Annie’s “questionable content”
Bruce Miller of Theatre IV penned an excellent and fascinating post over at the The Barksdale Theatre Blog in reference to some complaints he recently got over the content of Theatre IV’s highly-praised of Annie (which closed yesterday). Apparently parents were offended by the use of “damn” and “hell” by Daddy Warbucks and President Roosevelt […]
Bruce Miller of Theatre IV penned an excellent and fascinating post over at the The Barksdale Theatre Blog in reference to some complaints he recently got over the content of Theatre IV’s highly-praised of Annie (which closed yesterday). Apparently parents were offended by the use of “damn” and “hell” by Daddy Warbucks and President Roosevelt as they discussed the Depression, among other things in the show. He raises some interesting points regarding values and the media and the arts, pointing out that these days it seems that many parents “don’t want to discuss values with children; they want to force their values on the world before allowing their child to enter into it.”
It’s a good read. Go check it out.
(My favorite part is how he points out that parents got all huffy about the “questionable language” but not one complained about how the character of Rooster says he’s going to take Annie away and slit her throat. Hmmm…)
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Valerie Catrow
Valerie Catrow is editor of RVAFamily, mother to a mop-topped first grader, and always really excited to go to bed.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
I wonder how Center Stage will handle these controversies, seeing as it has been built with taxpyaer money.
Center Stage should handle this situation as any other legitimate theater; provide the public with a theatrical experience in its true, unchanged form. If any patrons find certain material objectionable, they should do some homework and investigate each production. Then they can decide whether or not to purchase a ticket.
I wasn’t sure what to make of Scott Burger’s comment at first. But I will say this, whatever you think of the handling of CenterStage, in addition to bringing in truck-and-bus national tours, it it set to be housing some of our local theatre companies, too. These companies are local artists – actors, lighting/scenic/sound designers, costumers, directors, painters, carpenters, seamstresses…not mention all of the administrative jobs needed to keep any business running. Many (most) of these artists are people are talented and driven enough for other markets, but have chosen Richmond as their home. Please support them.
But back to the topic at hand. I’m so glad Bruce wrote this. I’m in the meet-and-greet lines after every show. I see the faces of the hundreds of children and parents (and grandparents!) who love what we do. That being said, it’s disheartening to find that so many parents took the time to write an angry letter – time that could have been spent having a positive conversation with their children.
The noisemakers get all the attention. The vast majority who enjoyed the show are home having positive conversations with their kids.
I want to say to these parents, “What do you think your kids are hearing on the school bus?” I guarantee that it’s infinitely more “questionable.”
My parents always had conversations with us about things like this, usually saying “This is what that word means. Some people say it for this reason. You will not say it because it’s not appropriate for you as a child to say. These are the consequences if you say it.”
End of discussion. And as my parents actually followed through with punishments, we didn’t push it.
We have the highest meal tax in the country. We have, despite our protests, been forced to support Center Stage.
Hey, I am not calling for more censorship, but this is the city that has banned performances time and time again.
My attempt was to make lemonade – please remember that many of the people involved in bringing the art to you (whether via Center Stage or those lucky enough to not have to rent a performance space) are still local Richmonders, trying to pay their bills. Please support them as you would any other artist – by taking in their work.
And discuss it afterward. With your kids, neighbors, friends, whomever. Theatre especially, because it utilizes so many different art forms, offers just as many opportunities for discussion. From the visual, literary, musical, moral…i could go on and on. It seems a waste to shut off discussion over a few swear words.
My point is that City government should not be in the theater business- at all.
I have heard the lemon from lemonaide speech far too often, when what we need is accountability.
My point is – please take yours to another thread. We’re trying to talk a different accountability right now.
But it is related. Center Stage is being built with taxpayers’ money. What happens when citizens, as stakeholders, object to a performance there?
The last thing I heard was that the matter would go through some sort of Center Stage community advisory board. Can you verify?
