aita-charity-theater

[aita-charity-theater]

This is mostly just to function as an update, given that I took action before this post came out of the queue, but while I'm here I will address some of the info requests.

Q: Did you not know what the play was before you auditioned? A: As previously stated, no, I did not. I came to auditions because I saw signs up in the library that said "Mystery Play Auditions!" with a time and date, no info on the title of the play. Apparently there was more info posted to the charity group's facebook page, but who goes on facebook lol. At auditions, I learned the name of the play and got to read a few photocopied pages from it. I could have googled the play at that point, but to be perfectly honest it did not occur to me to take this that seriously. (Also, having googled it now, I've found zero information that would have helped me even if I'd had it at the time. This is not a well-known play.) I only got access to the full script after I'd already been cast.

Q: Why didn't you leave the production at that point? A: It's for a good cause, and I think that imperfect action that results in material benefits for the community is better than an ideologically pure refusal of action. Also, six people showed up to auditions for a show that had six roles to fill, so...

Q: Was every actor other than you such dogshit that you were guaranteed to get the lead role no matter what? A: That's kind of a rude thing to say?

Q: This sounds fake. A: I cannot imagine how uneventful your life must be if an incident of mild confusion over an amateur theater production seems so outlandish that it must be made up for internet clout.

Hope that helps! Now to the update:

At our most recent rehearsal, as we were discussing ticket sales, I asked the group leader if we could maybe let people know the show is "PG-13" when they buy tickets. The leader said that basically no kids ever come to these plays anyways, and plays have included adult content in the past. I pointed out that there's a difference between jokes about consensual sex and jokes about sexual coercion, and I think that the latter crosses a different kind of line; I mentioned the #metoo movement and explained that I didn't want the library to face any backlash over putting on this play and not warning anyone of the contents.

After a group discussion, my concerns were dismissed. I don't really agree with the others' reasoning, but honestly, as a first-time actor, I'm taking it on faith that the people who've been involved in these specific productions for years know their audience (and what might offend their audience) better than I do.

As for inviting people: I did tell my grandma, simply because I foresaw a very plausible future where if I didn't tell her, she would find out anyways, and her feelings would be hurt by my not inviting her. I warned her that I found some of the material to be in very poor taste, and when she requested elaboration, I explained. She is, as I predicted, buying tickets anyways. I'm also going to text my other relative to be like "hey you remember that play i told you about? well uh it's bad" and let her make her own decisions from there. As far as everyone outside my family goes, though, I am not saying shit about this show.

@am-i-the-asshole-official

WIBTA for not promoting a charity play I'm in? TW for discussions of fictional sexual coercion.

I recently tried out for an amateur theater production whose ticket sales will support a local library. I wasn't really expecting much, as I'm not an actor, but I was cast as the lead! I've been enjoying rehearsals, but the issue is, well, I don't really like the script. It's a comedy, but part of the backstory of the play's events is that two of the characters were blackmailed into having regular sexual contact with someone they didn't like for YEARS. And this is repeatedly played for laughs.

No one else in the cast (mostly women) has voiced any issue with this. They all seem to find it funny - in fact, some of them even ad lib additional "jokes" about it. I haven't said anything disapproving because I knew from square one that I was NOT going to find a different script that would fit our needs - and even if I did, this is a very small charity group that can't really afford to license another script, so we're stuck with what we've got. I'm going through with it because it's for a good cause, and at least my character doesn't have to say any of the objectionable lines.

But WIBTA if I didn't tell anyone to come see this play? Obviously I'm pro-fiction, including bad, stupid, and tasteless fiction, but just because I believe this play has a right to exist doesn't mean I want my grandma to come see me perform in it. (When I say "my grandma," I'm using her as a rhetorical device standing in for a much wider social circle including family, friends, and coworkers, but yes, if she finds out about this play's existence, my literal actual grandma WILL come and I will not be able to tell her no.)

Reasons I might not be the asshole: I've been told that in past years, this play has always sold out. They probably don't need my hype.

Reasons I might be the asshole: This play is mostly advertised by word of mouth. And the last time they did this "annual" play, it was pre-COVID, so the fact that plays used to sell out then doesn't necessarily mean they'll sell out now. Also, I told at least one family member I was going to audition for this play, and she said something to the effect of "if you get in, let me know, because I have to come see!" which I agreed to. (At the time, I had no idea what the script was like.)

TL;DR: I'm in a play that supports a good cause but contains material that I find objectionable. I'm a bit embarrassed / ashamed at the thought of people who know me seeing me perform in this. WIBTA for keeping this on the down-low (and thus potentially depriving the charity of word-of-mouth ticket sales?)

What are these acronyms?