What's with all the production ratings lately? PG, PG-13, etc...

I doubt it will be universal, but it's to help people know whether or not to bring their kids.

When AVENUE Q toured through Houston, even with billboards all over the city that explained it was raunchy and not family friendly, people complained about the fact they brought their kids and that no one told, blah, blah, blah. I guess companies feel like this helps with the decision process since consumers don't appear to be attempting to do any type of research before purchasing a product.

You would be surprised how often local community theatre companies get complaints about language/nudity in their productions. A local group did ASSASSINS a few seasons back and despite warnings on the posters and an note in the program explaining that they were contractually obligated to play the script s written, people still wrote letters complaining about the language and expressing the hope that future productions would be more "family friendly." (The next season they did FIDDLER.)

I don't want "family friendly" shows. That is why we have the young people's and various childrens theatre groups. I don't want people thinking it is all right to bring pre-school-aged kids to the theatre. THE WIZARD OF OZ is courting these kinds of audiences, forgetting that an auditorium full of rambunctious kids spoil the show for the rest of the audience.

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I don't think there's any way this would ever be universalized since there's no monopoly that oversees every theatre production like the MPAA does.

I know some are opposed to the idea but I don't have an issue if a production voluntarily assigns itself a rating especially since people do such limited research. I'd much rather have some sort of note in the Avenue Q advertising that it is "Rated R" or some equivalent than have to deal with people leaving midshow who are offended and angry theatregoers.

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Frontrow, you actually went to a production of "The Wizard of Oz" and was surprised there were rowdy children?

Oh no, not surprised at all. But the TV ads have promoted the show as a "great date show" and they are not promoting it as a kids show. Parents are bringing the tiny tots because the kids watch the movie at home on DVD all the time. I was there on a media night (for reviewers and industry people) and I have to say the kids generally were pretty good except for young young miss a few rows in front of me who kept taking out her camera and snapping flash pictures until the house staff came down and spoke to her.

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