for 10 AUG 06: PLAYW-RATES
This year marks the 135th anniversary of the Springer Opera House. While the managers like to focus on its history, much has changed there since 1871. For instance, who knows how many staff members have to explain to newcomers the place is NOT named after Jerry Springer?
One surprising change at the Springer Opera House came to my attention this week, when the promotional pamphlet for the coming season reached my mailbox. The letters "PG" appeared on most of the pages. In Albany this would be understandable - since it has a Procter and Gamble plant.
But really: the "PG" is a rating - as the Springer Opera House now is rating its productions, similar to what the movie industry has done for years. Maybe this is an effort to get more rebellious teenagers out to see the performances....
I'd never seen any theater company put ratings on its plays, before this pamphlet came from the Springer. You certainly don't see it on Broadway in New York -- where the producers probably are happy for anyone who buys one of their expensive tickets.
But I've seen a few cases where warnings are put on performances, about "mature subject matter" which might be offensive. Kathy Griffin's stand-up comedy show at the RiverCenter last spring was an example of that -- but thankfully, Fort Benning hasn't banned soldiers from going there yet.
A check of the pamphlet shows the Springer Opera House will have nine productions this coming season. Four are rated PG-13, four PG, and only one is rated G -- so most of the time, you might want to leave impressionable children home in front of the Internet computer while you're at the theater.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that the classic musical "The King and I" has a PG rating -- and NOT a G. Maybe the King of Siam actually going to say some something naughty in Siamese....
One of the plays with the most mature PG-13 ratings is "The Member of the Wedding," by Columbus native Carson McCullers. What would McCullers think of a rating like this? Would SHE (corrected) be insulted, and think the Springer Opera House is being too cautious? Or would she consider it another reason to be thankful he moved away?
To be fair, the Springer Opera House is simply following a trend in the entertainment media by putting ratings on its productions. It started with movies, then spread to video games and TV. And some nights when the benches clear for a fight, I wonder if the Columbus Cottonmouths should be rated R.
LOOK OUT BELOW FOR MORE....
Watch WTVM "News Leader 9 Morning" Thursday for details about Power Frisbee, and this weekend's "Free Frisbee Sunday" at Grainger Park in LaGrange and Rigdon Park in Columbus! Learn all about this new game right now at the official Power Frisbee of Georgia web site; then offer your comments at the P.F.G. blog.
E-MAIL UPDATE: Aren't we all happy with how the new Muscogee County school year has started? Well, no....
Richards does not have enough text books...but Dr Phillips makes more than the governor...Richards has part of the school without AC ,other schools opened to the same situation..but Dr Phillips makes more than the governor...you get my drift? Social Studies text book adoption year ,but not for MCSD..order was halted.. When are we going to stop bussing from one end of the county to the other and go back to neighborhood schools. MCSD is no longer under a court order..bill this school year for gas ..only 1 mill+
So let's see if I have your drift. Are you suggesting Governor Sonny Perdue deserves a raise?
If several Muscogee County schools lack air conditioning, at least the district is saving money on electricity. And those spinning floor fans could provide all sorts of lessons - from how an electric motor works, to how to treat a cut finger after it's stuck too close to the blades.
I don't know the details about this e-mailer's textbook complaints. Maybe there was a good reason why the order for social studies books was suspended. After all, the location of the Israel-Lebanon border could change any day now....
As long as the magnet school concept remains popular, I doubt this e-mailer will see an end to busing in Muscogee County schools. If everyone stayed in their neighborhood, I still think Columbus High School would have better baseball teams than Spencer.
Now other short subjects from a busy Wednesday:
+ Which Columbus man is preparing to file a federal civil rights complaint against the city - and he's using one of the "IsOurCitySafe" e-mails as evidence? No, the man's last name is not Poydasheff....
+ Russell County High School JROTC instructor Lee Washington was indicted and arrested on sex-related charges. If the district is trying to top last term's record for faculty arrests, it's probably best to start early.
+ Many Columbus gas stations defied all logic and news predictions, by LOWERING their prices a couple of cents a gallon. The lowest I saw was $2.81 at Dolly Madison on Victory Drive. So why don't they come out and admit this is a 48-hour sale, before the big increase?
+ Final results from the Georgia primary runoff showed Jim Martin defeating Greg Hecht, to become Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor. It looks like Hecht will have to take his grand plan for bringing down oil prices to the Alaska legislature.
(Meanwhile, Gary Black was chosen by Republicans as the nominee for Georgia Agriculture Commissioner. This is an interesting campaign strategy - since the drought is turning several crops black right now.)
+ Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue wasted little time starting his fall campaign - with TV commercials on the morning news, the morning after the runoff. His first ad notes the state has a $580 million surplus. Or is that his campaign treasury?
+ First responders in Lee County staged a drill at Jordan-Hare Stadium, in case a disaster and panic occurred at an Auburn University football game. You know, like a loss to Louisiana-Monroe....
+ The Northern Little League team crushed Cottage Hill, Alabama 11-0 at the Southeast Regionals. If Northern wins again on Friday night, it heads to the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania -- and when the players get home, their "how I spent my summer vacation" essays had better be good.
+ Instant Message to the Ledger-Enquirer: Thank you. I mean, thanks for your daily updates in the sports section on the World Series of Poker. Do you plan to put the next world championship chess series in the sports section, too?
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