Dear Parents, Read the Script Before You Flip Out

by Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder

There’s something particularly cruel about a parent pulling their child out of a high school theatre production days or even hours before curtain. It’s not just frustrating. It’s not just inconvenient. It’s a betrayal. Of the student. Of the cast. Of the director. Of the work. And of the very purpose of educational theatre.

If you’re a parent who suddenly takes issue with the content of a show, I have one very simple question for you: where were you when the play was announced?

You had months. You had permission slips. You had audition packets. You had time to Google. You had time to ask questions. You had time to attend a parent meeting. You had every opportunity to be a responsible adult, to understand the show your child was committing to, and to make an informed decision about their participation.

Instead, you waited. You waited until your child had memorized their lines, had costume fittings, had bonded with their castmates, and had a sense of pride in what they were creating. And then you decided to yank them out. That’s not parenting. That’s sabotage.

Even worse are the parents who go a step further and complain to school administrators. Not to advocate for their own child’s personal boundaries, but to get the entire production canceled. Congratulations, you’ve now taken something away from dozens of students because you didn’t do your research, you don’t trust the educators you’ve hired, and you think your discomfort should dictate what everyone else gets to experience.

This kind of censorship is not about protecting children. It’s about controlling narratives. And it’s heartbreaking to watch a hardworking cast and crew get their production shut down because a few adults are more interested in moral panic than meaningful dialogue.

Would you pull your kid out of a championship football game the day before because you suddenly realized you don’t like tackling? Would you tell your child’s orchestra they can’t play the winter concert because you finally Googled the lyrics to “Bohemian Rhapsody”? No. Because we understand the value of sports and music as team efforts, and we understand the harm done when someone bails on a group or worse, gets the entire event canceled right before the finish line.

So why is theatre the one discipline we’re still comfortable treating like an afterthought?

Let me be very clear. High school theatre is not some extracurricular free-for-all where your child is handed a role without expectations. These programs have schedules. They have structure. They teach discipline, collaboration, and follow-through. And when a parent swoops in last minute with a moral objection they could have voiced months ago, they’re not just silencing their own child’s creative voice. They’re throwing a wrench into an entire ensemble’s hard work. And when they lobby the school to shut down the whole show, they’re weaponizing ignorance at the expense of everyone.

If you want to set boundaries for your child, fine. That’s your right as a parent. But do it at the start. Don’t leave a director scrambling to re-block scenes because you didn’t do your homework. And don’t pretend your eleventh-hour disapproval is some moral high ground when really, it’s just poor planning.

This isn’t about whether you liked the script. It’s about whether you respected the process. And if the answer is no, maybe next time, sit down, read the play, and have a conversation before auditions begin.

Because if you're going to object, at least be on time. The rest of us are already at places.