Sweeney Todd Film Will Open Nation-Wide Dec. 21

The new film of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s musical Sweeney Todd — starring Johnny Depp as the Demon Barber of Fleet Street — will now arrive in movie theatres nationwide Dec. 21, according to Variety.

The DreamWorks/Warner Bros./Paramount film was originally scheduled to open in limited release and then go wide Jan. 11, 2008 because the powers that be felt the musical’s dark storyline would be less commercial than previous movie musicals. However, after executives began seeing “Sweeney” clips, they realized the film could have wider appeal than originally believed. The film is expected to receive an R rating according to playbill.com.

Bill Richardson Calls for Variation on Cut and Run

 Bill Richardson keeps moving further to the left. Pretty soon, he’s going to run over Dennis Kucinich. They say he’s auditioning to be Hillary’s Vice-President. Well, he would keep the kook, fringe liberal base happy. Wow.

 

This Should Make Your Day

Jay at Stop The ACLU has up a great article regarding a lawsuit and freedom of religious expression. This form of cenorship should not be acceptable. Here’s the real issue… ”This school has definitely taken censorship of Christianity to new heights by threatening to not only withhold Corder’s diploma, but potentially sabotage her chances of becoming a teacher. We never hear of Muslim students being stripped of their diplomas for mentioning Allah in their graduation speeches.” Read the whole post.

During her 30-second message Erica spoke about her faith in Jesus Christ. Afterwards, she was escorted to see the assistant principal, who said she would not receive her diploma because of the speech she had given. Principal Brewer later indicated that her comments were “immature.” He said that she could only receive her diploma if she apologized to the school community. Erica prepared a statement saying the message was her own and was not endorsed by the principal. Brewer insisted that she include the words: “I realize that, had I asked ahead of time, I would not have been allowed to say what I did.” Erica complied because she feared the school would withhold her diploma. She was also afraid that the school would put disciplinary notes in her file and would generate negative publicity, which could prevent her from becoming a school teacher. Principal Brewer sent out Erica’s message in an e-mail to the entire high school community. Soon after, Erica received her diploma.

Arts Education Remains the Ugly Step-Child

At the risk of stating the obvious, we as teachers, “start over” with a new group of students each year. As teachers of elective subjects, the fresh start includes defending our program, our curriculum, and our self. Unfortunately, we must often defend our existence to administrators, counselors, students, and parents. The new school environment that revolves around the high stakes testing world created by distant legislators and congressmen continually pushes the performing arts into the role of incommodious step-child. Although we have modified our curriculum to be a better match in the overall school design, we still work with a largely unilluminated public that views artistic pursuits as frills and embellishments to a real education. Why, courses in the performing arts rate below study halls in the priority scheme of many parents.  

The 2008 school year has started off well, and most of our students are excited and at least moderately prepared to learn and participate.