Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: musicals on a small stage

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Nanette
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Posted: 1/15/08 at 6:39am

I agree with tristanrobin ... don't limit yourself! We work in a church with an oval stage and a choir loft. We have no wing space, no fly space, and no proper backstage area, yet we are able to produce a quality product. Remember, too, that your entire cast usually won't be onstage at once so shoot for something larger than 15 every once in a while. (We've had up to 26 in a cast.)

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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Tallsor
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Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:28am

A...My Name is Alice (or it's 'sequels', A...My Name is Still Alice and A...My Name Will Always Be Alice (or something like that)

I've seen The Spitfire Grill done on a teeny stage.

Angie

www.kcstage.com

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MartyW
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Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:33am

All good info here Magic... Remember too to try to use any other spaces... the ocational aisle, or that little space you might have done front of the stage, or whatever.. We have an old choir loft down one side of our theater, two aisles with landings.. they see a lot of action during a musical.. Also, no fly dosent always mean you cant fly some stuff either... Let the imagination soar and have fun with it.. Patrick69 can tell you many times we have put a mega show on a limited stage..

Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

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JoeMc
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Posted: 1/15/08 at 5:42pm

No Fly loft does not mean you can't fly settings or a lighting grid.

Most small comeatres I have worked in have a stage set up below a plaster cieling.

It is not that difficult to remove the Gyprock/plaster cieling sheets above the stage area & utalise the jiosts or roof truss framing as fly space. It helps if there is an open roof viod, in most cases with 'A' frame roofs this can be quite a big unused area.

Using simple pulleys & rope lines with or without line counterweights, a low tech fly system can be achieved.

If you think outside the box, there is a lot of space available to be used.

Even adding a simple gate leg rostra to the apron of the stage & chaeting in the proscenium tormentors & leg drops to give that extra wing space.

I remember back in the 60's we removed the cieling in a building & utalised the floor above as well, for storage/fly loft.

luckily each time the jiosts ran across the stage, which made it easier for a flying grid.

with a wee bit of pre planning, the improssible is probable, making the improbable possible & perfect!

I have performed in a 'Gang Show' with a 150 in the cast, utalising covered over baine maries & servery of a hospital cafeteria, as well as other weird & wonderful venues, using a little bit of the old 'X' factor!

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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Aimee
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Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:10am

The stage we had was just a bit bigger, though not much, than yours. Small wing space and no fly space.

We've done Cinderella, Leader of the Pack, 1940's Radio hour, Bye Bye Birdie, Damn Yankees, the list goes on. I make as much as I can be double sided. I 've had wagons that had scenes on two sides so it just spun around for the next scene to save space too. I agrgee don't limit yourself just because the space is small.!

Aimee

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Ken W
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Posted: 1/30/08 at 12:51pm

Our stage is rather small, but we have done "Music Man", "Anything Goes" and right now are rehearsing "Jesus Christ Superstar". The sets have to be either minimal or very creative, but it can be done. Our stage is roughly 25' wide and 30' deep, and we have had 52 people dancing on it.

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mary051756
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Posted: 2/01/08 at 8:41am

Our stage is about 25 W x 16 D with no wing or backstage area to speak of, and we have done Oliver, Annie Get Your Gun, Hello Dolly, The King and I, and Wizard of Oz.

We add a stage extension 4 x 24 across the front of the stage to give a little more depth.

We also made 6 3' flat sets that can be used on both sides so that we had less to store - usually 3 will convey the scene, then we just flip them around; split them up for other scenes

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” EMERSON

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lynda gee
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Posted: 2/02/08 at 3:07pm

Yes, I've done "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Seussical," and even seen and done "Children of Eden" on a small stage. You do have to be really creative but that's half the fun.
A fun musical with a small cast that is easily done on a small stage is "Smoke on the Mountain" and its Christmas version "A Sanders Family Christmas." There are also the small cast shows like "Forever Plaid" and "The Taffetas."

