Female-Heavy Plays for High School

I am a high school theatre teacher and am trying to choose a play for our fall production. As with many high schools, I have 1-2 boys who are committed to my program and MANY girls. I have produced comedies in the past and am looking for something a little different. I would like to produce a drama (or dark comedy....) or murder mystery. Can anyone help with suggestions for a play that has a female-heavy cast that might fit in the more dramatic genres? So far I've come up with Crimes of the Heart but I'm concerned about my school's very conservative community. I want to stay away from Steel Magnolias (because it is a comedy) and because there's not even ONE boy. I have one EXTREMELY talented senior boy this year and don't want to leave him out of the fall production. I would appreciate some help and your suggestions!

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Permalink Reply by Carey Kugler on July 20, 2009 at 6:46pm
KIndertransport is wonderful, Children's Hour unless the community issue raises its head, A Piece of My Heart is a tough play but there is a DVD documentary about a HS in Michigan working on it, Emma's Child will break your heart and only 3 guys, also Scenes and Revelations. Playscripts has Waiting in Tobolsk about the last days of the Czars family and Anastasia is actually a minor character - 1 guy.
Happy reading!
Permalink Reply by Heidi Lee on July 21, 2009 at 12:43am
Thank you- I'll take a look at these. Please everyone- more suggestions!
Permalink Reply by Patrick Antonucci on July 26, 2009 at 9:32am
First of all, don't block Steel Magnolias because of the cast. I am in a similar situation, double cast the show to get more girls into it, and used one male as the DJ voice. It was amazing in that I had more males coming in to audition because they were upset that I had done a show without male parts. I just explained that since no guys had auditioned, I had to go with what I had. For my nxt production, I had more boys than I needed.
Another show possibility is the Nunsense series. They are musicals, but they work.
I've also used willing females in male parts. The audience had no trouble with it, and again it was used to get guys to audition.
Permalink Reply by Yellow Taxi Productions on July 27, 2009 at 9:37am
Dancing at Lughnasa will fit your requirements
Permalink Reply by Soline McLain on July 27, 2009 at 9:38am
Hi! I was in the original cast of a great historical play, "As It Is in Heaven." It is a cast of nine women (unfortunately similar to your "Steel Magnolias" problem, there are no men.) If you wanted to do it another year after your senior boy graduates, it's a great play with some meaty parts for women! It definitely fits into the dramatic category--it's about the religious group, the Shakers in the mid-1800s. Worth a read--it's by Arlene Hutton.
Permalink Reply by Julie Brunzell on July 27, 2009 at 9:40am
The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds by Paul Zindel is great, but no men.
Permalink Reply by Jeffrey M. Potter Watts on July 27, 2009 at 9:40am
There is an all-female version of Little Women--
Permalink Reply by Tom Fearon on July 27, 2009 at 9:45am
To See The Stars
The Warrior's Husband
Permalink Reply by Jeff Entwistle on July 27, 2009 at 9:46am
Professor Jeff Entwistle - UW Green Bay Theatre
A great small musical for all women and musicians is Quilters. I have seen it done effectively with 8 women and 7 women.
Permalink Reply by Michael McGarty on July 27, 2009 at 9:55am
Close Ties by Elizabeth Diggs
Dancing at Lughnasa
Permalink Reply by Emily Cicchini on July 27, 2009 at 10:00am
Hello Heidi:

I have a bittersweet romantic play, Becoming Bronte, about the early lives of the famous literary sisters, that has three females and one male that you could spread around to more females with double casting and alternative night casts. It's very appropriate for high school audiences. You can read and download the entire play for free here:

http://www.emilycicchini.com/archive/?page_id=4

And here are the terms of service:

http://www.emilycicchini.com/archive/

I would love to hear what you and your students think of the script. In the past, actresses have really enjoyed getting to better know the Brontes by doing their own personal research about these famous women. It's had some productions that were very successful, and won some national awards.

Even if you don't select my script, I hope you'll consider producing a new play, perhaps by developing a relationship with a local writer. It's very hard for lesser-known playwrights such as myself to get second and additional productions.
Permalink Reply by christa whittaker on July 27, 2009 at 10:08am
Radio T.B.S. by Mark Landon Smith. Like Greater Tuna for women. There are several cameo opportunites for men. What about Brighton Beach Memoirs? Female heavy and great male parts, too.

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