any underlying messages.”

In the past, however, Smuin has made edits of varying intensity on many of the plays and musicals he has presented at Aragon. Some plays he cut simply for length, while others he cut or altered more controversial scenes. “I have made a practice of editing shows. I’d rather do Hair and cut out stuff than do My Fair Lady and not cut anything,” says Smuin.

Conversely, some believe that, in certain cases, editing could damage the artistic integrity of a show. Bass says, “If the show needs that much editing for high school, then maybe it’s not the right show.” While minor edits are not uncommon among high school productions, the default at Aragon seems to have been established toward negotiating cuts instead of endeavoring to maintain the author’s words verbatim in all possible cases.

Nevertheless, there seems to be a double standard regarding the display of possibly inappropriate material at Aragon in literature versus theater. Smuin says, “Especially considering the morality tale in ‘Bat Boy,’ I’m concerned that there is a kneejerk reaction to theatrical material. I don’t understand why it’s okay to read it, but it’s not okay to have the kids perform it. It never has made sense and it never will. I know the argument is that [theater] is a ‘different thing’—but so what?”

English teacher Sandy Skale says, “[In the theater the audience] is not forewarned. There’s the problem of not fully understanding. [But] where do you draw the line? It’s a hard issue.”

Another double standard between traditional and contemporary plays may have driven much of the opposition against “Play It Again, Sam.” Smuin says, “‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ I only cut for length…[even though] Shakespeare’s comedies are raunchy. [Macbeth] I only cut for length, even though it’s about killing women and children.”

Moreover, in producing “The Grapes of Wrath,” Smuin was able to keep John Steinbeck’s play almost entirely intact, with the exception of selected vulgar language. Carey says, “I…objected to the fact that for the auditions, my 14-year-old freshman son was asked to read lines for a character discussing having sex with various women. Smuin seemed surprised that it was cause for concern, but he did agree to change the wording in the play and he did clean up the lines I objected to which included graphic terminology and wife beating/rape.”

Perhaps then, as a contemporary play, “Play It Again, Sam” did not warrant as much support on the foundation of artistic merit. In accordance, Bass says, “Sorry Woody, [but] this is not classic literature.”

As of Dec. 12, Smuin plans to proceed with his third choice, saying, “[‘The Importance of Being Earnest’] is actually a play I’ve always wanted to do. I’m looking forward to doing it—assuming it’s okay. I was going to save it for the new theater, but…” he shrugged.

Regarding the entire situation, Smuin says, “It makes me feel like a Christmas tree at Aragon without decorations.”