School officials canceled South Grand Prairie High School’s production of the musical “Little Shop of Horrors” after a girl was cast in the male lead role.
Grand Prairie ISD
Grand Prairie school district officials canceled a production of the musical “Little Shop of Horrors” after a female student was cast in the male lead role, according to a social media post by the student and reporting from Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV.
Student Ana Mota, a senior at South Grand Prairie High School, was cast as Seymour in the musical, she told the Dallas Morning News.
Mota had played male roles at least twice before, and was given the part after four days of auditions and “the same opportunity” as everyone else, she wrote in a statement posted to her Instagram. About a week after earning the part, Mota was told she would no longer be allowed to perform as Seymour because of “a decision made by the district and its legal team concerning Senate Bill 12,” she wrote.
The bill, which went into effect last year, prohibits drag performances on public property in the presence of minors.
District officials initially said Mota’s role would be reassigned to a male student, but when Mota declined to accept a different part, the district decided to cancel the show outright, according to the Dallas Morning News.
“I was upset,” Mota told the Morning News. “This isn’t drag at all.”
In her statement, Mota noted that in August, U.S. District Judge David Hittner blocked the state from enforcing the bill, ruling it unconstitutional and a violation of the First Amendment. Mota also argued that the district violated Title IX, a federal statute prohibiting public institutions from limiting participation in educational programs on the basis of sex.
In a statement, GPISD officials wrote that the decision to cancel the musical was made in light of the fact that the show contains sensitive themes like an abusive relationship. Additionally, the character of Seymour develops a romantic relationship with the show’s female lead.
“This course of action does not diminish the accomplishments and the talents of these students,” school district officials told WFAA. “Rather, we want to ensure that we do everything in our power to put them in a position to be successful while adhering to state and federal law.”
This story was originally published October 13, 2026 at 5:48 PM.
Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Lillie Davidson is a breaking news reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She graduated from TCU in 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, is fluent in Spanish, and can complete a crossword in five minutes.