'Sister Mary' explains all too much for some
Cherish West
Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: News
Following several complaints regarding a recent theater production, the Southeast Missouri State University box office is offering refunds to the season ticket patrons of the performing art series who were offended by "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You." This decision was announced in a letter written to the Southeast Missourian by Southeast's provost Jane Stephens.
"Sister Mary" was performed by university students at the River Campus on Oct. 29 through Nov. 2. Stephens letter said that more than 670 individuals attended the production, and in an interview on Nov. 11, she said it received a standing ovation every night.
"I didn't hear any criticism of acting. The criticism was of the theme and the choice of the production," Stephens said.
Christopher Durang's "Sister Mary" is a one-act play that has been on the 10 best lists of the New York Times, the New York Post and Time Magazine. It revolves around Sister Mary Ignatius, who explains the basic tenets of Catholicism to the audience. But when some of her former students show up to perform a mock Christmas pageant, they reveal the psychological trauma her teachings left them with.
Stephens said that while the letters they received said that "Sister Mary" was anti-religious and criticized Christianity and Catholicism, the issue is not censorship.
"I never want to limit any area of knowledge by my own limited horizon. I'm not going to tell the theater that they can not produce controversial plays. That is an academic freedom here," she said. "But I can say that I'm not putting the tickets for that in this package we are trying to market."
"Sister Mary" was one of twenty productions included in this season's master series ticket package, which cost $372 to $452, according to the River Campus box office. Stephens said success in selling these packages lies in local market evaluation. In regards to future season ticket packages, she said a group of people responsible for marketing and theater will make decisions accordingly.
"We are going to be more sensitive and take out tickets in the master season ticket series that are for potentially controversial plays," she said.
Student productions will be those subject to removal from the season tickets package, but traveling shows and entire touring series will not be subject to such scrutiny.
In addition to offering refunds for "Sister Mary," they are also offering to refund season ticket patrons $11.80, the cost of "Angels in America," a university production that is scheduled for March. Even though it is a Pulitzer-prize winning play, it deals with controversial issues such as homosexuality, AIDS and conservative politics, which could be offensive to some.
"One aspect of leaving out these type of productions is that it will leave more seats open for students," Stephens said.
For more information regarding River Campus events and the ticket packages available, visit http://www.semo.edu/rivercampus/.
"Sister Mary" was performed by university students at the River Campus on Oct. 29 through Nov. 2. Stephens letter said that more than 670 individuals attended the production, and in an interview on Nov. 11, she said it received a standing ovation every night.
"I didn't hear any criticism of acting. The criticism was of the theme and the choice of the production," Stephens said.
Christopher Durang's "Sister Mary" is a one-act play that has been on the 10 best lists of the New York Times, the New York Post and Time Magazine. It revolves around Sister Mary Ignatius, who explains the basic tenets of Catholicism to the audience. But when some of her former students show up to perform a mock Christmas pageant, they reveal the psychological trauma her teachings left them with.
Stephens said that while the letters they received said that "Sister Mary" was anti-religious and criticized Christianity and Catholicism, the issue is not censorship.
"I never want to limit any area of knowledge by my own limited horizon. I'm not going to tell the theater that they can not produce controversial plays. That is an academic freedom here," she said. "But I can say that I'm not putting the tickets for that in this package we are trying to market."
"Sister Mary" was one of twenty productions included in this season's master series ticket package, which cost $372 to $452, according to the River Campus box office. Stephens said success in selling these packages lies in local market evaluation. In regards to future season ticket packages, she said a group of people responsible for marketing and theater will make decisions accordingly.
"We are going to be more sensitive and take out tickets in the master season ticket series that are for potentially controversial plays," she said.
Student productions will be those subject to removal from the season tickets package, but traveling shows and entire touring series will not be subject to such scrutiny.
In addition to offering refunds for "Sister Mary," they are also offering to refund season ticket patrons $11.80, the cost of "Angels in America," a university production that is scheduled for March. Even though it is a Pulitzer-prize winning play, it deals with controversial issues such as homosexuality, AIDS and conservative politics, which could be offensive to some.
"One aspect of leaving out these type of productions is that it will leave more seats open for students," Stephens said.
For more information regarding River Campus events and the ticket packages available, visit http://www.semo.edu/rivercampus/.
Be the first to comment on this story