Lancaster, PA HS Cancels Hairspray due to racial stuff.

I'm struggling to recall any insensitive language in Hairspray.

The article seems to be referring to the constant use of N*gro to describe Black people, as well as Amber’s line: “Tracy is a tramp AND she’s r*******!” Not to mention there are some smaller lines throughout that might be seen as degrading towards Black culture.

While all of those things are historically accurate and portrayed mainly for shock value to really emphasize how much people sucked back then, I can understand if some students (hopefully the ones whose voices *should* matter in this scenario) saw it as a concern. Sometimes dark comedy just doesn’t land.

However, Hairspray is also a gorgeous period high school show that empowers racial equality. The dark comedy isn’t for everyone, but it’s certainly more palatable than how Heathers portrays teenage suicide, for example. I’m a bit disappointed that the production was shut down, but honestly to form a better opinion I’d probably have to see the specific complaints being made.

This’ll make things easier:

McCaskey cancels spring musical 'Hairspray' after students raise concerns about insensitive language

Updated On: 2/27/21 at 11:43 AM

You’d be shocked. A lot of high schools theatre programs are going about business as usual. Schools are getting permission to livestream their shows as well! The Jimmy’s are still on this year!

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Some of the language and jokes in the show have definitely not aged all that well, even though the show isn’t very old. The public discourse on race is in a very different place than it was in the 2000s. And I’m not even referring to the language that is historically accurate to the 1960s like “negro.” I can certainly imagine, for example, a young Black boy being uncomfortable singing, “Living in the ghetto, Black is everywhere you go!” And I can also imagine an audience cringing at the line, too. Then there’s the fact that Hairspray exemplifies the white savior trope. I don’t think we can never produce this show again, but maybe we should give it a break. It doesn’t meet the moment. And as the superintendent said in the article, kids are too raw right now. I think we all are.

Hm. Made me think of something Heath Saunders wrote:

https://medium.com/@heathcliffsaunders/what-i-think-about-when-i-hear-that-broadway-is-racist-afa1b012a8b

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