How far is too far when it comes to high school plays?
It may be a question the township's school board will eventually have to answer, after several parents railed against what they see as excess profanity and sexuality in student performances.
"We brought our second grade daughter to the high school play, and there was profanity bombing everywhere," said Robert Fraser, who added that he has a child involved in theater, and the attitude towards parents who take issue with the content of shows concerns him.
"It was offered that those who do not approve should stay home," he said, of Brick Township Memorial High School plays.
Brick Memorial High School drama teacher Joseph Stefanelli did not respond to a request from Brick Patch to be interviewed for this story.
But regardless of the teacher, or the school, some parents say they've had enough with content in school plays they feel is inappropriate.
"The problem that has come is that, as the years have evolved, it's a case of one-upmanship. People keep pushing the envelope," said Karyn Cusanelli, who said her daughter has participated in theater at Brick Memorial. "It's getting a little out of hand, and that's why people are coming forward now."
Board of Education President Sharon Kight said she's received calls from parents who were not comfortable with the content of some recent schools plays.
"They brought young children, they were sitting in the front row, and out and out, unnecessary profanity was used," said Kight. "I think the board needs to get more involved in the content of the plays. I was told that there were several young women who did not try out for plays because of the costumes that were picked. They were very uncomfortable wearing these costumes in public."
Not all parents take issue with edgy content in school plays, however.
"These are high school students," said Roberta Mascali. "I'm happy with the content, I'm happy with everything they've done. They're high school students. If you want to get high school students involved, you want young people to come out and see these plays. If you do plays that are going to be very young minded, you're not going to get these students out there."
Mascali said, and sources confirmed, that the school district cannot legally allow the content of a play to be changed when it is performed by students. Before a play is performed, the Board of Education enters into a somewhat complex agreement with a company that allows the students to use the script from the original performance of a play. Those contracts do not allow modifications to the script.
"They are high school kids, and they need to do high school aged shows," Mascali said.
But at least one parent voiced concern that performing a play with controversial content could alienate some students. Mary Tivenan said her daughter was "concerned about the plays she's in."
"I think plays should be edifying and educating," said Tivenan. "I think plays that exclude kids because of the material shouldn't be in public schools. It's not inclusive."
But while the role of the Board of Education, historically, has been to simply ratify the contract with the company providing the script for a play, board members could exercise some judgment calls as to which types of plays are appropriate for students, according to Robert Budesa, one of the attorneys who represents the school board.
"I think that this board has the ability to set standards as to what they think the content of a play should be," Budesa said. "I think the board should discuss it and come up with a policy. This board can definitely set parameters as to what can be produced and what cannot. Some may be difficult to chisel in stone, but there can be parameters."
As it stands now, which plays will be performed are generally decided by the school drama teacher with the approval of the building principal, according to Superintendent Walter Hrycenko. However in some instances, plays have been shut down by administrators. A performance of the play "Urinetown" was nixed, mainly because the administration felt advertising such a play on signs around town would not be well-received, Hrycenko said.
There's no word on how the matter will be handled from here on out, but even the most serious discussions don't end without some irony.
"Am I allowed to use profanity here?" asked resident Vic Fanelli of school board members following the discussion about the play.
"No," Kight answered.
"Well, according to what I heard, maybe we'd get more people here if we did," he said.
if you couple this with his announcement that night that he would not feel comfortable working with students whos parents disagreed with his positions/selections, it was pretty clear his opinion is we are either "with him, or against him". Perhaps his idea of humor and mine differ too.
Mr. Stephanelli, who did not want parents who merely questioned his judgement to attend school board meetings, and: Jennifer Roebuck, who has told us on this forum that we as parents have far more important issues to attend to before we can address this issue, and as parents, we should trust entirely in the hired professionals in this matter. Quotes available uopn request.
Do you seek the students input? Answer: No. He cannot let every student dictate what show THEY want to star in. you might recognize this arguement from some of the other posts here. I agree with him on this issue. We NEVER let the inmates run the asylum. Do you seek the Drama Club Board input? Answer: No. Why does the club HAVE an E-Board at all, then? Lastly, and the question I have asked again, and again, and again, which everyone is reluctant to address, is the whole "I would be uncomfortable having your kids in my program if we disagree" with his content decisions comment. Does kicking someone out of Drama Club because you disagree with their parents seem a little "OFF" to you? This IS what he said. Maybe all the people yelling CENSORSHIP should look up BLACKBALLING before they get the soapbox out.
why do you feel you are the one to regulate how much the rest of us can have a "say so" in? What problems do you feel I should be MORE concerned about that my childrens education?
I am patiently awaiting your response to my question. I have four daughters, currently spanning 2nd grade to 12th grade, and you are the VERY FIRST teacher throughout six schools they collectively attended throughout their ongoing education who EVER suggested a parent "leave things to the professionals" .
The Board, "unofficially" letting BMHS know they thought Urinetown was not an appropriate selection seems to be the start of the issue. It seems, BTHS did a show recently, which was to some opinions, a little scandalous. Mr. S of BMHS seemed upset by this. At the meeting I attended which he called, he stated his intentions to call out the Board at the December board meeting regarding Urinetown. For reasons known to him, this confrontation did not happen. FURTHER complicating the issue: it has been stated many times that it is illegal to alter a script, BUT: many people here have stated this is INDEED done, and also, it is my understanding that not every performance the high schools perform are from CONTRACTED scripts, thereby excluding them from this liability. I only mention as I have noted several statements where we are being lectured on the legality of a script as a contractual document, yet several posts later, it is clear changes ARE INDEED being made. Another of my awkward questions: Why is it acceptable for the director to make changes to a script, but borderline Nazi-ism if a parent suggests the same? Again, quote available on request.
There appears to be a level of what is accepted in ones private home,what one does on their own time on a personal level,what parents allow children/teens to do,listen to,read or any other avenue of media is to be applied toward the drama productions the schools do publicly. I'd like to know what is the problem in changing the dialogue for the performances? I understand it may be an issue with the writers and the school can get in trouble for changing the script and/or dialogue w/o proper authorization but isn't there an avenue to request changes which are questionable? Isn't there a way of preformaing an "adaptation" version of whatever play is to be done so they can be community friendly?
Also, I would just like to know that RENT is one of the most successful shows in Broadway history. During its record-setting 12 year run, it was the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Getting the chance to perform in something of that caliber is once in a lifetime. If your children and students are as dedicated to the theatre as I am, you would not want to stifle that moment.
It may be I missed your responses to my questions: Do you indeed feel parents should stay out of educational decisions, and leave things to the experts? I have been waiting patiently for you to elaborate on your opinion we as parents should defer......
the facts do not support your arguement. Bye Bye Birdie, which you remember so fondly, was the musical which had the highest attendance in BMHS in recent years, by Mr. S's admission, only last year. Never was the quality of the direction called into question. To restate the objection: Mr. Stephanelli publicly refuses to review content of his productions with: Parents Drama Club Exec Board School Board Drama Club Members Complicting this problem, he has further stated, he does not want to work with students who's parents may object to his choices. Blackballing students, because a teacher objects to a parents position is JUST, and arguably WORSE that the alleged censcorship everyone is yelling about here.
I'm sorry you weren't able to make it in acting yourself. Hopefully, you at least share your story with your students so they can glimpse how difficult it actually is to break into the acting world.
I'm happy for you though that you get to brag about your guest roles to Brick teenagers and here on this board! Guess that's your stage now.