Amateur/Professional

>Dominie, ie Frenchs 'rules' say that all amateur productions must have the appropriate wording to say so in all paid advertising and programmes.> The question is why?> I feel fortunate enough not to have heard of this before.> I feel it is a silly rule that only encourages a 'racist' like attitude in theatre.> What we do is not lower-class. It is simply unpaid. Why separate based on payment or lack there-of? I've done a bit of both and>Geez, spend a weekend helping to build a set (for Blak Yak's "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress" - opens this Wednesday!) and I'm behind on all the gossip!The way it was explained to me (and please, someone correct me if I'm wrong) is that there have actually been cases where members of the genetal public (sic - thanks Kristine!) have tried to sue theatres and/or agents after innocently attending a performance only to discover, shock! horror! that it wasn't a professional production! The 'disclaimer', "This is an amateur production," is, in legal jargon, an arse-coverer.By the way, to all the guys out there, don't go thinking that "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress" is 'just another chick play'; there is plenty there for both sexes. Think about it: five women, one dress - you do the maths...