I don't know the show but wasn't this just revived on Broadway relatively recently? 

What specifically does she object to?

Has your offended board member actually seen the show, or is she reacting solely to the fact that it's a musical version of "Huckleberry Finn"?

The sad, sad truth is that "Huckleberry Finn" has actually been banned from several libraries around the USA because of the slavery issue and the "n" word.

Even more sad is the fact that a major portion of Huck's growth as a character involves coming to seeing Jim as a man - a human being - and not a piece of property.  The language and attitudes of "others" in the show is offensive.  It's supposed to be offensive - because it is offensive.  Both the book and the musical play illustrate the evils of slavery - they do not advocate slavery.

This is a perfect vehicle for teaching the evils of slavery.  Why any African American, or any American would object to it is far beyond the powers of my comprehension.

BTW - I have never heard of audiences reacting the same way as your board member.  They seem to be perfectly capable of "getting" the message inherent in the play.

Best of luck to you.


Edited by edh915 - 11/18/10 at 10:43am

So it looks like this was revived on Broadway in 2003.

That being the case I can't imagine this was perceived by anyone as "politically incorrect" but I'm not an African American.

If we avoid doing shows because someone may be offended, all theatres would close down.  There are certain people out there who go out of their way to be offended.  We did Big River serveral years ago without incident or controversy.

I find it sad that some of the literature (Hucklberry Finn) and the shows (Show Boat) that led the way out of prejudice now are blacklisted or shunned because of the use of language of the times (n-word) and other issues (racial violence).  Or go out of fashion because of the historic themes (much of the Rogers and Hammerstein works).