Editorial: ‘Grease’ and The Word

Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006 | 12:31 p.m.

Even if we lived in an area without nearly nude women smiling down from billboards and brothels operating legally just over the county line, it would be difficult to grasp a recent controversy in Fulton, Mo.

According to The New York Times, three residents offended by Fulton High School's performance of the musical "Grease" sent letters to the school superintendent complaining that scenes of drinking, smoking and couples kissing promoted the wrong youthful behaviors.

Wendy DeVore, the school's drama teacher, had toned down the script, substituting slang for profanity and cigarette smoking for references to smoking "weed." She also added a PG-13 rating to warn parents the production might not be suitable for small children.

But that wasn't enough to satisfy three members of Callaway Christian Church, who lodged their complaints a month after the show's November performances. One of the letters - written by someone who did not see the show - criticized the production's "immoral behavior veiled behind the excuse of acting out a play."

Challenges to enduring literary and artistic works aren't new, although they seem to be increasing nationally, according to a spokeswoman for the American Library Association. The group notes that the 547 books challenged in 2004 represent a 20 percent increase over those criticized in 2003, she said.

DeVore told the Times she now is in a quandary over what the community will accept as appropriate material for her actors. The list of productions most commonly seen on high school stages isn't much help. There is smoking and drinking in "Bye Bye Birdie." And "Diary of Anne Frank'' explores topics that some Fulton parents may consider inappropriate for a young child - at least, a young child who hasn't already been exposed to the sex, violence and other adult themes of mainstream television or big brother's X-Box games.

Still, just to be safe, the school superintendent banned a planned spring performance of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible." DeVore, who may lose her job over the controversy, suspects it happened because the play about a 17th century New England witch trial dramatizes "a time in history that makes Christians look bad" - something a few Fulton residents seem capable of doing on their own, without the help of a playwright.