The Show Must GO

Hydeware Theatre's Ember Hyde is also anxious about her company's upcoming performance at the Ivory of The Caucasian Chalk Circle, by the Marxist playwright Bertolt Brecht: "Are they going to have problem with a Socialist play? Will it be too long for kids? Maybe the subject matter isn't too crude for a child, but it's too complex. That little sentence [about performances geared toward 'an adult audience rather than the general public'] isn't very specific. We're going to hope that it all works out for our shows for the next season."

"Everyone here has a pretty full day," says the monsignor. "Mr. Rothschild was a perfect gentleman. We trust him as far as honoring the agreement."

Scott Miller adds that he's heartened by his dealings with the archdiocese in September.

"We're not going to make choices about what shows the archdiocese won't try to block. We're going to do the shows we want to do," says Miller, whose company produces only musicals. "I may be wildly naive, but I think we're OK. We're never going to produce something that would be terrible for kids to see.

"But then again, musicals are inherently tamer than plays. So even the wildest musicals aren't anywhere near as wild as the wildest plays."