Opinions on shows being "innapropriate" for kids

[crissy21710]

Posted: 9/9/10 at 5:46pm

I saw a six year old at American Idiot and it puzzled me. Of course parents can make their own decisions and what their children should be exposed to at a certain age and i have no problem with that. So i have no problem with young children seeing shows like AI or Spring Awakening or Hair, i always wonder what they think about them. What are your experiences or opinions on this topic?

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 9/9/10 at 6:25pm

If they can sit down, be still, and keep their mouths shut, let them see what ever show they want. Most musicals won't be any worse than a PG-13 film, the same goes for a lot of plays too, I guess. Sure, a lot of it will go over their heads, but so what, it can still be an enjoyable evening.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/9/10 at 6:26pm

The six year old was probably bored to tears -- it's doubtful he understood much of it. The kids I "worry" about are the kids that are ALMOST ready for "questionable" material.

My kids know Green Day music, and like rockin' out to it, but they don't really understand it. They'd be miserable at the show.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/9/10 at 6:35pm

I had stage seats for Spring Awakening on tour. We laughed at the number of warnings posted everywhere and the insert in the program telling parents this MIGHT NOT be the show for the kids. Sitting in the front row was a couple with a little girl, maybe 8 years old. She made it to the scene where Moritz gets hit by the teacher before she burst into tears and the three of them trooped out. Nice waste of $300!

[LegallyBroadway2]

Posted: 9/9/10 at 6:39pm

it seems like American Idiot should keep young childrens attention, there is so much going on it seems hard to be bored to tears unless you tried.
Updated On: 9/9/10 at 06:39 PM

[tazber]

Posted: 9/9/10 at 6:43pm

Other than Oh! Calcutta I can't think of any Broadway show that is unquestionably innapropriate for children.

It depends on the child. Hair, Rent, SA, even A Chorus Line (and there are a lot of others that I can't think of now) have always been viewed as "adult" shows. But kids are more savvy than I think older people realize. Most "questionable" material will go over their heads anyway. If they ask about it later it should be a great springboard for discussion.

I have always felt (I'm sure b/c I was never forbidden from seeing anything) that I would rather have my child exposed to mature themes in the context of live theater than than a movie (where its presentation is often skewed and ersatz) or a schoolyard.

But I don't have kids and as I said I was allowed to see/hear pretty much whatever I wanted so consider that when you evaluate my opinion.

ETA: just to clarify I'm referring to kids under 10 or so.
Btw, did the 6 year old behave? Just curious.

Updated On: 9/9/10 at 06:43 PM

[LegallyBroadway2]

Posted: 9/9/10 at 6:46pm

"If they can sit down, be still, and keep their mouths shut, let them see what ever show they want."

YES. YES. YES. YES.

[crissy21710]

Posted: 9/9/10 at 7:36pm

I saw the six year old coming in as I was buying a drink at the counter on the balcony floor. She might have even been younger, I know if I was that age, I wouldn't have really liked the show, it would have just gone over my head.

[legally_popular]

Posted: 9/9/10 at 8:56pm

I was just talking about this with a friend last week. We were talking about full-frontal nudity in movies (don’t ask…lol) and then I said how there’s full-frontal on stage in plays too, which he couldn’t believe. At the movies, they’re supposed to make sure kids under 17 aren’t going in R rated movies without an adult (I know people can just sneak in and stuff…), but at the theater they don’t check any IDs or anything. I know they say “No kids under 4” and they have recommendations for ages, but they don’t refuse to let anyone in.

How awkward would it be seeing a kid at In the Next Room or something like that? I saw a girl no more than 12 years old sitting in the front row at Spring Awakening with her family, LOL. Yikes.

IMO, it’s up to the parents/guardians/teachers/person taking the kid to make a good decision on what show to take the kid to. It’s their responsibility to research online to get an idea of what the content is like. Then they can decide. I don't want plays to be required to have a rating like movies and be strict about who to let in.

[tazber]

Posted: 9/9/10 at 9:14pm

I remember my parents taking me to see Love, Valour, Compassion when I was 12 and the nudity didn't phase me at all.
I was completely entranced by the show and found it amazingly moving even though I'm sure I didn't understand all of it.

We had great conversations about it afterwards.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/10/10 at 11:49am

I strongly believe that children should be allowed to remain children as long as possible. My 5 yr old granddaughter is becoming a savvy theatre-goer. I've taken her to IMAGINOCEAN, GAZILLION BUBBLE SHOW and local productions of THE MUSIC MAN and HELLO, DOLLY! She behaves nicely and enjoys the shows.

However, I saw youngsters at PROMISES, PROMISES and felt uncomfortable. Basically it's a harmless show but it deals with marital infidelity and an attempted suicide. I wouldn't want my little angel exposed to that--yet. There'll be plenty of exposure to profanity and adult issues as she grows up but right now it's time for all of us to cherish her innocence.

