Considering America's gun problem, is ANNIE GET YOUR GUN incapable of being revived responsibly?

I did this show in high school (2009).

Honestly, I see everything else you mentioned being more of a problem than the actual shooting portion. It’s clear that she is a sharpshooter for sport and doesn’t harm anyone in the show. Even with a mild warning (contains prop guns in a non-violent context), it should still be fine.

For what it’s worth though, with arts programs being cut in budget, AGYG is ridiculously cheap in terms of rights and relatively simple to mount - so while these older shows are certainly flawed, they might be all a school could afford to do

I think it sort of depends on the type of theater group and the community. I don't think it's necessarily irresponsible to perform it. But I do think, for many of the reasons you mentioned, that it will fade more and more into obscurity as the years go on. There are former staples of HS & community theater like Lil' Abner, The Pajama Game, Barnum, No No Nanette, etc that have dropped off big time in terms of numbers of productions mounted. I think Annie Get Your Gun has already headed in that direction and will continue to.

Yesterday a mentally unstable guy chopped off someone's hand with a butcher knife a block from the building I work at, and then killed an old man on the next block.

Should Sweeney Todd no longer be performed?

I don't believe in handgun ownership.  But I think the bigger issue is lack of support for people with mental health issues.

There is clearly a deep cultural problem within the US re: school shootings. I think it’s deeper and goes beyond gun laws (although they must obviously contribute). And I think it goes beyond positive attitudes towards guns too. I must admit despite loving the US it’s one of - if not the single most - shocking, strange, horrific and very US-specific problem I can think of. It seems like the most complex and strange interaction between a mental health crisis of social rejection, occasionally but not always a desire to have notoriety, and psychopathy in a backdrop of too easy access to weapons. 

I honestly believe if there was a list of potential contributing factors ‘Annie get your gun’ would be very very low on the list. My general feeling is that people in theatre take ourselves and our art too seriously - I’m sorry to say but musicals are pretty low on the list of things people take seriously and Annie get your gun is so far from serious that it doesn’t matter in my opinion. 
 

NOWaWarning said: "While I agree that the content of the show has next to nothing to do with school shootings, I can see the OP's point. Risk-averse producers might be squeamish aboutmountinga show with "gun" in the title when mass shootings are so common. Not that it would matter to everybody, but I could imaginefeeling a bit weird sitting down fora show where guns are so prominent on the heels of a majoract of gun violence."

Yes, this was the main point I was trying to get across.

You are either playing to an audience who feels squeamish, or you are playing to right wing gun lovers, and there’s not much grey area.

I just don’t trust most of the general public to divorce the sport depicted onstage from the same weapon that is used to kill people regularly. If even one person at a given performance leaves the theatre saying “shootin’ is damn cool, I should get into that,” the show is negatively impacting society. IMHO.

theblackumbrella said: "I love the Berlin brothers. Truly. But where I see this musical existing in its next iteration is an Encores! mounting of "Annie Get Your Gun!" starring Kelly Clarkson. It'd be short commitment and would be very clear what it is."

FWIW, City Center did it as their gala presentation in 2015 directed by John Rando with Megan Hilty, Andy Karl, Ron Raines, Judy Kaye, and Chuck Cooper. It was enjoyable enough but underscored the weaknesses of the material. I recall some lyrical tweaks to "Colonel Buffalo Bill" ("renegades" were attacking the stagecoach).

I think your feelings and intent are solid, but the comparison is a bit of a reach. I absolutely agree that gun violence feels very specific to the US and out of control is an understatement, but I would be GOB SMACKED if you polled every single person who has committed an act of gun violence in this country (and I'm sure that would be thousands of people) and 5 of them had heard of Annie Get Your Gun. I am STAUNCHLY for way stricter gun laws in this country, but never once has a production, viewing or listening to of this show drummed up memories of horrible acts of violence in this country via guns. It's definitely a time capsule show. 

inception said: "Yesterday a mentally unstableguy chopped off someone's hand with a butcher knife a block from the building I work at, and then killed an old man on the next block.

Should Sweeney Todd no longer be performed?

I don't believe in handgun ownership. But I think the bigger issue is lack of support for people with mental health issues."

I can pretty much guarantee that the little tale you just told never happened. Yes, yes, it’s all about mental health issues, blah, blah, blah. You got all the right wing talking points. Take a bow. By the way, the Rethuglicans blocked mental health support in schools not long ago. 

Matt Rogers said: "inception said: "Yesterday a mentally unstableguy chopped off someone's hand with a butcher knife a block from the building I work at, and then killed an old man on the next block.

Should Sweeney Todd no longer be performed?

I don't believe in handgun ownership. But I think the bigger issue is lack of support for people with mental health issues."

I can pretty much guarantee that the little tale you just told never happened. Yes, yes, it’s all about mental health issues, blah, blah, blah. You got all the right wing talking points. Take a bow. By the way, the Rethuglicans blocked mental health support in schools not long ago."

That actually did happen, in Vancouver, it wasn't just a story.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/murder-aggravated-assault-charges-laid-in-vancouver-stranger-attacks-1.7026999

> The fact that she is a sharpshooter for sport IS what I see to be the problem: it glorifies the sport and continues the troublesome "guns are cool" narrative.

i despise guns (at least in a civilian context), but i think that's a hard sell. there's a world of difference between marksmanship and gun terrorism. our only hope in this country is to find a middle ground, and that middle ground has to allow for regulated, responsible gun ownership. The tragedy in Georgia is yet the latest example of irresponsible gun ownership -- and yes also of our collective failure to address mental health issues -- but not of good marksmanship. again, i despise guns, but i know the reality i live in.

Updated On: 9/6/24 at 08:05 PM

BETTY22 said: "I think if a big star wanted to do it, it would get produced.

Would there be an audience for it today.....I'm not so sure."

Surely no audience for it without a star, as with a lot of other titles.

It's one of those situations where I doubt there are many (if any) boffo box office ladies nowadays who are like "I want to do ANNIE GET YOUR GUN above any other musical." Wishing for a star is easier than actually securing one.