Central Bucks Students Say Admin Vetoed Production Of 'Rent'

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Central Bucks High School West students told the school board last week that the administration had denied a proposal to perform the musical "Rent" in the fall.

“The only topic that appears in 'Rent' that has not been in past shows is queer relationships,” drama club co-president Addisan Arbogast told the Central Bucks Board of School Directors.

Musical director Jessica Bostock confirmed the denied proposal to Maddie Hanna from the Philadelphia Inquirer, though district spokesperson Angela Linch told the newspaper that "district administration is currently reviewing the script for 'Rent,' just as they do for all productions, and no final decision has been made.”

According to Broadway World, Arbogast said she had heard the Harlequin Club would be performing "Rent" School Edition before the proposal was denied March 23 on grounds of being "too controversial."

"Rent," Jonathan Larson's acclaimed musical, provides a look at 1989 in the life of friends living in New York City. The musical deals with the AIDS epidemic, the housing crisis, drug addiction, and queer relationships.

Changes to the high school version involve the removal of some profane lyrics and of a sexually-explicit song, a 2009 New York Times article said.

This complaint comes amid discussion of LGBTQ+ content in district libraries, too. At a previous board meeting, citing concerns about sexually-explicit content, speakers read scenes from books including Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye," Maia Kobabe's "Gender Queer," and George Matthew Johnson's "All Boys Aren't Blue," calling for their removal from school libraries.

"These books promote healing," West sophomore Alexandra Coffey said at the time.

Board members did not respond to students' comments at the meeting.

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