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Play Suggestions
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Topic: musicals on a small stage( Topic Closed)
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Author	Message
Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Posted: 1/15/08 at 6:39am
	I agree with tristanrobin ... don't limit yourself! We work in a church with an oval stage and a choir loft. We have no wing space, no fly space, and no proper backstage area, yet we are able to produce a quality product. Remember, too, that your entire cast usually won't be onstage at once so shoot for something larger than 15 every once in a while. (We've had up to 26 in a cast.)
	In a world of margarine, be butter!
	IP Logged

Tallsor Star Joined: 2/24/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 63	Posted: 1/15/08 at 10:28am
	A...My Name is Alice (or it's 'sequels', A...My Name is Still Alice and A...My Name Will Always Be Alice (or something like that) I've seen The Spitfire Grill done on a teeny stage. Angie www.kcstage.com
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MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 1/15/08 at 11:33am
	All good info here Magic... Remember too to try to use any other spaces... the ocational aisle, or that little space you might have done front of the stage, or whatever.. We have an old choir loft down one side of our theater, two aisles with landings.. they see a lot of action during a musical.. Also, no fly dosent always mean you cant fly some stuff either... Let the imagination soar and have fun with it.. Patrick69 can tell you many times we have put a mega show on a limited stage..
	Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.."
	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 1/15/08 at 5:42pm
	No Fly loft does not mean you can't fly settings or a lighting grid. Most small comeatres I have worked in have a stage set up below a plaster cieling. It is not that difficult to remove the Gyprock/plaster cieling sheets above the stage area & utalise the jiosts or roof truss framing as fly space. It helps if there is an open roof viod, in most cases with 'A' frame roofs this can be quite a big unused area. Using simple pulleys & rope lines with or without line counterweights, a low tech fly system can be achieved. If you think outside the box, there is a lot of space available to be used. Even adding a simple gate leg rostra to the apron of the stage & chaeting in the proscenium tormentors & leg drops to give that extra wing space. I remember back in the 60's we removed the cieling in a building & utalised the floor above as well, for storage/fly loft. luckily each time the jiosts ran across the stage, which made it easier for a flying grid. with a wee bit of pre planning, the improssible is probable, making the improbable possible & perfect! I have performed in a 'Gang Show' with a 150 in the cast, utalising covered over baine maries & servery of a hospital cafeteria, as well as other weird & wonderful venues, using a little bit of the old 'X' factor!
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
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Aimee Celebrity Joined: 8/31/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 156	Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:10am
	The stage we had was just a bit bigger, though not much, than yours. Small wing space and no fly space. We've done Cinderella, Leader of the Pack, 1940's Radio hour, Bye Bye Birdie, Damn Yankees, the list goes on. I make as much as I can be double sided. I 've had wagons that had scenes on two sides so it just spun around for the next scene to save space too. I agrgee don't limit yourself just because the space is small.!
	Aimee
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Ken W Walk-On Joined: 3/22/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 1/30/08 at 12:51pm
	Our stage is rather small, but we have done "Music Man", "Anything Goes" and right now are rehearsing "Jesus Christ Superstar". The sets have to be either minimal or very creative, but it can be done. Our stage is roughly 25' wide and 30' deep, and we have had 52 people dancing on it.
	IP Logged

mary051756 Lead Joined: 1/31/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 47	Posted: 2/01/08 at 8:41am
	Our stage is about 25 W x 16 D with no wing or backstage area to speak of, and we have done Oliver, Annie Get Your Gun, Hello Dolly, The King and I, and Wizard of Oz. We add a stage extension 4 x 24 across the front of the stage to give a little more depth. We also made 6 3' flat sets that can be used on both sides so that we had less to store - usually 3 will convey the scene, then we just flip them around; split them up for other scenes
	“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” EMERSON
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lynda gee Walk-On Joined: 12/06/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 2/02/08 at 3:07pm
	Yes, I've done "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Seussical," and even seen and done "Children of Eden" on a small stage. You do have to be really creative but that's half the fun. A fun musical with a small cast that is easily done on a small stage is "Smoke on the Mountain" and its Christmas version "A Sanders Family Christmas." There are also the small cast shows like "Forever Plaid" and "The Taffetas."
	IP Logged