Before you read this know that I am honest and that sometimes people don't want to know the truth.
Ian and I went with my family to Central's play on Saturday.
At intermission I had to leave the building because I was so angry.
And then I stood outside and cried.
Because it was so bad.
By choosing that play that woman was not insulting all the kids who worked on THAT particular show, she was insulting every single one of us who put our blood and tears into that department.
It was sickening. I felt ill. Physically ill.
I feel bad for the kids but I also think that at some point they should have all stood up and said "We will not do this show. It is terrible and insulting to our abilities. Get a new script or we are walking."
At some point you have to demand that other people meet your own levels of self-respect. And if you don't make others meet those expectations they will never bother to do so.
To be clear, I think you all did the best you could have done with that script and that woman as your director. It is not your fault it was so bad.
But that doesn't change the fact that it was horrendous.
I'm sorry for you all. You are all capable of so much more. And that is what makes it even worse. You are BETTER than that.
Don't sell yourself short. If MJ ever taught me anything it was to EXPECT MORE, DEMAND MORE.
Never stop demanding that things be better.
Don't settle for mediocrity.
Push the limits and demand that others see you as more than just a bunch of mediocre high school students from the inner city.
I'm sad.
Still very sad.
And I'm sorry that she insulted you all so deeply by giving you that script.
I'm sending her a note. She won't like it but I can't keep my mouth shut.
And if you are angry with me for saying what is true that's fine.
I understand that you all put a great deal of time and effort into the show just like the rest of us did for so many years before you. But someone has to speak out or what I saw on Saturday will become the norm. It will become okay. And it's NOT OKAY.
Too many people worked for too many years to make that program what it was to see it collapse in a years time.
I feel sick.
At intermission I had to leave the building because I was so angry.
And then I stood outside and cried.
Because it was so bad.
By choosing that play that woman was not insulting all the kids who worked on THAT particular show, she was insulting every single one of us who put our blood and tears into that department.
It was sickening. I felt ill. Physically ill.
I feel bad for the kids but I also think that at some point they should have all stood up and said "We will not do this show. It is terrible and insulting to our abilities. Get a new script or we are walking."
At some point you have to demand that other people meet your own levels of self-respect. And if you don't make others meet those expectations they will never bother to do so.
To be clear, I think you all did the best you could have done with that script and that woman as your director. It is not your fault it was so bad.
But that doesn't change the fact that it was horrendous.
I'm sorry for you all. You are all capable of so much more. And that is what makes it even worse. You are BETTER than that.
Don't sell yourself short. If MJ ever taught me anything it was to EXPECT MORE, DEMAND MORE.
Never stop demanding that things be better.
Don't settle for mediocrity.
Push the limits and demand that others see you as more than just a bunch of mediocre high school students from the inner city.
I'm sad.
Still very sad.
And I'm sorry that she insulted you all so deeply by giving you that script.
I'm sending her a note. She won't like it but I can't keep my mouth shut.
And if you are angry with me for saying what is true that's fine.
I understand that you all put a great deal of time and effort into the show just like the rest of us did for so many years before you. But someone has to speak out or what I saw on Saturday will become the norm. It will become okay. And it's NOT OKAY.
Too many people worked for too many years to make that program what it was to see it collapse in a years time.
I feel sick.