I am not familiar with the inner workings of Center Stage. So I cannot verify anything. I am familiar with how my art touches people, and the amazing people in this city who work extremely hard to make it do so.
I daresay taxpayer dollars go to many local artists, via grants from Virginia Commission for the Arts – would you have every artistic endeavor go on the ballot? Where do you draw the line?
I draw the line when City taxpayer money to the tune of over $25 million goes to a secretive arts/real estate endeavor while schools, jail, and other infrastructure desparately need money and attention.
If you cannot verify what happens at Center Stage when there is a content controversy (or a funding controversy, or a tax controversy, etc.), then who can? Which “amazing people”? Again, it comes back to accountability.
Really? I believe I referred to the artists as the amazing people. You are tiresome.
forgive me – i should say, this conversation is tiresome.
Like it or not, Scott makes a valid point. This city has a history of censoring art, especially performing artists that are controversial. What happens when a David Mamet play comes to CenterStage — how many swear words will we have to take out of the script in order to make the right people “comfortable”?
And what a great question: Who will be the arbiters of the art presented at CenterStage?
If it is going to be local arts authorities like Bruce Miller, then “hooray!” But no one knows for sure and the track record of the board behind the arts center would seem to indicate that it will be the same group of political appointees and corporate retirees that sit on all the other boards around here — many of them were responsible for the demise of TheatreVirginia.
Not only that, this same arts center board plans on opening their facility up without announcing what artists and arts professionals will be in real positions of authority, if any. We will find out its artistic direction AFTER it opens — how convenient. With decisions like that, should it surprise us that their private fundraising is tanking bigtime (guess who will pick up the difference?). That is the true measure of how much real support this has — not the public funding that it manages to wheedle from Richmond politicans. From what I’ve seen, committed arts donors support genuine arts endeavors — not those based on “build it and they will come.” The results speak for themselves.
I would think that people would be up in arms about what these people have been doing in the name of art. For one thing, they have ensured that this taxpayer-funded facility will be run by an out of town agency that has little experience in programming high-end performing arts centers; a company (SMG) that has, in fact, been cited in the past by the city auditor for its poor management of the Richmond Coliseum. Go over to SlantBlog and read how writer Terry Rea is unable to get anyone associated with CenterStage or SMG to answer his basic questions about the venture or how it will be run.
Ask yourselves this: Do we not have arts professionals here that can program and run a performing arts facility? Why do local arts groups continue to hold such a minimal presence on the CenterStage board?
And, to address Scott’s concern: Who will be the arbiters of art for the taxpayer-funded CenterStage? Bob Mooney? Jim Ukrop? Dominion Power?
We’ve hid our heads in the sand too long on this. If people “aren’t familiar with the inner workings of CenterStage,” I would respectfully suggest that they get acquainted before they reflexively defend it. And Shockoe baseball debaters should be the first to get their notebooks out — this is what “build it and they will come” looks like.
Woah Woah Woah. I was not defending Center Stage. Nor was I condemning it. I’d take care about putting words into my mouth. As a performer in this area I have mixed feelings about the Center. Feelings I would choose to express in a thread that was intended to be about facts and figures related to Center Stage, NOT about whether parents expect the media to parent their children.
Better yet, I would choose to express in them through appropriate communications. Which I have.
When I say that I am not familiar with the inner workings of Center Stage, I mean I am not there day-to-day – as I am not at your jobs every day to know the inner workings of your company. Please take care in assuming that I do not read up on the current events of my own profession. We’re actors – we do love a good drama, sir.
The only thing that I requested was that people continue to support the local artists who make Richmond their home, instead of moving to larger markets like DC or NYC.
I wish more local artists were willing to speak up about Center Stage.
The feeling is that many of them are unwilling to publicly criticize it, even if they know how messed it up it is. In typical Richmond fashion, they are unwilling to rock the boat for fear their rich patrons will get upset.
