Pennsylvania school board axes 'inappropriate' Addams Family musical: 'The themes are just dark'
References to blood and songs about killing were among the reasons listed for rejecting the play
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Pennsylvania high school axed The Addams Family from its 2024 musical selection, with school board members claiming the popular comedy play is inappropriate for school and promotes "bad values."
"Not only is this proposed musical inappropriate, I say it would tarnish the reputation our staff and students have built over the last 11 years of performing wonderful and musicals and performances throughout the school," Northern Lebanon School board Member Troy Williams said of the play.
The board itself voted 7 to 2 against hosting the play for the 2024 high school performance, with board members Robb Faller and Michelle Bucks voting in favor of the play.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An image still of The Addams Family movie from 1993. (Photo by FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)
Critics alleged the performance, due to "dark themes," violent content and instances of self-harm and smoking, would be problematic for a public audience.
Williams, who serves as the senior pastor of a nearby church, said he tried to look at the play's script without bias, but admitted to employing a Christian lens in his decision-making process during the March 14 meeting.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I will admit that this musical fits within the context of the original television series that ran for two seasons in the mid-1960s and its subsequent movies and spinoff specials since then. I also understand that this musical has become the number one choice of schools in America. However, the question at hand is, is the musical appropriate for students, faculty, staff, parents and community at large for the Northern Lebanon School District?
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The March 14 Northern Lebanon School District board meeting led to discussion about the Addams Family musical proposed for the district's play. (Board Broadcast/YouTube Screengrab)
"The answer is no," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Elaborating on his decision, he noted the play's script contains several "songs, scenes, lines and phrases" he didn't want to "promote" within the district or give students the impression that such behaviors are acceptable.
Actors Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth join the cast of "The Adams Family" as they take a bow following the opening night of the Broadway production of "The Addams Family" at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on April 8, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
"[This musical is] intended to have some comedy in it, [but] I don't think it represents the culture we're trying to build here or the climate, and we've put a lot of work into that in the past couple of years, so I wouldn't recommend us doing it because of that," another board member said during the meeting.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The themes are just dark in general," he continued later. "And if you do permit it, you promote it."
The board member highlighted some of the lines deemed problematic including "darkness, grief and unspeakable sorrow – that's what every Addams hopes for," "you smile a bit when you smell blood," and "I like the part about being locked up."
He also noted songs about killing, among other issues.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Digital reached out to a member of the Northern Lebanon School District for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.