[NEohioPAL]Censorship controversy at Wright State University
AKRfenish at aol.com
AKRfenish at aol.com
Sun Feb 27 21:19:36 PST 2005
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Dear fellow artists:
I am writing this letter to the members of the North East Ohio mailing
list to inform you of the happenings this weekend on the college campus of
Wright State University. For a brief period, our rights as artists were stripped
from us. I think it is important to be aware of the issues, threats, and the
amazing response this incident incited.
A student production of the play 'Quills' by Douglas Wright was to be
performed in the Directing Lab (a student run, student funded theater in the
Creative Arts Center of WSU) this weekend. As many of you may know, this production
contains strong language, simulated sex scenes, and full frontal male nudity.
After a grueling six week rehearsal process, the day before the show opened,
the student director and actor portraying the Marquee were told by the
university that according to the head of legal services at Wright State (under her
interpretation of the law) the nude scene was illegal and an act of "indecent
exposure." Upon this news, Thursday night, the following article was written in
the Dayton Daily News:
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0225wsuplay.html
Published Friday morning, this was a catalyst for an amazing response from
students, faculty, and staff of the university. Matt Neal (the 20 year old
student director) and myself (another student acting as president of the
Directing Lab Board), after not being contacted by legal services personally,
consulted an attorney (Scott Thomas of Cincinnati) and the ACLU. We spent the day
researching, after being told by the head of our department there was a state law
prohibiting such a depiction of male nudity. Along with our producer, Gabby
Hanson, we contacted a slew of law students, professors of civil liberties on
campus, the police department, and the county prosecutor attempting to find
the exact ordinance under which our actions would be deemed illegal. It turned
out we were fighting against a city ordinance that prohibited the "reckless
exposure of genitalia."
By noon on Friday (the day the article was published) the founding chair of
our department, Dr. Abe Bassett, contacted me and arrived on campus with a
letter addressed to the provost, the president of the university, the Dean of
Liberal Arts, the Chair of our department, and the entire theater arts faculty
urging them to "reverse the Quills decision." He said that "the right to
present plays in which nudity was central to the story [was addressed over 20 years
ago in a production of Equus at Wright State and] was affirmed by W.S.U. Board
of Trustees, and subsequently by the Ohio Board of Regents."
The theater faculty came together and drafted another letter the provost,
David R. Hopkins, saying they would back any decision made by the cast of
"Quills" and the Directing Lab. At one point a faculty member said to the actor in
question, "We'll post your bail ourselves." Even Doug Wright (the award
winning playwright of 'Quills') was contacted by his agent and sent out a statement
to the University on his behalf. And somewhere in Washington, a couple of
law students found the Dayton Daily News article, and over 50 e-mails were sent
to the Provost and head of legal services demanding the decision to be
reversed.
At 3 PM on Friday, only 5 hours before the show was to open, the Provost
contacted Dr. Stuart McDowell (acting chair of our department) and reversed his
decision. And Friday night "Quills" was produced in its entirety to a
standing room only house. Since yesterday a number of articles have been published
concerning the matter in papers all over Southern Ohio.
Although the students prevailed and the artistic integrity of the piece was
kept, it took a lot of pressure for the original decision to be swayed. I ask
that if you are moved by this story, and/or feel strongly about this issue,
please contact our Provost, Dr. David R. Hopkins and tell him what you think.
Thank him for not censoring our work, because we are certain (regardless of
the initial positive response) that he will be bombarded with letters telling
him his final decision was a mistake. The following is his information:
Dr. David R. Hopkins, Provost
Wright State University
Dayton, OH 45435
d.Hopkins at wright.edu
http://www.wright.edu/admin/provost/
Thank you all for taking the time to read this letter. I hope it will
incite you to take action, even in just a letter, an e-mail, or a phone call. As
the Marquee says, "In the face of adversity, the artist thrives." I leave you
with the final statement Doug Wright sent to the University on Friday:
"I was saddened to hear that Wright State University has threatened to shut
down a student production of my play 'QUILLS.' I wish I could report that it
was the play's incendiary ideology that so mortified university officials; or,
perhaps, its scandalous, purple prose. But no; their reason is far more
banal: nudity. (Nudity which-I might add-is decidedly anti-erotic; a doomed
prisoner is stripped of his garb.) The play is about to open in Bucharest; I find
it ironic that even as free expression flourishes in Romania, it is
ever-imperiled on our nation's college campuses."
