Spring Branch school system cancels trip to ‘James and the Giant Peach’

A Texas school district scrapped a planned field trip to see a performance of “James and the Giant Peach” after at least one parent complained about “cross-gender casting.”

Students from the Spring Branch Independent School District were supposed to see the play at a local theater until school leaders pulled the plug, citing concerns over “age- appropriateness,” the Houston Chronicle reported.

The play was put on by Main Street Theaters in an ode to the classic children’s book written in 1961 by author Roald Dahl.

Before the trip was canceled, the theater, around since 1975, was criticized and accused of having a “cross-gender casting,” the Houston Chronicle reported. There were also concerns raised over the use of pronouns tied to a character.

A social media post reportedly sparked the eventual cancellation after an anonymous person behind an Instagram account posted screenshots of purported district parents claiming they would not let their kids go to the play because of a “drag queen’s role in the show,” the newspaper reported.

Parent Cheri Thomas told ABC 13 at a recent school board meeting another parent complained the actors played multiple roles that were both male and female, claiming it was drag.

Main Street Theater marketing director Shannon Emerick refuted that claim.

“Drag is a different art form. There is a whole art form that is drag,” Emerick said “The amazing thing is the kids just believe the story. They’re not interested in any agendas or anything else anyone thinks is going on.”

Main Street Theaters also responded to the social media post, stressing the theater has used cross-gender casting for years due to having a smaller crew. It also explained the use of the pronouns tied to the character Glowworm featured in the book.

“In addition, there was a question of the use of pronouns for the insects. True to Dahl’s book, the Glowworm explains that it is not a male but rather a female because male Glowworms do not light up,” the theater wrote. The theater said the play is for anyone first-grade and up.

The school system would only say the field trip was off “due to concerns raised about the age-appropriateness of the performance.”

ABC 13 said it heard from parents happy the trip was canceled, but none would speak on camera.

While the Instagram account that reportedly drummed up contention over the play cheered the cancellation, the theater’s artistic director emailed the Chronicle saying she was sorry the students would miss out.

“Many kindergarten classes have also seen it with no ill effects!” Rebecca Udden wrote. “I’m sure this is just a blanket statement which avoids wading into a few parents’ trumped-up controversy over cross-gender casting, a theatrical tradition since the art form began.”