Objections raised to gay biblical play in South Hadley

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP-AP) - The head of a western Massachusetts charter school says a student production of a play that retells the biblical story of Genesis with gay characters will go on as planned despite objections from some who say it's offensive to Christians.

Scott Goldman of the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Public Charter School said in a letter to parents Wednesday that the school has received email petitions and phone calls describing Paul Rudnick's 1998 comedy " The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told " as "blasphemous and hateful."

The South Hadley school has been urged to cancel the shows scheduled for later this month. Some say they will organize protests.

In a statement sent to 22News, Goldman said that most of the criticism of the play appears to be coming from out-of-state, but the show must go on.

"While we have no control over whether organizations from other states decide to protest the show, it is clear to me that many of the most recent emails are attempts to coerce PVPA into cancelling the play. Allowing this to happen would very much go against the grain of our unique, artistic, and intellectually rigorous PVPA community, and the larger Pioneer Valley community," he said.

Goldman added that he believes the play may not be suitable for younger audiences, but is suitable for high-school aged students and those who are older.