Thanks again.
Best,
Alicia Rodis
President, Directing Lab Board, Wright State University
Senior, Acting major
The Following are further articles published on the matter at Wright State
this weekend:
Article 1: Dayton Daily Press Release (2/24/05)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/life/daily/0224footlights.html
Article 2: Dayton Daily News: No Nudity (2/25/05)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0225wsuplay.html
Article 3 Dayton Daily News: reversing of decision (2/26/05)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/daily/0226quills.html
Article 4: Dayton Daily News: Review (2/26/05)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/daily/0226quillsreview.html
Article 5: Dayton Daily (my absolute favorite) (2/26/05)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/life/daily/0227clash.html
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From: AKRfenish at aol.com
Full-name: AKRfenish
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Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 14:05:41 EST
Subject: letter revised
To: AKRfenish at aol.com
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> I am writing this letter to the members of the North East Ohio mailing list
> to inform you of the happenings this weekend on the college campus of Wright
> State University. For a brief period, our rights as artists were stripped
> from us. I think it is important to be aware of the issues, threats, and the
> amazing response this incident incited.
>
> A student production of the play 'Quills' by Douglas Wright was to be
> performed in the Directing Lab (a student run, student funded theater in the
> Creative Arts Center of WSU) this weekend. As many of you may know, this
> production contains strong language, simulated sex scenes, and full frontal male
> nudity. After a grueling six week rehearsal process, the day before the show
> opened, the student director and actor portraying the Marquee were told by the
> university that according to the head of legal services at Wright State (under
> her interpretation of the law) the nude scene was illegal and an act of
> "indecent exposure." Upon this news, Thursday night, the following article was
> written in the Dayton Daily News:
>
> http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0225wsuplay.
> html
>
> Published Friday morning, this was a catalyst for an amazing response from
> students, faculty, and staff of the university. Matt Neal (the 20 year old
> student director) and myself (another student acting as president of the
> Directing Lab Board), after not being contacted by legal services personally,
> consulted an attorney and the ACLU. We spent the day researching, after being
> told there was state law prohibiting such a depiction of male nudity, and then
> later there was a city ordinance. Along with our producer, Gabby ----- we
> contacted a slew of law students, professors of civil liberties on campus, the
> police department, and the county prosecutor attempting to find the exact
> ordinance under which our actions would be deemed illegal.
>
> By noon on Friday (the day the article was published) the founding chair of
> our department, Dr. Abe Bassett, contacted me and arrived on campus with a
> letter addressed to the provost, the president of the university, the Dean of
> Liberal Arts, the Chair of our department, and the entire theater arts faculty
> urging them to "reverse the Quills decision." He said that "the right to
> present plays in which nudity was central to the story [was addressed over 20
> years ago in a production of Equus at Wright State and] was affirmed by W.S.U.
> Board of Trustees, and subsequently by the Ohio Board of Regents."
>
> The theater faculty came together and drafted another letter the provost,
> David R. Hopkins, saying they would back any decision made by the cast of
> "Quills" and the Directing Lab. At one point a faculty member said to the actor
> in question, "We'll post your bail ourselves." Even Doug Wright (the award
> winning playwright of 'Quills') was contacted by his agent and sent out a
> statement to the University on his behalf. And somewhere in Washington, a couple
> of law students found the Dayton Daily News article, and over 50 e-mails were
> sent to the Provost and head of legal services demanding the decision to be
> reversed.
>
> At 3 PM on Friday, only 5 hours before the show was to open, the provost
> contacted Dr. Stuart McDowell (acting chair of our department) and reversed his
> decision. And Friday night "Quills" was produced in its entirety to a
> standing room only house. Since yesterday a number of articles have been
> published concerning the matter in papers all over Southern Ohio.
