Project 3

Project 3: Too Hot to Handle

1. NYC Today

1. What: The Color Purple
   
2. Who: Shawnique Hill
3. When: May 18, 2007
   
4. Where: Broadway Theatre
   
5. Why: Dresser claims racial controversy backstage.

"Shawnique Hill has filed a federal lawsuit claming that she was sacked after she complained that there weren't enough, coloured people working behind the scenes of the show." http://news.webindia123.com/news/ar_showdetails.asp?id=705180836&cat=&n_date=20070518

It just goes to show that not all theatre drama happens ON the stage. In an unprecedented move Shawnique was fired after making a clearly racially charged comment complaining about the number of coloured people hired on the tech side of things for an exclusivly 'black' show. Contriversial because it leads us to wonder what the rules are for racial profiling backstage while we have 'color blind' casting onstage. Can an all-black show really warent a tech department of the same racial background or is that raciest?

2. Naked

1. What: Liquid Moon
2. Who: Sen. Phillip Puckett
3. When: September 25, 2003
4. Where: Barter Theatre
5. Why: Controversy over the theatre producing a nude scene in a play. Possible grant money on question.

"Outraged religious conservatives attacked the nudity while state Sen. Phillip Puckett held up a state grant in protest. ...nobody seems to question why state funds that are supposed to go to job creation are being used to underwrite a fancy theatre many local residents can't afford to attend." http://www.sullivan-county.com/w/naked.htm

This protest over Liquid Moon's opening included more than just the usual church and school protests. This time there was money involved! $100,000 were suggested as part of a renovation project to update the theatre with more money going towards the repair of the town with the intent of creating jobs. Outraged citizens could prevent the theatre getting any money at all.

3. Gay Broadway

1. What: Corpus Christi
2. Who: Religious extremest Vs. Broadway
3. When: May 21, 1998
4. Where: Manhattan Theater Club
5. Why: MTC considered canceling the production of Corpus Christi after threats towards the theatre but decided to continue the production in the name of artistic freedom.

"But then on May 21, the MTC announced it was canceling production after receiving threatening and anti-Semitic phone calls-calls condemned by Donahue-that promised to burn down the theater and "exterminate" McNally." http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RIN%20Vol.1No.1/RIN%20Vol.1No.2/Corpus_Christi.htm

Corups Christi is the story of Jesus growing up in Corpus Christi, TX as a gay man. Numerious Calothic and Jewish groups protested the opening but broadway theatre groups banded together to support the opening. When the play finaly got the go-ahead in October it ended up less contriversial than the arguments and threates before had suggested. The importance of this play lies both in it's struggle on the way to be produced and in its acceptance once it hit broadway.

4. Racist Broadway

1. What: Miss Saigon
2. Who: 120 Poliece and as many protesters
3. When: April 26, 1991
4. Where: Broadway Theatre
5. Why: Protesters appear for opening night arguing against raciest and sexist overtones in the classic Miss Saigon.

"Shepherded by about 120 police officers, an equal number of demonstrators marched in circles, chanting, ''Racist, sexist Broadway show! Miss Saigon has got to go!'' " http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,314091,00.html

Racisim and claims of racisim have plagued theatre for decades. This case is particularly important however in that one of the leads, Jonathan Pryce, a white man, plays an asian roll. The asian community was outraged that this part was given to a white man in 'yellow face' and want exclusive rights to the roll.

5. Raided or Closed

1. What: The Virgin Man
2. Who: The entire cast and producers threatened to be arrested if they show up.
3. When: February 11, 1927
4. Where: Princess Theatre
5. Why: Closed temporarily due to nudity and vulgar language.

"The matinee of "The Virgin Man" was canceled yesterday under the threat that each actor would be arrested as he appeared on stage." http://proquest.umi.com.unx1.shsu.edu:2048/pqdweb?index=79&did=97225170&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1236471790&clientId=96

This is a landmark case. Several shows were called into question and shut down by police at the same time. Upon appealing to the supreme court they were granted permission to continue performances under free speech laws. During this time period the accomplishment that these theatres scuceeded in winning is astonishing. Arguments were made by theatre goers that you have to pay for a ticket to the theatre but tabloids print indecent pictures on the covers and are displayed. I'm inclined to agree with them.

