Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Complete Works of...(Abridged) Series

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tech_director
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Topic: Complete Works of...(Abridged) Series
Posted: 12/12/09 at 11:20am

Can someone tell me if the "Complete Works of...(Abridged)" series is appropriate for High Schoolers? I have purchased a couple of perusal copies of "The Bible" and "America" to make a final decision. But I'd like to know others opinions of the shows.

--Matt

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edh915
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Posted: 12/12/09 at 6:28pm

I'd say, "Yes, they're fine." But I would also issue a caveat about "The Bible." I thought it was funny, but Americans in general don't like to mix religion and humor. You could end up with picket lines and a boycott.

Not exactly religious related, and slightly off topic, but to illustrate that objections can come from out of the blue when you least expect them: I'm in a suburb of Chicago - definitely a metro area. A local group put on a production of "Sweet Charity" this past summer. Theatre in the park - Free to the public. Huge, I mean HUGE, backlash against the show because it "condoned prostitution" (!!!!!?!) and made "heroines out of whores" (also !!!!!?!). Six performances, total attendance of 500 instead of their usual 6000. Look out for "moral guardians". They lurk in the most unexpected places and take offense at the most unexpected things.

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Spectrum
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Posted: 12/12/09 at 9:34pm

The anecdote edh915 presented just points out how MUCH the modern American populace needs to take its collective head out of its @$$ and GROW UP. The dim and ignorant among us are bent on dragging the rest of the world down to their level. And they will, too, if we continue to stoop to the LOWEST common denominator. I say "raise the draw bridge, don't lower the river."

Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

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Gaafa
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Posted: 12/12/09 at 9:51pm

G'donya redh915 'n Bill!

The same as most Ockers here, tend to 'lower the river & leave the bridge as is'!

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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tech_director
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Posted: 12/13/09 at 12:04am

Thank you for your quick responses.

It would be presented at a Catholic High School, which is why "The Bible" concerns me a little. When we presented "Tom Jones" (the play, not the singer) last spring someone who didn't even attend the show called the administration and complained that they HEARD it was inappropriate. No big deal came out of that. We are presenting "Do Black Patient Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" this winter, again semi-inappropriate. I imagine we will recieve many calls about this one, but the administration does approve all shows, so they don't generally care.

I remember parts of "America" when I saw it as a Forensics piece one time. The only line I really remember from it was "Monica Lewinsky going up on the President". Might not go over well.

I am anxious to read both scripts. I think it would be so much fun for everyone to produce one of these shows. It seems to be becoming more difficult to find a show that does offend anyone in one way or another.

If not one of these shows...the search goes on.

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tristanrobin
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Posted: 12/13/09 at 9:06am

I have been in the audience for productions of "Black Patent Leather Shoes," "the Abridged Bible," "Nunsense," and "Sister Mary Ignatious." There were nuns at every performance, and nobody laughed louder and had a better time.

Sometimes we have to be aware that there are the pious - and the pretentiously pious: two different animals altogether.

http://tristanrobin.blogspot.com

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donzolidis
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Posted: 12/13/09 at 3:50pm

Only you can really judge what's appropriate and what isn't at your high school.

I do know that you would need to do some editing on those scripts. There are a number of sexual jokes in there - (i'm thinking of Othello's big black sword, etc...) that you're going to have some in the audience having a heart attack. (the rest of the audience will be laughing uproariously).

Sometimes Catholic schools are more liberal than public schools when it comes to this sort of thing; it really depends on where in the country you are. I had a show banned in Arkansas last year after the first performance of a run. The administration freaked out and canceled the rest of the run.

