The Jimmy Kimmel controversy is only the latest in America’s long-running debate over how free “free speech” can and should be.
Ari Edelson has spent his career thinking about issues like that. After earning degrees at both Yale University and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the 1994 Staples High School graduate earned international fame as a producer and director in the US and Europe.
In 2008 Edelson took the helm of the renowned Jean Cocteau Repertory, and reimagined it as the Orchard Project. The unique endeavor grew rapidly. In 2015 it moved to Saratoga Springs, New York.
During 10-day-long residencies, companies and artists are provided room and board, staff support and technical resources.
The program hosts 8 to 12 projects at a time, supporting up to 40 projects every summer. Participants range from playwrights working alone on drafts, to full ensembles in large rehearsal spaces.
Most works are cutting-edge. Some skirt free-speech boundaries or norms.
This summer, Edelson was part of an ACLU panel on censorship in the theater. Part of his remarks were about “Falsettos.”
But he was not talking about the Broadway version of the Tony Award-winning show, with its savage and touching exploration of family, love, religion and AIDS. Edelson remembered the production 31 years ago in Westport.
The one that was censored by the Staples High School principal.
Keith Haring designed the “Falsettos” logo.
In 1994 Edelson — a senior, president of Staples Players (and, in his spare time, chair of the Staples Governing Board) — wanted to cap his high school career by directing his first show ever: a Studio Theater production of “Falsettos.” Like one of the characters in the show, he had had a bar mitzvah at the bedside of a dying relative.
Players director Al Pia helped him secure the rights. On a Monday morning, Pia told him Staples was chosen for the first amateur production anywhere of “Falsettos.” Despite its complex themes and demanding score, it would be entirely student-run, from direction and sets, to lighting and music. Edelson was ecstatic.
An hour later, he was devastated. Principal Gloria Rakovic told him he could not do the show.
“The school had already been subject to controversies about sexual orientation,” Edelson recalls. “She didn’t want the school to be exposed to any more.”
His initial reaction: “You can’t tell me what to say.”
His second: “I’ll find a place to do it.”
Edelson went to a pay phone near the fieldhouse, and called his parents.
Then he called his rabbi, Robert Orkand.
“I wasn’t very religious,” Edelson says. “But I wanted him to know. He said he’d support any decision I made.”
Surreptitiously that afternoon, Edelson held auditions. Forty students — an enormous number for a small-cast show — were there.
The next morning, he posted the cast list. Meanwhile, an English teacher alerted the American Civil Liberties Union. The story was gaining attention.
That same day, the town’s interfaith clergy organization had a meeting with superintendent of schools Paul Kelleher. They told him they would support the students’ right to put on the show.
On Wednesday morning, Pia offered to introduce Edelson to Westport Country Playhouse artistic director Jim McKenzie. The Playhouse, he said, was eager to host “Falsettos.”
Westport Country Playhouse artistic director Jim McKenzie, and Ari Edelson. (Photo/Susan Warner)
That afternoon, the administrator in charge of theater told Edelson that the decision was reversed. He could produce the show at Staples.
Uncertain whether the school would change its mind again, or impose certain restrictions, he stuck with the Playhouse.
“I felt I was in a community that encouraged people to speak out,” he says. “I was trying to speak out for what I thought was right, and not be afraid.”
The 17-year-old could easily have avoided the problems he faced from adults who doubted his and his troupe’s ability to handle a show about homosexuality and religious faith.
The young ensemble could have avoided involvement too. John Newman had to juggle his duties as a baseball co-captain, while other actors and musicians were preparing for a European concert and orchestra tour.
“Falsettos” cast. Top (from left): Joelle Heise, Lindsay Meehan, Roby Cygan. Middle: Joanna Bloomer, John Newman, Charles Carleton, Conor Loughridge. Front: Ari Edelson. (Photo/Susan Warner)
None needed to face questions from friends and parents about why they were so interested in learning about AIDS and gays (and bar mitzvahs).
But they did. And — empowered by community support — “Falsettos” had a 2-week run at the Westport Country Playhouse. It played to full houses, earned rave reviews, and left grown men and women in tears.
During rehearsals, the cast had been inspired by meeting and hearing the stories of AIDS patients at Bread & Roses, the Georgetown hospice. Edelson donated half the proceeds there. The other half went to the Mid-Fairfield County AIDS Project.
The director calls those months “a real learning experience, in a world we were only just learning about. We were 16 and 17 years old. We met optimistic characters, in a time of great uncertainty.”
From top: John Newman, Roby Cygan, Joanne Bloomer. (Photo/John Voorhees)
Not everyone agreed with the decision to produce “Falsettos.” Local media — the Westport News, Minuteman and Norwalk Hour — became “a town square for arguments about whether it was appropriate for kids to be telling these stories.”