6. Arrested

1. What: Nancy Brown
2. Who: Alfred Hickman
3. When: March 29, 1903
4. Where: Bijou Theatre
5. Why: Mistaken motive. A poliece man thought Alfred taking bets while instead the stage manager was trying to collect money for a sick actress.

"[Alfred] was led by the arm through the Broadway crowd for several blocks before he could convince his captor that he was not the bookmaker the later was stalking." http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=6&did=101985163&SrchMode=2&sid=13&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1235151920&clientId=96&cfc=1

This piece is amusing because it shows how truly suspicious civilians can be of theatre folk at times. Apparently even when doing something innocent we appear to be up to something. It could also be a reflection of historical how the theatre personnel were treated, he dragged Alfred seven blocks before even showing his badge despite Alfred's pleas. Although Mr. Hickman's near arrest delayed the start of the show by seven minutes this preformance was able to go up.

7. NEA Four

1. What: "The Larry Sanders Show"
2. Who: Tim Miller
3. When: July 30, 1993
   
4. Where: Los Angles
5. Why: To support Gay and Lesbian culture on TV.

"Suddenly it feels like they can put these (gay and lesbian performers) on TV. In part it's because issues around lesbian and gay identity and access are so forward in our culture now. . . . And it really goes along with our mission as performers, which is to stop the silence and break down as many barriers as possible." http://articles.latimes.com/1993-07-30/entertainment/ca-18517_1

Months after the NEA controversy over the grant money and subsequent settlement Tim Miller finds his way back into the spotlight supporting his favorite cause; Gay culture in preformance and censorship. The TV program will contain some of his current material, similar to that which was objected to during the grant disupte. This time however, he will not be preforming nude.

8. Regional Theatre

1. What: “The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told” by gay playwright Paul Rudnick
2. Who: Fred Phelps and his Topeka, Kan., church, known for protesting at Soldier's funerals.
   
3. When: December 31, 2008
   
4. Where: Oakland Park, Flordia. Rising Action Theatre
5. Why: Protesting the gay and religious tones in this play.

"The play retells the Bible from a humorous gay perspective beginning with Adam and Steve in the Garden of Eden.
Phelps’ web site said of the protest plans: “We shall picket this bit of profane blasphemy to tell you again: God Still Hates Fags; No Fags In Heaven; You're Going To Hell; God Hates You.”" http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2008/12/

Among the many news reports of religious groups protesting gay themed shows I found this one unique. It does include the normal controversial material of the play itself and the religious fanatics with pickets but in this instance there is a third element... The support of the local community. The sheriff and local police will be offering their protection to the theatre and patrons but the local clergy will be attending the play to promote tolerance. It's this local support that makes this story stand out from the countless others.

9. College/University

10. Highschool

1. Who: Ron Martin
2. What: Corona del Mar High School
3. When: Feburary 19, 2009
4. Where: Orange County, California
   
5. Why: The director chose it to combat what he felt was an environment of homophobia, the school officials shut it down for being too controversial.

"At least three of the planned high school productions, in California, Texas and West Virginia, have been canceled after administrators or parents raised objections about the show’s morality, its portrayals of homosexuality and theft, and its frank discussions of drug use and H.I.V., according to administrators, teachers and parents involved in those cases." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/theater/20rent.html?pagewanted=1

Despite broad national success and a movie Rent is still struggling to find acceptance in some venues. A source of prominent controversy is weather our American high schoolers are mature enough to deal with it's content, or if the reports are more closely read, weather the administraters can cope. (I never found one report of the students protesting the play) In reading the reports it seems that it's the plays content of homosexuality rather than the play itself that is in protest.