Caberet Production Puts High School Girls in Lingerie

A production of "Cabaret" in a California city that features high schoolers as cast members is drawing a horrified reaction from public interest organizations and local officials because of the revealing costumes and the teens' sexually provocative poses.

Titus Gee, a reporter for the Valley Press in Lancaster, first reported on the situation, noting that the high school performers will be "attired in bras, teddies, foundation garments, garter belts and little else."

The production this weekend at Antelope Valley College's Black Box Theatre in Lancaster, Calif., was not the responsibility of the high school, where spokeswoman Bridget Cook told WND that "there may be some individuals who have some connection to the high school district, like students or staff or volunteers" who are participating in the college event. But a spokeswoman from the college who did not provide her name told WND that the production was a joint effort with the high school. The newspaper said both high school and college students are involved.

Karen England, executive director of Capitol Resource Institute, said she was "absolutely appalled that a high school would allow its students to participate in a show that can only be described as a strip tease for minors."

"As a parent, I am outraged that a high school would allow its students, minors in their charge, to be involved such an inappropriate production," England said. "We are calling on parents all across California to contact the Antelope Valley Union High School District and express their outrage."

"Schools should be engaged in education, not titillation!” she said.

The newspaper said the production was a part of the Antelope Valley Union High School District's "senior project program." Highland High senior Lane Williams told the newspaper he's wanted to stage "Cabaret" since he was a freshman and was "surprised" he was able to do it.

"The musical numbers themselves are priceless – bold, raunchy and packed with sex appeal," Williamson had told the newspaper's entertainment writer, Julie Drake.

The newspaper, whose managers decided against publishing any promotional photographs of the event because they "featured sexually suggestive positions from dance numbers" also said the production "raised an alarm" among Antelope Valley district officials who saw photographs and watched rehearsals this week.

The play is a look at the nightclub life in Berlin before World War II, and as a Broadway show has won many Tony Awards. As an R-rated film it collected eight Oscars, including one for Liza Minelli as Best Actress.

School District Supt. David Vierra, who didn't return a call from WND, told the newspaper the district would have to look into its authority in the matter since it is a partnership between the school district and the college.

The school district does have a policy undergarments are required and midriffs be covered at all times, and another policy that bans sexually explicit or suggestive materials.

Trustee Donita Winn told the newspaper she was concerned about high school students taking part.

"I'm really going to suggest – not knowing anything about the play – that the girls wear a little more clothing. Also, the poses are a concern."

The newspaper said the poses show students clutching or pointing to their breasts, and their legs spread and angled suggestively toward the audience.

"The main word here is appropriate. … I do not feel that the wardrobe is appropriate for high school. I feel that the content of the play is adult in nature and not appropriate for high school students," Winn said.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53306

 

...pictures... goddamn it and for the love of Jesus, where are the pictures?

 

Upon first glance, I thought the reporter's name was Tits McGee, which would have been too perfect.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that.

 

Ticketmaster....Need the number for Ticketmaster....

 

So who's going to volunteer to smuggle in a camera and tape this for the rest of us?

 

This isn't anything I haven't seen drugged minors do in my basement.

 

This Lane Williamson, who is directing "Cabaret" as his senior project, is kind of a different guy. While looking for pictures from this production -- strictly for educational purposes, I assure you!! -- I found his MySpace page. Here's how he describes himself:

Who am I? I am in the fingers of Jason Robert Brown. I am in the eyes of Sam Mendes. I am in the mind of Tony Kushner and the voice of Rufus Wainwright. I am in Victoria Clark's "Dividing Day". I am in the laugh of Heather Burgess. I am treading the boards at Highland High. I am beating out the rhythm on my steering wheel and singing along as loud as I possibly can. It never sounds very nice. I am cowering from homeless people as I pass them on the street. I am picking the mushrooms out of my grilled vegetables. I was born in 1988, yet I have strange affinity for 70s music.

I am Will Truman: idiosyncratic, sarcastic, and madly in love with his best friend. I am David Fisher: uptight and anal retentive, frustrated, scared. I am Clarissa Vaughn and Jack Twist, holding it in until it explodes. I am Mark Cohen, always watching, never living, and James Leer, inside the words and obsessions. I am Chandler Bing - you know why. Apparently I am John Cusack in "High Fidelity", but I haven't seen it. I am a hillbilly from the Appalachian mountains who completely erased his background. I am flawed. Severely. I am an endless supply of barbs. I can't take criticism from people who don't know what they're talking about. I am the person who loves too quickly and knows no boundaries. I am my broken heart. I am my open mind. I am my walls. I am my mug of peppermint tea. I am Coca Cola - in a bottle, in a can, in a glass with ice. I am the original Broadway cast recording, not the soundtrack. I am books and plays and pages and words and letters. I am your friend. I am your ex-friend. I will be your friend. I am ready and willing and waiting. I am here. I am now. I am then. I am soon.

Um, yeah, okayyyyyy...... ???

 

Play sponsored by MySpace.

 

Reading this passage I realize this could have been me some 15 years ago. God, I was a prententious jerk back then, thinking I was so smart.

One notable difference, I wouldn't have been able to direct Caberet, nor would I have wanted to. I went to an all-boys Catholic school, so only the priests and a couple teachers would have been interested in watching an all-young male version of Caberet.

 

I am he, as you are he, as you are me, and we are all together.
See how they run, like pigs from a gun, see how they fly, I'm crying.
Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to cum. Corporation T-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday, man you've been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long; I am the eggman, they are the eggmen, I am the walrus. Goo goo goo joob.

Mister City Policeman, sitting pretty, little policemen in a row. See how they fly, like "Lucy In The Sky," see how they run. I'm crying, I'm crying, I'm crying, I'm crying.

Yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye. Crabalocker fishwife, pornographic priestess; boy, you've been a naughty girl,
you let your knickers down. I am the eggman, they are the eggmen,
I am the walrus. Goo goo goo joob.

Sitting in an English garden, waiting for the sun. If the sun don't come, you get a tan from standing in the English rain.

I am the eggman, they are the eggmen, I am the walrus. Goo goo goo joob. Expert texpert, choking smokers, don't you think the joker laughs at you? Ho ho ho, hee hee hee, ha ha ha.
See how they smile, like pigs in a sty, see how they snied. I'm crying.

Semolina Pilchard, climbing up the Eiffel Tower. Elementary penguin, singing Hare Krishna; man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allen Poe. I am the eggman, they are the eggmen, I am the walrus.

Goo goo goo joob, goo goo goo joob, goo goo goo joob, goo goo goo joob, goo goo goo joob, goo goo goo joob, g'jooooooooob.

Ooompah ooompah, stick it up your jumpah, oompah oompah, stick it up your jumpah, everybody's got one, everybody's got one...

OSWALD
Slave, thou hast slain me: Villain, take my purse:
If ever thou wilt thrive, bury my body;
And give the letters which thou find'st about me
To Edmund earl of Gloucester; seek him out
Upon the English [British] party: O, untimely death, death!

(Dies.)

EDGAR
I know thee well: as a serviceable villain,
As duteous to the vices of thy mistress
As badness would desire.

GLOUCESTER
What, is he dead?

EDGAR
Sit you down, father; rest you.

 

I think Lane would have enjoyed that too. If you can find his MySpace page it also says he wants to marry Neil Patrick Harris. I'm not making this up.