School Play and Safety Issues

[AuntPol]

I just went to see a student performance at my child's school. It was a collaboration between the dance, music, and theatre departments. I did not enjoy it because it was very artsy and I don't like to interpret my art/theatre/dance lol. I need a plot. I am also picky about talent.

 

Anyways, my biggest issues are the appropriateness and the safety. The play was an adaption of Requiem for the Dead by Charles Mee. The script can be found online. and I could easily insert a link I would lol. It is basically about death and drying. I am really not sure it's point because as I said, I don't like to interpret my art. I just saw death, crows, war, slaves being beaten, girls burying themselves in the ground, and people dying. I am just not sure if the topic was age appropriate for freshman/sophomores (which is all the school has at this time). I find it especially disturbing because this school has a lot of depressed kids, cutters, suicidal kids, etc.

 

Secondly, I found the safety measures questionable. It was held outside. There were random holes in the ground in which 3 of the dances buried themselves in during the show. One of the actors fell into the hole accidently. He seemed to be uninjured and kept going. A few of the dancers came close to falling in during their dances. They had a student walking on top of a ten foot wall. They had dancers hanging off railings about 4-5 feet off the ground (railings to stairs but they were on the outside hanging backwards over the audience). Another child tripped in the huge grating that was in the courtyard. I had been waiting all night for someone to trip on that because it was so obviously a hazard.

 

 

I am not sure if I am just being over protective. I want to send an email to the administration but the administration does NOT take criticism well at all. They flip out. I sent in a criticism in the form of a suggestion a month ago and it was way overblown. Therefore, I don't want to be nit picky lol. I just feel they are not being responsible with the students' safety.

 

Do you guys think these are valid concerns?

 

[Cinder]

Yes, I think your concerns are valid. When ds does school productions they don't even allow flash photography as it could cause problems with the performers being able to see the end of the stage and everything on it as clearly as they need to. Random holes and 10-foot walls wouldn't go over well with our drama teachers. Or with me. I'd say something.

[Joanne]

It is too specific of a situation for me to answer.

 

My first reaction as posted, however, is that the whole context is not a match for you and it is possible you are viewing the entire event through that filter.

 

I have a very relaxed attitude for content and setting for teenagers. I see value in working with a variety of material, including death. I like a variety of art, and exposure to interpretation.

[Χά�ων]

I do not think the topic is inappropriate for high schoolers. 

[hjffkj]

The holes and such wouldn't bother me. They are teenagers who should be old enough to gauge if something is of their comfort level and handle it on an individual basis.as for the topic of death, that wouldn't bother me either assuming the parents of the children performing knew about the topic and could decide if they felt it was a topic their child could handle and no one was forced to watch the performance if it wasn't a comfortable topic for them.

 

To me it just sounds like you were out of your comfort zone and are projecting that on the performance as a whole.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

I think the topic was fine, the safety concerns may be valid.

 

I'm not sure you are the best person to point out concerns if you recently sent a poorly received criticism/suggestion.

[bettyandbob]

I wouldn't have a problem with the topic.

 

There are probably precautions regarding staging, but I know nothing of tech theatre. Perhaps the actors had not prepared enough to really know where they could walk. Since I'm not a theatre person I can't comment on the safety either. 

[kroe1]

A good production honors both it's actors and audience. While it may have been fine for teens to do and see this show, it would not be fine for all the younger siblings who would want to come see. School productions should be for the entire family. Weird, creepy stuff can be left for only the teens and adults, in my opinion.

 

Weird, creepy stuff is certainly the fad right now in entertainment, however. Dance competitions have been filled with it for several years now. Our world is running out of shock value so these performances have become all but insane. Personally, I liked it better when most were performing Disney like plays. It takes much more skill to be a good Genie from Aladdin than to be some stalker walking across a wall.

 

In regards to your safety concerns, I agree. A hole in the dirt should be marked with fluorescent duct tape on the inside at the top so only the actors can see it. And the 10 ft. wall should have mattresses on one side so the actor can fall to one side if he loses his balance. I have a kiddo who has done theater for years and there are always hidden safety features that the audience cannot see.

[justasque]

Was your child in the performance? If so, how did they feel about it? How did they feel about the safety concerns? Did they feel comfortable speaking up if they did not feel safe?

 

If they weren't in the performance, how did they feel about it as an audience member? How did their friends in the performance feel?

 

With high schoolers, I think the first place to address any issues is through the kids themselves, starting with your own kid. There will be lots of opportunities to say "Hey, did you notice that? What do you think about it? How could that be done differently? How could a teen express their concerns or otherwise deal with or avoid the situation?"

 

Not every issue needs to be addressed by a parent through the authorities; at this age teens should be learning how to advocate for themselves and how to negotiate uncomfortable/unsafe situations. If your teen felt that they could not speak up, or that their concerns weren't heard, or that they wanted you to help them with an issue, then of course it would be wise to step in.

