Although I agree that we need to assess and question what our girls and boys are exposed to (boys are somehow left out of the conversation about the effects of image here; they need to be included), I think Mr. Crosby is wrong in how he is characterizing the Broadway Rules production.
The characters in The Little Shop of Horrors scene are not street hookers. They are both "street urchins" (ie kids who spend most of their time on the street), and, as portrayed in this production, a chorus similar to Diana Ross and the Supremes.
As to the other characters, some were teeny boppers, some were homemakers, some were acrobats, some hippies, and yes, some had sensual qualities. And some of the male roles were hoodlums ("Grease") and street thugs and criminals ("Guys and Dolls"). But these representations were not salacious, reductive or objectifying.
I hope the folks at Arts Alive continue to provide an amazing opportunity to the community, be open to assessing their own work, and that we as a community can engage in dialog about the various images and "role modeling" our children are exposed to, including wondering about what it means to be sexual, or tough, without being reduced to solely one or the other.
Please explain the inappropriate content below.
