Broadway Stars React To Cancellation Of Turlock High School's Production Of 'Be More Chill' Musical

TURLOCK (CBS13) - A Turlock High School musical was canceled after the school administration said community members expressed concerns over the show's mature content.

Now, students, local officials, and the Broadway community are speaking out.

For two years, Evan Espinosa was kept away from the stage.

"I missed theater so much," she said.

Espinosa plays Christine in Turlock High School's performance of "Be More Chill," a show about high school students coming of age.

"Opening night, we were really excited to go on stage and we did an outstanding job," Espinosa said.

But then, the bad news came when the Turlock Unified School District canceled the show.

"I ended up bursting into tears after being secluded from drama for so long and to have It taken away again was heartbreaking," Espinosa said.

The district said it canceled the performances after receiving concerns from community members about the show's mature content.

"It was advertised as mature from the beginning," Espinosa said.

Now, students and local officials are questioning the administration.

"It's about a kid pressured into taking a drug that would give him chill factor, and at some point, he has to choose between the cool that's prescribed or who he inherently is. That message of 'be yourself,' I want to watch," said Councilmember Andrew Nosrati.

Nosrati said he was disappointed but not surprised by the school's decision.

"Turlock has a history of it. We're afraid of art, we're afraid of things that challenge the status quo," he said. "I wish kids would grow up in the future in a Turlock that's more receptive of these things."

The cancelation even got Broadway's attention. The creators and stars of "Be More Chill" took to social media to support Turlock students all the way from New York City.

CBS13 reached out to Turlock Unified School District. It says they received complaints from community members about the show's mature content and that a show has to be approved by the administration.