WATERTOWN, Wis. — Watertown Unified School District has dropped “Flashdance” from consideration for Watertown High School’s spring musical after community members raised concerns, prompting students and supporters of the performing arts to protest the decision Monday outside the district office. The musical itself has not been canceled, interim Superintendent James Feil told families in a letter. The district is looking for another production, but has not announced a replacement or a new director. Ryan Moldenhauer, the high school choir teacher who had been set to direct the show, stepped down from directing the eventual replacement. The district’s decision came after Feil, who began serving as interim superintendent Aug. 1, paused plans and met with the high school principal and Moldenhauer to review the production. Feil said he wanted to avoid another divisive dispute after the School Board voted last spring to bar the instrumental piece “A Mother of A Revolution!” from the high school spring concert, citing the district’s policy on controversial issues. The decision came a week before the performance and drew national attention. Feil said he reviewed material showing how the “Flashdance” script had been adapted for a school production, but questioned whether the district should choose a show likely to prompt objections. He described his aim as finding “common ground” and moving the community forward. The musical is based on the 1983 film about an 18-year-old Pittsburgh woman who works as a welder and nightclub dancer while pursuing a career in ballet. Former School Board President Kate Lapin said the stage version’s setting had been changed: the character’s dancing took place in a diner, she said, rather than a bar. At Monday’s demonstration, retired Watertown teacher Kitty Stueber criticized the decision as the wrong start to the school year. Student performers also said the production had been revised with high school students in mind. Junior Austen Rodriquez said the director encouraged students to speak up if they were uncomfortable with anything and was willing to make changes. Junior Jaxson Martin said the latest reversal had left students worried after what they experienced the previous spring. The repeated disputes have put the district’s choices for student performances under renewed community scrutiny as the school year begins.