>
> Although the students prevailed and the artistic integrity of the piece was
> kept, it took a lot of pressure for the original decision to be swayed. I
> ask that if you are moved by this story, and/or feel strongly about this issue,
> please contact our Provost, Dr. David R. Hopkins and tell him what you
> think. Thank him for not censoring our work, because we are certain (regardless
> of the initial positive response) that he will be bombarded with letters
> telling him his final decision was a mistake. The following is his information:
>
> Dr. David R. Hopkins, Provost
> Wright State University
> Dayton, OH 45435
> d.Hopkins at wright.edu
> http://www.wright.edu/admin/provost/
>
> Thank you all for taking to time to read this letter. I hope it will incite
> you to take action, even in just a letter, an e-mail, or a phone call. As
> the Marquee says, "In the face of adversity, the artist thrives." I leave you
> with the final statement Doug Wright sent to the University on Friday:
>
> "I was saddened to hear that Wright State University has threatened to shut
> down a student production of my play 'QUILLS.' I wish I could report that it
> was the play's incendiary ideology that so mortified university officials;
> or, perhaps, its scandalous, purple prose. But no; their reason is far more
> banal: nudity. (Nudity which-I might add-is decidedly anti-erotic; a doomed
> prisoner is stripped of his garb.) The play is about to open in Bucharest; I
> find it ironic that even as free expression flourishes in Romania, it is
> ever-imperiled on our nation's college campuses."
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Best,
>
> Alicia Rodis
> President, Directing Lab Board, Wright State University
> Senior, Acting major
>
>
> The Following are further articles published on the matter at Wright State
> this weekend:
>
> Article 1: Dayton Dialy Press Release (2/24/05)
> http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/life/daily/0224footlights.html
>
> Article 2: Dayton Daily News: No Nudity (2/25/05)
> http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0225wsuplay.
> html
>
> Article 3 Dayton Daily News: reversing of decision (2/26/05)
> http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/daily/0226quills.html
>
>
> Article 4: Dayton Daily News: Review (2/26/05)
> http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/daily/0226quillsrevie
> w.html
>
> Article 5: Dayton Daily (my absolute favorite) (2/26/05)
> http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/life/daily/0227clash.html
>
>
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY=
=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=3DCITE style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT=
: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I am writing this letter to the=
members of the North East Ohio mailing list to inform you of the happenings=
this weekend on the college campus of Wright State University. For a=20=
brief period, our rights as artists were stripped from us. I think it=20=
is important to be aware of the issues, threats, and the amazing response th=
is incident incited.<BR>
<BR>
A student production of the play 'Quills' by Douglas Wright was to be perfor=
med in the Directing Lab (a student run, student funded theater in the Creat=
ive Arts Center of WSU) this weekend. As many of you may know, this pr=
oduction contains strong language, simulated sex scenes, and full frontal ma=
le nudity. After a grueling six week rehearsal process, the day before=
the show opened, the student director and actor portraying the Marquee were=
told by the university that according to the head of legal services at Wrig=
ht State (under her interpretation of the law) the nude scene was illegal an=
d an act of "indecent exposure." Upon this news, Thursday night, the f=
ollowing article was written in the Dayton Daily News:<BR>
<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0225wsuplay=
.html<BR>
<BR>
Published Friday morning, this was a catalyst for an amazing response from s=
tudents, faculty, and staff of the university. Matt Neal (the 20 year=20=
old student director) and myself (another student acting as president of the=
Directing Lab Board), after not being contacted by legal services personall=
y, consulted an attorney and the ACLU. We spent the day researching, a=
fter being told there was state law prohibiting such a depiction of male nud=
ity, and then later there was a city ordinance. Along with our producer, Gab=
by ----- we contacted a slew of law students, professors of civil liberties=20=
on campus, the police department, and the county prosecutor attempting to fi=
nd the exact ordinance under which our actions would be deemed illegal. =
; <BR>
<BR>
By noon on Friday (the day the article was published) the founding chair of=20=
our department, Dr. Abe Bassett, contacted me and arrived on campus with a l=
