Samuel French, You Bastard!

A Bronx high school has been forced to cancel its spring performance of the musical “Chicago” because the piece’s publisher is worried consumers will somehow mistake a high school production for Broadway . . . which pretty much says it all about Broadway:

The news shattered more than 75 students and teachers at Herbert H. Lehman High School who had worked hard on the amateur production for three months and planned to perform Thursday — at $7 a ticket.

“We were all putting everything we had into it, and for someone to tell me I can’t do this is like someone telling me I can’t breathe or I can’t walk,” said Justin Valentin, a 17-year-old senior slated to star as lawyer Billy Flynn.

“For months I’ve gone to bed every night singing the songs,” he added.

The bad news came Friday when the East Tremont school was slammed with a severe “cease and desist” order from Samuel French Inc., representing the authors of the play and citing copyright law and licensing agreements.

French officials said school principal Robert Leder failed to ask for permission to put on the smash show.

But even if he had, it would not have been granted because the school is too close to the Ambassador Theatre, where the show is playing on Broadway at up to $235 a ticket.

“I’m sorry,” said “Chicago” producer Barry Weissler. “I feel terrible for the kids, but I have an agreement with the Ambassador Theatre that does not allow a performance within 75 miles of New York City.”

. . .

The cease-and-desist order threatened “severe penalties” — including large monetary damages for the student performers, their parents and the public school if rehearsals continued and a performance was held.

The letter was faxed to Principal Robert Leder after someone tipped off Samuel French.

“I’m partly guilty in that I never, ever thought of asking for permission — never ever,” said Leder, adding that he’s been principal for 27 years and put on a show annually.

He said he was faced with the threat of $250,000 in damages.

Brad Lohrenz, the Samuel French official who sent the letter, told The News, “Nobody is trying to be mean and everyone at the school was very nice, but there are restrictions.”

Theatre should be free, motherfuckers!