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Is ETA getting proactively involved in this concerning protests of productions such as the Sound of Music at LaGuardia HS

  • 1.  Is ETA getting proactively involved in this concerning protests of productions such as the Sound of Music at LaGuardia HS

    Posted 12-17-2018 09:21
    For those of you that may not be aware, LaGuardia HS in NYC had a bit of an uproar over onstage Nazi symbols during their production of The Sound of Music… The Sound of Music!!! https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2018/12/07/school-admins-question-use-of-swastika-in-sound-of-music/
    The fact that the family is escaping not embracing the Nazis, and this is a classic film and musical coming up on 50yrs old, is disturbing enough. But what is next? No Romeo and Juliet because it depicts violence and teen suicide? No Cabaret because that too has Nazis? No Macbeth because it promotes witchery and murder? No tragedies, just Disney productions and stage versions of cartoons?
    If theater is supposed to evoke thought and discussion, how does this happen if the optics of social media images can lead the politically left and right into protests without actually examining the content for their protests? And how will this play out with state, national, and international K-12 theater organizations? If we are not vocal we can be headed towards a theatrical version of book banning.
    I am fortunate to have a very supportive administration, but there’s always a level above them at the District that may not feel the same way when an election rolls around.
    Is there any discussion going on in your schools and districts?


    Joseph D'Aquino
    Newport Harbor High School
    Drama Department Program Director
    I.B. Assistant Coordinator


  • 2.  RE: Is ETA getting proactively involved in this concerning protests of productions such as the Sound of Music at LaGuardia HS

    Posted 12-17-2018 10:56
    Here's a very good opinion article on the subject: 

    https://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/277250/taking-the-swastikas-out-of-high-school-musicals

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    Ken Buswell
    Drama Teacher
    Peachtree City, GA
    http://mcintoshtheater.org/

    Theater kills ignorance
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Is ETA getting proactively involved in this concerning protests of productions such as the Sound of Music at LaGuardia HS

    Posted 12-17-2018 12:36
    I just responded to this type of stuff in another thread:

    https://www.schooltheatre.org/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?GroupId=133&MessageKey=3ff22753-af3f-4bef-8067-145461c817e7&CommunityKey=35d3756e-031c-447e-a020-14aeb57718f1&tab=digestviewer&ReturnUrl=%2fcommunities%2fcommunity-home%2fdigestviewer%3fcommunitykey%3d35d3756e-031c-447e-a020-14aeb57718f1%26tab%3ddigestviewer

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    George F. Ledo
    Set designer
    www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
    www.georgefledo.net
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Is ETA getting proactively involved in this concerning protests of productions such as the Sound of Music at LaGuardia HS

    Posted 12-17-2018 21:27
    Good article. Thanks for the read.


    Joseph D'Aquino
    Newport Harbor High School
    Drama Department Program Director
    I.B. Assistant Coordinator


    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Is ETA getting proactively involved in this concerning protests of productions such as the Sound of Music at LaGuardia HS

    Posted 12-18-2018 09:44
    Based on the few articles I've read (and despite some of the sensationalist headlines) this seems to be the case of one administrator over-reacting. The students and parents pushed back and a compromise of sorts was reached. Given that the Sound of Music is arguably the most popular and well-known American musical ever, it boggles my mind that someone would be surprised by Nazi imagery in it - it seems equivalent to being shocked that some characters in To Kill a Mockingbird espouse hateful racist views.

    As is usually the case, the kids understood the concept of art. Form the Daily News article: 
    "This is a very liberal school, we're all against Nazis," one sophomore performer told The News about the fuhrer furor. "But to take out the symbol is to try to erase history.  
    "Obviously the symbols are offensive," he added. "But in context, they are supposed to be."


    ------------------------------
    Ken Buswell
    Drama Teacher
    Peachtree City, GA
    http://mcintoshtheater.org/

    Theater kills ignorance
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Is ETA getting proactively involved in this concerning protests of productions such as the Sound of Music at LaGuardia HS

    Posted 12-18-2018 11:11
    My school just went through something like this when we were putting on Cabaret this fall. We had a parent/district employee who started an uproar on a public facebook page. We knew when we chose Cabaret that we might have some upset people, but that wasn't why we chose it. We were accused of having a political agenda, our students were called all kinds of horrible things, we even had people reach out to our principal saying they don't think we should teach the Holocaust in history classes! I couldn't believe it. Thankfully our admin was very supportive of our decision. I kept telling people that this was a different way of looking at WWII and having students be a character from that time is a different learning experience then just reading it from a textbook. We used swastikas and the Natzi salute because that is historically accurate. This day in age people really want to sugarcoat everything and act like bad things don't happen in our world (which is exactly the point of Cabaret.) At the end of it all we put on an amazing production! Numerous people told us it was the best production they had seen us do. We only had praises and people were impressed that 14-18 year olds were able to take on such mature content. It was a struggle but I don't regret doing it. Yes it is fun to put on happy go lucky shows but its also important that we produce that hard serious shows as well.

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    Jordanne Bradley
    Estes Park CO
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Is ETA getting proactively involved in this concerning protests of productions such as the Sound of Music at LaGuardia HS

    Posted 12-18-2018 15:04

    Hello Joseph,

    Thank you for making us all aware of the LaGuardia High School controversy concerning the appropriateness of Nazi props and gestures in the school's current production of The Sound of Music. This is an iconic musical set in an in era that demands historical accuracy in order to fully communicate the story of the Von Trapp family.  The Educational Theatre Association fully supports school theatre productions that honor the playwright's intent, however disturbing the subject matter. We also recognize the importance of addressing community values when there are objections to a play raised by parents, administrators, or students. The EdTA  Statement on Freedom of Expression policy statement details our position and offers guidelines for administrators and teachers on how to deal with such challenges. If you have further questions or concerns about the statement please contact me directly at jpalmarini@schooltheatre.org



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    James Palmarini
    Director of Educational Policy; Editor-at-Large - Teaching Theatre
    Cincinnati OH
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Is ETA getting proactively involved in this concerning protests of productions such as the Sound of Music at LaGuardia HS

    Posted 12-18-2018 17:42
    While I'm quoted in the Tablet Magazine article linked in a prior comment, those remarks were made before I saw the show at LaGuardia High School. I saw it over the weekend, which prompted me to compare the stage script and the film, and reflect on the controversy that arose at LaGuardia. As to the comment above saying that the controversy derived from the response of a single school administrator, that may well be true, however that administrator was the school principal, who took the title of executive producer on the show, and this is a performing arts high school.

    My thoughts on the LaGuardia situation, and the show in general, are here: http://www.artsintegrity.org/teaching-students-audiences-about-swastikas-the-ss-and-the-sound-of-music/

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    Howard Sherman
    Arts Integrity Initiative
    New York NY
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Is ETA getting proactively involved in this concerning protests of productions such as the Sound of Music at LaGuardia HS

    Posted 12-18-2018 20:08
    Thanks for the link and additional article. Glad to get the shared perspectives.
    Regards,


    Joseph D'Aquino
    Newport Harbor High School
    Drama Department Program Director
    I.B. Assistant Coordinator


    Original Message


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