High school principal calls off 'The Breakfast Club' performances

The Associated Press

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Anderson pulled the plug on the stage version of the popular John Hughes movie, made in 1985, after a performance Friday night.

The drama club performed the play Thursday and gave relatives a private showing Saturday, but public performances Saturday, Sunday, Monday and today were canceled.

The play depicts five high school students in detention on a Saturday afternoon.

"The explicit language and sexual innuendoes violated school district policies," Anderson said Monday. "It was not appropriate for a school play...

"There were younger kids there, and I was a little concerned."

In the future, he added, "all the plays are going to go across my desk so I have a chance to see it before gets to production."

Drama adviser Russ Wodehouse, who played the school principal in the play, could not be reached for comment Monday by the Tri-City Herald.

Students in the cast and some parents were upset.

"I've seen the movie so many times. It's just the truth and being honest and being up front and this is what it's like," said Jeremiah Leibold, 17.

His mother, Dorene Leibold, agreed.

"What really hurts me more than everything else is, yes, it was a little controversial, but it's stuff that happens in the real world and stuff that happens in school every day ... they're almost adults, for heaven sakes," she said.

Jessi Wyse, 15, whose character jokes at one point about being a nymphomaniac, said she was "extremely angry."

"I didn't see anything wrong with it in the first place. It had been in production for three months, and there were many opportunities to cancel it sooner," Wyse said.

"I didn't think they would cancel it. I figured at most they'd say cut back on a few words," said Kurtis Hingston, 16, whose character uttered a few profanities.

Rachel Morrow, 17, complained that Anderson "didn't even consult with us about how much work we put into this and how much this affected all of us, and it was just taken away."

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