etter addressed to the provost, the president of the university, the Dean of=
Liberal Arts, the Chair of our department, and the entire theater arts facu=
lty urging them to "reverse the Quills decision." He said that "the ri=
ght to present plays in which nudity was central to the story [was addressed=
over 20 years ago in a production of Equus at Wright State and] was affirme=
d by W.S.U. Board of Trustees, and subsequently by the Ohio Board of Regents=
." <BR>
<BR>
The theater faculty came together and drafted another letter the provost, Da=
vid R. Hopkins, saying they would back any decision made by the cast of "Qui=
lls" and the Directing Lab. At one point a faculty member said to the=20=
actor in question, "We'll post your bail ourselves." Even Doug Wright=20=
(the award winning playwright of 'Quills') was contacted by his agent and se=
nt out a statement to the University on his behalf. And somewhere in W=
ashington, a couple of law students found the Dayton Daily News article, and=
over 50 e-mails were sent to the Provost and head of legal services demandi=
ng the decision to be reversed.<BR>
<BR>
At 3 PM on Friday, only 5 hours before the show was to open, the provost con=
tacted Dr. Stuart McDowell (acting chair of our department) and reversed his=
decision. And Friday night "Quills" was produced in its entiret=
y to a standing room only house. Since yesterday a number of articles=20=
have been published concerning the matter in papers all over Southern Ohio.&=
nbsp; <BR>
<BR>
Although the students prevailed and the artistic integrity of the piece was=20=
kept, it took a lot of pressure for the original decision to be swayed. =
; I ask that if you are moved by this story, and/or feel strongly about this=
issue, please contact our Provost, Dr. David R. Hopkins and tell him what y=
ou think. Thank him for not censoring our work, because we are certain=
(regardless of the initial positive response) that he will be bombarded wit=
h letters telling him his final decision was a mistake. The following=20=
is his information:<BR>
<BR>
Dr. David R. Hopkins, Provost<BR>
Wright State University<BR>
Dayton, OH 45435<BR>
d.Hopkins at wright.edu<BR>
http://www.wright.edu/admin/provost/<BR>
<BR>
Thank you all for taking to time to read this letter. I hope it will i=
ncite you to take action, even in just a letter, an e-mail, or a phone call.=
As the Marquee says, "In the face of adversity, the artist thrives."&=
nbsp; I leave you with the final statement Doug Wright sent to the Universit=
y on Friday:<BR>
<BR>
"I was saddened to hear that Wright State University has threatened to shut=20=
down a student production of my play 'QUILLS.' I wish I could report t=
hat it was the play's incendiary ideology that so mortified university offic=
ials; or, perhaps, its scandalous, purple prose. But no; their reason=20=
is far more banal: nudity. (Nudity which-I might add-is decidedly anti=
-erotic; a doomed prisoner is stripped of his garb.) The play is about=
to open in Bucharest; I find it ironic that even as free expression flouris=
hes in Romania, it is ever-imperiled on our nation's college campuses."<BR>
<BR>
Thanks again.<BR>
<BR>
Best, <BR>
<BR>
Alicia Rodis<BR>
President, Directing Lab Board, Wright State University<BR>
Senior, Acting major <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
The Following are further articles published on the matter at Wright State t=
his weekend:<BR>
<BR>
Article 1: Dayton Dialy Press Release (2/24/05)<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/life/daily/0224footlights.html=
<BR>
<BR>
Article 2: Dayton Daily News: No Nudity (2/25/05)<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0225wsuplay=
.html<BR>
<BR>
Article 3 Dayton Daily News: reversing of decision (2/26/0=
5)<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/daily/0226quills.htm=
l<BR>
<BR>
Article 4: Dayton Daily News: Review (2/26/05)<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/daily/0226quillsrevi=
ew.html<BR>
<BR>
Article 5: Dayton Daily (my absolute favorite) (2/26/05)<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/life/daily/0227clash.html<BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<BR>
</FONT></HTML>
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From: AKRfenish at aol.com
Full-name: AKRfenish
Message-ID: <1da.370a7467.2f52c0cd at aol.com>
Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 01:21:01 EST
Subject: letter
To: AKRfenish at aol.com
MIME-Version: 1.0
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I am writing this letter to the members of the North East Ohio mailing list=20
to inform you of the happenings this weekend on the college campus of Wright=
=20
State University.=A0 For a brief period, our rights as artists were stripped=
of=20
us.=A0 I think it is important to be aware of the issues, threats, and the a=
mazing=20
response this incident incited.