Updated On: 9/10/10 at 11:49 AM

[PlayhouseBeauty]

Posted: 9/10/10 at 12:04pm

This question may be a little off topic but I was wondering for the people who have seen American Idiot would you say it is appropriate for a 12 year old. My brother has been asking for months to see it but I have been hesitant to take him because I was not sure if it was appropriate for him. He has recently seen In The Heights and liked it. So what are your opinions?

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/10/10 at 12:26pm

^ I wouldn't. I'm 16 years old and my parents are wary about me seeing it.

Green Day's music and lyrics are rather explicit and the subject matter may a bit R-rated.

...but then again, different strokes for different folks.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/10/10 at 1:56pm

>>>"I'm 16 years old and my parents are wary about me seeing it."<<<

If I were your parent I'd be even more wary about ever letting you out of your cage!

[chinto1984]

Posted: 9/11/10 at 12:08am

I worked at a theater that had two venues, one for musicals and one for plays. The play was American Daughter, and the musical Grease. An grandmother came to complain how the play mentioned and described a penis. I asked are you here this evening with your granddaughter to see Grease, she replied yes. I ask you find nothing inappropriate about bringing your 9 year old granddaughter to a musical that promotes premarital sex, teenage drinking and peer pressure. She shut up.

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 9/11/10 at 12:28am

Bringing a 12-year-old to American Idiot is really up to the parent. The show has drug use, heavy profanity, and sexual themes. However, that kid being in seventh grade, it's nothing he hasn't heard about. If it had been open when I was twelve, my parents would have probably let me see it (if I had any interest). I would only be concerned that he wouldn't enjoy the show, even though you said he would, because it's not the type of thing that a typical 12-year-old would "get".

I'd have to side more with Dollypop in this discussion. My main reason is that you don't want to expose kids to matters deemed inappropriate until they are really able to grasp the concept.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 9/11/10 at 4:14am

Some of few should visit an elementary school and listen to their little conversations. Trust me, you would be amazed at what they already know, even by kindergarten. They know far more than I did at that age, I'm not saying this is a good thing, or how things should be, but i suspect they get far more than a lot of us think they get.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 9/11/10 at 5:37am

My parents took me to see "Gypsy" with the Merm at the age of six. There's hardly a day that I don't wish they were here to thank them again.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 9/11/10 at 1:23pm

Most Americans are so ridiculous with antiquated Victorian views on sex, nudity, etc. Some kids may have issues with these because THEIR PARENTS have instilled those anachronistic ideas in them. In Europe, this question isn't asked......it's the old "bury your head in the sand and it'll go away" American way of doing things and thinking of things.

I suppose I'd only have problems with kids seeing something like the Lt. of Inishmore, purely for the blood and gore....but I doubt any parent would take on to that. And that would only be because it may be hard for a child to realize that it isn't real.

Small-minded people make things inappropriate.....

Updated On: 9/11/10 at 01:23 PM

[winston89]

Posted: 9/12/10 at 10:25am

I do agree with Elphaba's statement that it is the parent's views that make things uncomfortable for the kids. Hell, my parents never believed in censorship and for that I thank them, even to this day. They let me see what I wanted and read what I wanted. IF it went over my head, then it went over my head. If I had any questions they were more then okay to talk to me about it. I think that with art, that is how it should be. And, frankly, I never understood the whole notion that talking about sex is a no no but when it comes to how life is ended in violent ways then it is fine.

[Salene]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 7:05am

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2010/09/chorus-line-ok-kids-lion-king.html

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 10:18am

I think it really depends on the kid. My parents took me to see the original production of Ragtime when I was 8 years old, for which I will be eternally grateful...but I knew the music and the basic story beforehand, and we talked about the show both before we saw it and after (my parents had seen the show before me and decided to take me to see it). I understood the vast majority of what was going on in that show, but lots of kids wouldn't have and others would have been really really upset by it. It's the same thing with PG-13/R-rated movies imo...what's okay for one kid may not be okay for another.

[elphabelle07]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 1:32pm

I saw Chicago when I was 13. I grew up rather sheltered and my mom was reeeeeeeeally nervous about me seeing it. She told me it'd be R rated of not worse. We were SUPPOSED to see Thoroughly Modern Millie but tickets were about 5 million dollars, and it was for my sisters birthday and I knew how much she loved Fosse, so I recommended Chicago, which made my sister and dad super excited. I sat next to my mom during the show, and I'm pretty sure she and I enjoyed it more than my dad and sister. We were all singing "he had it comin'" for the rest of the trip!!

[n2nforever<3]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 1:50pm

I'm 15 and I saw Avenue Q and Spring Awakening when I was 10. Coming from a ten year old's perspective, I loved it. Although some of the content flew over my head at that time, I laughed in Avenue Q and I cried a few tears in Spring Awakening. The sex on stage in spring awakening didn't bother me at all. I think it would be so much better to learn about that stuff in a play or musical vs. some lame classroom movie. I think parents need to just, let it be and take their kids to see questionable shows, because I will PROMISE you it will make for a way better convesation after than if u went to see the lion king or mary poppins.

[LegallyBroadway2]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 1:56pm

"Small-minded people make things inappropriate....."

Exactly. Exactly. @Elphaba, I love what you wrote.