[NEohioPAL]Smoking Ban in Public

[sharon schnall]

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Dear Tony.
   
  I do not smoke, nor do I personally object to cigarettes being used on stage, during live theatrical performances.
   
  I never gave smoke - whether produced by cigarettes or fog making machines - any thought, and I generally sit in the first few rows of the auditorium at community and regional theatres around the area.
   
  I changed my position, last December, when we invited friends to accompnay us to a show.  Never mind the play or the theatre.  We attended the show in advance of our friends accompanying us.  During the show, fog repeatedly rolled off the stage, and we watched as people coughed, swatted the air, pulled out cough drops and for some, had to exit the auditorium, not to return.
   
  Knowing we would return to the same show a second time, I contacted my friends - who have serious health problems - asking could they handle that type of smoke exposure.  They could not.  Sadly, they could not accompany us to the show, and we gave the tickets away.  During that second performance, the same scenario of fog, coughing, coping and exiting occurred.
   
  I have also watched similar behaviors at shows where cigarettes are used on stage.  
   
  Now, I will try to verify, in advance, about smoke when I consider going to a show with these friends.  But, box office representatives. don't always have the answers.  Because of experiencing my friends' loss and prevention from attending a show, I now am aware that the issue of smoke is not an issue of censorship, but one of thoughtful consideration and health.
   
  Until the matter can be resolved, I hope theatres will prominently display information about smoke machines and cigarettes on their websites - in advance of a performance - and not on the program brochure when the ticket owner is already at the event and has the few choices of missing the show or tolerating the smoke.
   
  I've always enjoyed the smoky effects - ones that enhanced fantasy or mystery or others that recreated a WWII era feeling.  Now, however, I know I could live without that effect so that others' enjoyment and health will not be sacrificed.
   
  Thanks,
   
  Sharon Schnall
   
  

TONY BROWN <TBROWN at plaind.com> wrote:
  actors and other performers are asked to make many sacrifices. chevy chase and jerry lewis have suffered damage to their bodies from taking pratfalls. ballet dancers, from an early age, contort their bodies into unnatural postures. opera singers risk their vocal chords with demanding scores. smoking a cigarette, or an herbal cigarette, onstage once a night (or twice on matinee days) hardly constitute a life-threatening undertaking, unlike using a loaded gun or an unbuttoned epee. as for obscenity and nudity on stage, plenty of right-wing nut-cases who believe that they are unhealthy, possibly even enough so as to cause eternal damnation.

at any rate, the first ammendment is likely to prevail here.

tony 

>>> "" 4/15/2007 3:44 PM >>>


Mr. Brown, From my perspective as a member of the Cleveland theater community for almost two decades as well as a former health care professional, I find the comparison of the smoking ban in public places, to attempts to censor language and nudity onstage almost laughable. Language and nudity do not constitute a public health hazard, while the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke are well documented. I wonder, would any of the directors mentioned in your article ask an actor to take a loaded gun on stage? Or stage a fight with sharpened/pointed swords or knives? Of course not. According to the Center for Disease Control smoking related illnesses killed 10 times more Americans than guns in 2006. Not only is the ban now the law, it is also the will of the people, many of whom patronize our theaters. I've been involved in numerous productions where lines were cut/edited or situations adapted because of length, time, or whatever need the director felt had to be met. Why is 
this different? Change is an inevitable part of life. Our challenge as artists is to embrace the changes and to adapt.Compared to the welfare of actors and audiences, what should our priority be? After all...it is just a play. Very truly yours, Robert J. Williams

