Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/08/03 18:51I guess because I'm a recovering Catholic I can understand where you guys are coming from with the anti-cursing. However, there are worst things than cursing that one can do onstage. They're just words. If your character does it than you do it, it's the discipline of acting. I don't know, I'm just the kind of person who would do anything for a show.
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Matthew
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/08/04 14:10No songs or dialogue in theatre could possibly offend me. Personally, shows like Avenue Q, Spring Awakening, Rent and the like are my favorites. I think using strong language, and strong... "staging" can leave a very big impact.
On another note however, I am very involved in highschool forensics. I do solo acting and interpetation of literature. I was in a round of humorous solo acting where a boy did a monologe (he played all the characters though) from The Birdcage. At one point in the movie a man very humorously comments on abortion... In the movie it is funny. Seeing a highschool boy do it made me very embarrassed for him. It didn't offend me, but it made everyone in the room blush. Highschoolers should not necessarily attempt to play very mature characters. Rarely will they be taken seriously.
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Virginia
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/08/04 14:35I don't think I've ever really found a show that actually offends me although there are some I would cringe at watching with my parents.
On the same note, I avoid playing characters who curse because I'm a Christian.
I thought a lot about this and struggled with it, because that meant I would have to miss out on parts I would kill to play (Fantine especially).
As a 'good little Catholic girl,' I don't tend to do it in real life, but if someone offered me one of my real 'dream roles' (like Fantine) I'd take it and just forget what I was doing. But I see where you're coming from with that. But for me, Fantine, gosh, I'd kill to play Fantine...
Post edited by: Virginia, at: 2007/08/04 14:35
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lilbroadwaydiva
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/08/04 22:06I also don't think people realize what they're saying when they say "That Offends Me". Does it truly OFFEND you??! Or do u just not like it, or not believe in it?? "Being Offensive" is a term used way to lightly now a days.
Post edited by: lilbroadwaydiva, at: 2007/08/04 22:12Molly Pylylpciev Currently:
Auditioning For:: Hershey Trolley C. Area School of the Arts (Sophmore Year) The Importance of Being Earnest
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lilbroadwaydiva
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/08/04 22:09i completely agree with "Johnnyonenote". as an actor (not a director), i realize that I'M not swearing, my CHARACTER is. and that's exactly what acting is all about. When i'm (or any actor, for that matter) is on stage, i am not me. I don't walk like me, i don't talk like me, i don't react like i would, because i'm NOT ME. I'm acting as somebody elese, and i have to realize that in being that character i have to respond, even if it means swearing or saying something "offensive", just how the character would!Molly Pylylpciev Currently:
Auditioning For:: Hershey Trolley C. Area School of the Arts (Sophmore Year) The Importance of Being Earnest
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Romeos_Juliet
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/08/12 00:59I do agree that you are not you while in character. But at the same time I do have standards. I am a christian, though it does take a TON to offend me. I have yet to find a musical that offends me. The only thing that I would refuse to perform would be anything with nudity. While I absolutely hate racism or making fun of people, it does pop up in some musicals/movies; but most of those musicals/movies have an underlying moral involving that problem. So I can deal with it..: Valerie :.
Dream Roles: Elle in Legally Blonde, Elphaba in Wicked, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Lucy in YAGMCB, & Any of the lead girls in Spring Awakening.
** WOOOOHOOO!!!! I made the Forensics Varsity Team!!!
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Johnnyonenote
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/08/12 11:36Just like an actor or person with a job, one has to do a job that agrees with thier morals and even sometimes objectives of what they want. Many pro actors turn down roles that they feel they can't do justice, because of content or any other number of reasons and there is nothing wrong with that. As a director I won't direct a R&H Musical, as I KNOW I don't have a passion for them and they bug the crap out of me. (Oklahoma, Sound Of Music etc.) While they are GREAT shows, they just aren't my cup of tea shall we say.