A student production of the play 'Quills' by Douglas Wright was to be put up=
=20
in the Directing Lab (a student run, student funded theater in the Creative=20
Arts Center of WSU) this weekend.=A0 As many of you may know, this productio=
n=20
contains strong language, simulated sex scenes, and full frontal male nudity=
.=A0=20
After a grueling six week rehearsal process, the day before the show opened,=
the=20
student director and actor portraying the Marquee were told by the universit=
y=20
that according to the head of legal services at Wright State (under her=20
interpretation of the law) the nude scene was illegal and an act of "indecen=
t=20
exposure."=A0 Upon this news, Thursday night, the following article was writ=
ten in the=20
Dayton Daily News:
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0225wsuplay=
.h
tml
Published Friday morning, this was a catalyst for an amazing response from=20
students, faculty, and staff of the university.=A0 Matt Neal (the 20 year ol=
d=20
student director) and myself (another student acting as president of the Dir=
ecting=20
Lab Board), after not being contacted by legal services personally, consulte=
d=20
an attorney and the ACLU.=A0 We spent the day researching, after being told=20=
it=20
was state law prohibiting such a depiction of male nudity, and then later it=
=20
was a city ordinance. Along with our producer, Gabby ----- we contacted slew=
of=20
law students, professors of civil liberties on campus, the police department=
,=20
and the county prosecutor attempting to find what exact ordinance our action=
s=20
would be deemed illegal under.=A0=20
By noon on Friday (the day the article was published) the founding chair of=20
our department, Dr. Abe Bassett, contacted me and arrived on campus with a=20
letter addressed to the provost, the president of the university, the Dean o=
f=20
Liberal Arts, the Chair of our department, and the entire theater arts facul=
ty=20
urging them to "reverse the Quills decision."=A0 He said that "the right to=20=
present=20
plays in which nudity was central to the story [was addressed over 20 years=20
ago in a production of Equus at Wright State and] was affirmed by W.S.U. Boa=
rd=20
of Trustees, and subsequently by the Ohio Board of Regents."=A0=20
The theater faculty came together and drafted another letter the provost,=20
David R. Hopkins, saying they would back any decision made by the cast of=20
"Quills" and the Directing Lab.=A0 At one point a faculty member said the ac=
tor in=20
question, "We'll post your bail ourselves."=A0 Even Doug Wright (the award w=
inning=20
playwright of 'Quills') was contacted by his agent about the situation and s=
end=20
out a statement to the University on his behalf.=A0 And somewhere in=20
Washington, a couple of law students found the Dayton Daily News article, an=
d over 50=20
e-mails were sent to the Provost and head of legal services demanding the=20
decision to be reversed.
