Controversy has been a part of theatre since its inception.  With the emergence of early Greek and Roman drama came the development of satyr plays, which history has shown were bawdy in nature and contained dialogue and imagery that some people today might find offensive.  From divorce and breast cancer to teenage sexuality and religion, some plays and musicals have themes and subject matter which are deemed, by some in the community, offensive or inappropriate – at the time it was written or produced.  Since live theatre does not a formal ratings system, like the television and film industries, the guidance of what is appropriate is not governed by an outside body, but a personal preference (which requires some work on the audience’s part).

This journal is to reflect on and respond to the following:

• select a play or musical that has been deemed “controversial” (past or present)
• discuss why that play or musical had controversy surrounding it
• in your opinion, was this controversy warranted? why or why not?

For examples of productions, visit the various links under Unit 2.  Many examples are also found online.

Create your response, in the Assignment submission box below (not in the Comments field), as a journal or diary entry.  This response will not be read by your fellow classmates.

The journal should be 1-2 pages long, approximately 400-500 words minimum.  Be careful of spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation…proofread and edit your work as necessary.  Include an image or internet link (to an article or video) of the production being discussed, in order to cite your sources.  This assignment will be graded according to the Journal Rubric attached.