Shakespeare productions at risk if drag is banned
Shakespeare productions remain some of our highest-grossing and most popular shows at The Laboratory Theater of Florida. The fact that Shakespeare is taught in schools is a testament to the power and insight of the text, still relevant and thought-provoking hundreds of years after it was written.
Should a drag ban pass in Florida, we won't be able to produce "Merchant of Venice," "Twelfth Night," or "As You Like It." And neither will any of the thousands of theaters, schools and colleges in the state.
Furthermore, if drag bans pass, we won't see productions of "Matilda," "Hedwig," "Rent," "Kinky Boots," "Peter Pan," and so many more popular titles. Lab Theater's production of farce "Save Hamlet" would be in jeopardy, as would other planned productions in Southwest Florida.
Such a ban would have the power to negatively impact what theaters can produce, and even who they can hire. Indeed, theaters are already taking such a ban into consideration when planning their upcoming seasons. The proposed bill in Florida extends the definition of "sexually oriented business" to include businesses that present artists performing in a different gender role than the one they were assigned at birth.
If those bans pass, many theaters and other performing arts groups will have no choice but to censor their product or to apply for status as a sexually oriented business, and then incur all the fees associated therewith.
Drag has entertained and fascinated us for as long as Theater has existed. Bing Crosby did it, "MASH" the TV series did it, Bob Hope did it, Julie Andrews did it, Bugs Bunny did it, and thousands more! Please join me in taking a stand to protect the arts, creative freedom and freedom of expression by writing to your elected representatives, by showing up to drag brunch or story time, by visiting theaters. Be loud in your support.
Annette Trossbach is president, founder and artistic director of The Laboratory Theater of Florida in Fort Myers.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Shakespeare productions at risk if drag is banned
