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Printer-Friendly ModeE-mails highlight opposition to play
April 23, 2007 —
Although SVSU President Eric R. Gilbertson received hundreds of angry e-mails last week condemning him for permitting the University performance of the controversial play "Angels in America," the play went forward as scheduled and without follow-through of physical protest threats.
At no point did University officials or those involved in the play's production consider cancelling or postponing the play in light of the significant number of infuriated e-mailers, Gilbertson said.
"Freedom of expression allows the theatre department to put on this play," he said, "but it also protects the rights of those people to protest this play."
Due to the possibility of a physical protest, University Police were on site to safeguard the area and prevent such an occurrence from getting out of hand.
"We want to make sure [a protest] is not obstructing the entrances or disrupting the operation or the event that's going on," University Police Chief Ron Trepekowski said.
Unable to reply to the large number of individual e-mails from oppositionists, Gilbertson posted an open letter on the SVSU Web site explaining his support for the performance of the play.
He described how the theatrical opportunities of SVSU's theatre students are intended to range widely from the production of children's shows to comedies to seasonal works.
He said "Angels in America," a Pulitzer Prize winner that was also made into a television mini-series, was carefully chosen by the theatre department to represent modern, cutting-edge theatre.
"Their experiences would be sheltered and incomplete without exposure to contemporary plays that raise troublesome questions - even in controversial ways," Gilbertson wrote.
The most controversial subject raised in "Angels in America" is homosexuality.
"The theatre exists to show our whole society," said Director Ric Roberts, "and homosexuals make up a large portion of our society. Black, white, straight, gay, we're all part of the same society."
Others disagreed.
"'Angels in America' is not art or freedom of expression," said Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan. "It's an extremely ridiculous and offensive play that glorifies homosexuality."
Campus Minister Troy Andreasen of His House informed his congregation that Christians should just not attend the play rather than engage in physical protest.
"The Bible clearly says that homosexuality is a sin," he said. "It's clearly a lifestyle that people choose and that God doesn't approve of, but as Christians we can't expect non-Christians to follow God's rules. A Christian should not hate a person who chooses homosexuality."
Many people in support of the play accused those in opposition of judging the play before reading or seeing it.
"Angels in America" will show again this Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. in SVSU's Malcolm Field Theatre for Performing Arts.