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| Play suggestions, please | |
| Posted by: Christopher 08:44 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
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| A high school principal friend of mine wants to start having student-run productions at his school. (‘Til now, the students performed, but everything else is done by adults.) He turned to me for suggestions for plays to give them to choose from, and I am turning to you. I am looking for plays that fit the following parameters: ▪️ Not a musical, although incidental music is okay. ▪️ A ensemble cast in which there are several lead and featured characters, but no real “star” part (more “Into the Woods” than “Funny Girl”). ▪️ At least 50% of the characters can be played by a female. ▪️ No more than two hour running time. ▪️ Edgy and/or topical I know that’s a lot, but, except for not being a musical, all these rules are grey and bendable. The best I’ve been able to come up with is “The Laramie Project” and maybe “Cloud 9” or “Top Girls” Any help would be appreciated. Chris |
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| re: Play suggestions, please | |
| Posted by: MikeR 01:52 pm EDT 05/15/18 | |
| In reply to: Play suggestions, please - Christopher 08:44 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
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| I suppose it might be bordering on cliche at this point, but The Crucible would certainly fit the bill. | |
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| Thank you for these ideas | |
| Posted by: Christopher 07:47 am EDT 05/15/18 | |
| In reply to: Play suggestions, please - Christopher 08:44 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
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| Keep ‘em coming, please | |
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| re: Thank you for these ideas | |
| Posted by: Budinsky 01:40 pm EDT 05/15/18 | |
| In reply to: Thank you for these ideas - Christopher 07:47 am EDT 05/15/18 | |
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| Tina Howe's MUSEUM | |
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| re: Thank you for these ideas | |
| Last Edit: IThespis 11:20 am EDT 05/15/18 | |
| Posted by: IThespis 11:15 am EDT 05/15/18 | |
| In reply to: Thank you for these ideas - Christopher 07:47 am EDT 05/15/18 | |
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| Hard call, putting on a high school play. No matter what a director wants to do, the audience might not be up for complicated themes, serious drama, plays beyond student capability. In school plays, students just want to be other people and have fun, not essay the dramatic arts. Wouldn't you want a fun play students will want to run? Possibly something your audience knows. I think proven with schools have been Almost, Maine. The Curious Savage. Our Town. You Can't Take It With You. To Kill A Mockingbird. | |
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| re: Thank you for these ideas | |
| Posted by: Christopher 02:38 pm EDT 05/15/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Thank you for these ideas - IThespis 11:15 am EDT 05/15/18 | |
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| This school is a theatre arts magnet. The students will pick their play from a selection, or choose their own but these are students who want a challenge. |
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| re: Thank you for these ideas | |
| Last Edit: schlepper 02:56 pm EDT 05/15/18 | |
| Posted by: schlepper 02:55 pm EDT 05/15/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Thank you for these ideas - Christopher 02:38 pm EDT 05/15/18 | |
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| If it hasn't already been mentioned, maybe INHERIT THE WIND? | |
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| re: Play suggestions, please | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 11:08 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
| In reply to: Play suggestions, please - Christopher 08:44 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
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| Not as edgy or topical, but you could possibly do Neil Simon's "Plaza Suite" and have different actors do the leads in each of the three acts. The supporting characters, though, are practically what they would call on tv "under 5s" with not very much dialogue. "The Heidi Chronicles" has most of what you want, though it does have a star leading lady role, but a number of very good supporting roles, though I forget how long its playing time is. You could do one of the 3 "Norman Conquests" plays by Alan Ayckbourn which I believe have an equal number of male and female roles. The only edgy aspect of it has to do probably with implied or attempted philandering by its title character, if I recall. |
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| re: Play suggestions, please | |
| Posted by: Pokernight 10:07 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
| In reply to: Play suggestions, please - Christopher 08:44 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
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| Tough parameters. I came up with TWELVE ANGRY (MEN) PEOPLE; LYSISTRATA | |
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| re: Play suggestions, please | |
| Posted by: bobby2 10:02 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
| In reply to: Play suggestions, please - Christopher 08:44 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
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| Lots of schools do "Stage Door" it has all you ask for except the edgy part. Tons of female roles. Maybe Rumors the Neil Simon play would work. Also how about The Shadow Box? | |
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| Everyman | |
| Last Edit: BroadwayBabby1991 10:56 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
| Posted by: BroadwayBabby1991 10:45 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Play suggestions, please - bobby2 10:02 pm EDT 05/14/18 | |
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| Everyman is a famous morality play where the characters are meant to represent all of mankind. Directors have been playing around with it allot and have used gender-blind casting (a prime example of this would be Everybody by Brendon Jacobs Jenkins, but Im not sure if it is published yet. Samuel French had various versions (also highlights the feature of cross gender casting). See the link bellow |
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| Link | https://www.samuelfrench.com/s/1287/everyman-anonymous |
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