Stanford cancels Bloody Jackson play

Controversial Jackson Musical at Stanford University CanceledAt the Fountain, a student group at Stanford University in California, was going to put on a production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, a musical that American Indian groups have opposed—including the Stanford American Indian Organization.

After a number of conversations between At the Fountain and the SAIO, the musical was canceled. According to Kelly Gregg, director of on-campus activities for At the Fountain Theatricals, “students from At the Fountain as well as SAIO have turned this potentially divisive situation into a learning experience to increase conversations on campus (and, potentially, nationally) about the intersection of art and cultures,” she said in an email. “Together with Stanford’s Asian American Theatre Project (AATP) and Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity department (CSRE), ATF and SAIO have launched a series of programming exploring representation of minority groups and political correctness in theater and the media called Who Can Speak for Whom.”

“Between the efforts with Stanford American Indian Organization, and the team that was planning to produce the play, we ultimately were able to convince them to not produce this piece,” said Dahlton Brown, co-chair of the Stanford American Indian Organization. “After hearing our concerns as Native American leaders here at Stanford, they concluded it would be in everyone’s best interest that the play not be produced. While yes, this is a controversial issue, this production will not be happening here on the Stanford University campus.”Comment:  A previous article, "Natives Oppose Stanford Musical," told the beginnings of this controversy. But Indian Country Today apparently took it down.

For more on the subject, see Bloody Jackson, Family Guy, and Archie Bunker and Why No Bloody Jackson Protests?