Trustee Wants Theater Cuts Over Gay Jesus

A Michigan college official wants to pull funding from a college theater group, the Actors' Theater, because of a past production of Corpus Christi, which has a gay characters resembling Jesus and his disciples .

Richard Ryskamp, a trustee at Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan, wants the school to add a decency standard to evaluate groups that receive funding, according to The Grand Rapids Press.

The decency clause would exclude groups that encourage "evil things," such as the Actors' Theater, according to Ryskamp. "Corpus Christi portrayed Jesus Christ as the 'King of the Queers' and they're planning another play that portrays Jesus Christ in an unflattering way," Ryskamp said.

College president Steven Edler said that student productions, if funded for the next school year, will remain uncensored.

The theater group released an official statement responding to Ryskamp's comments saying, "Actors neither seek to create controversy, nor do we flee from it in the presentation of unique perspectives."

GRCC has a $3.5 million deficit, and trustees will likely vote on a budget this month. The Actors' Theater currently receives a $19,000 annual subsidy.