Thursday's Performance at ATP

Hello, this letter will be coming home with your child tonight (Tuesday) on blue paper. In order to come on the field trip on Thursday, this form needs to be signed and returned by Wednesday. Thank you.

Dear Parents:

In our school community we have had a long history regarding appreciation for the arts and embracing theatre productions.  Alberta Theatre Projects has come to be a part of that appreciation.  With this in mind, we booked seats for all the students to see the production of Slipper: A Distinctly Calgarian Cinderella Story some time ago  The children of Royal Oak School are booked to attend Slipper over the next three days.  The script of the play was only recently completed as it is a world premiere of the production. I just learned that the play Slipper has some controversial content that some parents may find do not fit the values of their family.

We very much respect family values and would like to ensure that those values are upheld. Some of the reasons that we booked the play was to focus on independence as a part of our work with the Circle of Courage and in this play, Cinderella realizes that she is independent and does not need a prince in order to be successful.  In addition, some of the techniques of the theatre production used such as British pantodame (a lead woman that is portrayed by a man) reveal panto in a modern style and updates pantomime.  Also, the older students have learned in Shakespeare’s time that men played all of the roles on the stage.  In regards to Slipper some of the other parents of young children whose schools have already viewed the play have responded in a positive way.  However, we recognize that some parents will find the some of the content of the controversial. The topics covered in the play are:

·       Gender Fluidity (switching of gender roles)

·       A man dressed as a woman and a woman dressed as a woman exchange a kiss

·       A girl who has a crush on a boy and she is disguised as a boy exchanges a kiss with the boy she has a crush on

We acknowledge and appreciate parents in our tight knit community have a variety of views and we would like parents to have transparency and make a decision as to whether they would like their children to attend the play, Slipper. Any parents who are not in alignment with their children going to the play will receive a reimbursement of the cost of the ticket $18.00 from ATP and those parents who have not paid will not be required to do so.

Our apologies for any discomfort that this may content have caused you and your family. Please contact me at (403) 777-6279 if you have any other questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Lynn Sparks

Principal

If you would not like your children to attend, please fill out the section on the next page and return it to your Son’s or Daughter’s teacher:

My child will not attend the ATP performance, Slipper:

Student Name:________________________

Grade:_______________________________

Teacher:______________________________

Parent Signature:________________________