At 3 PM and Friday, only 5 hours before the show was to open, the provost=20
contacted Dr. Stuart McDowell (acting chair of our department) and reversed=20=
his=20
decision.=A0=A0 And Friday night "Quills" was produced in it's entirety to a=
=20
standing room only house.=A0 Since just yesterday a number of articles have=20=
been=20
published concerning the matter in papers all over Southern Ohio.=A0=20
Although the students prevailed and the artistic integrity of the piece was=20
kept, it took a lot of pressure for the original decision to be swayed.=A0 I=
ask=20
that if you are moved by this story, and/or feel strongly about this issue,=20
please contact our Provost, Dr. David R. Hopkins and tell him what you think=
.=A0=20
Thank him for not censoring our work, because we are certain (regardless of=20=
the=20
initial positive response) he will be bombarded with letters telling him his=
=20
final decision was a mistake.=A0 The following is his information:
Dr. David R. Hopkins, Provost
Wright State University
Dayton, OH 45435
d.Hopkins at wright.edu
http://www.wright.edu/admin/provost/
Thank you all for taking to time to read this letter.=A0 I hope it will inci=
te=20
you to take action, even in just a letter, an e-mail, or a phone call.=A0 As=
the=20
Marquee says, "In the face of adversity, the artist thrives."=A0 I leave you=
=20
with the final statement Doug Wright sent to the University on Friday:
"I was saddened to hear that Wright State University has threatened to shut=20
down a student production of my play 'QUILLS.'=A0 I wish I could report that=
it=20
was the play's incendiary ideology that so mortified university officials; o=
r,=20
perhaps, its scandalous, purple prose.=A0 But no; their reason is far more=20
banal: nudity.=A0 (Nudity which-I might add-is decidedly anti-erotic; a doom=
ed=20
prisoner is stripped of his garb.)=A0 The play is about to open in Bucharest=
; I find=20
it ironic that even as free expression flourishes in Romania, it is=20
ever-imperiled on our nation's college campuses."
Thanks again.
Best,=20
Alicia Rodis
President, Directing Lab Board, Wright State University
Senior, Acting major=A0=20
The Following are further articles published on the matter at Wright State=20
this weekend:
Article 1:=A0 Dayton Dialy Press Release=A0 (2/24/05)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/life/daily/0224footlights.html
Article 2:=A0 Dayton Daily News:=A0 No Nudity=A0 (2/25/05)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0225wsuplay=
.h
tml
Article 3=A0 Dayton Daily News:=A0 reversing of decision=A0 (2/26/05)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/daily/0226quills.htm=
l
Article 4:=A0 Dayton Daily News:=A0 Review=A0 (2/26/05)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/daily/0226quillsrevi=
ew
.html
Article 5:=A0 Dayton Daily (my absolute favorite)=A0 (2/26/05)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/life/daily/0227clash.html
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY=
=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">I am writing this letter to the mem=
bers of the North East Ohio mailing list to inform you of the happenings thi=
s weekend on the college campus of Wright State University.=A0 For a brief p=
eriod, our rights as artists were stripped of us.=A0 I think it is important=
to be aware of the issues, threats, and the amazing response this incident=20=
incited.<BR>
<BR>
A student production of the play 'Quills' by Douglas Wright was to be put up=
in the Directing Lab (a student run, student funded theater in the Creative=
Arts Center of WSU) this weekend.=A0 As many of you may know, this producti=
on contains strong language, simulated sex scenes, and full frontal male nud=
ity.=A0 After a grueling six week rehearsal process, the day before the show=
opened, the student director and actor portraying the Marquee were told by=20=
the university that according to the head of legal services at Wright State=20=
(under her interpretation of the law) the nude scene was illegal and an act=20=
of "indecent exposure."=A0 Upon this news, Thursday night, the following art=
icle was written in the Dayton Daily News:<BR>
<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0225wsuplay=
.html<BR>
<BR>
Published Friday morning, this was a catalyst for an amazing response from s=
tudents, faculty, and staff of the university.=A0 Matt Neal (the 20 year old=
student director) and myself (another student acting as president of the Di=
recting Lab Board), after not being contacted by legal services personally,=20=
consulted an attorney and the ACLU.=A0 We spent the day researching, after b=
eing told it was state law prohibiting such a depiction of male nudity, and=20=
