Open Forum

Hi!

Just wondering, if you've produced/directed Zolidis' Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, have you received any kind of push-back regarding the content?  

Specifically, has anyone taken offense to the Mexicans tasting "spicy," or that a kiss between Mother Earth and Rapunzel might seem "kinky?" 

We are trying to produce it for our middle school, and the teacher directing it has brought up some of those concerns.  

Hoping I can put her mind at ease a bit-  but looking for any evidence that parents might get huffy about the content.  

I, for one, don't see any of those things as offensive, but they could be seen as micro-aggressions or the like, and clearly we do not want Middle School students to be harshly scrutinized in that respect.  


Would love a conversation.  Let me know if you have any thoughts.

Thank you, colleagues.

------------------------------
Jarad Benn
Theater, Performing Arts Director
Perkiomen School
Pennsburg PA
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Hi Jarad,
Don Zoldis is very active on this board, I would reach out to him and discuss your questions/concerns.  He will have light to shed on the specific word choices and may offer suggestions or options other than those.  It's not very often that playwrights are so available to us "average school directors", but a few are on this board.  I'm very grateful to them for their insight.
Best!
Amy

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Amy Learn
Ballwin MO
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My Theatre Class performed this show this past spring for our local middle school students ... and I loved the script and as a high school teacher I saw nothing wrong with the content ..... but I did get some flack from a few teachers who watched the show with the students who felt the content was inappropriate (they were upset about Hansel and Gretel's behavior) and the middle school found certain lines hilarious that I didn't even take as jokes. One in particular was when Snow White commented "what difference does it make they're all white" ... and the actress playing the part changed her inflection in performance (I was not impressed) and several people took it as a racial slur ... even though for the 6 weeks we practiced it I heard it as a flighty, spaced out girly line ... 

So, although I didn't see it until we got to performance... I can see where your colleague might have concerns. Reach out to the writer... whenever I have emailed him with questions he has always been very helpful and quick to respond.

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Toni Thomas
English Teacher, Theatre Director
West Branch MI
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Hey there - 

In general, I let people cut specific jokes for their community. If the teacher feels uncomfortable about something, she can cut the joke. 

I understand that some things may not be appropriate for all communities. That said, the Brothers Grimm has been produced by hundreds of middle schools and several thousand high schools, so it doesn't seem to cause too much controversy.

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Don Zolidis
Austin TX
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Hey Don!

Look a real live Playwright who some of our group have directed his shows! So cool; I’m star struck!

I know that Louis Januzzi is also a member of this forum; some of us have done his “Exhibit This” and “All the Kings Women” (Samuel French). It’s so great to have them respond to us personally!!

I love both playwrights work!!

Maria Stadtmueller
St. Augustine School

Sent from my iPhone
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------Original Message------

Hey there - 

In general, I let people cut specific jokes for their community. If the teacher feels uncomfortable about something, she can cut the joke. 

I understand that some things may not be appropriate for all communities. That said, the Brothers Grimm has been produced by hundreds of middle schools and several thousand high schools, so it doesn't seem to cause too much controversy.

------------------------------
Don Zolidis
Austin TX
------------------------------

I must agree!  I did it as part of our One Act festival and my student body is 75% Hispanic.  They thought it was hilarious...

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Paul Hengels
Drama Teacher
Waukegan High School
Round Lake IL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-06-2018 11:04
From: Don Zolidis
Subject: Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon

Hey there -

In general, I let people cut specific jokes for their community. If the teacher feels uncomfortable about something, she can cut the joke.

I understand that some things may not be appropriate for all communities. That said, the Brothers Grimm has been produced by hundreds of middle schools and several thousand high schools, so it doesn't seem to cause too much controversy.

------------------------------
Don Zolidis
Austin TX
------------------------------

We are auditioning for Mirror Image (Pioneer) in 2 weeks. Cinderella’s stepsisters are mean but I don’t anticipate any backlash

Maria Stadtmueller
St. Augustine School
Kendall Park, NJ

Sent from my iPhone
____________________________________________________________
One Cup of This (Before Bed) Burns Belly Fat Like Crazy
Celebrity Local
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5bf2ce46b3434e455c26st03duc

------Original Message------

Hi!

Just wondering, if you've produced/directed Zolidis' Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, have you received any kind of push-back regarding the content?  

Specifically, has anyone taken offense to the Mexicans tasting "spicy," or that a kiss between Mother Earth and Rapunzel might seem "kinky?" 

We are trying to produce it for our middle school, and the teacher directing it has brought up some of those concerns.  

Hoping I can put her mind at ease a bit-  but looking for any evidence that parents might get huffy about the content.  

I, for one, don't see any of those things as offensive, but they could be seen as micro-aggressions or the like, and clearly we do not want Middle School students to be harshly scrutinized in that respect.  


Would love a conversation.  Let me know if you have any thoughts.

Thank you, colleagues.

------------------------------
Jarad Benn
Theater, Performing Arts Director
Perkiomen School
Pennsburg PA
------------------------------