A few readers have written or called to express their displeasure with my review of High School Musical. In particular, they objected to my lead paragraph, in which I stated that HMS was in desperate need of a life-giving infusion of bad taste, and added: "Paging John Waters."

One woman wrote:

"Would you have 80% of the audience be embarrassed in front of their children if the play became High School Druggie Pregnant Dropout Musical? Does a play have to offend someone to be relevant or successful?"

Along a similar vein, a man from Odenton commented: "I read your review of High School Musical. today, February 22. Six of us are season tickets holders.  I was surprised that your review complained that was not filthy enough for you.  I assume you loved Avenue Q because of its filth. We walked out of Avenue Q.  In the future, if you love a play, I will stay away.  You should run future columns under the heading of Filthy Mary McCauley Reviews."

A woman caller said that she didn't see the show because it sounded too light and fluffy. (My point exactly.) But she nonetheless found my review to be offensive and immature.

Interestingly, several writers contrasted HSM favorable to Avenue Q which ran previously at the Hippodrome Theatre, and which I liked.

I truly appreciate everyone who took the time to write to me. Now, let me clarify my position:

The point I was trying to make in the review is that art should be provocative, should challenge the status quo. Art should make the audience (including me) a little but uncomfortable, because discomfort makes us examine our own values and responses.

That, in my opinion, is what HSM lacks, and where, in its finest moments, Avenue Q succeeds.

Nor do I champion smut for the sake of smut. The use of a four-letter word is no guarantee of artistic integrity. But, neither is it the opposite.

Occasionally, John Waters goes too far for even my tastes. But, he is smart, talented and very funny. I included him in my review because he is a local artist whose offbeat sensibility would be familiar to every reader. But, to each his or her own.