Grand Prairie Independent School District canceled a production of "Little Shop of Horrors" at South Grand Prairie High School after a female student was cast in the male lead role of Seymour. The district cited compliance with Texas Senate Bill 12 and concerns about themes in the musical involving an abusive relationship.
Ana MotaSouth Grand Prairie High School senior cast as Seymour
Grand Prairie Independent School DistrictSchool district that canceled the production
Nancy JimenezAna Mota's mother
The facts
South Grand Prairie High School cast Ana Mota, a senior, in the male lead role of Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors.34Stated by 2 sources
Grand Prairie Independent School District canceled the musical production after learning of the casting decision.34Stated by 2 sources
The district cited compliance with Texas Senate Bill 12 and concerns about themes involving an abusive relationship as reasons for cancellation.34Stated by 2 sources
Texas Senate Bill 12 took effect Sept. 1, 2025, and addresses restrictions on instruction and activities related to sexual orientation and gender identity.4
The law does not explicitly prohibit students from portraying characters of a different gender in school theatrical productions.4
Mota was offered to share a female lead role instead of playing Seymour.4
Ana Mota had previously played Jack, a male character, in Into the Woods the prior year.3
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Ana Mota I earned a role and worked hard for it, and I wasn't allowed to play it.4
Ana Mota In high school theater there's sometimes a lack of males; most people joining theater happen to be female.3
Ana Mota The issue has never been a concern with prior productions.3
Ana Mota The cancellation feels more like a punishment.12
Where the sources disagree
Whether Little Shop of Horrors has explicitly LGBTQ+ content Source 3 states the play 'doesn't have explicitly LGBTQ+ content'; sources do not dispute this characterization
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
'It feels more like a punishment': Texas student speaks out after school canceled production of 'Little Shop of Horrors'
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
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