TURLOCK, Calif. — Turlock High School's director and site administrator have shut down the spring production of "Be More Chill" after one performance.
With original music and lyrics by Joe Iconis, "Be More Chill" is a sci-fi musical that takes place in high school, where the main character struggles to choose between popularity and being his true self.
Many cast members and their parents are frustrated that the school did not approve the maturity content before production took place.
Marie Russell, Turlock Unified School District's Chief Communication Coordinator told ABC10 that the play was selected by the director, but there was no review process with site administration, which is usually the expected practice for a selection with mature content.
Turlock High School posted a picture on Instagram, the caption briefly explaining the cancellation and refund process. "We will be reviewing protocols for approval of all TUSD performances going forward," the caption says.
ABC10 reached out to Turlock Unified School District twice for an interview and both times they respectfully declined.
However, Russell told the Modesto Bee that there were "concerns that the content was too mature for a general audience that includes all age levels."
Joe Iconis, who wrote the Broadway musical, shared his thoughts on social media and said how "horrifying" it was when he first heard the news.
Now, Iconis is encouraging his followers and others to donate to the school. A statement from his representative, Michael Finkle, reads, “We prefer people donate to the school’s drama club to offset the lost revenue from the production ticket sales so that the students may continue to produce more shows in the future."
Turlock High School cast member Evan Espinosa spoke about their reaction when they first heard the production was canceled.
"My cast members and I just kind of broke down in tears together and cried for a very long time," Espinosa said. "It was really heartbreaking after not being able to perform for two years almost and then having it taken away from us was really upsetting."
Espinosa also mentioned that a lot of parents were really supportive of the show and the work they did.
"I just want people to know that the arts should be embraced and creativity is an amazing thing that everyone should embrace and accept," Espinosa said.
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