Bullets removing the "F word" at certain performances

Helene York posted a picture of an announcement from the Bullets Over Broadway producers. Apparently they're removing the word "fvck" from all Wednesday matinees, in order to get student groups to come. On one hand, I get it - educators can't bring students to shows with a lot of profanity, without getting in trouble. On the other hand, I feel a bit bad for those actors! While I'm sure they'll be fine (after all, they're pros), if I were an actor I'd be afraid of muscle memory taking over (from months performing the script as is) and slipping up.

I also worry (perhaps unnecessarily) about selective censorship like this becoming overblown. Imagine a hypothetical where they bring Spring Awakening back, and, after a few weeks, ticket sales dip a bit. To attract student groups, the producers decide to censor the sex scene and a lot of the heavy duty content in the show. Stuff like that would obviously detract from the essence of the play - it'd be terrible.

Here's the pic Helene posted

Very interesting. I worked at a theater one time that did a production of "Frankie & Johnny in the Claire de Lune." One of the discussions the theater had was how to advertise the play. They weren't going to censor it in any way, but they were concerned about the "adult situations" in the play.

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I can't recall, is there a lot of f*cking uses of f*ck in this show? I can't remember any, but I don't care about this issue...

I agree, Roxy. The middle/high schoolers they're bringing to the show have not only heard, but use every profane word you can think of. I think it's just a matter of educators needing to protect themselves from administrative trouble & parents.

Updated On: 4/17/14 at 12:29 PM

I thought that once a show was out of previews and past opening night everything in the show was "locked in", a final product. is this not always the case?


It's not. There's a period of time where it's frozen, but shows make changes after opening night all the time.

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I assume they're also cutting the joke about the character picking coins off a bar with her genitals.

The show is locked. They aren't creating a new version, just not saying f*ck on Wednesday afternoons. Most sentences work equally well without it.

Hell, my school district used to bus us to performances by the local regional theater where we saw fetuses getting thrown on the floor in THE MARRIAGE OF BETTE AND BOO, so you'll have to pardon me if I find this a little reactionary.

Broadway. Getting more basic every day!

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The kiddies can still go to the Saturday matinee to hear it and than give it a rousing hand of applause.

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Those kiddies were probably ruined for life.

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Liza, I'm sure you're correct. I thought I'd have problems with school performances of To Kill a Mockingbird, Big River and Of Mice and Men because of the N-word, but not a peep. I do question the educational/socio-political value of something like Bullets, which is what educators customarily look for in such field trips. Of all the shows on Bway (including of Mice and Men), why pitch this one to schools?

^ HAHA

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Maybe Woody is a prude.

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