Pa. school pulls musical 'Kismet' after complaints

[September 20, 2011]  JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) -- A western Pennsylvania school district has decided not to stage a Tony Award-winning musical about a Muslim street poet after members of the community complained about the play on the heels of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The Tribune Democrat of Johnstown reports Richland School District had planned to stage "Kismet" in February but Superintendent Thomas Fleming says it was scrapped to avoid controversy.

Fleming tells the newspaper that sensitivity is understandable in part because one of the hijacked planes crashed in nearby Shanksville.

Music director Scott Miller tells The Tribune-Democrat (http://bit.ly/rf3K4E) the district last performed "Kismet" in 1983.

Miller says the play has no inappropriate content, but he and other members of the performing arts committee decided to switch to "Oklahoma!" after hearing complaints.

"Kismet" won the Tony for best musical in 1954.

[Associated Press]

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