Austin district cuts off support for 'Rent'

[Shana A]

Austin district cuts off support for 'Rent'
Content prompts officials to halt financial backing, but high school production will go on.

By Laura Heinauer
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, July 12, 2008

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/07/12/0712rent.html

A summer school production of the musical "Rent" will go on, but without $10,000 in assistance from the Austin school district after administrators decided the production might not be well received in all campus communities.

The Austin production is expected to be the first licensed high school production of the musical in Texas, according to a national theater licensing group. The school version of the musical includes scenes involving drug use, HIV, prostitution and homosexuality but is more toned down than the Broadway production.

[whatsername]

I think they're pretty gutsy to try that in Texas, to be honest!

[Suzy]

Only in Austin would it even be remotely considered at the high school level.

Kristi

[LynnER]

I think they're pretty gutsy to try that in Texas, to be honest!

Actualy Texas isnt as bad as most people make it out to be. The majority of our major citys are ahead of the curve in rights, acceptance and just about everything else.....

Austin, Dallas, and El Paso are far more open minded than our rural cousins are....