Please read the threads on changing profanity and videotaping before you continue this practice.  You are identified in your profile by name and theatre, and there are representatives of publishing houses on this very forum.

I don't want to beat a dead horse - I lost my horsebeating stick  - but please realize that you are putting your theatre at risk.

Speaking of the dead horse.... And referencing the never ending thread on changing profanity, although the nay sayers are correct in every moral, legal and ethical position, and as the theaters who feel they can't use that language should have thought better of picking those shows during play reading, there is another fact here.  Those who keep saying, "Your audience probably won't notice", "You have to grow your audience" "you won't loose patrons".. etc etc etc, I have one thing to say, you are soooooo lucky to be in the communities that you are.  Many, many theaters are operating in places where they get complaints for the mildest of cuss words.  I belong to a fairly well supported theater in a highly conservative city in Ohio.  We have had numerous complaints come to the board. Particularly for using the J.C's & G.D.'s.  Now don't bother preaching to me, because I said already that I agree.. But some of these theaters situations are real.. Just this year we got an irate letter from a group of customers.  We did Auntie Mame.  They thought that it should be a perfectly acceptable family show.  But they found huge offence in the "Child Abuse" that the show had in it.  In fact as a minister and his guests (who happened to work with sexually abused children)they felt in was unconscionable that we did a play where the main character supported her minor nephew to go to a school where they ran around naked.  Obviously, not the intent of the piece.. But patrons were offended... It happens.   Again, I don't think it should stop us from doing good theater, and I do think that our language is limited enough without using all the words available to us, but I do not believe we should be inferring naivety on the part of those whose demographics make this a problem for them...

Rant complete.... Thanks.

I knew I'd smoke you out... lol.

But... I state again, if they don't feel comfortable, they shouldn't do'em... If they do'em, do'em..  My particular rant comes from the impression I get from multiple entries in the multiple threads that are tied to this, that those who are concerned are wrong or naieve... I think each theaters position is different, and need to be respected... Is NO theater better than "guarded" theater.. Maybe.. But I doubt it.

I directed a production of Little Shop of Horrors a couple years back. The theatre I was working with at the time had a policy of inviting special groups to a "preview night". One of the groups that really, REALLY wanted to come was an organization that deals with battered women. I was concerned about them bringing their clients to the show because of Audrey getting beat by the Dentist. It was made abundantly clear to them that this was in the show and it might be an issue for some clients because the slap scene was very realistic and somewhat disturbing. They thanked me for the warning and came anyway. EVERY PERSON from that group LOVED the show and were talking about it for weeks afterwards. Had I told them not to come I would not have had those 50 people out their promoting my show by word-of-mouth.

I completely understand there are theatres out there that operate in conservative communities. At the same time - there are thousands upon thousands of scripts to chose from. I would be really upset if someone came in after I had directed a show and changed it without my permission. A playwright spends much more time on crafting a show. Show playwrights the respect and do the show as written or don't do it at all.

As for the "f-bomb" - there is a wonderful book out there (can't think of the name, but every director should read it) that states "f*ck" is the angriest word in the English language. There is a reason why a playwright decided on using that word. I cannot imagine what other word would have the blunt force as the "f-bomb" and could easily evoke the same amount of emotion felt behind hearing/saying/reading that word. Please, if there is a substitute that is not offensive, let me know. (I just don't think "poop", "crud" and "phooey" would get the same meaning across!)