 

I've also found it wise to get to know other parents of kids who are involved in activities with my kid; sometimes it can help to run things by them to get a sense of whether I'm the only one with concerns, whether we should approach the administration as a group, etc.

 

Whether or not you decide to address the topic or the safety issues with the admins, the first thing to express is something positive. Find something you liked, or something they did well - or better yet several somethings - and mention them with a smile. Then if you wish, add in a concern - "I was really uncomfortable with the wall walking! I was worried they might fall! Is that something you had to address in your rehearsals? What did you do about it?" This way of phrasing it builds in an assumption that they did actually address the concern, rather than an assumption that they probably neglected it. If they did address it, they can then explain how they handled it, without hearing your concern as criticism. (For example, the kids who walked the wall might have been trained gymnasts, there might have been unseen spotters or other safety measures, etc.) If they didn't address it, rest assured that they have now heard one voice of concern. Don't dwell on it. You've planted a seed; it will take a while to bear fruit, and in the mean time you will know to be aware that there might be issues the next time around and can keep a sharp eye out from the beginning. Follow up with more praise for the things they did well.

 

Regardless of this particular incident, be the person who recognizes and mentions all the good things these folks are doing for the kids. Give thanks for their work in every conversation. That will give you the standing from which any concerns you have will be taken seriously.

[poppy]

It sounds like you really hated every part of it and, honestly, it sounds like you were looking for ways to pick it apart. I would just not go back if I were you, unless you feel like your own child is in danger.

[bettyandbob]

 School productions should be for the entire family. Weird, creepy stuff can be left for only the teens and adults, in my opinion.

 

There are many classic plays that are creepy. 

 

Shoot I always hated the part in Our Town where all the dead people are talking in the graveyard. Dracula has been around as a play for a very long time. Little Shop of Horrors is a musical many people like.

 

If high school students are studying theater they should study and perform a range of theater. 

 

My local high school puts on one show a year that is specifically to appeal to families and young children, but they have two other big shows a year that may or may not be geared to young audiences. I don't think the studies of teens should be limited to what young children can handle. 

[Farrar]

School productions should be for the entire family.

 

Why?  If the performers can handle the material, why shouldn't they be allowed to explore it?  Surely that's an important part of being a teen.  Of course, as needed, a high school production should have a warning about content and sensitive viewers just like any production.

 

I agree with everyone saying that you were seeing it through your own discomfort with non-traditional performance art, OP.  Death is something most teens want to explore and think about.  While perhaps some more consideration should have been given to the safety issues, none of those issues seem egregious to me for teens.

[AMJ]

It sounds like the performance wasn't rehearsed in the actual place in which they chose to perform.  These ARE valid safety concerns, and any respectable adult working on the production should have been able to see the hazards you say befell the student performers.  If they had actually rehearsed in the actual place of performance (right down to the set-up of the chairs, people sitting in some of them, all gear exactly as it would be and at the same time of day (for lighting similarity) these issues would have been brought to light at that time.

 

Perhaps you could suggest to one of the teachers who worked on that that perhaps next time a full in-place dress rehearsal would help them spot some of the gotchas before the performance?  If you talk to one of the teachers (just chatting about the challenges of staging such an artistic endeavor) and suggest this it gives him/her the opportunity to make the suggestion him/herself when they discuss starting the next one.

[kroe1]

Why? If the performers can handle the material, why shouldn't they be allowed to explore it? Surely that's an important part of being a teen. Of course, as needed, a high school production should have a warning about content and sensitive viewers just like any production.

 

I agree with everyone saying that you were seeing it through your own discomfort with non-traditional performance art, OP. Death is something most teens want to explore and think about. While perhaps some more consideration should have been given to the safety issues, none of those issues seem egregious to me for teens.

Because actors do not pay the bills in for-profit and community theater. If one performs what the audience is willing to see and pay for, one is more likely to have a viable theater. How to make money in theater (actually to survive without closing the doors) is just as important to learn as is the acting part.

 

And, as I said before, it is much harder to act most vivid, animated characters than creepy ones. But know the audience, some audiences like the weird, creepy stuff and it might sell in some venues. But really, telling little sister she cannot come see sis in an inappropriate play is heartbreaking. These kiddos usually only perform one or two shows a year. I would think a school should consider younger siblings.

 

DD13 has done lots of community theater here in a resort area of Florida. Weird, creepy stuff does not sell as well as upbeat musicals. Most of the audience is geriatric. There are also a ton of performing art public schools around here. I have never known any of them to actually perform for the audience weird, creepy stuff, yet they do read and study some of those plays. Shakespeare and Grease Is about as creepy as it gets.

[bettyandbob]

Because actors do not pay the bills in for-profit and community theater. If one performs what the audience is willing to see and pay for, one is more likely to have a viable theater. How to make money in theater (actually to survive without closing the doors) is just as important to learn as is the acting part.

