Good Essay On Ratings

The institution of a ratings system would not hinder the growth of theatre. Informing potential audiences about the type of content a work contains before they can view it may make most them appreciate it even more (Playbill). This is because some members of the audience may be offended to find objectionable scenes in the middle of a play, whereas this could have been avoided if a rating system had been instituted, informing them what to expect. In my opinion, theatre should be accessible to people of all kinds, including those who find certain content offensive. If a person prefers “PG” rated shows to explicit “R” rated ones, they should be informed beforehand on the content of plays (Karlao). Additionally, some theatrical shows are not appropriate for children, and parents may appreciate it if they have that information earlier rather than to get uncomfortable in the middle of an explicit play with their children beside them. A rating system does to mean that shows should be censored, and in fact people who prefer explicit content should be allowed to enjoy their preference; it only means that audiences deserve to know the content they expect to watch before buying tickets (Playbill).
In my perspective, a rating system would be a marketing strategy (help the audience make decisions more easily), rather than a form of censorship. Through the institution of a rating system, more people would be highly motivated to see a show if it meets their standards in terms of content. For instance, there are many people who would be more interested to watch a show if it contained nudity or bawdy talk. This may therefore reduce the censorship of explicit parts of a show. A good example of a production which may benefit having a greater audience based on its rating is “Rent,” which has adult content and language (Ashland). Its adult scenes and language raise curiosity and eagerness among the audience, making it have a greater audience buying tickets (Ashland). Therefore, a rating system may be more beneficial than damaging to live theatre artists.

Works Cited

Ashland,. 'Thanks For The Memories Theatre Presents Musical 'RENT' - Ashland Oregon Chamber Of Commerce'. Ashlandchamber.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 9 Apr. 2015. <http://www.ashlandchamber.com/News.asp?newsID=1408>
Karlao, A. 'Content | Drama Teacher's Network'. Dramateachersnetwork.wordpress.com. N.p., 2011. Web. 9 Apr. 2015. <https://dramateachersnetwork.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/should-theatre-have-ratings-like-movies/>
Playbill,. 'Playbill Poll: Should Theatre Have A Ratings System -- Part 2 - Playbill.Com'. Playbill.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 9 Apr. 2008. <http://www.playbill.com/news/article/playbill-poll-should-theatre-have-a-ratings-system-part-2-74543/print>