I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

I woke up today to lots of fun on the internets.

Seems that the Olympics started yesterday.

And there was an opening ceremony. That did not resemble the pomp and circumstance of previous Olympics.

People are outraged.

Outraged I tell you.

My opinion.

Which no one asked for.

This might be the most successful opening ceremony in the history of opening ceremonies.

Why you ask?

Because more than 24 hours later its still in the news. It’s still being talked about. People are aguing about it. There are hate posts. There are love posts. People are going to boycott. People are going to never watch sports again.

And I think it’s wonderful.

It’s ART.

And it did what it’s supposed to do.

It made you feel.

I’ve never taken an art class.

But I’ve taken a million theater classes. And we spend hours asking: what is theater. What is its purpose? Why do we do it? Should it be pretty and fun? Should it make you question your beliefs? Should you leave the theater singing it’s showtunes? Should you be mad? Will it make you call your therapist on Monday morning to schedule a session.

And the answer is yes.

Absolutely yes.

Theater aka ART, should make you think.

And this opening ceremony is doing just that.

Is it devil worshiping?

Is it celebrating the origins of the Olympics?

Is it pagan?

Is it celebrating art and diversity in the world in which we live?

Is it kid friendly?

Does it support the athletes?

I could go on and on. The answers are yes. And no. And maybe. And of course not. And absolutely.

And only you get to decide what answer applies to what question.

You.

You who brings your lifetime of baggage to the question.

And the fun part is, YOU DON’T GET TO TELL ME WHAT THE ANSWERS ARE TO MY QUESTIONS.

The outrage today has been wonderful.

How dare they make fun of Da Vinci’s Last Supper.

We aren’t sure that DaVinci was a Christian. We know factually he was gay. He was commissioned for the painting, so it’s not like he painted it for the fun of it. And it has been parodied over and over and over again in modern culture including The Simpon’s. My 1987 production of Godspell parodied the image of The Last Supper.

How dare they show Marie Antoinette?

How dare they have drag queens?

How dare they do this and how dare they do that.

Fun fact. Most of the outrage is American.

And it’s funny to think a country that has been around for centuries longer than America somehow has to abide by our supposed morals and values.

Meanwhile, we are still talking about it.

People are still clutching their pearls.

And I think it’s wonderful.

Make us think. Make us face our fears. Make us talk about art in the world. It’s good for you.

I challenge some of you to do a YouTube search for French Theater. Their aesthetic is very different than ours. Always has been.

I can’t wait to see what we do in Salt Lake City in a few years. I’m guessing 500 people sitting in pews singing hymns, with a backdrop of the Mormon Tabernacle. The athletes will be issued fancy underwear and won’t be allowed to drink coffee, tea or booze.

PS. I’ll also say, that several people have posted that the whole argument could have been avoided if they’d explained the art before it aired. And I say, fuck that. Did you really need Oklahoma to explain that the songs would propel the plot? Did you really need Hair to tell you about it’s anti-war sentiment before hand? Did you need Tony Kushner to explain Angels in America prior to you seeing it.

No. The explanation comes from within.

You knew the answer the whole time.