In response to the Mayor’s recent letter to the editor, and in an attempt to clear up some misconceptions for the public, we, the Carroll County Community Theatre (CCCT) Board of Directors, respectfully submit the following response to the city-banned production of The Rocky Horror Show.

CCCT was established many years ago for the purpose of providing adult theatre to our community and we’ve done so, first performing at Carrollton High School, then at the UWG Townsend Center. Once the Culture Arts Center was built, we were finally able to say that we had a home. Despite the fact that there are wonderful Children and Teen Theatre programs offered at the Arts Center, many CCCT shows have been appropriate for children and some have had restrictions. When necessary, shows have been publicized as having “adult content.” However, we have always reserved the right to do adult theatre and, until recently, have never been prohibited from doing so.

Prior to approving The Rocky Horror Show to be performed at the Cultural Arts Center, the board took painstaking steps to ensure that this highly acclaimed “rock musical” would be an acceptable and successful adult production.

We considered that The Rocky Horror Show:

1) is not for everyone, just as Dracula, A Streetcar Named Desire, Bus Stop, Shakespeare, The Foreigner, City of Angels, Death of a Salesman, etc., are not for everyone;

2) is a wide-spread phenomenon loved and adored by a huge Rocky following of all ages;

3) auditions would be restricted to those 18 years of age and older (we declined a number of teens who wanted to audition);

4 )technical assistance would be restricted to those 18 years of age and older (we declined a number of teens who asked to work backstage);

5) children under 18 could not purchase tickets (this had not been advertised, as the Arts Center had not yet publicized the show, but had been approved by the board of directors);

6) would require admission restriction to those over 18 unless accompanied by an adult (had not yet been advertised, but had been approved by the board of directors);

7) would be monitored and the board would meet with the director to discuss any ongoing concerns (the board met with the director on one occasion, and the Production Coordinator of the show had several additional discussions with the director regarding other issues);

8) would be required to stay true to the script and would not be taken over the edge (this was discussed with the director and choreographer);

9) choreographer was a CCCT board member and aware of the need for restraint. In her defense, dance rehearsals had just begun on that Monday and we realize that initial dance rehearsals are experimental. Once expressed, feedback occurs and the process continues until the product is approved and finalized. What the choreographer initially envisions is generally not equal to the final product. However, neither the board nor the choreographer was afforded the opportunity to make changes;

10) would be one intriguing way to introduce a new audience to our fabulous Community Theatre.

As clarification, a portion of the Mayor’s editorial was a glaring inaccuracy, “Later that same afternoon, the Carroll County Community Theater Board of Directors, at their meeting, supported this decision, as did the arts center manager, the director of the Recreation Department, and a majority of our City Council members.” The CCCT Board of Directors emphatically DID NOT support the decision. We were told that the City Manager had pulled the plug…period, and there was no recourse. Although prohibited from staging the show, the CCCT Board of Directors fully supports the cast and director’s decision to independently produce the play.

Since our inception, the CCCT Board has prided itself in offering a wide variety of quality productions that appeal to all sectors of our community. And, despite this unfortunate setback, it is our intention to continue to stage quality productions that appeal to the broad spectrum of our citizens.

Chris Pyles

CCCT Board of Directors President