Play 'Too Hot' For Leighton, Will Not Run

The Dudley House spring production "Softly Like a Flower" has been canceled because of charges that the author wrote the play to get revenge on several former Harvard classmates. The play, written by Philip Stone '62, was scheduled to run April 10-13 at Agassiz Theater.

Delmar Leighton, Master of Dudley House, said yesterday that certain people claim that Stone wrote the play "as a malicious vendetta." Leighton emphasized that in canceling the play he did not pass judgment on the charge of vengeful intent. "I merely decided the issue was too hot to handle," he said.

Stone, who received notice of the production's cancellation Wednesday, denied that he intended to hurt anyone. "One character in the play comes from a true story I heard three years ago," he said, "but anything else is coincidental."

The character is a Harvard student who suffers an emotional crisis. Stone said that as far as he knows the student is no longer in the College.

Students Complain About Play

"Most of the fuss is coming from individuals who feel that friends of this student are being portrayed unfavorably in the play." Stone said, "This is not true. The characters in the play are products of my own imagination."

Leighton said, "Certain people in the Harvard community feel very strongly that the play should not be put on. Rather than hurt these people I have decided to call off the production."

Dean Watson said that students have been to see him in efforts to stop the play. He indicated that these students have threatened lawsuits against both Stone and the University.

Dudley House would have been responsible for any losses the production might incur, and in the case of a lawsuit against the producer, Harvard might become involved, a University official stated.

Stone has also considered filing a lawsuit against those who exerted pressure to stop the production. "I've found out that charges have been made against me which are untrue and slanderous. But right now I'm more concerned with seeing my play produced," he said.