The cancelation
of Spamalot at South Williamsport (Pennsylvania) High School, perhaps
because of the musical's gay content, has prompted widespread media
coverage, led by Howard Sherman, the former executive director of the
American Theatre Wing. Sherman has posted several blogs about the cancelation,
most recently around the
firing of the school's contracted theatre teacher Dawn Birch. This evening,
the South Williamsport School Board will meet and likely discuss the
controversy. The cancelation drew the attention of New York Times reporter
Patrick Healy on Monday; in
his story Healy details the timeline and disputed facts of the case,
including the school superintendent's assertion that the play had never been
"formally" approved--something that others have
challenged. At this writing, a
rally was being planned at the site of the school board meeting to protest
the firing. On September 16, Educational Theatre Association Executive Director
Julie Woffington sent a formal letter of concern to the South Williamsport
superintendent, the school principal, and the entire board of education.