Over at Jamespeak there's word of a New York-based theater company folks would do well to steer clear of. And they have such a nice website, too! For the longest time I equated snazzy websites with good companies, but I guess any jackass can be friends with a talented web-designer.
Comtois goes on to weigh in on an issue raised by Philucifer. Then Pete jumped in. Then Philucifer replied to Pete.
It seems to me like there's a few other unanswered questions here that may be relevant. Was this an advaced acting class? Was this student training for an acting career or just taking what she thought would be a fun elective? Even so, I think students have to take responsibility for themselves, and keep themselves away from things that might offend them. But I do wonder... couldn't the teacher have given her any other scene?
Also - do any legal-types read this blog? Can you sue over classwork?
--SlowLearner
To answer those unanswered and very relevant questions:
The student in question was in the actor's training program preparing for an acting career. This all occurred in her first year, and she left the program at the end of that year, following her annual review.
When she auditioned for the program, she was asked if there would be anything that she might be uncomfortable saying or doing as an actress, and she said, straight up, that she wouldn't do nudity, she wouldn't say the "f" word, and she wouldn't take the Lord's name in vain. She didn't attribute this to any religious beliefs at the time, and the professors didn't ask. She was accepted into the program anyway.
Having spoken with some of my friends who attended U of U, apparently most of the students in the ATP who come with religious objections wind up leaving having come to terms with these issues -- peer pressure and a stronger passion to be an actor are the main catalysts for that change. It's my opinion that the instructors were trying to focus on her reticence in this area in order to break down that barrier. Obviously it backfired.
It'd be nice to sue over classwork, just on general principle. But in this case, it was a possible infringement on her right to free speech and religion.
That's all I got.
Posted by: philucifer | July 22, 2004 at 12:05 AM