Grand Prairie ISD has canceled South Grand Prairie High School’s planned production of “Little Shop of Horrors” after senior Ana Mota was cast as Seymour, the musical’s male lead. Mota said the casting was gender-blind and that she had not considered playing a male character unusual. She has performed in nearly two dozen roles since seventh grade, including Jack in the school’s production of “Into the Woods” last year. A few days after the casting decision, district leaders canceled the production. In a statement, the district said it acted after learning that a female student had been cast as a male character in a show where the two main characters have a romantic relationship. It also cited the musical’s themes involving an abusive relationship and said it wanted school programs to comply with Senate Bill 12 and other applicable law. The 2025 Texas law restricts public schools from providing instruction, guidance or programming on sexual orientation or gender identity. The district did not explain how the casting or the musical’s storyline would violate the law, and it has not announced what show will replace the canceled production. Mota said she was surprised by the district’s decision, noting that performers have historically played characters of different genders. Her mother, Nancy Jimenez, is asking district leaders to reverse course. Jimenez said she does not believe the law applies to the situation. The cancellation leaves the school’s theater students without the production they had been preparing, while the district reviews what it considers appropriate under state law and its own policies. Mota said she believes removing the show amounts to censorship and diminishes the value of student art.