Disclaimer for racial insensitivity in Peter Pan Jr.?

[Minnie_me]

I'm the accompanist for our Middle School musical next fall, and the director has decided to put on Peter Pan Jr. As much as I LOVE Peter Pan, I don't love the way the Indigenous People are portrayed. My daughter and I can't really understand why they are portrayed as American Indians anyway --- did Peter Pan fly the kids all the way from London to America??? So weird.

Anyway, I talked briefly with the director about trying to neutralize those characters a litte. But she sees nothing wrong with it. Seriously? The Ugh-a-Wug song alone is just horrible!

Since I'm also in charge of typing up the program, I wondered if some sort of "disclaimer" might be in order??

I welcome your advice!

 

[DisneyOma]

I'd bring it up with the principal of the school - that type of stereotyping should be frowned upon in a school?

 

[Minnie_me]

I'd bring it up with the principal of the school - that type of stereotyping should be frowned upon in a school?

You would think so!!! He already approved it. This musical is being performed by hundreds of schools across the country every year. I saw one production where they dressed the "natives" like hippies, and it was HILARIOUS! Our director won't consider doing something like that.

 

[dclpluto]

You would think so!!! He already approved it. This musical is being performed by hundreds of schools across the country every year. I saw one production where they dressed the "natives" like hippies, and it was HILARIOUS! Our director won't consider doing something like that.

why do you think that Peter Pan is wrong the way it is but dressing them up like hippies is ok? Either way it’s wrong .

 

[Meglen]

why do you think that Peter Pan is wrong the way it is but dressing them up like hippies is ok? Either way it’s wrong .

Dressing as a hippie is a fashion choice.. which is very different.

 

[JimMIA]

Seems like you already have your real-world answer, regardless of what anyone here thinks.

The director says it's fine, the principal says it's fine. I think you'd be out of line to add a disclaimer without approval from one or both of them.

Whatever you do, someone will not be happy -- either because you did do something, or because you did not.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Dressing as a hippie is a fashion choice.. which is very different.

Is it though? I believe the attire followed a lifestyle. We may think of it in terms of fashion but for many it represented how they lived and while I get the OP's point hippie is a stereotype too just one they don't see an issue with (but someone else could).

 

[monsterkitty]

This would never fly in my district (pun was purely by accident).

I taught band and orchestra for 33 years. We had to get approval from a district committee for every musical or play we did. Even if it was a "high school" version of the musical, such as for "Rent", we may have been asked to change something. I did not teach in a conservative area, but we still would think about every aspect of the musical or play to make sure that it wouldn't be harmful to our very diverse population in the district.

If we would have presented this to the district committee, made up of administration, teachers, and community members, we would have been asked to change the scene in question if we wanted to move forward with that choice.

 

[Minnie_me]

why do you think that Peter Pan is wrong the way it is but dressing them up like hippies is ok? Either way it’s wrong

Wow. Nope. It couldn't be more different. Thanks for playing.

 

[JimMIA]

Wow. Nope. It couldn't be more different. Thanks for playing.

 

[Micca]

This musical is being performed by hundreds of schools across the country every year.

Has there been blow back in other places where it was performed? I'd be interested to hear how it's going in other cities. There will be video of this production, it may likely go viral, then what? Just thoughts

 

[monsterkitty]

Has there been blow back in other places where it was performed? I'd be interested to hear how it's going in other cities. There will be video of this production, it may likely go viral, then what? Just thoughts

There will not be video of the production. When you rent a production to perform, you agree to no video or audio recordings. Making a video or audio is a violation of the copyright laws and against the law.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

There will not be video of the production. When you rent a production to perform, you agree to no video or audio recordings. Making a video or audio is a violation of the copyright laws and against the law.

What if someone in the audience does the recording on the sly?

 

[kymom99]

There will not be video of the production. When you rent a production to perform, you agree to no video or audio recordings. Making a video or audio is a violation of the copyright laws and against the law.

We were allowed to take pics and video of dress rehearsal when my sons class performed School of Rock. The director, since it was a catholic school especially, was tasked with rewording some of the songs.
If o wasn’t the director or the principal, I personally wouldn’t worry about this. It’s up to those people to make the hard decisions.

 

[monsterkitty]

We were allowed to take pics and video of dress rehearsal when my sons class performed School of Rock. The director, since it was a catholic school especially, was tasked with rewording some of the songs.
If o wasn’t the director or the principal, I personally wouldn’t worry about this. It’s up to those people to make the hard decisions.

Being allowed to by the school doesn't mean they didn't violate the clause in the agreement when they rented the musical for performance. If they would have been caught allowing you to do this, the very least restriction would have been the school would not have been allowed to rent a musical for performance again.

 

[kymom99]

Being allowed to by the school doesn't mean they didn't violate the clause in the agreement when they rented the musical for performance. If they would have been caught allowing you to do this, the very least restriction would have been the school would not have been allowed to rent a musical for performance again.

A quick search tells me a dress rehearsal is not a public presentation as long as admission is not charged. Therefore the copyright laws do not apply. In any case I’m sure agreements vary and there is no guarantee that some image won’t be publicized.

 

[mjkacmom]

This would never fly in my district (pun was purely by accident).

I taught band and orchestra for 33 years. We had to get approval from a district committee for every musical or play we did. Even if it was a "high school" version of the musical, such as for "Rent", we may have been asked to change something. I did not teach in a conservative area, but we still would think about every aspect of the musical or play to make sure that it wouldn't be harmful to our very diverse population in the district.

If we would have presented this to the district committee, made up of administration, teachers, and community members, we would have been asked to change the scene in question if we wanted to move forward with that choice.

It’s my understanding that it is illegal to make any changes at all to licensed productions, no leaving out songs or changing dialogue.

 

[monsterkitty]

It’s my understanding that it is illegal to make any changes at all to licensed productions, no leaving out songs or changing dialogue.

You ask for permission and 99% of the time it is granted.

I did this for 33 years. I know what I'm talking about.

 

[Brett Wyman]

What if someone in the audience does the recording on the sly?

They do and many are on Youtube. Most with the comments turned off. Most likely because of the flamewar war that ensued due to the American Indian portion.

 

[Karin1984]

did Peter Pan fly the kids all the way from London to America??? So weird.

Just wanted to say, they are flying to Neverland. Not America.
Second star to the right, and then straight on till morning. You cannot miss it.