In January, following criticism from students and community members of casting choices, ICSD canceled IHS’s spring musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Earlier in the month, two letters to the editor of the online publication Tompkins Weekly criticized ICSD’s performing arts program for casting choices unsupportive of students of color. The most notable example was the decision to give the part of Esmeralda, Hunchback’s Romani lead female role, to a white girl.
Following the publication of these letters, students under the title Students United Ithaca rallied students, parents, and community members to attend a Board of Education meeting where they demanded the production of a different musical, with racially conscious casting in place of the “colorblind casting” used in previous ICSD theater productions. Not long after, the musical was canceled, but the district initially did not specify what would happen as a replacement beyond the fact that a “collaborative project” was being discussed.
The cancellation began to make national news once Fox News released a story on it, which was soon followed by articles on other conservative new sites including Breitbart. The students who had protested the musical and some of their parents began to receive thousands of angry messages, as well as some threats in the comments on the Students United Facebook page and on online forums such as 4chan. The cancellation of the musical and the threats following were covered by The New York Times, which reached out directly to people in the community for comment. The district released a statement condemning threats to people in the community, and affirming that there would be a spring musical.
According to David Brown, ICSD’s Director of Fine and Performing Arts, the new musical will still be performed on the original dates of April 13, 14, and 15, and auditions will be taking place over the two weeks following February break. In an email to all IHS students, Brown stated that the new production will be Hairspray, directed by Joey Steinhagen.
Students interested in expressing their views to The Tattler on the controversy surrounding the musical can do so anonymously by writing responses on cards to put into designated boxes in the library and the main office.