"Let the Haters Be Your Advertisers"
QCTC's "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told" has gotten a certain contingent a little upset
Courtesy, QCTC
I haven't heard hatred and fear, tinged with homophobia, like this since Rev. Joe Chambers went off about the Charlotte production of the Pulitzer-winning "Angels in America" in 1996. (AIDS was among the themes of that play, and there were a couple of seconds of full frontal nudity. Male nudity -- the scary kind.)
Queen City Theatre Company (QCTC) is preparing for the Feb 2 opening of Paul Rudnick's The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, a retelling of the Book of Genesis with gay characters. Some religious conservatives have gotten wind of it and are trying to have the production shut down. QCTC has gotten more than 20,000 emails in just two days from fundamentalists that contain, according to the thespians, "insults, verbal attacks, and threats of massive protest [that] are based on a misinterpretation of the work." The group's press release goes on to say, "QCTC confirms that the communications directly attack the LGBT community."
As one of QCTC's Facebook fans said, "Let the haters be your advertisers." Controversy, in this case, should translate into ticket sales.
QCTC presents edgy works. "You will not find shows like South Pacific or Our Town on our season -- not because these aren’t wonderful pieces of entertainment, but because they are not relative to the world we live in now," said QCTC Artistic Director Glenn T. Griffin. "In the 21st century, we are faced with different situations and with different experiences, and we need different plays to help us try and understand even a little of the world around us."
Griffin continues: "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told is about man’s search for God or at least an understanding of God. As Paul Rudnick says in his introduction to the play: ‘I wanted to, however comically, research the roots of faith: Why do we need to believe? What terror or transcendence leads to either the invention or the discovery of a god? Act I of Most Fabulous follows two couples' adventures in creating civilization. [It is] written in broad strokes, befitting the tumult of society’s beginnings, and the characters don’t age as they hurtle from the Garden of Eden to slavery in Egypt and beyond. In Act II, I wanted to trace the modern day results of Act I, to see where faith has landed in contemporary Manhattan.'
"When it comes to my own relationship with God, these are questions that I have asked myself many times," Griffin said.
He goes on to say: "I was raised a Catholic and still have my faith and my beliefs in God. I have a belief that I am strong in, and with this strength, there is nothing that can sway me from it. There is nothing I would ever see, hear or experience that would take my relationship with God away from me. My faith and belief in God has led me to an understanding that we need to question, we need to explore and we need to celebrate the worlds many viewpoints and positions."
"I am saddened that there are people who wish to protest the production of The Most Fabulous Story Ever told in ignorance. Of the many emails I have received, there is not one person who can properly explain their viewpoint without misrepresenting the work. People claim that the QCTC production has male nudity …maybe other productions have had this, but ours doesn’t."
"This production will not be stopped out of fear or pressure. I invite you to attend this production with an open mind and an open heart. You might find yourself laughing, crying, thinking, and you just might also find yourself comprehending what it truly means to be human."
See for yourself. Details here.
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Since the late 1980s, Page Leggett has been dragging her friends all over the county to hear this little-known folk singer or see that experimental theater troupe. She appreciates mainstream culture, too, but she thrives on discovering artists most people haven't heard of yet. The Charlotte native and Wake Forest alum is excited to share her discoveries with Charlotte magazine readers. The movie blogger is also an art collector who's as likely to procure a painting at a flea market as she is at a fine art gallery. She believes Madonna got it right when she sang, "Beauty's where you find it." So are art and culture.
Reader Comments:
This is a great story angle, but I think you've got it a little skewed. While it is true a handful of Conservatives might be upset about this production, Griffin is using, inflating, and more or less creating this "uproar" to generate publicity for his upcoming show and his theatre company. He's done it before. Truth is, Nobody cares, really. People are free to put on shows about homosexuality with no interference from the community, they have been for quite some time.
Wait until the show goes up. No one will be picketing this show, No one will be shouting at theatre goers while trying to enter Spirit Square. There will be no "massive protest", count on it. This isnt the mid 90s.. The culture wars have been over for a long time.
If Griffin & Co honestly expect folks to believe they received 20 THOUSAND emails, they are being completely disingenious. I would be shocked if they received 200. Its absolutely hilarious someone would actually believe that. This is a marketing tactic, which quite frankly.. Im surprised people are buying into.
I support the arts, and that includes arts that may contain controversial themes. I just dont appreciate the QCTC obviously pumping up the ridiculous idea 20,000 fundamentalists are mobilzing, ready to take down their show.
Its just not true.
I support QCTC and their right to put on these types of productions.
I also know a saavy marketing idea when I see one. I see no evidence of fear or pressure being exerted by 10s of thousands of Christians. I did see a blog entry by some obscure minister, and even that may be a publicity stunt.
Not only is this type of promotion deceptive, but it would appear Griffin is more than willing to paint conservative Christians with the same broad brush many of them use on the gay community. Hypocrisy is what it is.
Thanks for reading and commenting, HHAVENS and WEEBUMS. I have offered Glenn the opportunity to respond and will post on the website when I hear back from him.
I have encouraged QCT to "NOT" reply to any of this...and stick with their mission...because...people will always make assumptions and cast stones regardless of what is said or done.
These same few churches protest every production of this show that goes up around the country (most recently in Austin TX and Oklahoma) They actually have a form letter for it and another show depicted Jesus as a homosexual, "Corpus Christi" , that was actually staged here in Charlotte without a single picket sign or bomb threat.
I know its an arts blog, but I think its a little irresponsible Leggett (under the Umbrella of Charlotte Magazine) reporting QCTC "Has gotten more than 20,000 emails from fundamentalists" without obviously confirming this. or was it, actually confirmed?
Iam not a fundamemtalist or a detractor of this or any other theatre. The marketing and clearly overblown "protest" is what I take issue with. Griffin points out (valiantly, I might add) his company doesnt do "Our Town", making a point to go out of his way to let everyone know they have an agenda.. Which is fine, but they shouldnt receive any special politically correct consideration for this. If they were truly interested in equality, instead of special treatment - they would not differentiate between offerings such as "South Pacific" and the productions they stage.
So, what..you whine about how mean and unfair the big bad Christians are and how sad it is, but then turn around and blatantly use that and their comments to promote his show and sell tickets? Funny how that works.
"I know it's an arts blog."
Yes, it is. And, I thank you for reading.
Maybe you should try writing about theatre that just tells a story... Not furthering an agenda.. Or some touring jukebox musical. Plenty of that stuff in town. Or is non-gay qgenda packed theatre just not worth your time?