WSU President V. Lane Rawlins supports the protesters at the “Passion of the Musical.” Rawlins attended part of the final showing of the play on April 21 before walking out. The musical had controversial scenes which included homophobic, racist and sacrilegious images. The Daily Evergreen received a private e-mail through a public records request from Rawlins to David Leonard, a comparative ethnic studies (CES) assistant professor. “I too was concerned about the threat to safety but I must say that our students, even though they were upset, exercised their rights of free speech in a very responsible manner by letting the writer and players know exactly how they felt,” Rawlins wrote. Leonard, who attended the play the same night, wants action from the university regarding the restriction of hate speech. He submitted a Hate Bias Report of his account of the musical. “Even my own privileges could not insulate me from the pain caused by the play; the sigh(t) of my students crying and infuriated to the point of wanting to drop out of school is a testament to the need for serious action,” Leonard wrote to Rawlins in a private e-mail. Chris Lee, a senior theatre arts major, who wrote, directed and stared as Lucifer in the musical doesn’t think the protest was peaceful. Lee, who plans on reviving “Passion of the Musical,” in the fall, said the protesters threatened actors on stage. The alleged threats are caught on videotape, Lee said. Police reports have been filed. “Their protest hasn’t solved anything except make more hate,” Lee said. Lee, who said he likes controversy, is working with approximately 40 writers on next fall’s, “Mangina Monologues.” Richard Kelley, director of Campus Involvement, attended the last showing of “Passion of the Musical”. He supports freedom of speech for the play to be shown and the protester’s freedom of speech. “I have to be impartial so I support both sides,” Kelley said. Protesters shouted out, “I am offended,” to scenes that were offensive in their opinion. In one scene song lyrics from Whitney Houston’s, “I will always love you,” were transformed to, “I will always hate Jews.” During the saxophone solo a student actor appeared dressed as Adolph Hitler, while the on stage cast called out, “Hail Hitler.” Approximately 40 protesters were able to get into the play for free, because Campus Involvement provided tickets. The tickets were purchased with private donations and not state or student funds, Kelley said. Campus Involvement met with various community leaders on campus throughout the last day of the musical, at this point they were asked to provide tickets. At the meeting in the African American Student Center, Brenda Maldonado, coordinator of Intercultural Student Development, offered tickets to students. Students met shortly before the doors opened to the 8 p.m. showing of the musical to discuss a possible protest. Kelley thinks Campus Involvements’ support of the play has been misled. The Visual Performing and Literacy Arts Community, a committee of the university that is supported from S&A Fees was asked for funding for the musical. Actors with a Passion for Comedy asked for money to support production. “From our perspective we supported all students,” Kelley said. Kenny Lyday, a junior business management major, does not agree with Campus Involvements support for the musical.

“It makes me laugh that they knew beforehand that is was offensive and decided to put money toward that anyway,” he said.

Lyday attended the meeting before the last showing of the musical, but had a lab conflict and didn’t see the play. He didn’t like what he heard about the musical, however. The musical portrayed minorities in a negative way, he said of the feedback he heard. “Ignorance is ignorance period,” Lyday said. Having a protest of the play would give recognition to something that degrades nationalities, Lyday said of why he was against the action.

“The protest did exactly what the guy (Lee) who put on the play wanted it too — it got attention,” Lyday said.