High school students at The Minutes?

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High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/4/22 at 5:45pm

Looking for some insight from those who have seen The Minutes.

I am taking a group of high schoolers (11th & 12th grade theatre students) into NYC to see some shows and do some workshops the first week of April.

I have one more show slot open and would like them to see a really great play (as in, not a musical). I'm looking at either The Minutes or The Skin of Our Teeth (or maybe Birthday Candles). I think Skin of Our Teeth will be an awesome educational experience for them, but I also kind of would like them to see a good new modern play. I just don't really know much about the content of The Minutes or Birthday Candles. People are very sensitive nowadays about content so I want to be careful. What sorts of adult content are in those shows does anyone know?

For context, the other shows we are seeing include Macbeth, Company, Suffs at the Public, Harry Potter, and Six.

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/4/22 at 5:53pm

What a lucky group of kids!

THE MINUTES has a pretty bloody ending and is a satire of small-town local politics that also examines the treatment of indigenous people in America. It's probably nothing they haven't seen on nighttime TV, but I could definitely see some some overprotective parents taking issue with it. Its own website says recommended for ages 14+, FWIW. Could be a good "teachable moment" though.

The script may be available for purchase online. There might even be a good description in the MINUTES preview thread from 2020.

Updated On: 3/4/22 at 05:53 PM

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/4/22 at 5:54pm

Enjoy Suffs!

Updated On: 3/4/22 at 05:54 PM

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/4/22 at 6:19pm

Yeah, I actually agree that The Minutes is perfect for 11th/12th graders. It would be engaging for them, and it has educational value. But I agree the ending is a bit shocking. I don't remember how much language there is but I don't recall it being particularly strong or noticeable (and again, they're high schoolers, it's nothing they haven't heard before).

Unfortunately none of us knows the situation with Birthday Candles, as it hasn't started previews yet, and this is the world premiere production. The premise doesn't sound like anything too controversial, but you never know.

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/4/22 at 6:24pm

Actually, Birthday Candles had its world premiere in 2018, in Detroit:

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/arts/2018/05/17/birthday-candles-review-detroit-public-theatre/613817002/

Updated On: 3/4/22 at 06:24 PM

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/4/22 at 6:27pm

See the "Gazillion Bubble Show"! Those cool parents will love it!

Updated On: 3/5/22 at 06:27 PM

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/4/22 at 6:31pm

TaffyDavenport said: "Actually, Birthday Candles had its world premiere in 2018, in Detroit:

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/arts/2018/05/17/birthday-candles-review-detroit-public-theatre/613817002/"

Oh wow! I had no idea, thanks for the correction!

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/4/22 at 6:41pm

Maybe consider taking them to see for colored girls...? Or Hangmen? Or American Buffalo?

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/4/22 at 6:57pm

Great suggestions. I considered all 3 of those.

Hangmen doesnt start performances til after we leave so thats out.

Ive seen American Buffalo before and I think the amount of language and such in it will get me in trouble.

As for for colored girls... that was my original plan and I really wanted them to see it, but I chickened out after I read a synopsis. Abortion is probably the most important topic in our state. People feel very strongly about it. Probably half of our students families are pretty conservative, and lots of the kids parents are coming as chaperones on the trip. People here get very heated about abortion and so when I read that that was one of the main plot points in for colored girls, I got scared and chickened out. But I haven't ever seen it. Am I overreacting?

#10

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/4/22 at 7:27pm

I can't really answer your questions about For Colored Girls, because frankly I don't remember most of the content of that show (I have trouble with plays that are all poetic narration).

I will say, though, based on your post above, that you should be aware of The Minutes' subject matter; it's about a small town trying to cover up its history of racism. A very important topic that all of your students should be learning about, but I know that a lot of conservative people take exception to learning about real history. If it's going to get you in trouble with the conservative parents, maybe it's not worth the risk to you.

#11

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/5/22 at 2:39am

If the timing works and you’re willing to hop a train to Brooklyn, the kids might really enjoy James McAvoy’s Cyrano, which starts at BAM on April 5.

#12

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/5/22 at 2:39am

If the timing works and you’re willing to hop a train to Brooklyn, the kids might really enjoy James McAvoy’s Cyrano, which starts at BAM on April 5.

#13

High school students at The Minutes?

Posted: 3/5/22 at 3:29pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "What a lucky group of kids!

THE MINUTES has a pretty bloody ending and is a satire of small-town local politics that also examines the treatment of indigenous people in America. It's probably nothing they haven't seen on nighttime TV, but I could definitely see some some overprotective parents taking issue with it. Its own website says recommended for ages 14+, FWIW. Could be a good "teachable moment" though.

The script may be available for purchase online. There might even be a good description in the MINUTES preview thread from 2020."

I have not seen the play, just got a ticket, and your description seems to give part of the ending away. May want to put that under a spoiler alert. People have been careful here not to give any of the ending away.

Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder

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