# Anyone know a good play we could put on?



## MillburyAuditorium (Aug 16, 2009)

Hello everyone, didn't know were to put this, sorry if im wrong.


Our Jr.High drama director has been bugging me about what play we should do, So now im going to bug you guys about it 

Well, we usually have a good number of people wanting to join the Jr. High Drama Club, so there isn't plenty of people to fill parts, so shouldn't be a play with a small amount of actors. Something were only one person does one part would be great so no changing required, Because I need to tell all the girls that they must be comfortable changing in front of others or they simply cant partake in the production, since we have no dressing rooms. And if male actors need to be there for a cue they have to be there, or even if myself or the SM, or backstage manager needs to go back there to do something we need to do it.

So,
1 part actors would be good,

Good number of roles, 

Jr. High school drama budget (Not to much ) 

Not to detailed sets, but a few curtain calls would be nice. We have a LOT of props and costumes in storage.

A good level of acting/singing for a group of actors 11-14 years old.

And just generally plays you guys think are good plays.

If anyone has any suggestions that would be great ^_^


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## kiwitechgirl (Aug 16, 2009)

Do you want a musical - I'm guessing you do given you say you want something with singing! My suggestion would be to go to the MTI website - clicky here! - and have a look at their Junior range of shows - they're adapted for groups with pretty much exactly your needs. One that immediately springs to mind is Seussical Jnr - quite a few local schools have put that one on recently and it meets your needs very well. You could also look at Guys and Dolls Jnr which is a really really fun show, or maybe Bugsy Malone which was written for kids. Oklahoma or Fiddler on the Rood could be good - I've seen both done as "bare-bones" musicals with minimal sets and they worked beautifully. The Wizard of Oz would also work well for you - just do the RSC version not the MUNY version as it's way better! - it's licenced by Tams-Witmark (clicky here!). I'm a bit confused by your comment about "lots of curtain calls" and "having lots of props and costumes" - it does seem to slightly contradict what you say about no costume changes! Do you mean you want a show which calls for loads of people in great costumes, but no costume changes?


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## derekleffew (Aug 16, 2009)

MillburyAuditorium said:


> ...Something were only one person does one part would be great so no changing required, Because I need to tell all the girls that they must be comfortable changing in front of others or they simply cant partake in the production, since we have no dressing rooms. And if male actors need to be there for a cue they have to be there, or even if myself or the SM, or backstage manager needs to go back there to do something we need to do it. ...


This sentiment hints at sexual harassment. No person of either gender should be put in a position where he/she feels uncomfortable while changing clothes. Provisions can always be made for a quick change booth, even if it's a curtain hung in a corner, or a folding screen.

As for show suggestions, _You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown,_ springs to mind immediately.


> So,
> 1 part actors would be good,


Because we all hate multi-part actors--so difficult to assemble!


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## cprted (Aug 16, 2009)

derekleffew said:


> MillburyAuditorium said:
> 
> 
> > ...Something were only one person does one part would be great so no changing required, Because I need to tell all the girls that they must be comfortable changing in front of others or they simply cant partake in the production, since we have no dressing rooms. And if male actors need to be there for a cue they have to be there, or even if myself or the SM, or backstage manager needs to go back there to do something we need to do it. ...
> ...


Especially in an educational setting. As Derek says, quickchange booths are easy. Pipe and drape, two sheets of plywood hinged, etc etc.


> Because we all hate multi-part actors--so difficult to assemble!


Its the silly little Ikea wrench they come with that drives me batty!

I'll second the suggestion of MTI's website. They have a great search engine where you can list a set of parameters (ie, large cast, easy-moderate music difficulty, no Barbershop, small band, etc etc) and it will spit out a list of shows that will meet your requirements. 

Just to toss another idea out there, what about a Shakespeare? Granted, Bill didn't write any musicals, but they can have huge casts and you don't have to pay for the rights. One of the highschool's in my neck of the woods did a musical of _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ and it was actually pretty well written. The tunes were good and it held true to the language.


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## philhaney (Aug 16, 2009)

MillburyAuditorium said:


> I need to tell all the girls that they must be comfortable changing in front of others or they simply cant partake in the production, since we have no dressing rooms. And if male actors need to be there for a cue they have to be there, or even if myself or the SM, or backstage manager needs to go back there to do something we need to do it.




derekleffew said:


> No person of either gender should be put in a position where he/she feels uncomfortable while changing clothes. Provisions can always be made for a quick change booth, even if it's a curtain hung in a corner, or a folding screen.




cprted said:


> Especially in an educational setting. As Derek says, quickchange booths are easy. Pipe and drape, two sheets of plywood hinged, etc etc.




