‘Chicago the Musical’ not best selection

To the editor:

Xavier High School will perform the musical production, 'Chicago the Musical,” Nov. 12-14 at Xavier High School.

Knowing that 'Chicago the Musical” was scheduled to be performed at a public high school or public college would not alarm me, but for a Catholic school to be sponsoring this type of performance leaves me with questions. Parents need to know that this Academy Award winner, 'Chicago the Musical,” has strong language and sexual references and situations, briefly explicit. A possible pregnancy by a lover is an element of the plot. All characters are amoral, even sleazy in this satire. Lots and lots of smoking. The 'merry murderesses” discuss their killings without remorse. The one innocent character is hanged, shown in the shadow.

The mission of Xavier High School according to Tom Keating in a letter of introduction on the Xavier website states that 'Xavier seeks to develop the total person in a Catholic environment. To that end, our administration, faculty and staff are deeply committed to helping our young people grow in an atmosphere that stresses the presence of God so they may develop spiritually, intellectually, physically, emotionally, and socially.”

One wonders if 'Chicago the Musical” does not quite match-up to the vision that Keating presents in his letter of introduction.

Leland Hutchison Sr.

Cedar Rapids