Should Broadway Have a Ratings System — Page 3

It really depends on the child and the show. I think that the message of a show is more important than the content when it comes to appropriateness. I would bring a 10 year old to Rent because I think that they would enjoy it and that there is an important lesson for them to learn from it. I don't think that the message in Avenue Q overrides the content; therefore I wouldn't take a 10 year old to it.

What I hate about the movie rating system is that they take it out of the hands of the parent. I was allowed to see R rated films when I was 13 if they weren't just sex and violence and bad language for the sake of being crude. Yet parents can’t just buy tickets for their kids anymore, they have to accompany them into the movie theater as if to make sure they can pull them out as soon as someone gets naked (and don’t even get me started about the whole sex vs. violence double standard in America).

"No one under 10 should be allowed in a Broadway show because under that age they cannot fully appreciate it or understand what is going on. I mean in B&tB pretty much half the audience was little kids under 5, I think it is a waste of money for the parents and a waste of a seat for someone who can truly appreciate and be touched by what they are watching. The kid will forget it all in a few years. "


Man. I thought I have read some really lame ideas. but this....

The first reason I am doing theatre as a living is from seeing a production of Peter Pan when I was 6 or 7 and then being in a production of Hansel and Gretel when I was 9.

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OK but there has to be some sort of age limit - maybe 6 and under.

I don't know, I think its still depends on the kid, but unfortunatly their's a lot of ignorance when it comes to that. So it all comes down to either the good suffering with the bad, or plunking down annoying rules. I say we just educate the parents. How about patronizing TV spots!?

Just as a note, Broadway.com has a small icon in the show info box to note any mature content.

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There should be a rating system. When I went to go see Avenue Q there was a 8 years old and a 12 years old with there parents there. Parents don't have to use the rating system but if they don't know the content of the show it is good for them to find out before bringing the kids. I think theater should use the same ratings as movie because everyone is familiar with it unless you we to use ages like 13+.

I think it would be better to add those little electronic hand devices that are used in polling for "who wants to be a millionaire" and after the bows someone makes an announcment that before you leave please rate the show, if for some reason a show falls below something like 25% for more then a month, it must close no excusses. Thats a better rating system, then everyone can see how an audience feels about the show and if its worth the time and money to spend on it.

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There shouldn't have to be a rating system. If some lazy people would get off their ass and research a show before hand, there would never have to be a rating system established. Having a 10 and over rating system wouldn't be fair to mature children because immature children couldn't handle it. I saw my first show when I was about 6 or 7. I don't remember it but, my parents said I was well behaved. There is an age limit to shows but it seems no one ever follows it. I read an article about 2 year old seeing Marry Poppins.

"That parent who took their child to Cabaret us pretty dumb."

My family, ladies and gentlemen!!!!!!!!!!!

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What SDav said.

What about a tourist who doesn't care what they see, but just wants to see a Broadway show. Is their seat a waste of a seat for a REAL theater-goer?

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To this day, my 27 year old neice talks about her first Broadway show, 20 years ago. It was CATS, not the greatest show ever but perfect for a 7 year old from Florida. She can recall details of the performance, she can recall details of the set, and she was absolutely enthralled. More importantly, while she isn't the theater buff her uncle is, it started a theater-going habit with her, not just on her trips to New York but also to the touring productions in Tampa and Sarasota.

It was not a waste of time, money or anything else.

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A number of years ago, I remember seeing a pamphlet called "the Broadway family guide" or something like that.

It gave summaries of all the shows with running times. It didn't approach the shows from any moral viewpoint, and it didn't rate them. Nor did it give age limits. It just stuck to bald facts: "this show has frontal nudity, this show has gunshots, some children may find this character scary, someone gets hanged onstage here." It basically gave parents the information they would need to decide, for themselves, if a specific show was appropriate for their kids.

I think something like that is a good idea, but a set ratings system is not the answer. It's the parents' job to do the research, learn what they're spending $110 on, and honestly decide if their particular kid can handle it.

Some kids can handle mature content; some can't. Broadway can be a wonderful experience for a kid, and as other have said, it can inspire a lifelong love of the theatre. I saw my first show (regional) when I was 4, and it was "Fiddler on the Roof". One of my neighbors' daughters, at age 6, was in love with "1776" and "Cabaret." She went to lots of shows, and was always well-behaved.

Updated On: 12/26/06 at 10:31 PM

D2,

I completely agree. Taking children below the age of 10 is what keeps the theatre alive, in my opinion. While a child may not remember every detail of a show, it can make an impact. I remember seeing countless theatre productions before the age of ten. It encouraged me to join choir, study Shakespeare before the teachers beat it to death, learn appropriate audience behavior, and even audition for children's theatre. While I do not have a career in show business, I do have a unhealthy theatre habit. Regardless of where I've lived or what else I've been interested in, theatre is always what I come back to. Disney fluff is a wonderful way to start a theatre habit, but adult theatre can appeal to children as well.

I have a friend who was not taken to the theatre as a child. Through the release of a musical on film, she has learned to enjoy the theatre. However, she is far from passionate, and theatre is not a persistent event. Most of the time she relies on me to inform her and make suggestions. When we went to see The History Boys at the movies, she still said she would have liked some warning about the storyline. She knew it was R rated, but she was still surprised at the themes presented.

Should Broadway shows have a rating? No. A parent is spending $100 on a ticket, and therefore they can make an effort to research on behalf of their child- if they are concerned. Parents have the right to leave and take their child if they need to. If the family is privileged enough to afford tickets to a show then they should take the time to research it. Not having time is not an excuse. If you are concerned, find the time. Or *GASP* discuss what you have seen with your children if you disapprove or are shocked with some of the content. Almost every show I've seen generally has a purpose for the "inappropriate" content - talk about it and why you feel it is inappropriate!

My mother was not particularly educated on the shows she took me to. My mother took me to Rent when I was 13. Hardly a shocking thought now days. However, I was sheltered Southern 90's teeny bopper, and I was far from ready for what I saw. Yet, I truly believe in this case, the music and the positive message is what stuck with me. It is now one of my favorite musicals, and I relate to it on a different level as an adult. She also took me to a Shakespeare for Kids play when I was very young. While I didn't understand it, I knew I loved the language and stories. This love has grown throughout school and beyond. I can truly say that my views and thoughts have been shaped by my theatrical experiences (on and off stage). They have been far from a waste of money or time! Even some of my mother's parental mistakes made me a more well rounded person.

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