PROFESSIONALISM: Personal reasons NOT to do a show?

[dallas10086]

I recently had a student leave a production of The King and I due to religious views (her character repeated "Praise to Buddha" often); I could certainly see her discomfort but also know if theatre is something she wants to pursue she was going to have a difficult road ahead. Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever left or refused to do a show (whether as a SM or not) due to personal conflict with its content, religious or otherwise?

When I was younger and first starting out as a technician, because of my upbringing, I had extreme difficulties with productions that were considered risque (Hair and both Angels in America come to mind) but I knew that that would be something I would have to get over if I were ever to hope to have a career in this field.

[ejsmith3130]

Interesting. I have actually had to have these kind of tough conversations with my parents about what I do. I was raised (and still consider myself) Catholic. I'm not an in-your-face kind of religious person- never have been. I live my life, and let others live theirs without judgement. I believe in a love-based religious outlook. So for me personally, I haven't really felt conflicted with shows that I have worked on. The exploration of human nature facinates me.

It comes down to this for my way of thinking too- you can't be a "light to the world" if you don't go to the dark places. I would never take myself out of a show situation because of something like this- we work in a business that encompasses many different worldviews- a theatre that was as narrow as one person or groups way of thinking would be sad I think.

[brettnexx]

(Hair and both Angels in America come to mind)

Try doing both Angels in America at a theatre where the audience is Primarily elderly orthodox jews. Currently doing Part 2: Perestroika. We get some walk outs every intermission, which affects the actors. Sometimes the walkouts are because the play is minimum 3 1/2 hours, most of the time it's the offended elderly people.

I understand reasons not to do a show. Personally, I would not be able to do a show that promotes a homophobic view point. And by promotes, I mean what the audience would take away is that homophobia is ok. That or any sort of extremely discriminative view point. I don't know how many plays like that exist, and I doubt theatres in my area would do shows like that, but that's just an example.

The first university show I worked on, we had a girl drop out before rehearsals even started. She actually ended up dropping out of university, because she realized that with her beliefs, she couldn't be a successful actor, and she had no idea what else she wanted to do with her life. The show was Blue Room, and she was extremely religious. Thankfully, her role was double cast.

[lsears]

Years ago I worked at a theater where in addition to my show there were also doing Restoration Comedy and an intern said they couldn't be a part of the show because of their religious beliefs.  We discussed this a lot in the SM office and our consensus was if there is material that you are uncomfortable with then it's your responsibility to read scripts before accepting a job.  To accept a job, either onstage or offstage, and then say 'I'm sorry I can't do this' is disrespectful to a great number of people, including those who hired you and now have to replace you on short notice.  New plays of course are different, but you should have a sense of where the script is going.   You are also limited to freelancing, or choosing to work at a theater where their tastes align closely with yours. 

That said, most of us have hot buttons - moments onstage that make us uncomfortable, but that's what theater is made of.  Taking loaded situations and stretching what the audience thinks or experiences.  I could say that I won't do plays with rapes and knife fights because I don't like sitting through rehearsals focused on those things, but I would do fewer interesting plays and miss on on some great work, like Lynn Nottage's Ruined, one of the best plays I've ever worked on.  It was emotionally draining and exhausting, but well worth it, and my job pales in comparison to the work of the actors.  Instead I focus on the work that is happening instead of on my personal feelings on the situation, and making a safe play for those things to be explored, and things generally work out.

[nick_tochelli]

Never. I honestly can't even think of a circumstance I would elect not to do a show due to content. I suppose if it was just....flamingly hateful or something...

About 4-5 years ago, a friend of mine hopped onboard a musical which was I think intended to be a farce or some variety of social commentary. I refuse to say the title of said show here because it does not deserve any google hits from this forum. Let's just put it this way: It was one of the most horribly offensive productions I've ever seen in my life. It insulted everyone and did so in a not humorous manner. At least if it was funny you could stand the nature of the content. It's the only show I've ever walked out on as an audience member. My friend found much of what was in the show reprehensible but the reason she wanted to leave wasn't the content, it was the unprofessional manner in which the show was being conducted by the writer/producer couple in charge.

I somewhat think this might be another example of how desperate people are to work in NYC. A show that conflicts with your morals and insults people to the core??......well....it is a paycheck....

[HeatherMichelle]

I agree with everyone, that it is a very personal decision that needs to be carefully considered before production begins.

Growing up Catholic and now being Christian (albeit a “liberal" one), I actually enjoy being a part of productions that aren’t necessarily what I believe. Unless it’s something that is strongly against my morals (rape, homophobia, issues like that), I have no problem getting a chance to see something from another side. It gives me the opportunity to take a new look at something I might never have otherwise, and question and reflect on what I already thought. It could serve to help strengthen my beliefs or give me a chance to grow and make a positive personal change. Some people may not like it or be open to it, but as long as others respect my beliefs, too, I welcome it!