My point was - an actor accepting a role and THEN telling the director they won't curse or sing a song etc. If you accept a role, you accept a role AS IS. Don't expect a director to rewrite a show for you. Do the show, say the words, if you can't do that, then don't accept the role and/or don't audition for it.
There was a lady in our production of Grease (Opens Sept) She was "Offended" by the lyrics to Greased Lightnin' and DEMANDED that we sing the "Clean" lyrics. She wasn't even in the SONG!
She is not longer with the company.Currently Directing - Sweeney Todd (March 2008)
Currently In - Jan 11 - Feb 3 2008 Moonlight And Magnolias - Ben Hecht (non musical)
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MariaDelMare
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/08/12 13:01i know that many people will disagree with me on this one....but one show that i really, really, really don't like is a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. *hides head* yes, it's funny, but the Philia can't even count to three!! and Philia means "love" and...well...that show just gets me so ticked off...maybe its only because i saw it once and that was with high school-aged kids, but still. i shudder at the thought of that musical. it drives me insane and offends me as a female human being.Maria
"For an actress to be a success, she must have the face of Venus, the brains of a Minerva, the grace of Terpsichore, the memory of a MaCauley, the figure of Juno and the hide of a rhinoceros." -- Ethel Barrymore
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kristine415
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/08/16 23:39I'm so glad to see so many people on here being aware of the fact that a character and an actor are two different people, they aren't the same. johnnyonenote...it was like you were speaking my thoughts. i've had to deal with so many "actors" that treat roles like "this is how i'd act in this situation, so that's how i'll play the role" instead of thinking "how the character would act is how i need to play the role"
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Chaosette
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/09/04 22:15Johnnyonenote, I could not agree with you more. As a director (In highschool, but we still deal with serious material) nothing drives me more crazy than people who try to change the script because they are "Christian" and so they can't say those words. When I worked on a collection of one act plays (All in the Timing - David Ives) my ex girlfriend played the lead in Philidelphia, and her character was practically defined by the frustrated, no-holds-barred language (s)he used. I gave her the biggest lecture on the planet, and fought with the teacher-director hand and tooth but they changed all of the "shits" to "craps" and the "Fucks" to "fudges". Wanna know the kicker? They quote Scarlett O'Hara in the play. The lead says to the waitress "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." and they changed the "damn" to "Darn"!!!!! I couldn't believe it. NOt only were they changing the script, but now noone got the Scarlett O'Hara reference either! And then, later, she calls me a bitch for interfereing. And I said "I thought you couldn't swear! You just called me a bitch." and she said "Oh, I don't care about Bitch. I call people bitchs all the time."
Seriously? Seriously.<3 Katy Current Auditions: Little Shop of Horrors/Grease/Jesus Christ Superstar ? Previous Parts: Mrs. Sowerberry + Adult Chorus - Oliver! Camel/Wife - Joseph...Dreamcoat Dream Roles: Gertrude McFuzz - Seussical Kate - The Wild Party Maureen - Rent Kate Monster- Avenue Q
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margyjohnson
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/09/05 10:51I agree that if you audition for a role & accept that role you are obligated to play the character as written & directed.
If you can't do it as written then don't audition for the part &/or especially don't accept the part & then expect other people to accomodate you.
There are too many people these days who expect everybody else to bend over backwards to not offend THEM but they are not willing to work with everybody ELSE.
Acting is acting. If you can't act a part that doesn't fit you personally then maybe you need to become a better actor.
I've been in youth theatre plays where somebody with a lead part says (after accepting the part) the "kissing" makes them uncomfortable so they've changed the script & ruined entire scenes. If you can't do the kissing scene, don't audition for the part. (A pet peeve of mine).
There are some plays I would not audition for (or some characters in plays) but if I did audition & accept the role I would certainly play it the way it is meant to be played.
Now, if the director tried to insert things that weren't in the script that would be a different story (depending upon what it was). Because when you audition for a role you can reasonably expect it to be directed according to the script & not dramatically changed. If it is dramatically changed then you MIGHT be justified in having a complaint.
