TheatreFace
Putting a Face on Theatre
I am a high school theater director with pretty talented students. I am looking for suggestions for plays to consider producing this year. For the first time ever I am about to enter the school year next month and I do not have a season already planned! We like to do both straight plays and children's theater. ( I am not in need of musical suggestions at this time we are all set there). We always have more young ladies at auditions than young men and I would be interested in a cast of 10-20. Last year we had a huge cast and it was tough running rehearsals when I had to cast every boy who showed up to auditions and then lots did not come consistantly to rehearse. Few plays have more girls than boys but some type of balance would be ideal.
Although we have done huge unit set productions in the past (Like Odd Couple, Brighton Beach and Indians) we are no longer able to do that since we share the theater with a dance program which uses the stage for class daily. I have to have a set that can roll into the wings in sections or push to the back out of the way so we can use it and then remove it for them to dance.
We have already done The Crucible, Ten Little Indians, Charlotte's Web, Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Importance of Being Earnest, Winds of Silk, Home on The Mornin' Train, The Breakfast Club, M*A*S*H, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,The Red Hat (Commedia Del Arte), Teen Angel, You Can't Take it With You, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Odd Couple, Ordinary People, Ask Shawna (drinking and driving character education) numerous murder mystery dinner theater and student written productions and many more.
Our community is a bit conservative (or at least I have to make conservative choices or edit bits out) to keep things appropriate for public school production.
Shows with a draw based on the name have helped a great deal at the box office. I love doing things that the elementary teachers can tie to their standards because it makes it more meaningful for everyone involved and also sells more tickets to teachers who can get the field trips approved more easily.
I am so ready to get excited about the next piece of literature so sink into and I just do not have anything jumping out at me. I know there are so many of you out there who can rattle off things you have done or seen done that I should consider. Thanks!
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Replies to This Discussion
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I could have written this myself! Exactly the same scenario here...In fact I was hoping to do Crucible this fall but cannot as the rights are restricted in my area for that time. Now I find myself still trying to make a decision for the fall! About a month ago I ordered eight plays I thought would work and distributed them to the four officers of the theater club to read for feedback. Anyway, the past few years we have done Pride and Prejudice (beautiful script by Jon Jory at Playscripts.com), The Desk Set, First Lady, Quality Street and Once in a Lifetime. I have considered Mill Girls as well (would play close to home as we are in MA.) We also did a self-written version of Dracula but it was an odd year where I had more talented guys than gals! I'm thinking about doing a Radio play this year for something different. If I come across something as I'm reading these last few I'll post again. Good luck!!
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Permalink Reply by Michelle Kidd on -
Thanks for the info. I am not familiar with the last three plays you did. Can you tell me more about them? What is the publishing company?
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Permalink Reply by Michelle Kidd on
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I found everything but Quality Street at Samuel French. Tell me more about The Desk Set. I cannot find much about the set requirements. It sounds like a great story and I love the plot. I am interested in the Kaufman stuff since I loved working on You Can't Take it With You. Steel Magnolias is one of my favorite things I have directed as well. I forgot to list that one. No guys in the script but we broke the radio announcer lines into two different guys so we could at least cast two and not just one. No guys ever appear on the stage in that one but it is soooo fun and funny and touching. So well written.
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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Dorf on -
Hi Michelle,
At the risk of being somewhat self-serving, you might consider looking at some of my plays and those of my online publishing company, YouthPLAYS. Many of my plays are widely produced at schools--among the newest is a mash-up parody of Harry Potter and Twilight called Harry's Hotter at Twilight, available in a full-length (YouthPLAYS) and one-act (Playscripts) version. You can find more info on my website at http://jonathandorf.com.
YouthPLAYS has a number of adaptations of well-known titles that might be of interest, with more great scripts arriving soon. Also, both sites have lots of free monologues for use in the classroom and for auditions, so I hope you'll take a look!
All the best,
Jonathan Dorf
p.s. Mary Ann, your name looks very familiar to me--did you do one of my shows, possibly one that's at Brooklyn Publishers, some years back?
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Yes, that's true! We have done more than one of your one-act plays I'm sure! Good stuff!!
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The Desk Set has one unit set which is the office for the three researchers and a second office to the side for the leading lady. You'll have to forgive me as I'm working from the Cape and don't have access to my school records! So three desks and an 'entrance' to the library and entry to the supervisors office which we actually built a raised floor for. There are old movies for both Desk Set and Quality Street both of which feature Katherine Hepburn! I am sorry I cannot find the company holding the rights to Quality Street but when I do I will send that info. It's also a funny script by Jim Barrie (author of Peter Pan). It's a period piece taking place in England. I love the Kaufman stuff too, they always play well, lots of parts. First Lady is Kaufman, about two women trying to promote their own men as presidential candidates. My kids really enjoyed the whole 1930's vibe. Once In a Lifetime is also Kaufman, a parody of the motion picture industry when silents were being replaced by talkies. All the typical thinly-veiled Kaufmann characters!
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Permalink Reply by Michelle Kidd on
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Thanks for the information. I will be looking into all of them. I am also considering Cheaper by the Dozen. Have you ever done that?
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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Dorf on
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Quality Street is with Samuel French. A good place to look when you can't find the publisher of a play is www.findaplay.com.
Cheers,
Jon
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I've never read Cheaper by the Dozen but what a great old movie, Clifton Webb and the gorgeous Myrna Loy! Jon thanks for that link!!
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