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Shame on Burbank school district
As a retired teacher, I was shocked to see that the school district that gave me a well-rounded education could be so closed-minded about homosexuality and “The Laramie Project” production put on by Burroughs High School students (“Play brings protests,” May 31).
Principal Emilio Urioste is the one who should be moved to a new position or released.
My wife cannot believe that a progressive city like Burbank could be less tolerant than the conservative enclave where we now reside.
Shame on the Burbank Unified School District if they allow this decision to stand of moving drama teacher Scott Bailey to another department.
He deserves support from the school district, not condemnation.
RON SANDERS
San Diego
Appalled by ‘Romeo and Juliet’ reaction
I graduated from John Burroughs High School this year. I was a part of the drama program for four years and played the nurse in the recent production of “Romeo and Juliet.”
I am truly appalled by Mike Delbarian’s shock regarding the subject matter of the play (“Play shouldn’t be such an issue,” June 25, Community Commentary). It can only be attributed to his lack of knowledge of Shakespeare.
He mentioned that there were sexual innuendoes, and he is correct. It is simply a part of Shakespeare and should be expected.
“Romeo and Juliet” is a part of the freshman English curriculum, so all drama students were familiar with it before participating in the play. Though no official notice regarding the subject matter of the play was sent home to parents, Scott Bailey was not at all deceptive as Delbarian accuses in his letter. Posters and photos that hung on campus made it quite clear that two females would be playing the leads.
In fact, being that “Romeo and Juliet” is one of the most famous pieces of literature, I would assume that most parents are familiar with Shakespeare’s crude style. To expect adults to be unaware of this general knowledge would be an insult to their intelligence.
In regards to the gender-blind casting, I would like to remind Delbarian that more than 400 years ago, when the play was first performed, the two lovers were played by men.
If Elizabethan society was mature and open-minded enough to handle it, I cannot see why in 2008, in a state where gay marriage has been legalized, we cannot.
No gender pronouns were changed in the script. Romeo’s gender was left ambiguous. This ambiguity showed how irrelevant it really is. Whether the lovers are two males, two females or a male and female, the story is equally as tragic and beautiful. Gender-blind casting is a popular artistic choice in theater, and fear of homophobia should not have an effect on directorial decisions.
We performed the play word for word as Shakespeare wrote it.
So it seems Delbarian’s real problem is with Shakespeare, and there is just not much that can be done about that. If Delbarian cannot handle being provoked and forced to think, he should have stayed home and watched television, not gone to theater.
The artistic world is under no obligation to appease simpletons and philistines.
JENNA TAMIMI
Burbank
Genio’s Italian Restaurant lives on
My wife and I are just a couple of the many Burbank diners who were dismayed when Genio’s Italian Restaurant closed about a year ago. Now, we have discovered that some of our favorite dishes live on.
The former chef at Genio’s now operates Frank’s Restaurant on West Olive Avenue in Burbank.
Frank’s menu combines the best of its popular old-school coffee shop fare with many of the delicious signature entrees that made Genio’s so popular.
We visited last Saturday for lunch, and we will be headed back again soon to try out dinner.
The food was great, and the friendly service that has always characterized Frank’s remains intact, with many familiar faces among the staff members.
GLEN AND PEGGY DOLL
Burbank
Dignity, decorum needed in dress
What in the world is happening to our City Council?
In recent weeks, Mayor Dave Golonski and Vice Mayor Gary Bric have apparently decreed a two-man casual Tuesday policy. The wardrobe of shirt sleeves, T-shirts and sport jerseys would be just fine — if our representatives were 12 years old.
Seems that dignity, decorum, professionalism and (to use Bric’s endlessly repeated catch phrase) “stuff like that” have suddenly gone the way of the Dodo.
JONNY WHITESIDE
Burbank
As a retired teacher, I was shocked to see that the school district that gave me a well-rounded education could be so closed-minded about homosexuality and “The Laramie Project” production put on by Burroughs High School students (“Play brings protests,” May 31).
Principal Emilio Urioste is the one who should be moved to a new position or released.
My wife cannot believe that a progressive city like Burbank could be less tolerant than the conservative enclave where we now reside.
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He deserves support from the school district, not condemnation.
RON SANDERS
San Diego
Appalled by ‘Romeo and Juliet’ reaction
I graduated from John Burroughs High School this year. I was a part of the drama program for four years and played the nurse in the recent production of “Romeo and Juliet.”
I am truly appalled by Mike Delbarian’s shock regarding the subject matter of the play (“Play shouldn’t be such an issue,” June 25, Community Commentary). It can only be attributed to his lack of knowledge of Shakespeare.
He mentioned that there were sexual innuendoes, and he is correct. It is simply a part of Shakespeare and should be expected.
“Romeo and Juliet” is a part of the freshman English curriculum, so all drama students were familiar with it before participating in the play. Though no official notice regarding the subject matter of the play was sent home to parents, Scott Bailey was not at all deceptive as Delbarian accuses in his letter. Posters and photos that hung on campus made it quite clear that two females would be playing the leads.
In fact, being that “Romeo and Juliet” is one of the most famous pieces of literature, I would assume that most parents are familiar with Shakespeare’s crude style. To expect adults to be unaware of this general knowledge would be an insult to their intelligence.
In regards to the gender-blind casting, I would like to remind Delbarian that more than 400 years ago, when the play was first performed, the two lovers were played by men.
If Elizabethan society was mature and open-minded enough to handle it, I cannot see why in 2008, in a state where gay marriage has been legalized, we cannot.
No gender pronouns were changed in the script. Romeo’s gender was left ambiguous. This ambiguity showed how irrelevant it really is. Whether the lovers are two males, two females or a male and female, the story is equally as tragic and beautiful. Gender-blind casting is a popular artistic choice in theater, and fear of homophobia should not have an effect on directorial decisions.
We performed the play word for word as Shakespeare wrote it.
So it seems Delbarian’s real problem is with Shakespeare, and there is just not much that can be done about that. If Delbarian cannot handle being provoked and forced to think, he should have stayed home and watched television, not gone to theater.
The artistic world is under no obligation to appease simpletons and philistines.
JENNA TAMIMI
Burbank
Genio’s Italian Restaurant lives on
My wife and I are just a couple of the many Burbank diners who were dismayed when Genio’s Italian Restaurant closed about a year ago. Now, we have discovered that some of our favorite dishes live on.
The former chef at Genio’s now operates Frank’s Restaurant on West Olive Avenue in Burbank.
Frank’s menu combines the best of its popular old-school coffee shop fare with many of the delicious signature entrees that made Genio’s so popular.
We visited last Saturday for lunch, and we will be headed back again soon to try out dinner.
The food was great, and the friendly service that has always characterized Frank’s remains intact, with many familiar faces among the staff members.
GLEN AND PEGGY DOLL
Burbank
Dignity, decorum needed in dress
What in the world is happening to our City Council?
In recent weeks, Mayor Dave Golonski and Vice Mayor Gary Bric have apparently decreed a two-man casual Tuesday policy. The wardrobe of shirt sleeves, T-shirts and sport jerseys would be just fine — if our representatives were 12 years old.
Seems that dignity, decorum, professionalism and (to use Bric’s endlessly repeated catch phrase) “stuff like that” have suddenly gone the way of the Dodo.
JONNY WHITESIDE
Burbank
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