ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a law that prohibits establishments from allowing children to attend anything that is considered an "adult live performance." 

Lawmakers behind the measure say it’s aimed at preventing children from seeing sexual content at drag shows. But representatives from other establishments, including community theaters, say it's causing them to reconsider their operations as well.

 Since it opened a year and a half ago, Donald Rupe says Renaissance Theatre Company, which he co-founded, has been going strong.

“We catapulted into an immediate success, which has been amazing,” he said.

But since Florida lawmakers began advancing legislation that’s aimed at penalizing businesses that allow minors to watch drag shows, Rupe says his theater had to reexamine policies on who is allowed into their shows.

“Movies like 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' every Shakespearean show you’ve ever seen, has drag in it,” said Rupe.  “So we’ve found ourselves — the unintended consequence — that we’re suddenly on this naughty list.”

Rupe says that as a nonprofit, the theater is allowed to serve alcohol during certain events — something he worries could end if the state somehow finds the theater in violation of the new state law. 

So, Rupe said members of the Renaissance Theater Company decided, even before the law was signed, to go ahead and restrict shows to people aged 18 and up.

“Unfortunately, with the way things are going, if somebody in this room tells the state that we’re letting underage people watch what they deem adult material, then we get in trouble,” he said.  “So we’re finding that we have to follow the law to an extreme, where parents no longer have the choice of where to bring their kids.”

Tim and Amy Lambert say they wanted to bring their high school-aged sons — including one who’s nearly 18 — to a recent show at the theater. The show told the story of Josephine Baker, a mid-20th century cabaret star who broke racial boundaries on the international stage. 

The Lamberts decided a brief moment of nudity was not too inappropriate for theirs sons to see, considering the perspective knowledge they could learn in the process.

“We want them to see and experience different shows, different movies, different plays, different music that we can have a conversation about,” said Tim Lambert. “Now, if it’s not appropriate for them, that’s something that we can determine as a parent. But don’t tell me that I can’t take my kids to it without me making the decision.”

Because of the impending state law and the theater’s new policy, the Lamberts say they couldn’t bring their sons into the show.

“It’s sad, because you’re keeping people from experiencing things that maybe they would never experience otherwise," Rupe said. "So I hope that going forward we would get some clarification that makes sense."

Rupe says the theater will remain vigilant and careful about who comes in, but he doesn’t want anything to stop its momentum.

“Artists are crafty, and we’re going to keep going,” he said. “We’re going to keep making what we make, and we’ll find ways to work within any restrictions that we see.”

Spectrum News 13 also reached out to the Orlando Fringe Fest, which is featuring numerous theatrical shows in several venues through the end of May. 

The festival’s executive director, Alauna Friskics, released a statement that says in part: “Pushing the boundaries of gender expression can come in a wide range of art forms, many of which are completely appropriate for all ages. By threatening this expression, we run the risk of losing perspective or understanding of something that might look or feel different.”