The following is a complete transcript of the above podcast.

Helena Raffel: Hi, I’m Helena Raffel

Shannon Lee: and I’m Shannon Lee

HR: and you are listening to another episode of Voice Waves

Music (Lighter Fluid)

SL: Students are unsure what the second Brown Bag Lunch Show at Paly is going to be after the administration expressed concerns about the originally scheduled one’s inappropriate content.

HR: Brown bag shows are one act shows that students perform at lunch. Students can bring their lunches into the theater to eat while watching the show.

SL: However, “Daylight,” a one-act by junior Caleb Jones, was originally scheduled to perform as the 2nd Brown Bag Show on Dec. 9th, but was canceled.

HR: Theater Teacher Kathleen Woods said that she felt that the play had adult content and that it should have Principal Jacqueline McEvoy’s approval before it was performed at Paly. Woods said she followed a similar procedure with the Laramie Project, Paly’s spring play last year.

SL: McEvoy brought the play’s script to the admin team for advice. The admin team consists of Paly teachers, advisers and administrators. They eventually decided that the play couldn’t be performed as the 2nd Brown Bag show of the year.

HR: In a Dec. 4 interview with the Paly Voice, McEvoy said, “A play at Paly has to be appropriate for all high school: ages 14-18 unless it’s a limited audience…..We have to make sure that the parents are aware of the content.” We now have an interview with Caleb Jones

Interview with Caleb Jones (Sound bite)

SL: Could you explain what “Daylight” is about?

CJ: Yes, “Daylight” is a play about a man and a woman who wake up in the bedroom of the woman’s apartment or dorm room or wherever it is they are. They are more or less disheveled in their appearance. He is not wearing a shirt. She discovers that she is not wearing pants. None of this is actually displayed but it is stated in the lines. She has two sort of split personalities, one named Age, the other named Youth. They are sort of the two different sides of her that are trying to react to this situation. It’s primarily, I think, about the interactions of Age and Youth and the sort of the mature and immature sides of a person, you know, not much older than us and how they deal with a very mature situation.

HR: What were your reactions to being told that you could not produce this play?

CJ: Obviously I don’t endorse Paly students doing any of the things I brought up in my play. At the same time, it has to be admitted that there are Paly students doing these things: sex, drugs, alcohol. I feel like it shouldn’t be blasphemy to talk about it in a public situation where we can all go home and talk about it. Then, you know, bring it up with our parents. If our parents are so against these things that they have to, you know, state it, then ok, now they’ve got an opportunity to say, “they shouldn’t have done that.” At least we should be talking about it is what I feel. Maybe I don’t have the most responsible way of talking about it but I feel like I at least tried. I came fairly close. I know for a fact that there are worse ways of discussing it and those we are being bombarded with them everyday. This was at least an attempt at responsible discussion rather than whatever TV show it is we’re watching, or movie, or song or whatever it is. There is culture which…of course we shouldn’t be trying to control that. I’m not suggesting that we censor everything just because I was. I feel…it just doesn’t quite sit right with me, that’s all.

SL: Is there any chance that you can still perform and produce this play?

CJ: I get the sense from the people that I’ve talked to that it’s not going to happen at Paly. Earlier I was hoping that if it was independent and one at night rather than during Lunch or whatever, then maybe it would be ok. Currently, I think, the most likely path to follow is either try and find a theater in Palo Alto that’s interested although I don’t actually know who I’d go to for that or, if I actually feel like it, I might just do it in someone’s back yard.

(End of CJ’s interview)

HR: While controversy remains over this particular perspective brown bag lunch show, the first one of the year, the School Bell Always Rings Twice by Jonathan Friedman, was a success. It was directed by senior Marc Leclerc and was performed on Nov. 7.

SL: The 2nd brown bag of the year will now take place on Feb. 10.

HR: Thank you for listening, tune in next time for another episode of Voice Waves

Music (Lighter Fluid)