Open Forum

Any high schools ever done this show? Wondering how the whole courtesan topic was received.
Thanks!
Connie

-------------------------------------------
Connie Voight
Alabama
Randolph School
Huntsville AL
-------------------------------------------

We did!  It was actually the first show I directed after being hired this year.  Basically I had a discussion with the kids that all the "dirty" was implied and inferred and that we didn't have to make it "in your face".  The beauty is that people who get it will get it, but nothing is written as totally in your face so it's still ok for the younger set.  My kids also realized that after a while EVERYTHING sounds dirty!

With the courtesans, we just made sure their costumes were appropriate and that their dances were fun and entertaining but not overly sexualized.  I also put on the poster "This musical is rated PG by MTI" or something to that effect.  Overall the show was very well received by our audiences and to my knowledge there were no complaints about the content or the way things were portrayed.

If you have any specific questions, let me know!  We closed in November so it's still halfway fresh in my brain.

-------------------------------------------
Laura Steenson
Reynolds High School
Troutdale, OR
-------------------------------------------

We did it in May of 2013. It's really a roman comedy dressed up as a vaudeville dressed up as a musical...I did some historical background and pointed out that more than 60% of the population of Ancient Rome was salves. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_ancient_Rome If the costumes are modest (and there is no reason why they shouldn't be) audiences wind up having a great time...play up the fun, play down the sex, and remember that the central plot is about two virgins in love.

-------------------------------------------
Billy Houck
Sunnyvale CA
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 05-16-2014 11:29
From: Connie Voight
Subject: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Any high schools ever done this show? Wondering how the whole courtesan topic was received.
Thanks!
Connie

-------------------------------------------
Connie Voight
Alabama
Randolph School
Huntsville AL
-------------------------------------------

I have directed this show twice, first in the mid-1990s and then in 2010. Both shows went off with no problems. In fact, once I explained to the girls what a courtesan was, they were even more enthusiastic about their roles. This last time I even had a guy play one of the courtesans -- in a dress and wig -- and he got some of the biggest laughs. One of the mothers helped her daughter find her skimpy costume, with a little guidance from my costumer, and that certainly helped. But most of all, have a good time with this show... it is a gem! ------------------------------------------- Cary Shapiro Ankeny IA -------------------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 05-17-2014 11:11 From: Billy Houck Subject: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum We did it in May of 2013. It's really a roman comedy dressed up as a vaudeville dressed up as a musical...I did some historical background and pointed out that more than 60% of the population of Ancient Rome was salves. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_ancient_Rome If the costumes are modest (and there is no reason why they shouldn't be) audiences wind up having a great time...play up the fun, play down the sex, and remember that the central plot is about two virgins in love. ------------------------------------------- Billy Houck Sunnyvale CA -------------------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 05-16-2014 11:29 From: Connie Voight Subject: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Any high schools ever done this show? Wondering how the whole courtesan topic was received. Thanks! Connie ------------------------------------------- Connie Voight Alabama Randolph School Huntsville AL -------------------------------------------

Yeah...I meant slaves, not salves.

-------------------------------------------
Billy Houck
Fremont High School
Sunnyvale CA
-------------------------------------------

My school has done Forum twice.  A fellow teacher directed it in 1988 - I served as music director for that one - and I directed it myself in 2010.

As others here have mentioned, in both cases we used a certain amount of modesty in the courtesans' costumes, and their dances were choreographed to be more funny than sexy.

I encouraged my cast to throw away some of the more salacious lines - to my mind, they're actually funnier when downplayed that way.  Sledgehammer treatment isn't always a good thing.

I'm in pretty conservative territory here; there are many shows that other schools have staged that we wouldn't be allowed to touch, so it heartened me that we got no flack about either production of Forum.

Our more recent production of the show took place during a week when a group of students and teachers from a school in Singapore was visiting our school.  As a service project, we invited the group to attend our show, and we comped all of their tickets.  Our principal sat with their group.  During the intermission, she asked one of these student guests how she liked the show.  The girl put her hand to her mouth, as if she were a little embarrassed by her own smile, and said, "It's very funny, but we would never be allowed to do this show at our school - it's so dirty!"  Perspective is always important, no?

-------------------------------------------
Jeff Grove
Theatre Teacher
Stanton College Preparatory School
Jacksonville FL