Ratings System

West Valley Arts prides itself on bringing a variety of productions to our stage in order to enrich our community’s experiences within theatre arts.  However, we recognize not every show is suitable for every patron.  In order to allow our patrons to better determine what shows are appropriate for themselves and their families, we have developed a rating system for our productions. We have established this content rating system, not to censor our artists, but to keep those of you who have concerns informed of what to expect when you attend.  We recommend each production for a certain age range. We trust that you, as the patron, are the best person to make decisions for yourself and your family.  


Due to this, any show with a rating above 13+ will require an acknowledgement of content at the time of ticket purchase. 


We determine rating by looking at three areas: Violence, Adult Content, and Language. The highest age is the one that we recommend, but all possible content issues are addressed.

If you have questions about specific content in a particular production, please contact our Theatre Program Manager Vanessa Olson at (801) 232-0318  or via email at vanessa.olson@wvc-ut.gov

Theatre Rating Components Explained

Violence

5+ Rating: Show may contain mild slapstick, or typical fairy-tale situations, and characters may face brief moments of mild peril, but nothing that would be considered disturbing to the vast majority of young children.

13+ Rating: Show may contain infrequent violence, such as slaps or basic swordplay. Show may contain situations that could be frightening for children.

16+ Rating: Show may contain frequent and moderate violence, including gun violence and death. May contain situations that are intense and frightening for children.

​Adult Content

5+ Rating: All content is appropriate for all ages. May contain or have indirect reference to illness, death or divorce.
​
13+ Rating: ​May address adult content, including death, violence and suicide. May contain adult situations such as smoking, drinking or substance abuse. May contain indirect or direct references to sexuality and mild sexual situations.

​16+ Rating: Show may contain suggestive sexual content. May directly depict adult content such as suicide, illegal activities, and drug use.

Language

5+ Rating: There is no offensive language in the production at any time. There are no references that would be inappropriate for young children.
​
13+ Rating: Some adult language (moderate), may contain mild references to adult topics.
​
16+ Rating: Contains adult language (severe). Language may be frequent. Production may also contain some adult references not appropriate for children.
​
Note: Mild cursing includes curse words, but does not include religious cursing or the f-word.
Moderate cursing includes curse words and religious slurs, but does not include the f-word.
Severe cursing includes all curse words and religious slurs, including the f-word.

 We trust that you, as the patron, are the best person to make decisions for yourself and your family.