Be Theatre Doubles-Down on Kid-Friendly Drag Queen Show

Here is the entire statement from the leadership of Be Theatre:

Be Framily,

Since ancient Greece, there have been times theatre has been revered as a form of worship, a source of entertainment, and also outlawed as a dangerous expression of ideas and movements. Throughout it all, theatre is an opportunity to reflect different stories, cultures, and situations. As many of you know, we are ending our 2022-2023 season with a CaBEret Drag Show. On June 23rd and 24th, we will have three unique drag shows each with its own theme. The Saturday Matinee will be a fairy tale drag show rated G. There will be absolutely no nudity, profanity, or inappropriate behaviors or speech.

As with many things in the world, there are a wide range of passionate opinions and beliefs. We understand that some people will still want to refrain from attending. It is their right to choose their definition of family-friendly. But just as some are choosing to not attend, we have just as many if not more supporters. Our Be Family knows what we stand for, and has supported us over the years. Some art challenges, some art entertains, and Be is here to present it. At Be Theatre, we actively support all types of art and the right for all people to express themselves in a safe place. The LGBTQ+ community is strong in San Angelo and have had the opportunity to celebrate and perform in numerous venues across the Concho Valley. We are more than happy to join the ranks as allying partners this Pride Month.

We value the feedback and support from our community regarding our upcoming programming. Thank you to those who contacted us and shared their concerns. We value your position and opinions. As we mentioned, the performing arts are a diverse representation of many aspects of our society. Sometimes topics that are covered may sometimes be controversial or challenge our view of the world. Our CaBEret for this weekend was not intended to be as controversial as it has become. We appreciate that our neighbors in all walks of life feel comfortable sharing who they are, their beliefs, their time, and their talents at Be. This weekend we are celebrating those that perform on stage as a queen.

We continue to value your input and will continue to work in the best interest of serving our entire community which will often include the marginalized, under-represented, or outliers. We may not always agree, but it is important that everyone have a voice and that we open the dialog in a constructive manner.

Sincerely,
Board President Mike Burnett
Artistic Director Sidney Timmer
Managing Director Keli Osborn

The following flier is for the Saturday matinee that the Be Theatre leadership is billing as "Family Friendly" that will incorporate a fairy tale theme and be rated G, thus arguably targeting young children. Note there are no age restrictions on the flier.

The next two shows as advertised on the fliers displayed have an age restriction of 16+, unlike the Saturday matinee that has no age restrictions.