In the years following the shootings at Columbine High School, school boards and legislatures across the country have scrambled to address the issue of bullying. Many analysts have suggested that Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, the Columbine shooters, were driven to violence by years of torment at the hands of their peers, and have recommended that steps be taken to curb aggressive behavior by schoolchildren. A recent study by the National Institutes for Health found that a quarter of middle-school-aged children were either bullies or their victims, or both.

The creators of the play Oliver Button is a STAR!, which will be performed at 7:00 p.m. tonight in Mahar Auditorium, decided to address the issue of bullying by producing a play about how children deal with peer pressure and gender stereotypes. Oliver Button is a STAR! is based on Tomie dePaola’s children’s book Oliver Button is a Sissy, which chronicles the plight of a young boy who shuns traditional sports for dancing – which draws the ire of his father and his classmates.

Oliver Button is a Sissy was recently adapted as a musical by the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus, who will appear in tonight’s show. Joining the chorus on stage will be author dePaola, Northampton schoolteacher Mary Cowhey and her first grade class.

“We’ve documented the performance [by the Gay Men’s Chorus], and used it as a narrative structure,” says Dan Hunt, the show’s producer. “We’ve also intercut it with narratives from dePaola, and interviews from four adults about their childhood.”

These adults include a makeup artist and an Arctic explorer. In addition to the chorus and speakers, Oliver Button is a STAR! utilizes video footage of old commercials and news programs, as well as animation.

“Our idea is to show it to educators, whether current teachers, folks who are teaching people how to be teachers, or education students,” says Hunt. “I showed it to a principal, who said to me, ‘I want all of my teachers to see this.

“The show brings up questions for educators,” he adds. “How do you deal with homophobia? How do you deal with stereotypes? Is a male makeup artist a role model for children? If one child calls another child a ‘faggot’ do you stop class and address it?”

Hunt maintains that all of the feedback that he receives has been positive. However, he recognizes the possibility that some conservative groups may be offended by the show’s concept.

“There are groups out there who are opposing anti-bullying legislation,” he says, “saying that that if you tell little boys to be ‘artistic’ or to resolve issues without hitting, you’re promoting the homosexual agenda. I expect some backlash.”

Despite these potential criticisms, Carrie Ruzicka, the Educational and Cultural Programmer at the Stonewall Center, stresses that the show is important for all audiences, including children.

“I’ve had people ask me, ‘Is it appropriate to bring a nine-year-old to this show?'” she says. “I think it is. It’s going to be educational – and also entertaining. It’s a docu-performance; it’s not just talking heads. It appeals to a large audience.”

Tickets for Oliver Button is a STAR! are $3 for UMass students, $5 for Five College Students, and $7 for the general public.