Trigger Warnings Come to the Stage

lol this is literally what every movie has, and no one makes a big deal about those.

Also, a good content warning doesn't give away spoilers, it's just something helpful for people with PTSD, or who have issues with strobe lighting, or just maybe want to know about the content of a production.

People love making mountains out of molehills to try and make an argument about the "PC Police" or some nonsense like that.

Sorry about the weird punctuation in my original post. I can’t seem to fix it.

Anyone who sees live theatre regularly has seen these sorts of warnings, especially about physical health hazards like smoke and strobe lights, for years. I’m really surprised the Times is acting brand new.

And expanding the warnings to include warnings about serious violence, potentially unwanted touching of audience members, and things people may want to know before making decisions about what to show their kids, will likely help make shows more accessible to more people. Beats the status quo, where I have to call the theatres a lot of the time before buying tickets because I don’t like to be touched without my consent. Would have saved me a bunch of money on Hedwig tickets...

I don't understand why people get so up in arms about the existence of trigger warnings. If you feel they are unnecessary or in some way deter your experience of the play, don't read them. They don't get in your way, they do not censor the material, and they can be extremely helpful for survivors of trauma. You disclose the use of strobe lighting in advance so that nobody in your audience has a seizure during the play. Likewise, you should disclose the use of gunshots and portrayals of physical and sexual violence so that people with PTSD don't undergo avoidable panic attacks in the theatre. For 99% of the audience, it doesn't matter, but for that 1% it makes a huge difference. The rhetoric in this article of "I have no need for these warnings, so why should they exist?" is extremely lacking in empathy.

Peter2 said: "“The warning sign was just outside the theater door. ?Please be advised,’ it cautioned, in capital letters. ?This production contains: Strobe lighting effects. Sudden loud noises. Theatrical fog/haze. Scenes of violence. Adult language. Sexual situations. Adult humor and content.’”

https://nyti.ms/2Dw4EkV"

We've had these signs years in UK and Ireland. Sometimes they announce it before the production.

The people who seem annoyed with this are the same people who hate "P.C. culture" and "safe spaces" and see this as another example of how today's young people are entitled and spoiled and all that other bull****.

Updated On: 11/19/18 at 10:21 AM

Trigger warnings and content warnings serve a purpose, which is to allow consumers to make an informed decision and maximize the enjoyment of everyone attending a performance. It has nothing to do with censorship. I can't believe this is still an issue people consider worth debating.

It's also weird that the article doesn't interview anyone who, say, may have experienced a shooting when reporting on the content warning for a play like Gloria.

This is nothing new, especially at smaller theatres who care more about the mental health of their patrons.

Saw "Lured" at Theater for the New City, a play about Russian neo-nazis abducting gay men and subjecting them to sadistic acts while filming them. The ticket person was very explicit that the show contains "extreme violence". I've been amused by trigger warnings at other theatres, but this time I did hesitate for a split second. Being gay from Easter Europe, violence against gay men is a constant threat etched into my mind forever. It was hard to watch, and I'm glad I was informed going in.

Updated On: 11/19/18 at 11:46 AM

These have always been included for as long as I can remember going to the theater! Literally decades.

What an absolute piece of sensationalist garbage.

I am THE BIGGEST proponent of this, and I love the idea of content warnings. I live in NJ, but a lot of people around me don't necessarily have a lot of experience with theater outside Wicked and the Disney shows (which is fine). But the woman I babysit for knows I have an interest in theater, and she could not stop talking about how excited she was for her kids to see the live version of Hair because (and I swear this is true) "that show is just such a great example of the power of peaceful protest and music during the Civil Rights Movement!!". I just had an image of her taking the kids (age 8 and 9) to see a local production of Hair thinking it was Hairspray, and having to leave before intermission. Content warning help people make important decisions about whether that show is right for them and their families.