1.
New York City Today- Broadway
What- Jane Fonda in "33 Variations"
Where- Eugene O'Neill Theatre
When- 3/9/09- 5/24/09
Who- Moises Kaufman
Vietnam war veterans protest outside of the Eugene O'Neill Theatre against Jane Fonda for her views on the Vietnam War.
Although this protest is not about the work itself, it still represents a controversy involving protest. The woman performing is causing the uproar, and that's not too different from a director staging a show in a way that would upset people- even if the staging wasn't in the script at all.
2. Naked Broadway
What- Tryst
Where- Promenade Theatre
When- 4/6/06 - 6/11/06
Who- Amelia Campbell
Amelia Campbell & Maxwell Caulfield
(Photo: Jean Marie Guyaux)
What is not too hot to handle about nudity? It is not expected, and it appears. Tryst was the first show I ever saw with full frontal nudity. The nudity itself sparks interest in the play, and it may have even turned people off from seeing it.
3. Gay Broadway
What- Take Me Out
Where- Walter Kerr Theatre
When- 2/27/03- 1/4/2004
Who- Daniel Sunjata & Denis O'Hare
Post infamous shower-scene in a production of Take Me Out
As much as this selection could double with its nudity factor, or triple with its racial factors, at its heart, this ball of controversy is mostly a gay show. The study of how a locker room changes when one man comes out as a homosexual is enough to make it "Too Hot To Handle".
4. Racist Broadway
What: Miss Saigon
Where: Broadway Theatre
When: (4/11/1991 - 1/28/2001)
Who: Johnathan Pryce
Apparently not "Asian-enough" for Protesters.
This one actually involved quite a bit of protest. Many Asian-Americans were upset at the decision to cast a white man in a prominent Asian-French role. Already having a hard enough time getting on stage because of their race, Jonathan Pryce really fired them up. Such signs were held that read, "''What next? Pryce as M.L. King?''
5. Raided or Closed
What: The Folly Theatre
Where: Kansas City, Missouri
When: 1940's
Who: Rose La Rose and many other Burlesque dancers
Mitzi, your typical Burlesque queen.
The Folly Theatre in the 1940's, like many Burlesque houses at the time, had a red light in the footlights to let the scantily-clad vixens know if a censor was in the house. This allowed them to tone down their acts ahead of time. Unfortunately, some dancers (Rose la Rose comes to mind) took this light as a dare to be as scandalous as possible. Subsquently, the Folly Theatre was raided on several occasions.
6.Arrested
What:Henry VI, Part 1
Where: Portland, Oregon Northwest Classical Theatre Company
When: 9/6/03
Who: Thaddeus Carson
"Just before the curtain rose, the actor playing Lord Talbot was standing off to the side in full costume, swinging a sword. A startled off-duty police officer jogging past said, "Hey, man, be careful with that thing. "According to the police man, the actor began cursing loudly and brandishing the sword menacingly. The fleet-footed officer ran to a pay phone and dialled 911. Before you could say "enter stage left," the police arrived to arrest the faux-Elizabethan for menacing."
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/05/1062549019288.html?from=storyrhs
7.NEA 4
What: We Keep Our Victims Ready
Where:Alice Tully Hall
When: 7/22/1990
Who: Karen Finley
Finley's Famous Chocolate
Immediately after the Supreme Court's decision to deny funding for Holly Hughes, Tim Miller, John Fleck, and Karen Finley, the latter rips her conservative critics to shreds in her intense one woman show. Giving all the more attention to Finley, and garnering sympathy, I'm sure the Courts regret their decision.
8. Regional Theatre
What: Equus
Where: Asolo Repertory Theatre
When: 3/28/08- 5/4/08
Who: Juan Cardenas
"It's causing a whole lot of controversy all over the world. Peter Schaffer's stage play, "Equus" debuts Friday night at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, and the production team doesn't really understand what all the controversy is about."
http://www.mysuncoast.com/Global/story.asp?S=8080367
Apparently, Equus is still a big deal. Just shows how ignorant people are. As mentioned, right in the article, as soon as Harry Potter appears nude- NOW everyone is familiar with Peter Shaffer. Because the recent Broadway production was all over the news, it's now fresh in everyone's minds and controversial enough to have an article written about it.
9.College/University
What: Sex Worker's Art Show
Where:VCU
When: February 2007
Who: VCU parents and state politicians
An ad for the show performed in the school's theatre.
It is funny to see the burlesque controversy from the 1940's rearing its ugly head almost 70 years later. It is nothing more than burlesque, and everyone is in a fit, complaining about their money going to such filth. History will always repeat itself, I guess.
10. High School
What: Rent (School Edition)
Where:California, Texas and West Virginia
When: 08-09 School Year
Who:Ron Martin
He said his principal, Fal Asrani, had objected to the show because of its treatment of “prostitution and homosexuality.” “When I heard that, I stopped her and looked her in the eye and said, ‘First, there is no prostitution in ‘Rent,’ and second, homosexuality is not wrong,’ ” Mr. Martin said. “She made no comment. It was the most demoralizing, disappointing moment in my career as a teacher.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/theater/20rent.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1
It makes sense that Rent in any form would worry a high school principal. Society is just not that open yet, and especially with such an immature age group. Still, I can't help but feel for that teacher after reading the quote.
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