For a recent Children's Musical Theatreworks performance of Charles Dickens' "Oliver," an entire group of 7th and 8th graders from one school, all with tickets for what was ostensibly a class field trip, were banned from seeing the production. There were concerns from school officials about content that included "violence, alcohol use and thievery." I spent over 20 years on the professional stage in the U.S. and Great Britain and performed in a variety of productions geared directly at middle schoolers and 9th graders. Each of those productions included extensive talkbacks with the students, their teachers and parent chaperones. I opened the program with my thoughts on age appropriateness for darker material that deals directly with societal issues that affect both kids and adults.

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