The use of prop guns in Ann Arbor Pioneer High School’s upcoming production of the musical Oklahoma!will be minimized.
In the wake of the recent mass shootings, concerns were raised about the use of guns and gunshots in the play. A letter was sent out to Pioneer High School parents informing them of the decision.
Ann Arbor Public Schools spokesperson Andrew Cluley says the obvious challenge is the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic is a musical with a lot of guns.
“They were a staple to cowboys in Oklahoma in the early 1900s, but in response to the ongoing epidemic of gun violence, the Pioneer Theater Guild decided to eliminate the use of guns in every possible instance when it’s not central to the plot.”
Instead of gunshots, the plan is to create a rimshot effect from the orchestra. The play opens Saturday, April 29.
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