then later it was a city ordinance. Along with our producer, Gabby ----- we=20=
contacted slew of law students, professors of civil liberties on campus, the=
police department, and the county prosecutor attempting to find what exact=20=
ordinance our actions would be deemed illegal under.=A0 <BR>
<BR>
By noon on Friday (the day the article was published) the founding chair of=20=
our department, Dr. Abe Bassett, contacted me and arrived on campus with a l=
etter addressed to the provost, the president of the university, the Dean of=
Liberal Arts, the Chair of our department, and the entire theater arts facu=
lty urging them to "reverse the Quills decision."=A0 He said that "the right=
to present plays in which nudity was central to the story [was addressed ov=
er 20 years ago in a production of Equus at Wright State and] was affirmed b=
y W.S.U. Board of Trustees, and subsequently by the Ohio Board of Regents."=
=A0 <BR>
<BR>
The theater faculty came together and drafted another letter the provost, Da=
vid R. Hopkins, saying they would back any decision made by the cast of "Qui=
lls" and the Directing Lab.=A0 At one point a faculty member said the actor=20=
in question, "We'll post your bail ourselves."=A0 Even Doug Wright (the awar=
d winning playwright of 'Quills') was contacted by his agent about the situa=
tion and send out a statement to the University on his behalf.=A0 And somewh=
ere in Washington, a couple of law students found the Dayton Daily News arti=
cle, and over 50 e-mails were sent to the Provost and head of legal services=
demanding the decision to be reversed.<BR>
<BR>
At 3 PM and Friday, only 5 hours before the show was to open, the provost co=
ntacted Dr. Stuart McDowell (acting chair of our department) and reversed hi=
s decision.=A0=A0 And Friday night "Quills" was produced in it's entirety to=
a standing room only house.=A0 Since just yesterday a number of articles ha=
ve been published concerning the matter in papers all over Southern Ohio.=
=A0 <BR>
<BR>
Although the students prevailed and the artistic integrity of the piece was=20=
kept, it took a lot of pressure for the original decision to be swayed.=A0 I=
ask that if you are moved by this story, and/or feel strongly about this is=
sue, please contact our Provost, Dr. David R. Hopkins and tell him what you=20=
think.=A0 Thank him for not censoring our work, because we are certain (rega=
rdless of the initial positive response) he will be bombarded with letters t=
elling him his final decision was a mistake.=A0 The following is his informa=
tion:<BR>
<BR>
Dr. David R. Hopkins, Provost<BR>
Wright State University<BR>
Dayton, OH 45435<BR>
d.Hopkins at wright.edu<BR>
http://www.wright.edu/admin/provost/<BR>
<BR>
Thank you all for taking to time to read this letter.=A0 I hope it will inci=
te you to take action, even in just a letter, an e-mail, or a phone call.=
=A0 As the Marquee says, "In the face of adversity, the artist thrives."=A0=20=
I leave you with the final statement Doug Wright sent to the University on F=
riday:<BR>
<BR>
"I was saddened to hear that Wright State University has threatened to shut=20=
down a student production of my play 'QUILLS.'=A0 I wish I could report that=
it was the play's incendiary ideology that so mortified university official=
s; or, perhaps, its scandalous, purple prose.=A0 But no; their reason is far=
more banal: nudity.=A0 (Nudity which-I might add-is decidedly anti-erotic;=20=
a doomed prisoner is stripped of his garb.)=A0 The play is about to open in=20=
Bucharest; I find it ironic that even as free expression flourishes in Roman=
ia, it is ever-imperiled on our nation's college campuses."<BR>
<BR>
Thanks again.<BR>
<BR>
Best, <BR>
<BR>
Alicia Rodis<BR>
President, Directing Lab Board, Wright State University<BR>
Senior, Acting major=A0 <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
The Following are further articles published on the matter at Wright State t=
his weekend:<BR>
<BR>
Article 1:=A0 Dayton Dialy Press Release=A0 (2/24/05)<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/life/daily/0224footlights.html=
<BR>
<BR>
Article 2:=A0 Dayton Daily News:=A0 No Nudity=A0 (2/25/05)<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0225wsuplay=
.html<BR>
<BR>
Article 3=A0 Dayton Daily News:=A0 reversing of decision=A0 (2/26/05)<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/daily/0226quills.htm=
l<BR>
<BR>
Article 4:=A0 Dayton Daily News:=A0 Review=A0 (2/26/05)<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/daily/0226quillsrevi=
ew.html<BR>
<BR>
Article 5:=A0 Dayton Daily (my absolute favorite)=A0 (2/26/05)<BR>
http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/life/daily/0227clash.html<BR>
<BR>
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