It was appropriate then, Edelson believes. And now — more than 3 decades later — he believes it more than ever.
Ari Edelson (right) and Charles Carleton.
“To this day, nothing has been more inspirational, and foundational, in my life.”
Censorship had been defeated.
But in 2025, it remains an ever-present threat. Jimmy Kimmel was one of the most recent examples.
He won’t be the last.
(“06880” occasionally looks back at Westport life — to illuminate the present. If you appreciate stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
What a fascinating story—and I have no recollection of this whatsoever (probably because it was a year before we came back to Westport).
Did anyone film any portion of the show? Even if there isn’t any such footage, I imagine there were still photos taken.
The bottom line: I think this would make for a wonderful documentary short (not that I am in a position to do anything in that regard). This is local history with universal relevance that absolutely deserves to be captured on camera.
Yes! We have a recording of it!
Kerry, Did you or do you have a brother named Herb? How about a brother who graduated Staples in 1958? His picture is on the same page with Christopher Lloyd in the yearbook!
Rakovic ought to have been fired forthwith.
The town, the arts and the Constitution owe a huge debt of gratitude to Ari Edelson.
Interesting that the resolution was to produce the show at the Playhouse instead of Staples.
Kimmel thinks mocking people is funny. It isn’t. 🇺🇸
Mocking Kimmel on the other hand…..(you finish it according to your own personal feelings).
FYI, long-standing late-night tradition started by Carson , I believe, Mr Feeley
Why mock Kimmel when you can mock Feeley? (Touchey Kimmel not funny – Touchey Feeley VERY funny).
What a great example of what a young person could accomplish with courage, conviction and community. I remember seeing Falsettos at the WCP- it was wonderful!
As an aside- Tom was it alright for the President of the United States of America to mock a reporter with a disability or to routinely call members of the opposition party low intelligence, dumb or low IQ. The President isn’t paid to do that in his job description- he is supposed to lead the Nation under the Constitution, heal the nation, set an example of how we as a people should act and behave.
Mr Kimmel in the long tradition of comedy uses mockery as a basic tool of his trade! He is paid to be funny, to mock and merely point out the many things that on inspection and reflection don’t seem to……… And we can either choose to cry about or perhaps laugh at!
And I remember Rakovic taking flack from all sides!!
Huh. Then what explains him still leading the late night pack with 1.3 million viewers every night?
Remember when Obama mocked Trump during the White House correspondents dinner and Trump’s face turned bright red with rage? Now, that was funny.
You guys are kindergarten 😜
I would say- we just don’t see things the same way! Discuss!
Let’s discuss your TDS Steve 😜🇺🇸
TDS – Trump Derangement Syndrome is not a medically recognized condition (my professional opinion). But if we are labelling opinions and not medical conditions perhaps you have TAS- Trump Adoration Syndrome.
I would simply say- we just don’t share the same opinion on what is happening- without the unnecessary labels!
Steve when you jump from Kimmel to Trump that’s classic TDS.
A non medical term used to describe someone who has such an underlying connection to someone that it invades their daily life and conversations.
Check your posts. You can beat this Steve. Let it go. 🙏
This was one of the most moving—and important—moments during my 32 years as Rabbi of Temple Israel. Thanks for the reminder!
Remember around 1959-ish, Nikita Khrushchev took a ship and visited the United States and VP Nixon showed him around. If you remember, on the ship, one of Krushchev’s contingent did something to get Nikita angry and Nikita made the guy lower his pants and underwear and sit on a block of ice on deck where everyone could see him. Nikita didn’t like free speech!
Why do you make things up?
Back in 1911 or so, my great grandfather was an “ice man”. He would deliver large blocks of ice to homes for their ice chests. Back then Jack there was no refrigeration. The blocks were placed in iceboxes.
Did you have an icebox? I wonder if the block of ice on the man had to sit on was one my great grandfather delivered?
Loved the “ice man”. Old Italian guy with a horse drawn trailer filled with huge blocks of ice. The horse knew exactly where to stop for each house. The iceman would cut the perfect size for the home and take it to the ice box. We kids would race to the trailer and grab all the ice slivers. On to the next house. Repeat 🧊🧊🥶🥶
I was still at Bedford when Falsettos was performed, but remember being proud of our town’s willingness to fight to be inclusive when it might be hard. Now, with my daughter at Bedford, I’m proud of the fact our town still fights to be inclusive, including Staples Players putting on a play like “The Prom” recently, which despite being much sillier than Falsettos, also includes a number of gay characters, now with little to no controversy.