Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Successful Musicals?

Author

Message

eveharrington
Celebrity

Joined: 8/28/06
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 198

Posted: 8/15/07 at 1:10am

"Always Patsy Cline" was a huge hit for us, but just like doughboy, we stumbled onto a phenomenal singer able to duplicate Patsy Cline's voice to a T. Also, it's privately owned so the royalties were (in my humble opinion) outrageous for a CT. But, we still made a good profit.

"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."

IP Logged

lessismore
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 7/04/07
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 8/16/07 at 11:35am

We have had great success with "Beauty and the Beast", "Peter Pan", "Annie", "Oliver!", "Sound of Music", "Wizard of Oz", and many more. It seems, in our community at least, if you can appeal to a 'family' audience the show is much more successful.

IP Logged

lmar12
Player
Player

Joined: 8/22/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 25

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:18am

Our three biggest sellers--and I'm speaking from a high school theater standpoint which has lots and lots and lots of competition from other area theaters: Seussical the Musical --a HUGE favorite, OKLAHOMA! and 42nd Street. I have also been involved in a community childrens' theatre for many years and we had fabulous crowds for THE WIZ. Our local community theater I believe has had their best crowds with Children of Eden and Jesus Christ Superstar. Oh and also CATS and Les Miserables had around 5000 people each attend.

And even though you didn't ask--poor crowds for Into the Woods (one of my personal favorites) The Secret Garden (also a tremendous show no one saw) and The Secret of Edwin Drood (nearly bankrupted our local community theater)

IP Logged

maureen
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 7/12/06
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 8/24/07 at 11:14pm

Hi,

We are currently at the end of an extreimly successful 10 week run of Anne & Gilbert -the sequal to Anne of green gables.Sold out every night with 8 shows a week.The music is fantastic,the characters stay true to the origional story,It's upbeat young and a fresh new look at an old favourite.It's being done on a professional stage where I am but it was done at a high school in I think Alberta(of course it opened in PEI last summer).I know people all over Canada are trying to get the rights to it.It's produced by Campbell Webster and its the biggest hit we've had in years.....worth a look into.

Maureen

IP Logged

tristanrobin
Celebrity

Joined: 4/25/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 704

Posted: 8/25/07 at 10:58pm

Imar - what a shame you didn't find audiences for "Into the Woods" or "Secret Garden" ... they are two of my favorite plays. The script and style of "Secret Garden" is so much more sophisticated and superior than people expect a children's story to contain.

IP Logged

lmar12
Player
Player

Joined: 8/22/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 25

Posted: 8/30/07 at 8:26pm

I know--Secret Garden is one of the best musicals there is. So haunting and true to the spirit of the book. And the worst part is for both Into the Woods and Secret Garden we had the most talented cast we'll ever have. So many of the students have gone on to do professional theater and/or are professional musicians--both productions were just stellar and it's just a shame that a piece of junk (yes I said it!) like Grease will sell out and get such accolades for such mediocracy.

IP Logged

Laff
Player
Player

Joined: 9/04/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 9/05/07 at 12:05am

I would have to say Cabaret, Little Shop of Horrors, Guys and Dolls, Music Man, and Jekyll and Hyde.

break a leg!

IP Logged

DaveG
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 9/08/07
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 9/08/07 at 8:14pm

There's a new comedy musical called "In Good Spirits" about a haunted theater and a community theater group that moves in. It's been done in New England a few times and is now the rights have been released nationwide. I know there is a big ad in the American Association of Community Theater magazine. Also, the website for "In Good Spirits" is www.ingoodspiritsthemusical.com. The theaters that have done the show have had sold old performances. Check it out.

IP Logged

ABSteel
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 9/15/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 9/15/07 at 2:56pm

Our high school had a great success with Once Upon a Mattress, by Mary Rodgers. It's a fun show, too.

IP Logged

Thespian_4_ever
Lead
Lead

Joined: 9/16/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 43

Posted: 9/16/07 at 10:36pm

We had crazy good luck with Buddy! the Buddy Holly Story, we ended up adding 4 shows, for a total of 22!

Other good shows...

The Music Man

Cats

Beauty and the Beast

Oklahoma!

