- Young girls in short, and I mean short, skirts and dresses.
- Laundering the skivvies of a certain young woman
- The musical Grease as performed at our high school.
A couple weeks ago I addressed the dress, or lack thereof, of today's young ladies. Picture me in Downton Abbey attire with a British accent saying "Improper, unrefined, and in bad taste. Does your mother know what you're wearing?"
Regarding the undergarments of a charming and beautiful almost-18-year-old ice hockey player, well, let's just say she's not shopping at Target or through the Hanes catalog. Frankly I'm not sure why women bother wearing things that are so barely there. If I'm being honest, I'm most upset because her lingerie confirms that I have been wearing granny panties for the past 40 years. I missed my sexy lingerie stage altogether.
The reason this is affecting me to such a degree is because my own daughter is a teenager-to-be. While I sure as hell won't buy her Frederick's of Hollywood bras and panties, what's to stop her from purchasing them herself? I can see it now, I'll be doing the wash and pull out a piece of dental floss, um. I mean a thong, and I'll have a small stroke. First I'll accuse Rob of adultery and then I'll wonder if Ian's dating a hussy, and finally I'll come around to my little girl. I'm having heart palpitations just thinking about it. If Abby suddenly offers to start doing her own laundry, I'll know I'm in trouble. I'll bet she's hiding a super short skirt and midriff baring top along with the sexy undergarments.
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| Put your filthy paws on my silky drawers? |
For some reason I expected the musical, performed by teens, would be toned down compared to the movie, not more salacious. I was wrong. While I get that those elements were part of the story, I really felt they could have been less in your face without taking away from the show. But here's the biggest problem I have with the selection of Grease as the school musical - there's absolutely no redemptive quality to the story. Most of the time when a story presents us with a badly behaving character it ends with them learning a valuable lesson. What did sweet innocent Sandy learn in Grease? To trade in the pony tail and tease her hair, pierce her ears, apply her makeup, dress like a hussy, learn to smoke, and say goodbye to Sandra Dee. Exactly the life lesson that we parents try to teach.
I guess I shouldn't complain too much, however. Word has it that the show they really wanted to perform this year was Spring Awakening. Yes, that kind of "awakening." This musical was banned for a time in Germany because of its frank portrayal of abortion, homosexuality, rape, child abuse and suicide. I can't imagine why the school administrators said no to that one. It sounds like the perfect show to invite the grandparents to.
Believe it or not, I do understand theater is art. I do understand the need to address controversial issues. I do understand allowing young adults to express themselves, but I don't think the public high school is the place to do it. I think there are some parents who may actually have a problem with their child (they are still children) performing a show with those themes. I know it would have freaked me out if Ian's character was up on stage smoking, drinking, or getting nasty on the dance floor. And no, I'm not naive enough to think it's not happening in real life for many teens, I just don't think it needs to be encouraged or celebrated.
While I'm on a roll, I'd like to throw Go-Daddy commercials and Beyonce's half-time show into this mix so that we can effectively eliminate all innocence from childhood.
Yes indeed, I have officially become a prude.
1 comment:
First, let me say that I agree with you on the major point: that GREASE as written for Broadway should always come with a PG-13 rating! It is not at all appropriate for elementary school children. And yes, in a different era, I'm betting most high school productions would have used the version adapted by MTI for teens, because GREASE is the uncensored depiction of high school!
Second, let me say that I've seen SPRING AWAKENING and while it is great art and a powerful musical (Tony award to prove it!), it is most definitely not what I would deem appropriate for high school productions. Um, the 2 romantic leads (Leah Michelle on Bway) have bare-a$$ sex on stage!
But, third, I do have to disagree with you on GREASE having no redeeming value or message! (You knew I was working up to the "but" right?) At least, it can, if it isn't produced only for the shock value of dirty dancing and tight leather pants. Sandy's character is passive and timid, afraid of her own shadow most of the time, and instead of trying to help Danny reclaim his tender side, she wants him to become as bland and vanilla as she is. While on the surface, Sandy could be portrayed as giving into peer pressure, underneath, this musical (set in the early 1960s when girls were finally shaking off the traditional shackles of Donna Reed's pearls--notice them in Sandy's early scenes?) is about girl power. It's about Rizzo exercising reproductive rights (less than responsibility, granted!) and not being shunned for it. And it's about Sandy discovering her own voice and power--not sitting around for the tightly buttoned "old man" teenager to ask her out but having the courage to pursue what she wants without apology.
My friendly recommendation? Watch it again with Abby and Ian and talk through good choices vs. bad and what makes a choice good vs. bad. Talk about character development as well as costumes--because they're both important elements of a show (and of life). Teach them how to think critically about the behaviors they see around them, especially among their peers.
Oh, and you might suggest to your high school director/friend that such shows are a great opportunity for cast/audience talk backs after the production--to invite such constructive-critical discussion instead of leaving people to the shock or feel-good fun without reflection. :-)
BTW, this isn't all my original thinking! There's a great essay about this very topic (GREASE and morality) in Judson Press's book, WHAT EVE DIDN'T TELL US! And in fact, I may reference you in my own blogpost at JudsOnline today! :-)
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