[planetmike]

Old joke: Guy goes up to a woman at a bar and asks "Will you sleep with me for a million dollars?" She looks at him, thinks it over, and says "Sure!" He says "Would you sleep with me for five bucks?" She exclaims "No way, what kind of woman do you think I am?" He replies "We already settled that, now we're just haggling over price."

There are several shows I would not want to work (or even see again) because I simply do not think they can be done well. This is almost always the script's fault. One of those shows after I saw it the first time, I said to myself if it ever is done again, I need to see it so I can see if it is possible to be enjoyable. And sure enough, it wasn't. And oddly enough, the shows on that short list of mine aren't particularly "adult" or "controversial."

[MatthewShiner]

Material is material, and you need to learn where your own boundaries lie.  And that is going to based on your own personal beliefs.

A couple of years back, I had a chance to (and did work on) Marlowe’s Edward II.  A play, that is about class, and the love (could be friendship, could be sexual) between two men.

Now, during the process of the show – since Class distinction is not as obvious in America, our production underlined the love (and this case sexual love) between the king and the commoner.  Including a couple of very nice kisses.  No pornography, no sex . . . maybe a shirtless man.

Anyway, people walked out in droves  saying the play was pro-gay (which if you know the story is hysterical – as the two gay men die in HORRIFIC ways, one is beheaded and one dies with a hot poker shoved up his bum.)  It was hard to watch as a gay man, harder to deal with audience complaints.

But, what really became hard was watching the show over and over, and having it wear me down.  (Earlier in my career I had to work on a play about unemployment, which in this business, is a little too close to home).  Edward II is not a happy play – and it sometimes gets to you.

But, at the end of the day, at 11:00p, it was over.  And I moved on my life.

Material can be offensive, but it can start a dialogue – and I would hate to miss out on that dialogue, regardless of my personal beliefs.

It’s not material I will avoid, it’s people – directors, actors, producers, general managers, organizations.  Material comes and goes.a

[babens]

I'm more in line with Matthew.  I haven't come across a show that bothers me to the point where I would avoid it, but there are certainly people and companies I will not work with again.

[ejsmith3130]

It’s not material I will avoid, it’s people – directors, actors, producers, general managers, organizations.  Material comes and goes.a

This is so true. I feel much more strongly about people that would offend me as opposed to the material of a play. This influences me much more in my decisions.

[dallas10086]

Material can be offensive, but it can start a dialogue – and I would hate to miss out on that dialogue, regardless of my personal beliefs.

Excellent point. Whenever I find myself offended by a character's choices or the production's content, which doesn't happen often, I ask myself, "Why am I offended?" Which is exactly what theatre should do.

[BayAreaSM]

While I have not personally experienced this, I did have an actress back out of a play in college, before the first read through. It was a new student-written one act about a woman coming to grips with the fact that she was gay and it took place in a gay bar. It only had 1 kiss in it for the lead role, but the girl who as cast as the lead slid her script under the professor's door the day of rehearsal, citing she couldn't do it.

I never found out why she didn't take the role, and can only assume 12 years later as we reconnect on facebook, that she wasn't ready herself to come to grips with the fact that she was gay. She is now happily married to another woman.

I think while people may have religious issues with scripts, some people also have issues with a script hitting too close to home - and not being ready to deal with it. My grandfather died during rehearsals for Richard III, and I was a pall bearer. I flew home for a 24 hour turn around, and another AEA SM covered my rehearsal for the day. It was a bit rough as when I returned, they were staging the scene where Lady Anne cries over the coffin/corpse.

[iamchristuffin]

This is actually really relevant, considering this news from Germany today!

If you were working on this show, (particularly a question to any Jewish members, I suppose) would you leave? Would you voice any concerns/issues you had?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22461400

On a personal note, I don't think there is anything I would walk out for. Like bretnexx, I would only have an issue if a show made something (homphobia, rape, racism....) seem acceptable. These things all happen in this world anyway - a show is not going to change anyone's minds drastically on a topic like this.

[MatthewShiner]

And what's funny is a show that is politically charged, gets people talking.
Don't forget the power of theater and the ability to start conversations.
Don't forget the emotional power theater has.
Theater has been used, in the past, to stir nations, start revolutions.

[On_Headset]

Given that there appears to be consensus on this matter, can we maybe approach this from a different angle?

Suppose you're working on a show which a large part of the community considers to be controversial, if not outright offensive.

For your part, you believe in the material. You may not be totally comfortable with the broader situation, but you don't find the material or the treatment to be offensive. (Or, if you do find it offensive, you're okay with this offensiveness in context: it's making a worthwhile point.)

Because of this controversy, a campaign has been organized to close the show. How far are you willing to go before you call it quits?

Would you cross a picket line to get to work? Would anonymous threats of vaguely-defined violence (The phone rings. "We're gonna get you. *click*") throw you off? Would you be willing to endure excommunication from a religious organization in the service of your job?

(This is a little lurid and hopped-up, obviously, but campaigns of this nature have targeted artists and employees of theatres, most notably the company attached to the original run of Jerry Springer: The Opera, a show which I think most of us would not find at all offensive or problematic on its own merits.)