Mary, thank you so much for speaking up. As a parent I am very conscientious about the kind of entertainment I allow my children to be exposed to. We don't even subscribe to cable in large part because so much of what I see on children’s cable networks like Nickelodeon, Disney, etc. seems like it would be a negative influence. I understand I can't shelter my children from everything bad in the world, but I also take seriously my duty as a parent to make sure they are not being bombarded by negative stereotypes, bad attitudes and sexually oriented storylines they are not ready for.
With that said, I found nothing remotely objectionable in Broadway Rules! I reviewed the script, helped my son memorize his lines, and attended rehearsals. If at any point I saw something that gave me pause I would have brought those concerns to the Arts Alive! staff, and I have no doubt they would have been responsive.
My family also attended two other Arts Alive! productions this year; Once Upon A Mattress and Flat Stanley Jr. In past years we attended Bugsy Malone Jr., Hot Lunch, and How To Eat Like Child. All the productions were perfectly wholesome entertainment, and I never had any second thoughts about bringing my six-year-old daughter to see them. (I should point out that the version of Once Upon A Mattress performed by the Middle School was modified to be fully appropriate for young children and is performed at many other Middle Schools around the country.) Also, all the plays were fantastic and entertaining, the hard work that went into them was visible on the stage.
Even as a parent who is fairly conservative about the types of entertainment I allow my children access to I can heartily recommend Arts Alive!’s plays to any parent who is concerned that today’s children’s entertainment is too much for our kids.
Please explain the inappropriate content below.