The Fully Monty

A Christmas Survival Guide

Seussical

RAGTIME

IP Logged

Play Suggestions
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Play Suggestions

Topic: Successful Musicals?( Topic Closed)
	<< Prev Page of 4 Next >>

Author	Message
eveharrington Celebrity Joined: 8/28/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 198	Posted: 8/15/07 at 1:10am
	"Always Patsy Cline" was a huge hit for us, but just like doughboy, we stumbled onto a phenomenal singer able to duplicate Patsy Cline's voice to a T. Also, it's privately owned so the royalties were (in my humble opinion) outrageous for a CT. But, we still made a good profit.
	"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."
	IP Logged

lessismore Walk-On Joined: 7/04/07 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/16/07 at 11:35am
	We have had great success with "Beauty and the Beast", "Peter Pan", "Annie", "Oliver!", "Sound of Music", "Wizard of Oz", and many more. It seems, in our community at least, if you can appeal to a 'family' audience the show is much more successful.
	IP Logged

lmar12 Player Joined: 8/22/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 25	Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:18am
	Our three biggest sellers--and I'm speaking from a high school theater standpoint which has lots and lots and lots of competition from other area theaters: Seussical the Musical --a HUGE favorite, OKLAHOMA! and 42nd Street. I have also been involved in a community childrens' theatre for many years and we had fabulous crowds for THE WIZ. Our local community theater I believe has had their best crowds with Children of Eden and Jesus Christ Superstar. Oh and also CATS and Les Miserables had around 5000 people each attend. And even though you didn't ask--poor crowds for Into the Woods (one of my personal favorites) The Secret Garden (also a tremendous show no one saw) and The Secret of Edwin Drood (nearly bankrupted our local community theater)
	IP Logged

maureen Walk-On Joined: 7/12/06 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/24/07 at 11:14pm
	Hi, We are currently at the end of an extreimly successful 10 week run of Anne & Gilbert -the sequal to Anne of green gables.Sold out every night with 8 shows a week.The music is fantastic,the characters stay true to the origional story,It's upbeat young and a fresh new look at an old favourite.It's being done on a professional stage where I am but it was done at a high school in I think Alberta(of course it opened in PEI last summer).I know people all over Canada are trying to get the rights to it.It's produced by Campbell Webster and its the biggest hit we've had in years.....worth a look into. Maureen
	IP Logged

tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 8/25/07 at 10:58pm
	Imar - what a shame you didn't find audiences for "Into the Woods" or "Secret Garden" ... they are two of my favorite plays. The script and style of "Secret Garden" is so much more sophisticated and superior than people expect a children's story to contain.
	IP Logged

lmar12 Player Joined: 8/22/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 25	Posted: 8/30/07 at 8:26pm
	I know--Secret Garden is one of the best musicals there is. So haunting and true to the spirit of the book. And the worst part is for both Into the Woods and Secret Garden we had the most talented cast we'll ever have. So many of the students have gone on to do professional theater and/or are professional musicians--both productions were just stellar and it's just a shame that a piece of junk (yes I said it!) like Grease will sell out and get such accolades for such mediocracy.
	IP Logged

Laff Player Joined: 9/04/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 9/05/07 at 12:05am
	I would have to say Cabaret, Little Shop of Horrors, Guys and Dolls, Music Man, and Jekyll and Hyde.
	break a leg!
	IP Logged

DaveG Walk-On Joined: 9/08/07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 9/08/07 at 8:14pm
	There's a new comedy musical called "In Good Spirits" about a haunted theater and a community theater group that moves in. It's been done in New England a few times and is now the rights have been released nationwide. I know there is a big ad in the American Association of Community Theater magazine. Also, the website for "In Good Spirits" is www.ingoodspiritsthemusical.com. The theaters that have done the show have had sold old performances. Check it out.
	IP Logged

ABSteel Walk-On Joined: 9/15/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 9/15/07 at 2:56pm
	Our high school had a great success with Once Upon a Mattress, by Mary Rodgers. It's a fun show, too.
	IP Logged

Thespian_4_ever Lead Joined: 9/16/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 43	Posted: 9/16/07 at 10:36pm
	We had crazy good luck with Buddy! the Buddy Holly Story, we ended up adding 4 shows, for a total of 22! Other good shows... The Music Man Cats Beauty and the Beast Oklahoma! The Fully Monty A Christmas Survival Guide Seussical RAGTIME
	IP Logged