Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: help me decide which play

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teach
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Topic: help me decide which play
Posted: 8/07/08 at 9:39am

I have 4 great comedic actors, 2 male, 2 female. Which play would you vote for: Harvey or The Man Who Came to Dinner? Or do you have another suggestion?

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belle
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Posted: 8/07/08 at 10:34am

I've seen MWCTD twice and never found it appealing. It was endless as a high school production and not much better at at big CT. The tech was much better at the CT, but I found the story very boring.

I've directed Harvey three times and loved it. I would do it again. I think it's as much Veta Louise's play as Elwood's. She's the dynamic character. The comic elements are timeless. It doesn't have very many women's roles, which is a big drawback for most high schools.

Have you considered You Can't Take it with You? It also has a large cast. I saw a fine H.S. production of it. It's not one of my favorites (where do those Russians come from anyway?), but it seems much stronger than Dinner. Some tech challenges--explosions and a xylophone.

If you don't want a classic, you might look at It's Murder in the Wings. It has a huge cast with 4 strong women's roles. It's clean and a hoot.

Just my vote.

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Topper
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Posted: 8/07/08 at 10:41am

"My Sister Eileen" requires a large cast but only one-set. Lots of great character roles.

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

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teach
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Posted: 8/07/08 at 10:48am

Thanks for the suggestions! We already did Murder in the Wings and it was great! I just did Dearly Departed as part of CT with the same high school kids but no censoring like you get with high school. That was lots of fun too.

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B-M-D
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Posted: 8/07/08 at 11:35am

My suggestion is niether. Both are dated. But if you absoulutely have to choose one or the other I'd choose Harvey. Harvey has much more universal appeal and you won't have to deal as much with references to people and things that have little relevance to the majority of today's audience than you would would with The Man Who Came to Dinner.

"Dying is easy, comedy is hard."

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donzolidis
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Posted: 8/07/08 at 2:34pm

Isn't there anything more modern that you could do?

It makes me so sad when all high schools are allowed to do are The Crucible, You Can't Take it With You, and Arsenic and Old Lace.

In all seriousness, I think we risk losing our young audience if we only stick to old standards that me and my father both acted in. Or perhaps we've already lost them, I don't know.

I mean, even Larry Shue's plays (The Nerd, The Foreigner) are 25 years old now.

I suppose this isn't the right place for a screed against sticking to what has worked in the past, but I think we should honestly try to find newer shows for our young people to do.

www.donzolidis.com

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donzolidis
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Posted: 8/07/08 at 2:38pm

I realize I didn't make any suggestions to help you choose something different, so, at the risk of being completely hypocritical, here's one:

How about "Is he Dead?" by Mark Twain. I know, I know, I was just talking about old plays and all, but this is adapted by David Ives and just finished its Broadway debut. I haven't read the script, but I hear it's hilarious, and isn't likely to be censored in any way, shape, or form.

Here's the link, you can read it on-line:

http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1365

www.donzolidis.com

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pdavis69
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Posted: 8/07/08 at 3:56pm

You can not go wrong with Harvey. Yes some of the references, even the commital process are dated but the theme "I'd much rather be nice", is timeless. This show offers great characters each one able to steal the show.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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tristanrobin
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Posted: 8/07/08 at 4:47pm

Well, if you're going to do an old chestnut, you could look into "The Matchmaker" ... it has good comedic roles - and is a wonderfully crafted classic play.

I agree - though I'm not against classic theatre, we HAVE to let our children do something other than plays that were being done when WE were in high school!

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theatre junkie
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Posted: 8/08/08 at 11:14am

I'm grabbing hold of a tangent in this thread. I think a lot of our schools have stuck theatre departments in an option reduction situation when it comes to show selection. Script content is VERY censored in many school theatre departments these days. Just a few years ago when my kids were in high school, the list of things scripts could not contain seemed to grow every year. It started with profanity and sexual content, then it moved to any references of smoking, drinking, and pretty much anything that isn't exactly PC by today's standards. So unless you're going to alter a script (which I saw this school do A LOT) It really reduces your options

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

Topic: help me decide which play( Topic Closed)
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Author	Message
teach Walk-On Joined: 8/06/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: help me decide which play Posted: 8/07/08 at 9:39am
	I have 4 great comedic actors, 2 male, 2 female. Which play would you vote for: Harvey or The Man Who Came to Dinner? Or do you have another suggestion?

