Tue. August 24, 2004
New York City -
With New York City opening her arms to the Republican National Party for their annual convention, many members of the prestigious NYC & Co. Visitors & Convention Bureau chose to offer special discounts on their services and products. After participating in the “Come Ear & Stay Late” program, Naked Boys Singing! was suddenly pulled from the program two days ago.
Since Naked Boys Singing! discount was included in all media outreach from NYC & Co, Nyc &Co’s website and mentioned in print in the New York Post on May 09, 2004, Martian Entertainment, producers of Naked Boys Singing!, followed up with NYC & Co, to determine why the show was yanked. The producers discovered that the RNC Committee on Arrangements had refused to offer the show’s discount to their delegates and guests and asked that the show be removed from the NYC & Co website.
RNC Committee on Arrangements did not return calls regarding this issue, after repeated voice mails left at their New York and Washington locations to explain why they felt it necessary to protect conventioneers from a musical comedy.
“The censoring of entertainment, food and cultural options provided by New York City for the conventioneers is a waste of a great opportunity for encouraging diversity and alternative points of view within the Republican Party.” states Carl D. White, Producer / GM. “Editing what is offered to the delegates as a part of their convention directly contradicts their earlier written claims on their rationale for choosing New York as its host city. I find their actions discriminatory, and morally and ethically reprehensible.”
In a written statement, William D. Harris, CEO, RNC on October 14, 2003 stated, “The City of New York was selected for the Convention because the City represents the very best that America has to offer. The strength and diversity of New York reflects the Republican Party’s philosophy that everyone is welcome, everyone is important and everyone should have a voice.”
Naked Boys Singing! has been a proud member of the NYC & Co for over five years and has participated in many of its marketing incentive programs. After joining the “Come Early, Stay Late Program” on May 5, 2004, the box office of the show began to receive queries relating to the show’s discount, mentioned in the NYC & Co information and Website. The recent purging from the delegates’ options was brought to the attention of Carl D. White by journalist Amy Sohn of New York Magazine, when following up on a piece featuring NBS! and their generous discounted offer for entertaining the delegates and guests of the RNC.
“This is not about politics. Anyone coming to our city should have free and unobstructed access to the many discounts, entertainments, restaurants, and events that our great city has to offer,” states Tom Smedes, Producer / GM, of Naked Boys Singing!
Naked Boys Singing!, ‘the little naked show that could,’ has been presented Off-Broadway for over 2,100 performances and is in its sixth year, making it one of the top 10 longest running Off-Broadway shows, outlasting hits like “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” and “Forever Plaid.”
The New York production, which plays eight shows a week at Theater Four, 424 W 55th Street, has spawned shows in cities across the world, been translated into 5 languages and grossed over $10 Million. Famous for its campy songs celebrating the joys of being naked, it features such fun ditties as “Bliss of A Bris” and “Gratuitous Nudity.”
Other productions of the show are currently running in Chicago, IL and Atlanta, GA.
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