HILLSBOROUGH - And then there was another fall play.

Hillsborough High School has decided to change its fall play because of concerns about the "roots" of its title from a novel written in 1939 by Agatha Christie.

Though the play is titled "And Then There Were None," it was based on Christie's novel that had a racial slur in its title. A month after its British publication as "Ten Little N*****s," named after a famous British song, the novel was re-named in America. It became "And Then There Were None" and the nursery rhyme, "Ten Little Indians," became a key plot device.

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But Michael Callahan, the school district's supervisor of visual/performing arts and related area, wrote in a letter to parents that after hearing "unfortunate revelations" from the community about the original name of Christie's novel, the school district decided to cancel "And Then There Were None" and instead stage, "Almost, Maine" one of the most the most produced plays in American high schools.

Though there is no "adverse content" in the play, Callahan wrote parents that the source material's original title "raised strong concerns."

"It is our goal to be inclusive and not exclusive," Callahan wrote. "The roots of the original title bring about sentiments that are not inclusive and certainly do not embrace the ideals of the 'hate has no home here' signs which hang in various places in the school."

Students "were at no time subject to any sort of objectionable content."

Callahan said the he met with Superintendent of Schools Jorden Schiff, Assistant Superintendent Lisa Antunes and principal Karen Bingert came to the joint decision that it would be "diligent" to change the fall play "erring on the side of inclusivity."

"I am in full support of Mr. Callahan's letter and look forward to the fall production of 'Almost, Maine'," Schiff said.

Students who originally landed a part in "And Then There Were None" will go to a call-back for "Almost, Maine." Callahan said the new "suitable" play was chosen with a similar cast size.

Despite its original title, the novel became Christie's best selling mystery, with more than 100 million copies sold.

Staff Writer Mike Deak: 908-243-6607; mdeak@mycentraljersey.com