Yeah, let's not shame the students in that “In the Heights” video

Over the past couple of days, an old video clip of a school production of In the Heights is going viral again due to a supercut posted on social media. While many are taking part in ridiculing the production for everything from its problematic casting to performance, I don’t see the joy in shaming a bunch of students. I’d like to think that as a theatre community, we’re better than that. Especially to those students who perhaps strive to be working in said community someday.

But there is some information about this production that people should know before they revel in laughing at these students.

First of all, the production occurred in 2013 at The Sharon Academy, in Sharon, VT. It’s not like it happened in the past couple of years when there has been a heightened awareness of casting roles of color correctly. Needless to say, this school wouldn’t be doing In the Heights today with the same cast makeup., even though the creators of the show are fine with schools casting white students in these roles for their productions.

Also, what should be mentioned is that this production was completely student-organized. At Sharon Academy, the entire high school stops classes for two weeks for the "Interim." During this time, students—with faculty guidance—put together a musical. In addition to being on stage, students are in charge of ticket sales, advertisement, program, costumes, set design, lighting, and sound. These activities are designed to teach collaboration, self-reliance, and instill the empowering self-confidence that comes from stretching personal comfort zones, by requiring students to perform live on stage.

While the choice and casting of the show were problematic, the students made well-intentioned efforts to do right by the material. The faculty “director” of the production was also the school’s Spanish teacher. The students even took a field trip to Washington Heights to explore the area and learn more about it.

They also donated every dollar of ticket sales to the People's Theatre Project, a non-profit founded in Washington Heights with a mission to create a stronger through arts and social justice.

I also don’t like the circumstances of how the video came to light. It comes from a single Youtube account who only posted two videos from the production and hasn’t been active since. I don’t know if someone posted them out of spite or any other negative motivation but that’s something that should be considered.

But none of that matters when social media shame is involved.

And by the way, I was able to find out this information due to a quick five minute Google search which led me to the production’s Facebook page. I wish those responsible for this shaming had done the same before they posted their ridicule online.

So without trying to sound holier than thou, there are a ton of more important things going on in the world that are worth our attention and even ridicule. But a 7-year-old production of a high school musical performance shouldn’t even be close to one of them.

When we do this, it brings out the very worst behaviors within the theatre community - the very community that is rallying for support as it goes through a devasting period due to COVID-19. This doesn’t help at all.