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belle Star Joined: 9/12/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 75	Posted: 8/07/08 at 10:34am
	I've seen MWCTD twice and never found it appealing. It was endless as a high school production and not much better at at big CT. The tech was much better at the CT, but I found the story very boring. I've directed Harvey three times and loved it. I would do it again. I think it's as much Veta Louise's play as Elwood's. She's the dynamic character. The comic elements are timeless. It doesn't have very many women's roles, which is a big drawback for most high schools. Have you considered You Can't Take it with You? It also has a large cast. I saw a fine H.S. production of it. It's not one of my favorites (where do those Russians come from anyway?), but it seems much stronger than Dinner. Some tech challenges--explosions and a xylophone. If you don't want a classic, you might look at It's Murder in the Wings. It has a huge cast with 4 strong women's roles. It's clean and a hoot. Just my vote.
	IP Logged

Topper Celebrity Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543	Posted: 8/07/08 at 10:41am
	"My Sister Eileen" requires a large cast but only one-set. Lots of great character roles.
	"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
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teach Walk-On Joined: 8/06/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/07/08 at 10:48am
	Thanks for the suggestions! We already did Murder in the Wings and it was great! I just did Dearly Departed as part of CT with the same high school kids but no censoring like you get with high school. That was lots of fun too.
	IP Logged

B-M-D Celebrity Joined: 11/03/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 346	Posted: 8/07/08 at 11:35am
	My suggestion is niether. Both are dated. But if you absoulutely have to choose one or the other I'd choose Harvey. Harvey has much more universal appeal and you won't have to deal as much with references to people and things that have little relevance to the majority of today's audience than you would would with The Man Who Came to Dinner.
	BD "Dying is easy, comedy is hard."
	IP Logged

donzolidis Celebrity Joined: 5/15/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 156	Posted: 8/07/08 at 2:34pm
	Isn't there anything more modern that you could do? It makes me so sad when all high schools are allowed to do are The Crucible, You Can't Take it With You, and Arsenic and Old Lace. In all seriousness, I think we risk losing our young audience if we only stick to old standards that me and my father both acted in. Or perhaps we've already lost them, I don't know. I mean, even Larry Shue's plays (The Nerd, The Foreigner) are 25 years old now. I suppose this isn't the right place for a screed against sticking to what has worked in the past, but I think we should honestly try to find newer shows for our young people to do.
	www.donzolidis.com
	IP Logged

donzolidis Celebrity Joined: 5/15/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 156	Posted: 8/07/08 at 2:38pm
	I realize I didn't make any suggestions to help you choose something different, so, at the risk of being completely hypocritical, here's one: How about "Is he Dead?" by Mark Twain. I know, I know, I was just talking about old plays and all, but this is adapted by David Ives and just finished its Broadway debut. I haven't read the script, but I hear it's hilarious, and isn't likely to be censored in any way, shape, or form. Here's the link, you can read it on-line: http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1365
	www.donzolidis.com
	IP Logged

pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 8/07/08 at 3:56pm
	You can not go wrong with Harvey. Yes some of the references, even the commital process are dated but the theme "I'd much rather be nice", is timeless. This show offers great characters each one able to steal the show.
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
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tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 8/07/08 at 4:47pm
	Well, if you're going to do an old chestnut, you could look into "The Matchmaker" ... it has good comedic roles - and is a wonderfully crafted classic play. I agree - though I'm not against classic theatre, we HAVE to let our children do something other than plays that were being done when WE were in high school!
	IP Logged

theatre junkie Walk-On Joined: 8/08/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/08/08 at 11:14am
	I'm grabbing hold of a tangent in this thread. I think a lot of our schools have stuck theatre departments in an option reduction situation when it comes to show selection. Script content is VERY censored in many school theatre departments these days. Just a few years ago when my kids were in high school, the list of things scripts could not contain seemed to grow every year. It started with profanity and sexual content, then it moved to any references of smoking, drinking, and pretty much anything that isn't exactly PC by today's standards. So unless you're going to alter a script (which I saw this school do A LOT) It really reduces your options
	IP Logged