MillburyAuditorium said:


> ...a group of actors 11-14 years old.



This is right at that age where boys and girls are turning into young men and women, and are becoming more aware of their bodies. Speaking from personal experience (yes, I _can _remember back that far), it's not just the girls who don't want to change in front of everyone else. 

By all means, set up a changing area. I attended a play recently at a high school with a small auditorium, and the actors were using the bathrooms off the lobby.


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## tech2000 (Aug 16, 2009)

MillburyAuditorium said:


> Because I need to tell all the girls that they must be comfortable changing in front of others or they simply cant partake in the production, since we have no dressing rooms. And if male actors need to be there for a cue they have to be there, or even if myself or the SM, or backstage manager needs to go back there to do something we need to do it.



Back when we did Little Shop we just used an extra flat to make a quick change booth.


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## gafftaper (Aug 16, 2009)

Well known Musicals are very expensive to get the royalties to produce... but they do bring in larger audiences. It's been ten years but I think I paid over $2000 for the royalties to produce Wizard of Oz. 

Go check out the Samuel French Theater for Youth collection. The nice thing is it's broken down by cast size. There are some musicals in there, although you won't find big name shows, many are significantly cheaper than MTI or T.W.


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## MillburyAuditorium (Aug 17, 2009)

Just as a quick thing for the changing thing before I move on, 
I am sorry if I worded it wrongly, I just meant, if they are not comfortable changing in front of others that they are told to wear things like, sports bras and shorts under costumes, etc. And that we don't provide changing area so if they aren't comfortable then they shouldn't do the show. Or take more then one part. We simply advise them and tell them that they cant yell at anyone for being around them, like they did last Jr.High play, We almost had to kick some people out because, the girls were perfectly fine with each other, but they couldn't have the 3 male students around, but it was to late in the season so we had to have them change in the opposite wing. We of course would setup a changing area if we could, but our wings are simply to small. there is a tiny space in the back corner of one wing that we maybe could fit a one person booth in, Will think about it. 
But no means we force them to change in front of each other at all. We just advise them not to partake int he play if they aren't comfortable doing so. Really though, its only the male actors the Jr girls have problems with, god knows what the girls will do in front of each other X_X.


kiwi, thanks for that site, i'll browse around it. 

Haha, our High School Drama Club has already performed the higher level Guys and Dolls, Fidler on the roof, and Oklahoma. And the Jr play two years ago was The Wizard of Oz : )

As for when I said lots of costumes and props, I ment we have a boat load of costumes and props in our storage room. One of the things the drama director wanted to downsize was the budget for props and sets, I guess they went overboard last year. I keep telling them to take apart all the old sets that are sitting on SR wing and re-use the wood and free up LOTS of wasted space, becasue if they dont this year, I am getting a few maintenance people to help rip apart all the old sets and let the maintenance and grounds department have the wood. We could have a large changing booth and SOO much more room. There is a frame we used in the play "The Princess and the Pea" still there from SIX years ago.


phil, We have never had problems witht he males changing before. Just the females having problems with the males being there, even if they arent looking or anything. So, having all the male actors think they are 8 years older then they really are so they have no problem in doing anything anywere, FTW. Having girls who think that everyone is staring at them, not ftw. 


So, I will check out MTI and Samual French sites ^_^ Thanks.




P.S., I hope noone still thinks we force the students to do something they arent comfortable doing, we just simply tell them to wear clothing udner their costumes, ie, sportsbra and short shorts. (Which most of them wear anyways X_X)


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## Tex (Aug 17, 2009)

Musical - Honk (great retelling of The Ugly Duckling)
Honk, A Musical Comedy - George Stiles and Anthony Drewe's Award Winning Musical

Play - The Yellow Boat 
ANCHORAGE PRESS PLAYS

These are both great for middle school kids and provide challenging roles and worthwhile literature.


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## MillburyAuditorium (Aug 17, 2009)

Thanks Tex : D



I was on the MTI site, And I filled in the advanced search with our specifications, and it didn't bring up anything ^^'


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