But there is no excuse (at least for a well known show) to audition for a show and not know the show well enough to know if you'd be willing to do whatever the character has to do in the show - before you waste everybody's time and audition & accept the role & then decide you don't want to do it.Favorite Shows: Once on this Island, Wicked, Hairspray Dream Roles: Ado Annie/Oklahoma, Galinda/Wicked Last Role: Ti Moune in Once On this Island Jr In Production: Music Man (teen chorus and dancing)
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Starlet_Actress21
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/09/05 18:38aliauthor wrote: me neither, not even when it's in the script. I ask to change the word if it's a solo part. In the ensemble, I just don't sing for that little part. Gotta keep your standards, in my opinion.
This is what I do. I've never run into a problem with my personal preference to not swear- normally, it's changed anyway because my school doesn't allow it and the theatre company I've done a few shows with likes to make everyone feel comfortable. That is not to say they change lyrics or words much- we did Cabaret, for heaven's sake!
I think it's fine if you replace "darn" for... the other word, but only if the director is okay with it. If I was faced with a situation where I had to say the word (I would totally say it for the Gone With the Wind line- you can't change a line like that!), I would just remember that it was the character saying it, not me. I don't know why swearing bothers me so much, I just don't see why people do it. But obviously, I'm never going to be able to convince others not to, so I just don't myself.Auditioning for: Brigadoon, theatre season, American Music Theatre, Into the Woods, Sound of Music, and AMDA.
Currently In: Nothing
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smilinggiggle
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/09/05 19:31I've been in youth theatre plays where somebody with a lead part says (after accepting the part) the "kissing" makes them uncomfortable so they've changed the script & ruined entire scenes. If you can't do the kissing scene, don't audition for the part. (A pet peeve of mine).
I would be uncomfortable with the kissing scene but for a different reason than most people. I have a severe food allergy and depending on the person I would kissing I would be wary about trusting them not to eat ANY of the foods I'm allergic to on days we would be rehearsing the kissing scenes or doing the show because it could result in fatal consequences. With a boyfriend it would be different because I know I could trust my boyfriend or they wouldn't be my boyfriend but with a random guy I met at theatre camp....thats a different story.
This said I would still try out for the part because I hate being held back because of a food allergy. I would also be upset at first if I didn't get the part because of this but I would probably eventually understand.
Although the kissing gets to me I have no problem with cursing on stage although I would probably turn down any role that involved nudity.
btw...I'm an old member on the boards who has been reading most of the posts but not posting anything myself lately.
Sorry for the long post ~Jo
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lls888
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/09/05 23:19there are things that i simply would refuse to do even as a part (although MILD swearing isn't one of them). but then i always try to read a script before i audition, because it's not fair to other people who might want the role. but getting back to the original topic, there aren't really that many things that offend me but some shows just annoy me. like i watched Cabaret today for the first time, and it just bugged me. i don't care how many Oscars it won, it was just pointless. some good songs though.
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Annie
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Re:DQ: 10/25/06 - Offensive? - 2007/09/05 23:39I don't know of any shows/songs that offend me, but I remember a few summers ago talking to a fellow cast member about auditioning for Chicago and she got really fired up about Cell Block Tango. She's mormon and because there is the line that Annie says "Six wives, one of those mormon types, you know?" or something like that. She was very angry because they don't condone that anymore so she thought they should take it out I guess.
Anyway I agree about staying away from a role you can't do as written. I remember when I was working with a girl in a show who told me that she wouldn't have done the show had she known she had a kissing scene because it makes her boyfriend uncomfortable. The director had to practically force her to do the kissing Tuesday of tech week, she couldn't on Sunday because it was the "Holy" day and I can't remember her excuse on Monday. Then on opening night she told me that she wouldn't have done the show if she hadn't gotten the lead! Some people!
One local theatre actually turned One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest into a comedy ~Annie Recently: Pick-A-Little-Lady (The Music Man), Miss Thorn (Ruthless! the Musical), Emma Carew (Jekyll & Hyde)
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