33 Variations
Present
New York
This picture show actress Jane Fonda and others in the Broadway production of 33 Variations.
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2. Naked Broadway
Equus
February 2007
New York
This picture shows actor Daniel Radcliffe and the horse form a production of Equus.
LINK
This was controversial, not only because of the nudity, but also because of the casting of Daniel Radcliffe as the lead role. The subject matter of the show revolves around the sexual fixation that the 17-year-old has on houses. This is controversail enough, but when the star of the Harry Potter (a children serious) films was cast as a role that involves nudity, parents got in an up roar.
3. Gay Broadway
"Naked Boys Singing"
September 2008
New York
"On Aug. 15, Bailey’s company, MBF Productions, paid for online list advertising for “Naked Boys Singing” casting calls in the general announcements section of The State newspaper’s website. On Aug. 19, MBF received notice their ad had been canceled."
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"Naked Boys Singing" is controversial because of the gay themes and the excessive nudity. Many of the ads for casting calls that were posted on websites were taken down due to the issues brought on by controversy.
4. Racist Broadway
"Miss Saigon"
September 1990
New York
"'it cannot appear to condone the casting of a Caucasian actor in the role of a Eurasian' and therefore it was denying the British actor Jonathan Pryce permission to appear on Broadway in the role"
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In this casting for Miss Saigon, a Caucasian male by the name of Jonathan Pryce was cast as the Eurasian lead. This was an issue for the Actor's Equity Union. He was removed from the role, and many other actors in similar situations were also replaced with ethnically correct actors. This was controversial in that the actors petitioned it and many jobs were lost.
5. Raided or Closed
"Behzti"
December 2004
Birmingham
"All remaining performances of a controversial play which features sex abuse and murder in a Sikh temple were cancelled by a theatre yesterday due to threats of more violent disorder from the Sikh community."
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This show contained sexually explicit content and murder. Though these were controversial enough, the real problem came from the religious content. Because the action of the play takes place in a sikh temple, this brought much uproar. When 400 protesters tried to raid the show, police had the show shut down for safety purposes.
6. Arrested
April 1902
New York
“Inspector Harley with Street Station had arrested L.E. Lawrence, the stage manager, for attempting to raise the curtain.”
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Because of licensing issues, a show at the New York Winter Garden was not allowed to start. These problems stemmed from a poorly constructed roof garden. The police stopped the lifting of the curtain and arrested the stage manager for his attempts to start the show.
7. NEA 4
8. Regional Theatre
9. College/University
"The Laramie Project"
November 2005
Ann Arbor
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This show, which tells the story of the murder of a homosexual man named Matthew Shephard, started much controversy on the OFU campus. The Westboro Baptist Church congregation got together to protest the show. They stood outside with signs that read such things as "God Hates Fags". As many as 400 community members countered this protest with messages of love. The show went on despite the protests.
10. High School
"Rent"
February 2009
Newport Beach
"the principal told him to cancel the show because she disapproved of the gay characters in the musical"
LINK
Just a few weeks ago, the Corona del Mar High School production of Rent was canceled when the principle was asked to review the script. It was not the drug use in the script that was viewed as shocking; it was the gay themes that startled the schools principle. The director intended it to be used as a tool in teaching acceptance to his students. After the production was canceled, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" is now set to take the shows place this fall.
