BY MIKE CETERA
Parents who preach traditional values should be apoplectic. But there has been virtually no backlash over two local high schools' selections for spring musicals that deal in very adult issues. Have we turned a tolerance corner, or have people just stopped paying attention?
West Aurora High School just wrapped up its performance of "Rent," a rock opera that centers around a cast of gay characters struggling to make a life "under the shadow of AIDS." Related story here.
And Oswego High School is set to perform "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" later this week. "Sweeney Todd," is a musical revenge story about a barber turned serial killer. Related story here.
Both of these productions are award-winning musicals. But both deal in (if not darkly ambiguous) morally complex issues.
Granted, the high school versions of both musicals are toned down a bit from their Broadway big brothers. Still, some of the kids in the high school production wouldn't have been able to see the film version of "Sweeney Todd" by themselves in the theater. It received a well deserved R rating. And Chris Columbus, the director of the film adaptation of "Rent" expressed "amazement that the film received a 'PG-13' due to risqué scenes and content...In the U.S., it is rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving sexuality & drugs and some strong language."
To be clear, I don't see a problem with young adults performing (and consuming) art with adult themes. I'm just surprised others haven't raised a ruckus. Because what these shows expose teenagers to (even though they are considered "serious" art) is no different than what they get from pop music, movies or video games.
Considering we watched a video of the broadway version of Sweeny Todd (with Angela Landsberry) I don't think it's that bad. The violence wasn't all that graphic at all.
As long as it's not vaguely insulting to ethnics groups (remember "Fugheddaboutit" in Batavia?) schools don't care about sex and violence.
As Dems continue to move into the Kane/Kendall areas, it is bound to happen that the rigid traditional ideas of the Republicans who controlled the area previously are now changing. That is part of it. Also, who needs to get fired up over Sweeney Todd or Rent, which have been around for years and are just movies/plays, or should we save our energy for things such as gas prices, healthcare, national elections, price of food, etc. etc.....?
It seems that not only the "rigid traditional" Republicans can be accused of having issues. It appears that others may not be overly open minded about things too. Rigidity of thinking, no matter who you try to attribute it to, is not bound by political leanings or voting records. Intolerance of others spans all genders, ethnicities and party affiliation apparently.
Hmmm, perhaps they were busy harrumphing over the so called Miley Cyrus scandal and overlooked reading about the plays. (snark off)
Seriously, I agree that these type of plays are hardly that controversial. Especially given the issues confronting the characters in 'Rent' do reflect contemporary social and relational conditions many of these teens already face, along with our larger communities.
Kudos and congrats to both schools for superb productions
I think that RENT at West High was absolutely phenominal. My daughter(a 2004 grad) and I attended on Friday night and we were blown away by the performances of the cast. High school kids are going to be out in the real world soon enough and the lessons of RENT teaching tolerance and love are what life should be about. I am sure that the West High student population was represented here. People who are upset need to get their heads out of the sand. There are gay people and transvestites and people living with AIDS and people who may have made bad choices in life, but for all those I think they need to ask themselves "what would Jesus do" and the answer is he would have loved them and cared for them as any of Gods children. If people would stop judging others the world would be a much better place. Love is what life should be about.
I surely wish my step-daughter's high school in conservative and rural Carroll County, Maryland were so willing to stretch the boundaries. They made a good go of "The Music Man", but gee, what an old fuddy duddy of a play - the kids would surely have enjoyed Rent or Sweeney Todd a lot more. I know my bisexual, goth step-daughter would have.