Opponents of ‘Rent’ production shouldn’t restrict all students

Armando Ronconi has been cast in Green Valley High School's production of "Rent: School Edition," and his mom is thrilled, even though her 16-year-old will be playing a drag queen who dies of AIDS.

"As far as I know, my son is not gay," Alice Ronconi said. "But from what he has shared with me, there are kids dealing in their personal lives with these issues."

For Alice Ronconi, the musical gives her an opportunity to talk with Armando about homosexuality, promiscuity, drug use and AIDS. "I come from the camp that these are topics that our kids are dealing with every single day, and this is a platform to open up discussion, an opportunity to reinforce your values."

But there are parents who refused to give their children permission to try out for the show, believing this musical is inappropriate for a high school. The award-winning show, which ran on Broadway for 12 years, features three couples, one gay, one lesbian and one straight, and there is drug use, sex and homosexuality.

It's understandable that some parents want to protect their children from the ugly side of life. But they should not be trying to stop Armando Ronconi or any other student from performing.

Principal Jeff Horn has heard from six or seven parents who object to the choice of "Rent," even though the school production eliminates vulgar language and a sexual number called "Contact." Horn refuses to stop the show, so parents are going over his head to see if he can be forced to stop it. The parents' objections, primarily to the homosexuality, hasn't reached the level of the School Board yet, according to board President Terri Janison.

Jennifer Hemme, head of the school's theater department, held a casting call last week for the show, to be performed over two weekends in January and February.

Hemme said about 10 or 15 students who had said they wanted to try out didn't show up. She had no way of knowing how many didn't show up because their parents declined to give permission.

"I get the feeling there are a couple of parents organizing this and all the people angry about it are mostly parents of choir students, not theater students," Hemme said.

There are 20 principal roles, and they double-cast the show so more can participate. Hemme had no trouble casting the musical. Not one student has objected.

The reason parents should stop objecting: No student is required to participate. This is entirely voluntary. No student participates without parental permission.

Parents raising a ruckus here might want to consider what happened in Corona del Mar High School in Newport, Calif., when the musical became an issue earlier this year. The principal yanked it but later it was produced.

The Los Angeles Times reported the ugly aftermath. Three high school varsity football players posted a video on Facebook threatening to rape and kill the 17-year-old lead actress in the musical and used slurs against another student they believed was gay.

In March, the ACLU sued the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, alleging there was an official tolerance of misogyny and homophobia at the high school. The lawsuit was settled in September without any admission of guilt by the school district; but this year, the students and administrators will undergo training in harassment and discrimination.

I received no answers from e-mails asking for interviews with parents who objected to "Rent: School Edition."

But I suggest they need to be careful what they wish for.

Especially when the answer is so simple.

Don't like it, don't go.

If they think that high school students studying theater can exist entirely in a world of Disney musicals, they're not being realistic.

Sometimes the sayings on T-shirts are concise and on point: The First Amendment Is Not For Sale It's For Rent.

Wanting to protect your children from the seamy side of life is admirable, even sweet.

But other parents shouldn't be able to stop Alice Ronconi's son from performing with his mom's permission.

Maybe school administrators need to hear from more parents who support the First Amendment. Perhaps that would counterbalance what seems like a vocal minority objecting to a musical modernizing Puccini's "La Bohème," the classic opera about poverty, loyalty, love and death.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0275. She also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/morrison.