A high school in Gas City, Indiana, has canceled its fall musical just two weeks before its scheduled opening night. The decision, which administrators attribute to inappropriate content, has left students and parents frustrated and has drawn criticism from the musical's original author, who alleges it is an act of censorship.
Students at Mississinewa High School had been rehearsing for months for their production of "Between the Lines." The school district superintendent announced the cancellation in an email to parents on October 16, stating the play's themes did not align with community expectations.
Key Takeaways
- Mississinewa High School in Indiana canceled its production of the musical "Between the Lines" two weeks before the premiere.
- The school superintendent cited "sexual innuendos and alcohol references" as the reason for the cancellation.
- Author Jodi Picoult, who wrote the book the musical is based on, alleges the decision stems from a complaint about a nonbinary character, calling it censorship.
- Students had invested an estimated 160 hours in rehearsals, making personal and financial sacrifices for the show.
School Cites 'Inappropriate Content'
The decision to halt the production was explained in an email to parents from Jeremy Fewell, the superintendent of the Mississinewa Community School Corporation. According to the email, the show contained “language and content that are not appropriate for a public school–sponsored performance.”
Fewell later specified that even with edits licensed for school productions, the play still contained “sexual innuendos and alcohol references.” He stated that he could not, in good conscience, permit the performance to proceed under the school's sponsorship.
The musical, "Between the Lines," is based on a novel by best-selling author Jodi Picoult. It tells the story of a high school student named Delilah who finds solace in a book and discovers she can communicate with the characters inside it. The central theme explores whether an individual has the power to change their own story.
About the Musical
"Between the Lines" follows Delilah, a lonely teenager who feels invisible at school and at home. Her life changes when the prince from her favorite fairy tale starts talking to her from the pages of the book. The story explores themes of loneliness, escapism, and finding the courage to write one's own narrative.
Author Alleges Censorship Behind Decision
Jodi Picoult, the author of the original book, has publicly criticized the school's decision. She claims the cancellation was prompted by a complaint from a single parent regarding a nonbinary character in the source material. However, Picoult noted that the version of the play licensed by the school had been amended and did not include references to the character's gender identity.
"When one parent makes a decision that affects every other parent’s child, that is censorship, and one person should not be allowed to determine what is or is not appropriate," Picoult stated.
Picoult, whose works have frequently been the subject of book bans, argued that censoring art suggests only certain stories and perspectives are valuable. The superintendent's public statements did not mention a nonbinary character or a specific parent complaint as the reason for the cancellation.
The author learned of the cancellation while in London for a production of "The Book Thief," a story centered on censorship in Nazi Germany. "It all felt on the nose," she remarked on the timing.
Students and Parents Feel the Impact
For the students involved, the abrupt cancellation represents the loss of hundreds of hours of work and personal sacrifice. Luke Sandoval, a senior at the high school, estimated that the cast and crew had dedicated nearly 160 hours to rehearsals since September.
Students rehearsed until 8 or 9 p.m. on weeknights, with many, like Luke, cutting back hours at part-time jobs to participate. Luke reduced his work schedule from over 20 hours a week to less than 10.
“I know for a fact that I made a lot of sacrifices to do this and everybody else around me made a bunch of sacrifices to do this,” he said. “It just didn’t seem fair to me.”
Luke, who was participating in his first musical, said the experience was a positive one that taught him about acting and accepting oneself. He believes the play's message—that everyone has flaws they are learning to manage—is important for young people to hear. "I personally feel like I've learned to accept myself for how I truly am," he explained.
A Lack of Communication
Parents were also caught off guard by the decision. Kim Spicer Sandoval, Luke's mother, said she learned of the cancellation from the superintendent's email and that there was no prior discussion or attempt at a compromise with families.
"If it was a situation where this is not appropriate for the kids to be doing, my kid was already exposed to it for over 160 hours," Sandoval said. She described the play's content as comparable to other common high school productions like "Grease" and questioned the logic of shutting down the show so late in the process.
Sandoval expressed concern about the precedent the decision sets. "Are we just going to go into the school libraries... and just start pulling out books and movies and shows and plays and songs and everything that might offend one person?" she asked. "Where does it stop?"
