Members of the Black Box Series rehearse their play “Explicit Content for Teens,” March 4 at the Theatre, Film and Media Arts Building. Credit: Vivian Yang | Lantern Reporter
Teen rebellion and artistic censorship will take center stage in The Black Box Series’ upcoming performance.
The Black Box Series, one of Ohio State’s student-run theater groups, will present “Explicit Content for Teens” from Thursday to Sunday in Ohio State’s Multipurpose Theatre Lab — located at 1932 College Road — with daily showtimes at 7:30 p.m. and additional 2:30 p.m. showtimes Saturday and Sunday.
Written by Ohio State alum Grace Ellis, the play delves into themes of artistic censorship and free expression, according to the Ohio State Department of Theatre, Film and Media Arts webpage. The story follows a group of teen drama students who secretly read “Fool’s Gold” — a fictional play temporarily banned by the school board for its “objectionable material” — as the students prepare for a meeting that will determine the play’s fate, according to the webpage.
AJ Calderon, director of The Black Box Series, said the organization has previously hosted readings of “Explicit Content for Teens,” but this will mark the first time the play has been fully staged at Ohio State. He said he is excited to give the show its own spotlight.
“Once I read the play, I just fell in love with the whole matter of it — how it’s a conversation that needs to be had, needs to be seen, needs to be talked about, but it’s not preaching,” Calderon said.
Calderon said the show is particularly important for young audiences, like college students, as it highlights the importance of using one’s voice to discuss topics including censorship.
“People think young people are too young to think these things, that they don’t get to say anything about it,” Calderon said. “But this play proves that young people can have those conversations, and they should.”
Ellis said “Fool’s Gold,” the fictional 1950s script featured in the performance, offers a platform for the characters to explore their sexualities and question whether art requires a fixed interpretation.
“It is a question of whether or not the fictional play from the ‘50s contains lesbian characters, and it’s really up to the interpretation of the group that’s performing it whether or not that’s true,” Ellis said. “So, the question that the characters have to answer is: Are these characters in this old play supposed to be gay? Is anything in art supposed to be any one particular way? Is it appropriate or not appropriate that there are gay people in this play?”
Ellis said she views “Explicit Content For Teens” as a conversation about artistic freedom rather than just a performance. She said she hopes it will remind audiences that the true value of art lies in discussion, not censorship.
“The conversation is the important part,” Ellis said. “You can’t censor the art because the conversation about the art is the most important takeaway from the art — period.”
Ellis said she created “Explicit Content for Teens” as a collaborative project with Gahanna Lincoln High School’s theater program — inspired by student concerns about theater censorship, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ content — to explore the broader debate on artistic expression.
“I was talking to the kids about the kinds of things that they were interested in, and they were really, really interested in this concept of censorship,” Ellis said. “I wanted to put them on stage in front of their parents, who they were uncomfortable voicing these opinions to. It seemed like a good use of theater.”
Emily Copeland, a second-year in social work and one of the show’s performers, said the actors involved in the show come from a variety of majors, including those outside of theater who still share a passion for performing.
“I did theater in high school; that was really fun, but I didn’t come to college to study it,” Copeland said. “I missed student theater.”
Dillen Mitchell, a third-year in psychology and another one of the show’s performers, said theater is not only an opportunity to perform, but also a window to explore individual expression and social issues.
“Theater is the one place where I feel like I can express myself,” Mitchell said. “There are some who are dramatically outward, but most of the time, they’re very quiet, very timid and when they get on stage, it’s like a completely different person.”
Tickets for the event can be purchased online for $10. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the event’s Ticketmaster listing.
