Open Forum

 View Only

Rumors - Neil Simon

  • 1.  Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-23-2018 15:45
    Hi there - I directed Rumors at an Independent day school and a Independent boarding school and never changed any of the language.  I was hoping to do it again but this time I am at a private independant (very conservative) school.  I know that Neil Simon states that you may NOT change or delete any of the text and the show must be done as is.  Has anyone had issues with this?  I have the perfect cast but am afraid to go against the contract. 


    David
    --
    David Valdes
    Director of Theatre

    UNIVERSITY LAKE SCHOOL
    4024 Nagawicka Road
    PO Box 290, Hartland, WI  53029
    ph: 262.367.6011 x1322   fax: 262.367.3146

                  


  • 2.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-23-2018 15:55
    You cannot go against the language of the contract. It is never a good idea. You're going to open yourself, and your school, up to possible legal ramifications if you do. I'd choose a different show if I were you. Are you just looking for a comedic mystery? You might try Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 by John Bishop instead. We also had a lot of fun with Happily Ever Once Upon by Virginia Kidd. It's not a mystery but was a lot of fun to work.

    ------------------------------
    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-25-2018 08:59
    I have been an theatre educator for over 33 years, I would never go against the contract as written by the playwright and publisher.  I am asking this question to see if there is anyone out there who has a suggestion of how to work around this issue.  Certainly others have produced this show. I did it twice in tact at two private schools.  The school that I am currently teaching at is much more conservative than I anticipated; hence the question.   Thanks to those who suggested the 'high school' version from the playwright himself.....this is very helpful information.  I appreciate the suggestion. This show is a funny, very well written farce-like play.  It offers great insight into the genre. The last time I directed it I was able to use lazzi as a tool to help with the bits in the show. I can certainly find other shows to replace this idea but I wanted to know if anyone has run into issues due to school issues.    Thank Again.  This site continues to be such a rich place to discuss, and be inspired!

    ------------------------------
    [David] [Valdes]
    [Director of Theatre/Arts Administrative Asst.]
    [Miami Country Day School ]
    [Miami] [Florida]
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-23-2018 16:48

    As this title is intended for an adult audience, the script must be performed as written with absolutely no changes. 



    ------------------------------
    Rosemary Bucher
    Licensing Representative, Educational Theatre
    Samuel French
    New York NY
    ------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-24-2018 08:16
    I know some schools are progressive enough to present this play as written -- however, not mine!

    Yet this play has consistently appeared on the annual most-produced list of of plays. Surely some of us are altering the language!

    I chose not to do so years ago when I secured a contract to present RUMORS in my school. When I read the language waiver, we chose a different play and have never looked back.

    --
    Mark A. Zimmerman
    Theatre Director,

    Akron School for the Arts
    Firestone High School
    470 Castle Blvd
    Akron, Ohio 44313

    330-761-3275

    FirestoneTheatre.com






  • 6.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-24-2018 10:00
    We attempted to do it a couple of years back, but like you, I work at a private and pretty conservative school. So, I asked if Samuel French had a high school appropriate version of the play available. They didn't have one, but said Neil Simon and his estate have created their own high school appropriate version of the play. You must get his permission to use it and to access the script. I will email you the contact information if you would like. Not sure if they are still allowing the use of this edited version, or if the contact information is still good as this was 4 years ago, but it is worth a shot. 

    It took a little bit of time for the person to respond, but I did eventually get approval to use their high school appropriate script from Neil Simon and his estate. Unfortunately, my school still did not approve of the show. Anyway, this would be the best course of action you could pursue if you really want to do the show. 

    Good luck and I hope it all works out! It is a hilarious show! 

    Sincerely,

    ------------------------------
    Joey Plaia
    Drama Director
    John Carroll Catholic High School
    Birmingham AL
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-24-2018 13:31
    I have many times drafted a letter to the playwright asking to delete specific words or passages in order to be able to perform a play.  I have made it clear that, although we really wanted to perform the play, certain words were not acceptable to my administration and community. 

    Only a couple of times have playwrights refused to allow me to make the cuts.  Neil Simon approved specific deletions from Fools years ago.

    I'm not saying that it is easy to get the publisher to pass the information on to the playwright.  I had to contact Dramatists 3 or 4 times before they sent the pdf of my letter to Tina Howe last year.

    ------------------------------
    C. J. Breland
    Asheville High School
    Asheville NC
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-25-2018 18:34
    ​C.J has some good points. Write the playwright and ask to modify. If you are anticipating "drama" the perhaps you shouldn't do the show.

    ------------------------------
    Crit Fisher
    Lighting/Sound Designer
    New Albany High School
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 05-17-2022 08:11
    Hi! My kids really want to do this show next year, but we would definitely need to do the edited version (we are in West Tennessee). Do you happen to have/remember the contact info for the person you communicated with at the Neil Simon estate?

    ------------------------------
    Leeana Cargile
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 05-18-2022 10:17
    Just curious why it was still denied. I'm also interested in the contact information. I would love to do that show with my high school group.

