Disney prohibits LGBT production of Sister Act
Friday, February 16, 2007
Disney has given a thumbs down to a university's LGBT club stage production of Sister Act. After working six months on the production, the group at Irish university NUI Galway were told to cease production, or suffer the consequences of legal action.
Jeff Rockett, producer of the play, commented to the Irish Times, "We are dumbfounded by Disney's stance towards what is a charitable, non-profit-making society, aimed at promoting safety and integration for the student LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] community. We were just having fun."
Reports claim the story was only "loosely based" on the film, and so the play's producers are investigating with lawyers what changes can be made, to make the production completely independent of the original concept.
Galway's Town Hall Theatre will refund tickets to the production.
An officially licensed Sister Act: The Musical is on stage in Atlanta, before making its way to Broadway.
Sources
- Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. "Disney not amused by students' 'Sister Act'" — The Irish Times, February 14, 2007
- "Disney shuts down Student LGBT production of "Sister Act"" — The Disney Blog, February 14, 2007