Richard Nelson's The Vienna Notes is the latest production to fall victim to the terrorist assaults of Sept. 11. The McCarter Theatre of Princeton, NJ, has canceled a scheduled production of the play citing its politically charged plot, which concerns a politician's callous behavior in the midst of a terrorist strike.

In a statement, McCarter Artistic Director Emily Mann said, “We are a country in pain.  As a theatre dedicated to serving our community, we want to remind everyone of what is best in humanity in the face of evil.  The Vienna Notes is a brilliant and timely political drama, but the context in which we would receive the play has changed drastically, and it would be insensitive of us to present the play at this moment in our history.  We are searching for an alternative and will notify subscribers and the public as soon as a decision has been made.”

The play was to have run from Oct. 16 to Nov. 4. McCarter's current mainstage attraction is Romeo and Juliet.

Richard Nelson is the American, England-based author of such plays as Two Shakespearean Actors, Some Americans Abroad, Madame Melville and James Joyce's The Dead.

—By Robert Simonson