It too bad because its sending a bad example to other citizens and ruining a lot of local support for the arts. I don’t want to subsidize the white elephant any more than I already am forced to. What happens when this thing is actually open and is losing even more money and is taking away from other venues- making them unsustainable in the process? At that point I suspect more artists will move away regardless.
For example, the Landmark (Mosque) Theater is now part of Center Stage. Right now its getting millions from the City of The Future to be fixed up as part of Center Stage (remember when City of the Future was more about fixing Richmond Public Schools?). That’s not a totally bad thing for that old theater which does need repair, but what will be the public’s return on investment, if any?
And going back to censorship and content, what does it mean for local artists as a whole when Center Stage does start ruling on who can play the Carpenter and Landmark theaters? For example, will The Artist Formerly Known as Prince or a local production of Annie be allowed to play The Landmark again or are they too controversial? The public (including local artists) have a right to know. In fact, I would expect local artists to be more more publicly concerned.
You are being tag teamed by CAVE team. They will take EVERY opportunity to hijack an agenda. You will never win. They do not care about the orignal subject or what you have to say. You will be talked into oblivion because they never get tired of it.
*sigh* Not trying to win. Was trying to at least validate and move on to the topic and hand. You give an inch, some people take a mile. Which is sad, because it was an important topic to discuss, i feel. You know, the original one. hmmm.
I appreciate, paul_h, your comment about the vast majority of patrons who are enjoying and discussing the show with their children. i DID see it, i swear.
What do you think the term “Family Entertainment” should mean? Something parents just drop their kids in front of and then tune out until it’s over? Entertainment that has “a little something for the adults” too? Something that has the kids singing and dancing? Something that has mom and dad singing along – and starting a family conversation later too?
Look, I am sorry its tiresome (and I am not hiding in a CAVE!), but this IS an important, NECESSARY conversation that should be extended to the whole community.
Unfortunately, the public funding debate for Center Stage is not going to stop, especially as it proves increasingly unsustainable – but Richmond is still in denial.
Shouldn’t at least this important related topic of censorship and community standards be broached now, before it opens? Or are Richmond artists going to stick their heads in the ground on this one too?
I am certainly not going to presume to speak for all Richmond artists. What I can assure you is that we are generally not the sort of people to “stick our heads in the sand” on anything. I have done, and will continue to do my speaking on any issue where and when it is appropriate. I certainly am not going to do it here, where I am now fairly sure my words will be twisted and distorted to be taken as to be the opinion all of the artists of Richmond.
And this isn’t a conversation. This is you berating people with your views at every opportunity. I hear that you’re screaming. I’d be more willing to listen if you didn’t shove your pamphlet at me while I’m trying to have another conversation.
What pamphlet? What screaming? What are you talking about? Who says I am even speaking to you at this point?
“Where I am now fairly sure my words will be twisted and distorted to be taken as to be the opinion all of the artists of Richmond.”
WHy do you presume that? Obviously you don’t represent every artist in Richmond, just as I don’t speak for every citizen. This is certainly bigger than either of us.
I get it- you don’t want to speak up on this post about Center Stage- and neither of us own all the rights to conversation on this post. Is there someplace else “more appropriate” to speak about Center Stage? Or if you won’t speak up on it, will other Richmond artists?
I think parents should be given as much information as possible. Let them decide what is right for their kids. Lots of stuff works for adults and children. Look at all the Disney stuff, Shrek, Madascar, etc. I laugh and kids laugh.
The best way to deal with the peanut gallery (SB, DH, et all) is to ignore them.
You can reach me for any conversation regarding arts in Richmond at paxham @ hotmail dot com.
#23 The parents were given enough information -it’s “Annie” for goodness sake! If parents are uptight and incapable of discussing reality with their children, then they need to gather information on their own time. If they are under time constraints then I say go to “G” Disney movies. If you want to expose your children to various forms of art, expect a little grit! I’m guessing these same parents would have problems with Grimms Fairy Tales, Hans Christian Anderson, Aesop’s Fables, the Bible (anyone recall King Solomon reaching for fruit, if you know what I mean).