Take the show to Broadway.
Despite the biggest controversy in Carousel Players’ 45-year history, artistic director Jessica Carmichael still stands behind the theatre company’s decision to stage a children’s show on gender identity.
Mark Crawford’s play Boys, Girls and Other Mythological Creatures has seen performances cancelled in seven local schools, which Carmichael blames on “misinformation” spread by people who have not seen the production.
And as cancellations pile up, it’s affecting the St. Catharines company financially.
“We have no more performances this week,” she said. “We should have had two shows today (Wednesday), two tomorrow, and two Friday.
“Mark Crawford has been working on this play for over two years. We have professional actors who’ve come down to work on this beautiful play. Now we don’t get to share it.”
For most productions, Carousel Players usually does upwards of 45 performances in southwestern Ontario schools. But the new show was a tough sell, and the cancellations have left only a handful of performances left to do.
“We’re losing money,” she said. “It’s affecting people’s livelihoods … our artists, our staff.”[…]
Carmichael still strongly supports the play, and finds it ironic a story about acceptance is not being accepted by local schools.
“I believe gender non-conforming kids exist, and their stories matter,” she said. “I want to live in a world where their stories can be shared and celebrated. I want these kids to know we see them. They are not alone.
“I’m not calling people out. I’m calling them in for a conversation. To talk about these issues so that we’re not sitting in corners with our hard feelings and misunderstandings.”
HT: BCF