School Groups Leave Production of SCHOOL OF ROCK at The Ritz Theatre Company Mid-Show Due to 'Inappropriate' Content

The Ritz Theatre Company has addressed controversy surrounding its production of School of Rock.

According to a Facebook post, several classes ranging from 3rd to 5th grades, who came to see the show, were forced to leave mid-performance after their teachers deemed the show "inappropriate" and "unsuitable" for their age groups.

The company states that the show's age recommendation of eight and older was made clear to the school groups in attendance prior to the show.

"At its heart, SCHOOL OF ROCK is a show about self-love, finding your voice, and discovering purpose, exploring such vital themes as 'inclusion, friendship, and personal identity'," the company stated. "We believe the work on our stage carries out the goals and intentions of the creators who wrote the musical. It is also our firm belief that the behavior and actions displayed yesterday were in direct contradiction with the values of the show and the values of our organization."

The theatre company then went on to apologize to the students themselves who were forced to leave the show.

"As such, we would like to invite those students and parents to return to The Ritz for one of the remaining performances of SCHOOL OF ROCK, free of charge."

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