The (abdridged) series is not performed in high schools that much, because teachers are loathe to put their careers on the line to make a point about censorhsip. I don't really blame them. I would run the script by the administration first to make sure they're behind the production before you start.

www.donzolidis.com

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Author	Message
tech_director Star Joined: 10/19/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 53	Topic: Complete Works of...(Abridged) Series Posted: 12/12/09 at 11:20am
	Can someone tell me if the "Complete Works of...(Abridged)" series is appropriate for High Schoolers? I have purchased a couple of perusal copies of "The Bible" and "America" to make a final decision. But I'd like to know others opinions of the shows. --Matt

	IP Logged

edh915 Celebrity Joined: 11/19/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 12/12/09 at 6:28pm
	I'd say, "Yes, they're fine." But I would also issue a caveat about "The Bible." I thought it was funny, but Americans in general don't like to mix religion and humor. You could end up with picket lines and a boycott. Not exactly religious related, and slightly off topic, but to illustrate that objections can come from out of the blue when you least expect them: I'm in a suburb of Chicago - definitely a metro area. A local group put on a production of "Sweet Charity" this past summer. Theatre in the park - Free to the public. Huge, I mean HUGE, backlash against the show because it "condoned prostitution" (!!!!!?!) and made "heroines out of whores" (also !!!!!?!). Six performances, total attendance of 500 instead of their usual 6000. Look out for "moral guardians". They lurk in the most unexpected places and take offense at the most unexpected things.
	IP Logged

Spectrum Celebrity Joined: 4/16/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 176	Posted: 12/12/09 at 9:34pm
	The anecdote edh915 presented just points out how MUCH the modern American populace needs to take its collective head out of its @$$ and GROW UP. The dim and ignorant among us are bent on dragging the rest of the world down to their level. And they will, too, if we continue to stoop to the LOWEST common denominator. I say "raise the draw bridge, don't lower the river."
	Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 12/12/09 at 9:51pm
	G'donya redh915 'n Bill! The same as most Ockers here, tend to 'lower the river & leave the bridge as is'!
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

tech_director Star Joined: 10/19/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 53	Posted: 12/13/09 at 12:04am
	Thank you for your quick responses. It would be presented at a Catholic High School, which is why "The Bible" concerns me a little. When we presented "Tom Jones" (the play, not the singer) last spring someone who didn't even attend the show called the administration and complained that they HEARD it was inappropriate. No big deal came out of that. We are presenting "Do Black Patient Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" this winter, again semi-inappropriate. I imagine we will recieve many calls about this one, but the administration does approve all shows, so they don't generally care. I remember parts of "America" when I saw it as a Forensics piece one time. The only line I really remember from it was "Monica Lewinsky going up on the President". Might not go over well. I am anxious to read both scripts. I think it would be so much fun for everyone to produce one of these shows. It seems to be becoming more difficult to find a show that does offend anyone in one way or another. If not one of these shows...the search goes on.
	IP Logged

tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 12/13/09 at 9:06am
	I have been in the audience for productions of "Black Patent Leather Shoes," "the Abridged Bible," "Nunsense," and "Sister Mary Ignatious." There were nuns at every performance, and nobody laughed louder and had a better time. Sometimes we have to be aware that there are the pious - and the pretentiously pious: two different animals altogether.
	http://tristanrobin.blogspot.com
	IP Logged

donzolidis Celebrity Joined: 5/15/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 156	Posted: 12/13/09 at 3:50pm
	Only you can really judge what's appropriate and what isn't at your high school. I do know that you would need to do some editing on those scripts. There are a number of sexual jokes in there - (i'm thinking of Othello's big black sword, etc...) that you're going to have some in the audience having a heart attack. (the rest of the audience will be laughing uproariously). Sometimes Catholic schools are more liberal than public schools when it comes to this sort of thing; it really depends on where in the country you are. I had a show banned in Arkansas last year after the first performance of a run. The administration freaked out and canceled the rest of the run. The (abdridged) series is not performed in high schools that much, because teachers are loathe to put their careers on the line to make a point about censorhsip. I don't really blame them. I would run the script by the administration first to make sure they're behind the production before you start.
	www.donzolidis.com
	IP Logged

Topic: Complete Works of...(Abridged) Series( Topic Closed)