Open Forum

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

I understand the SF Bay Area is quite different from other parts of the country, however, a children's theatre group out here (Youth Musical Theatre Company) did it a few years ago and had a great response. I suspect their reputation and local support had something to do with it, but you may wish to contact them and see how they handled it: http://www.ymtcberkeley.org/

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

I did it! In a small, conservative, fairly rural Virginia community. AND it was my first year teaching at this school. I love it, my kids loved it, I would do it again in a heartbeat! I did run it by my administrator first, and she had me run it by one of the curriculum supervisors and present it at some parents' meetings (my back to school night and just one of the Parent Advisory board meetings) to see if they had any objections. I checked the script very carefully for objectionable material, and there really isn't anything other than the title. We ended up doing "teaser" posters for the area schools that hinted at the show but didn't actually name it. We put our real titled posters out in the community. Message me if you have questions. That show was a really great experience for us. Great press coverage, audiences loved it, people still remember it years later. So many good roles, fun songs, great opportunities for design and choreography...Ok, I'll stop. I know you're already sold. :-)

Man, now I want to do URINETOWN again!

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

------------------------------
Brett Buffum
Theatre Teacher
Spring Hill KS
------------------------------

I like Philip's first two ideas of pitching it or doing a meeting, since they show that the audience, and their support, is important. The only thing I would be cautious of (paranoid about?) is creating a precedent, i.e., setting yourself up for having to do this for every show in the future.

On the other hand, with idea #3, you can "play dumb." You're picking the show because it's funny, because it's always well received, because there are some really good parts, because it's a very relevant satire, because it's been popular in high schools and community theatres, yadda yadda yadda. And the title... well... that's what the authors called it; it was their prerogative.  :-)

Oh, and thanks, Phillip. I appreciate that.

------------------------------
George F. Ledo
Set designer
www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
www.georgefledo.net
http://astore.amazon.com/sdtbookstore-20

Original Message:
Sent: 08-02-2016 12:50
From: Brett Buffum
Subject: Urinetown! - Advice

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

------------------------------
Brett Buffum
Theatre Teacher
Spring Hill KS
------------------------------

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.

I'm hoping to do Urinetown this fall.  Hoping, because for the first time ever, I feel inclined to clear the selection with administration and board first to avoid drama and problems down the road.  We are a "small-town" values community where many believe all theatre productions should be "feel good," and "appeal to all ages."

Those that know the show, know that overall the content is great for high school level performers and audiences. Unfortunately, the writers gave it a fun, provocative name.  The name on posters and presented to parents or board members will immediately draw negative attention and possibly calls to not allow the show.  (Talk about judging a book by its cover...or musical by its name)

For those that have tackled this show in your high school or community, any advice for how you dealt with the name and negative attention would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much.