Controversy over Ragtime...Opinions?

Hi all-

A few days ago, a company in Wilmette, IL had a production of "Ragtime" sponsored by the Wilmette Park District closed by the park district's board. I've linked the article explaining the event below.

I just wanted to see what everyone's opinions are on the situation. The venue is an outdoor, free venue, and the board who had approved the production of "Ragtime" never read the script (nor knew of the climatic moments and words within the script). Upon hearing of the content, 2 weeks before opening, this same board closed the show down. Personally, it outrages me since the time and efforts of so many are now wasted, and I equate the closing of an art piece equivalent to burning a book available at the public library...the reasonings for closing the show complete counters the overriding message of racism within the show. They are engaging in complete censorship of what the public should and/or should not see. In any case, no more soap box :), I just wanted to put this question out there, and see what everyone in the theatre community thinks with regards to the situation.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1026361,ragtime062608.article

Chris

It's Wilmette. This will give all sides something to self-righteously outraged about for weeks. Much more fun than actually watching a show.

Show Boat is "upbeat and lighthearted"?

whatever2 - I hear what you are saying, and while not as bad as cancelling the show altogether, it is still making a concession out of censorship and would be blatantly obvious.

Did you see the production, crpatrick? Did they alter any of the dialogue?

n*s all work on de Mississippi,
n*s all work while de white folks play,

A lot of productions change it to Colored Folks but that's the original lyric to Old Man River.

Utterly ridiculous. I sincerely hope we get over this PC era of pleasing everybody. It's turning this country into a quagmire of imaginative mediocrity.

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So I guess Summer 2009 they wont be doing RENT, Summer 2010 won't be doing La Cage (they wouldn't want people walking by and seeing men in women's clothing.."OH THE HUMANITY!") and Summer 2011 won't be doing The Producers as originally planned :-/
Bummer

Who do you have to **** to get a break in that town?

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No. Censorship is the government forbidding specific political acts or speech. None of the examples listed are censorship. If Wilmette decides that they do not want to present a show that uses "that word" they are free to do so. The theater company involved is free to stage the show using their own funds or another sponsor.

It's funny that people on here are so eager to demand their right to use language that others find offensive, but in the same breath will scream bloody murder for posters who are anti-gay or hold differing political views be banned.

If you go see a show and one character calls another a Fag, you are free to go and complain. You can even tell that theater company you are so outraged you will never buy a ticket to their shows again, not even if they do an acclaimed revisal of "Carrie" next season. Likewise, if you're a taxpayer in Wilmette, call up the park district and tell 'em I want to see Ragtime! If more people say yay than nay, that new syncopation will be sweeping the North Shore in no time.

Wilmette isn't banning Ragtime, they just have decided that this isn't the kind of thing they want to support. Sure they are jerks for waiting so long and they are probably not too bright if they don't understand that this is an ANTI-Racist show, but they aren't censors and they aren't out of line to say "Thanks but no thanks."

Updated On: 6/26/08 at 04:00 PM

"Do I like the word? No. But to pretend nobody said it is wrong..."

Bingo. Get with it, Illinois.

My old high school director has wanted to do Ragtime for a while. The school board wanted him to change things like that and he would not. He felt it would not be authentic to the time, and I agree. Ragtime is supposed to illustrate a time in American culture and changing things would not illustrate that.

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This reminds me of that high school in New Jersey that wanted to do The Laramie Project and was shut down by the Board of Ed...the community was so vocal it eventally went up...but it's an odd little trend lately, no? Shows that espouse equality and freedom getting censored and shut-down.

"School Boards are annoying and dumb."
Would you prefer having a state dept. of ed. taking it over? Lesser of two evils, dear.