    ------------------------------
    Carmen Caldera-Brzoska
    Elizabethtown High School
    KY
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 05-18-2022 12:06
    I would be interested in knowing this information as well. 

    Amy Neal Bussey
    Stuarts Draft High School
    Theatre and English Teacher
    Theatre Program Director
    One-Act Play & Forensics Coach
     





  • 12.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 06-11-2022 09:39
    If there is a contact I would love it like these wonderful individuals before me.

    ------------------------------
    Elise Ybarra
    Corona Del Mar High School
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 06-13-2022 14:45

    Hi all,

    For language or any other text changes, it's best to reach out directly to the publisher, who can pass along any requests/concerns you may have to the appropriate parties. In instances when language changes are requested often, they may already have some alternative language available.

    If you have any requests or questions, please contact us at . Make sure to offer specific examples so we can properly communicate your community standards and requested changes. As approval is not guaranteed, please do not move forward with any plans for any changes without explicit written permission.



    ------------------------------
    Rosemary Bucher
    Amateur Licensing Coordinator,
    Concord Theatricals
    ------------------------------



  • 14.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 06-16-2022 13:08
    Thank you so much.





  • 15.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-26-2018 11:08
    ​Rumors is on the list for one of the most produced plays in high schools for the 1990's and 2000's. I'm sure their has to be a way to alter the language, otherwise how could it be on the list?

    ------------------------------
    Christopher Dwyer
    Head of Drama
    Laurel MD
    ------------------------------



  • 16.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-27-2018 08:52
    Rumors appeared in the top ten titles in the annual play survey quite often until Simon began putting his foot down about cutting the profanity.  Since then, it has rarely appeared on the list - if at all.  I think the explanation is clear: people were cutting the language without permission, and the author decided to do something about that, with predictable results in terms of production frequency.  Incredibly for this day and age, many of our students have parents who still believe that their teen-agers are growing up in an Ozzie-and-Harriet world, and that hearing the word "damn" on a school stage will infect the kids' souls and corrupt their morals.

    ------------------------------
    Jeff Grove
    Theatre Teacher, Aesthetics Department Chair
    Stanton College Preparatory School
    Jacksonville FL
    ------------------------------



  • 17.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-27-2018 15:42
    I couldn't have said it better my friend.  Thanks - for a minute there, I thought I was the being naive about the subject..

    ------------------------------
    [David] [Valdes]
    [Director of Theatre/Arts Administrative Asst.]
    [Miami Country Day School ]
    [Miami] [Florida]
    ------------------------------



  • 18.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-28-2018 03:41
    I directed Rumors last fall and was given permission to change some of the script. I wrote the playwright's people with hopes of contacting the playwright to ask for some flexibility with some of the stronger language. I was sent a very specific line by line list of changes that Neil Simon would allow, but was asked to try our best to change as little as possible as to not have the language sound silly. I signed an agreement and this was forwarded to SF and it was added to our contract. It never hurts to ask.

    ------------------------------
    David Ellis
    Drama and Language Arts Teacher
    Auburn Mountainview High School, Auburn, WA.
    ------------------------------



  • 19.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-30-2018 14:00
    Exactly, David!  It never hurts to ask.  And the way you ask matters.

    Listing what you want to change, line by line, citing the page in the acting edition you will be using, shows the playwright that you are being selective, and hopefully have thought about the necessity of each change in your own environment.

    Simply asking if you can remove (or worse, change) offensive language is far too broad a request for any playwright I know.  What is offensive in your community?  How is the playwright to know?  He or she certainly does not want you to rewrite the play.

    When I lived in NYC in the 1980s, I heard the dreaded F word used as every part of speech on virtually every subway car I ever rode in.  I left there to teach in a Tennessee school where a student could be suspended from school for using the F word even once.  I knew that that using "f-ing" was often the playwright's way of emphasizing the word following, and I was not hesitant to ask playwrights to let me delete specific words entirely in order to be able to perform a play in that community.

    I have taught in a really liberal school for 18 years, but our parents still don't want to hear our young actors use that language on stage.  And I respect that.  Theatre reflects life, but it also models life.        


    ------------------------------
    C. J. Breland
    Asheville High School
    Asheville NC
    ------------------------------



  • 20.  RE: Rumors - Neil Simon

    Posted 04-30-2018 17:10
    This is new and very exciting!  Does Samuel French know about this?

    Would you be willing to share the contact information for the Neil Simon people you reached out to?

    I think it is important to remember that Mr. Simon is still alive but, as I understand, suffering from a sever case of alzheimer's. He is not likely to be making any of these decisions himself. Maybe his people are being a little more reasonable now that Mr. Simon is unlikely to object.

    I would like to do this show but not with the language completely intact.

    ------------------------------
    Mark A. Zimmerman,

    Theatre Director
    Akron School for the Arts
    Firestone Community Learning Center
    470 Castle Blvd
    Akron, Ohio 44313

    Troupe 5570

    mzimmerm@apslearn.org
    ------------------------------