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<DIV>Dear Tony.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>I do not smoke, nor do I personally object to cigarettes being used on stage, during live theatrical performances.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>I never gave smoke - whether produced by cigarettes or fog making machines - any thought, and I generally sit in the first few rows of the auditorium at community and regional theatres around the area.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>I changed my position, last December, when we invited friends to accompnay us to a show.  Never mind the play or the theatre.  We attended the show in advance of our friends accompanying us.  During the show, fog repeatedly rolled off the stage, and we watched as people coughed, swatted the air, pulled out cough drops and for some, had to exit the auditorium, not to return.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>Knowing we would return to the same show a second time, I contacted my friends - who have serious health problems - asking could they
 handle that type of smoke exposure.  They could not.  Sadly, they could not accompany us to the show, and we gave the tickets away.  During that second performance, the same scenario of fog, coughing, coping and exiting occurred.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>I have also watched similar behaviors at shows where cigarettes are used on stage.  </DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>Now, I will try to verify, in advance, about smoke when I consider going to a show with these friends.  But, box office representatives. don't always have the answers.  Because of experiencing my friends' loss and prevention from attending a show, I now am aware that the issue of smoke is not an issue of censorship, but one of thoughtful consideration and health.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>Until the matter can be resolved, I hope theatres will prominently display information about smoke machines and cigarettes on their websites - in advance of a performance -
 and not on the program brochure when the ticket owner is already at the event and has the few choices of missing the show or tolerating the smoke.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>I've always enjoyed the smoky effects - ones that enhanced fantasy or mystery or others that recreated a WWII era feeling.  Now, however, I know I could live without that effect so that others' enjoyment and health will not be sacrificed.</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>Thanks,</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV>Sharon Schnall</DIV>  <DIV> </DIV>  <DIV><BR><BR><B><I>TONY BROWN <TBROWN at plaind.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV>  <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">actors and other performers are asked to make many sacrifices. chevy chase and jerry lewis have suffered damage to their bodies from taking pratfalls. ballet dancers, from an early age, contort their bodies into unnatural postures. opera singers risk their
 vocal chords with demanding scores. smoking a cigarette, or an herbal cigarette, onstage once a night (or twice on matinee days) hardly constitute a life-threatening undertaking, unlike using a loaded gun or an unbuttoned epee. as for obscenity and nudity on stage, plenty of right-wing nut-cases who believe that they are unhealthy, possibly even enough so as to cause eternal damnation.<BR><BR>at any rate, the first ammendment is likely to prevail here.<BR><BR>tony <BR><BR>>>> "" <BOBBYWMS1 at EXCITE.COM>4/15/2007 3:44 PM >>><BR><BR><BR>Mr. Brown, From my perspective as a member of the Cleveland theater community for almost two decades as well as a former health care professional, I find the comparison of the smoking ban in public places, to attempts to censor language and nudity onstage almost laughable. Language and nudity do not constitute a public health hazard, while the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke are well documented. I wonder, would any of
 the directors mentioned in your article ask an actor to take a loaded gun on stage? Or stage a fight with sharpened/pointed swords or knives? Of course not. According to the Center for Disease Control smoking related illnesses killed 10 times more Americans than guns in 2006. Not only is the ban now the law, it is also the will of the people, many of whom patronize our theaters. I've been involved in numerous productions where lines were cut/edited or situations adapted because of length, time, or whatever need the director felt had to be met. Why is <BR>this different? Change is an inevitable part of life. Our challenge as artists is to embrace the changes and to adapt.Compared to the welfare of actors and audiences, what should our priority be? After all...it is just a play. Very truly yours, Robert J. Williams<BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com <BR>The most personalized portal on the Web!<BR><BR>Sign up for
 FREE breaking news updates at cleveland.com/updates<BR>_____________________________________<BR>Support Neohiopal - learn how here: http://www.fredsternfeld.com/neohiopal.htm#support<BR>______________________________________<BR>Neohiopal is SELF-SERVE. If you need to unsubscribe, change from digest to one-at-a-time delivery or vice-versa, go on hiatus while out of town, switch from mime to plain text or vice-versa, etc. check out the FAQS at http://www.fredsternfeld.com.<BR>_______________________________________<BR>Disclaimer: The facts and/or opinions expressed in this message are solely those of the person in the "from" or "reply-to" header. The fact that this message is posted should in no way be taken as an endorsement by the administrator of this list. Subscribers should perform due diligence for all goods, services and activities promoted on NEohioPAL.<BR><BR>NEohioPAL mailing
 list<BR>NEohioPAL at lists.fredsternfeld.com<BR>http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><p> 



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