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 Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Play Suggestions |
 Topic: Children's Theatre musicals( Topic Closed) |
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Nanette
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Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399 |
 Topic: Children's Theatre musicalsPosted: 5/08/08 at 10:22am |
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As many of you know, I run a children's theatre ... the cast, the crew, the whole lot is made up of kids (aged 8-19).
It's great fun, but lately they have been begging me for a musical. I've recently started a poll among them and it seems they have very specifics about musicals they want to do (Now realize that the only "musical" they've seen is HSM on the Disney channel!).
1. MOST of them will not sing a solo (uh ... hello ... don't most musicals have solos?!). I think two have said they'll sing a solo.
2. It must be something MODERN (meaning no "costumes" ... give 'em jeans and a ratty t-shirt).
3. Nothing too serious.
Our theatre was developed so that our productions would be based on literature (to help promote reading) ... that leaves out HSM (THANK GOD!).
We've done Best Christmas Pageant Ever! in the past (modern attire and not too serious) and will be staging Gooney Bird Greene this fall (again, modern attire and not too serious). Neither is a musical, however. :o(
Some of us on the board are seriously thinking about writing something like Rent, JR and have the kids suffer from ADHD and unpopularity. LOL
My question ... anyone know of a musical, based on literature, that would have few solos, be modern, and not serious?! Any off-the-wall suggestions (like Rent, JR) would be great comic relief! |
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In a world of margarine, be butter!
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tristanrobin
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Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704 |
Posted: 5/08/08 at 12:19pm |
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How about a heavily staged "reading" of any musical, with the musical numbers sung by various groups of people.
It could all be done in modern dress - with minimal costuming and set design - and everybody on stage throughout the entire thing with focus pulled with lighting and staging. You can probably get some great arrangements for chorale bits (BTAS school sort of things) for most musicals - and get a different sound than just trying to copy the original cast album. It also means that your "leads" in the musical wouldn't have to be the best singers - which is often a very good thing LOL> |
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LabRat
Walk-On 
Joined: 9/19/07 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
Posted: 5/08/08 at 4:27pm |
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West Side Story? (ok.. some solo's.. but definitely modern (ish))
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The part isn't yours, until it is offered to you. |
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belle
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Joined: 9/12/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 75 |
Posted: 5/08/08 at 11:19pm |
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Try Pioneer Drama Services (google it). It has several musicals based on literature. They come with a performance/accompaniment CD. You can peruse the script and piano score and buy (cheaply) a CD with parts of all the songs. I looked at their Tom Sawyer. There are several duets and chorus numbers with a few solos. Hope this helps.
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spikesgirl
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Joined: 3/30/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 129 |
Posted: 5/09/08 at 10:20am |
We did "Once on This Island jr.", "Honk Jr", "Dear Edwina Jr.",in modern dress and will tackle "Seussical the Musical Jr", which would work for the literature tie in. There is always "Frog and Toad" (for your two solo folks), We did it all in modern dress with small face masks. Sold plush frogs in the lobby and sold over 4000 in a four week run. Anything by the Paperbag Players is easy(all set pieces are made of paper/cardboard, etc) and in regular clothes. No literary tie-in though. "SkupperDuppers" and "Golliwhompers" (I think that's their titles) acknowledges literature from around the globe. There's always "Tales of Hans Christine Anderson" (we did it with modern dress and four large books).
Hope that helps a little!
Charlie
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Lazy Bee
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Joined: 2/21/07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 89 |
Posted: 5/10/08 at 4:02am |
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Some of the following might work for you (the links will take you to an overview of each, from which you can get to the full script on-line):-
Romeo Loves Juliet - based on literature, obviously, but a modern setting. A New You - not based on literature - set in the TV studio of a make-over show! Otherwise, skim through this list, though I think that many are too far from your spec - lots of solos (Big Shot), costumes (A Grimm Night for Hans Chistian Andersen) or both (Dracula - A Pain in the Neck)... |
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JoyExcellence
Player 
Joined: 2/21/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 11 |
Posted: 5/13/08 at 10:44pm |
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No Costumes?! Children's Theatre??? I don't think you can actually call it "theatre" if your actors are not willing to go into a show with 100% dedication... which means costumes. You might call it a "revue" or "show".... but I don't think you can call it "musical theatre" if it lacks solos, choreography, props and costumes. Your theatre bases itself on classics and literature, so I am sure you want high quality productions, and you should not expect less from musicals. Sometimes doing something right means stepping out of your comfort zone. You may think they do not want costumes or solos, but if you demand excellence and commitment... meaning YOU lay out the rules and tell them what you expect, you will realize your creativity is able to soar and your brightest, most talented children will step up to the plate and make you proud. Honestly, if you empower them with leadership, they will follow.I wouldn't let them tell you how to run your theatre. You are the boss... you are the director... you should decide what kind of quality you want from the kids, and watch them rise to the occassion.
In the meantime, Alice In Wonderland and Wizard of Oz are based from wonderful literature for children. Look into those... but they do require costumes!
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Nanette
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Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399 |
Posted: 5/14/08 at 9:53am |
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Thanks for all of the suggestions. belle ... I've looked seriously at Pioneer's musicals and they look like an option for my space/budget. I've also looked at 'Bunnicula' and would love to do 'Honk, Jr.' if it was in my budget (MTI can be rather spendy).
spikesgirl ... do you have a website for 'SkupperDuppers and Golliwhompers'?
Joy ... I've been doing this for over 20 years. Trust me, I DEMAND and RECEIVE excellence from my actors. Remember, though, that they are mostly teens and tweens ... they live for jeans and t-shirts. Nearly everything I've done with this group (and others) have been strong costume shows. I've done 'Alice in Wonderland' TWICE (I never want to sew fur pants again!) and 'Wizard of Oz' but really don't want to continue beating a dead horse (Don't all theatres do those two shows at least once?!) Has anyone done 'Bat Boy'?
Keep the ideas coming and thanks to everyone who's presented suggestions, thoughts, and comments! :)
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In a world of margarine, be butter!
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spikesgirl
Celebrity
Joined: 3/30/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 129 |
Posted: 5/14/08 at 10:29am |
Sadly, I don't, as the shows were like 15 years ago, but the artistic committee has a meeting this afternoon and I will ask the director if she remembers which company offered the scripts. She has really good recall as does most of the other folks on the panal. Perhaps one of them can thinkof something else - have you considered "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" or "Snoopy"? Vocally shouldn't be too tough and the book is cute.
Charlie
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gaftpres
Star
Joined: 11/14/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 80 |
Posted: 5/14/08 at 10:35am |
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Old volunteers never die, they just get recycled!
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