 

And, as I said before, it is much harder to act most vivid, animated characters than creepy ones. But know the audience, some audiences like the weird, creepy stuff and it might sell in some venues. But really, telling little sister she cannot come see sis in an inappropriate play is heartbreaking. These kiddos usually only perform one or two shows a year. I would think a school should consider younger siblings.

 

DD13 has done lots of community theater here in a resort area of Florida. Weird, creepy stuff does not sell as well as upbeat musicals. Most of the audience is geriatric. There are also a ton of performing art public schools around here. I have never known any of them to actually perform for the audience weird, creepy stuff, yet they do read and study some of those plays. Shakespeare and Grease Is about as creepy as it gets.

 

School theatre programs are focused on providing the experience the student to explore a range of productions. Limiting to productions to a few genres is limiting students. Limiting to a few genres also does not provide educational value to the students in the theater program. School needs to provide the opportunity to explore the range or artistic presentation. That is part of the learning process.

 

School theater departments also teach the business side of it (at least my high school did). Learning how to market something that's different artistically can be a good business experience, as well as comparison of costs of costuming and props in various types of shows. 

 

School theater is not community theater. And what sells in Florida is not the rest of the country. My town has a very active community theater and they do not limit themselves to "upbeat musicals" and they do regularly sell out. 

 

Not all students in a school theater production have a younger sibling. I do not think students should be limited to what their 5, 8. or 11 year old brother can handle. Siblings come to some shows and not others--that is not a big deal, unless you make it a big and talk about how awful it is that 8yo has to be left out, etc, etc. 

[Farrar]

Because actors do not pay the bills in for-profit and community theater. If one performs what the audience is willing to see and pay for, one is more likely to have a viable theater. How to make money in theater (actually to survive without closing the doors) is just as important to learn as is the acting part.

 

And, as I said before, it is much harder to act most vivid, animated characters than creepy ones. But know the audience, some audiences like the weird, creepy stuff and it might sell in some venues. But really, telling little sister she cannot come see sis in an inappropriate play is heartbreaking. These kiddos usually only perform one or two shows a year. I would think a school should consider younger siblings.

 

DD13 has done lots of community theater here in a resort area of Florida. Weird, creepy stuff does not sell as well as upbeat musicals. Most of the audience is geriatric. There are also a ton of performing art public schools around here. I have never known any of them to actually perform for the audience weird, creepy stuff, yet they do read and study some of those plays. Shakespeare and Grease Is about as creepy as it gets.

But this is a school. This theater is about education, not money. They should have the liberty in a school of all places to learn about art for art's sake. Presumably a good school theater would do both, but they don't have to turn a profit or meet their costs. Plus, outside of NYC, I don't know if there are more than a few for profit theaters in the whole country. We live in a largish city and nearly every single theater, even the huge, world famous professional ones are nonprofits. Theater is not a profit world. People do it for the love of the theater.

 

I'll add that dh is a part time professional actor and has done community and professional roles that are pretty bizarre. He's never been in an upbeat musical. So not all theaters fit your concept of community theater.

[FaithManor]

It is too specific of a situation for me to answer.

 

My first reaction as posted, however, is that the whole context is not a match for you and it is possible you are viewing the entire event through that filter.

 

I have a very relaxed attitude for content and setting for teenagers. I see value in working with a variety of material, including death. I like a variety of art, and exposure to interpretation.

I agree with Joanne. At the high school level, with time so short leading up to becoming a grown adult who will have to deal with the down side of life soon enough, I am not a huge fan of restricting content to only comfortable subject matters. So, my problem would not be the topic. But, I am a big fan of safety, and I'm a little surprised that the holes in the ground were allowed with choreography taking place around it, or working on a wall without a safety net, etc. due to the sheer liability to the school, and the danger of injury to minors.

 

Since it's "art" the concept of burying should have been artistically portrayed but holes that someone could fall into and break an ankle or a leg should not have been done. Again, being interpretive art, the wall could have been low. The fact is that parents accept a reasonable risk when their kids play sports. They don't expect that kind of risk attached to drama/theater/art and are more likely to be angry and even sue if something happens to their child. So, I think the administrators and teachers were unwise in some aspects.

 

Theater is tough. If you think about, where does one find a "wholesome" play and still be true to the story, the author, the message, the whatever. The fairy tales are actually quite gruesome, even Hans Christian Anderson has some very uncomfortable work. Shakespeare....baudy, violent. The Greek plays, Medea - Oedipus - Trojan Women - lots of not particularly "family friendly" topics or at least not for young children, Death of a Salesman, Our Town, ...google the top 100 plays or classic plays and take a good look. Most of them are going to deal with very difficult topics and part of that is because one way that human kind deals with the horrors of life, the hard stuff, is through art. Music, theater, art...it's cathartic.

 

I do think that it is important for schools to publish before ticket sales, the subject material of the play, the art exhibit, etc. far enough in advance that parents can make wise choices for their younger children. No one wants to go watch big sis in her play and leave with a five year old that's going to have bad dreams about it!