Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Large Cast Comedy

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JGrigsby
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Lead

Joined: 6/20/12
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 38

Topic: Large Cast Comedy
Posted: 6/21/12 at 10:40am

I have taken time to read every discussion thread on this site. I have some ideas, but anted to see if anyone could give some update insight.

I'm a second year teacher at a rural high school in Indiana. I have a very sensitive community, so many plays are sorta' "off limits." Last year I took over the drama club and met my administrator's request for a large cast play in the fall and a smaller cast play in the spring. My first show was The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon - a HUGE hit for the school and cast. The second show was Here and Now, but since it was a drama, the reception wasn't as great.

I've taken time to try and read up on lots of the large cast comelies listed here. I don't want to do two "fairy tale" plays, and I'm not big on anthologies in order to get a large cast. There can be no profanity for the fall show, so it's hopeful that some minor tweaks to dialogue can be allowed.

When I say large cast, I made Brothers 32 students! It was a a monster of a show. I get some more freedo win the spring, so I'm really leaning towards Love Awkwardly.

Thank you for your help - this discussion board hs been an invaluable resource.

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donzolidis
Celebrity

Joined: 5/15/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 156

Posted: 6/21/12 at 2:43pm

Glad you liked my show!

If you're open to doing another play by me, I have a brand-new full-length comedy, The Election, which has been getting a great reaction from schools so far (we had 20 productions this spring, with many more this fall, including shows in the U.K. and Saudia Arabia. Crazy.) Here's my blurb:

"After an embattled student body president resigns in disgrace, Mark Davenport figures he will cruise to victory in the special election. After all, his only opponent is nerdy Christy Martin, who wants to eliminate football. But when a mysterious Super PAC gives her an unlimited budget, things start to get very ugly. Mark must face total annihilation or accept the services of a slick professional campaign manager with questionable ethics and a million-dollar Super PAC of his own. A hilarious and timely satire on the contemporary political scene."

I took pains to not make this a conservative or a liberal play - I think people of all political stripes will get it (case in point: It's been performed in rural Alabama and in Vermont - I'm not sure you can get farther apart than that)

Here's a link to the play - you can read it online by clicking on read free sample:

http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=2447

I have a number of other large-cast comedies available from Playscripts as well, just search for my name and they'll pop up:

As far as large-cast comedies that I didn't write, my favorites for high school are:

A Midsummer Night's Dream

You can't Take it With You

The Good Doctor (vignettes)

All in the Timing (vignettes)

Arsenic and Old Lace (medium-size)

Scapino

www.donzolidis.com

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Raging Thespian
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Player

Joined: 2/29/12
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 22

Posted: 7/03/12 at 2:39pm

Our community theatre is currently doing "A Delightful Quarantine" by Mark Dunn. It's a cast of 20 speaking roles and then there's a Hazmat Team that can be up to any number of people. The roles are intended for varying ages (from 11 to 72), but can easily be done by anyone with makeup and wigs.

It's a play about a town that is suddenly quarantined because of an alien invasion (coming to get soil samples - however you don't see the aliens) and people are trapped where they are for 3 days together... sometimes in their own houses, sometimes not... makes for interesting situations.

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JGrigsby
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Lead

Joined: 6/20/12
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 38

Posted: 7/08/12 at 10:24pm

Thank you, Don. I started reading "The Election," a definite possibility. Thank you for the other suggestions as well.

Raging, thank you for your suggestion - I'll begin looking at it.

I was considering doing "Check Please," "Check Please, Take 2," and "Check Please, Take 3," but my school principal saw it produced and didn't care for it. I'm back to the drawing board. I'm looking at "Love Awkwardly" and "The Awesome 80s Prom."

Thank you ... and if anyone else can weigh in, please do.

Edited by JGrigsby - 7/08/12 at 10:25pm

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jonplaywright
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Star

Joined: 7/20/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 53

Posted: 7/11/12 at 1:45pm

Love (Awkwardly)--I'm assuming it's the play we represent at YouthPLAYS--is a great show. I think your students would really enjoy it.

Among my own works, you might check out Harry's Hotter at Twilight, my mash-up parody of Harry Potter and Twilight. It's available in full-length form at YouthPLAYS (Playscripts has a one-act, but sounds like you need an evening-length piece):
http://youthplays.com/plays/view/160/Harrys_Hotter_at_Twilight

Also, Run Like the Dickens (aka Tiny Tim Runs the Marathon) is available from Playscripts here:
http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=2055

In a few sentences:
Media darling Oliver Twist has gone from a lowly orphan to an anxiety-ridden corporate spokesperson, pitching everything from juicers to cereal and tofu by reenacting his days in the workhouse and subsequent adventures. But Oliver's monopoly on the inspirational rags-to-riches story is threatened when Tiny Tim throws aside his crutches and decides to run the marathon. Tiny Tim has the chance to inspire millions, but with a homicidal trio of fairytale princesses, scheming Corporate Mommy and Daddy, and meddling friends and family, Tiny Tim may not make it to the starting line.

Cheers,
Jon

Co-Chair, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights
Resident Playwright, Final Draft

YouthPLAYS, plays for young actors and audiences
www.youthplays.com

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vickifrank
Celebrity

Joined: 9/21/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 332

Posted: 7/24/12 at 1:15pm

How about the "Wizard of Oz"? Munchkins, Citizens of OZ, flying Monkeys, Witch's Guard mean its a big cast. Its also well known, innoculous to most communities, and just fun.

Or consider adding a greek chorus to a classic show.

"How to Succeed in Business" also can have a large group of dancers as can "Oliver!".

_____________

http://www.studio-productions-inc.com
1-800-359-2964

The theater scrim people

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JGrigsby
Lead
Lead

Joined: 6/20/12
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 38

Posted: 9/18/12 at 7:00pm

I received an okay on my play today. Mr. Zolidis, we're doing another one of your plays: Chemical Bonding (or Better Living through Chemistry). Thank you all for your help.

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

Author	Message
JGrigsby Lead Joined: 6/20/12 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 38	Topic: Large Cast Comedy Posted: 6/21/12 at 10:40am
	I have taken time to read every discussion thread on this site. I have some ideas, but anted to see if anyone could give some update insight. I'm a second year teacher at a rural high school in Indiana. I have a very sensitive community, so many plays are sorta' "off limits." Last year I took over the drama club and met my administrator's request for a large cast play in the fall and a smaller cast play in the spring. My first show was The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon - a HUGE hit for the school and cast. The second show was Here and Now, but since it was a drama, the reception wasn't as great. I've taken time to try and read up on lots of the large cast comelies listed here. I don't want to do two "fairy tale" plays, and I'm not big on anthologies in order to get a large cast. There can be no profanity for the fall show, so it's hopeful that some minor tweaks to dialogue can be allowed. When I say large cast, I made Brothers 32 students! It was a a monster of a show. I get some more freedo win the spring, so I'm really leaning towards Love Awkwardly. Thank you for your help - this discussion board hs been an invaluable resource.

	IP Logged

donzolidis Celebrity Joined: 5/15/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 156	Posted: 6/21/12 at 2:43pm
	Glad you liked my show! If you're open to doing another play by me, I have a brand-new full-length comedy, The Election, which has been getting a great reaction from schools so far (we had 20 productions this spring, with many more this fall, including shows in the U.K. and Saudia Arabia. Crazy.) Here's my blurb: "After an embattled student body president resigns in disgrace, Mark Davenport figures he will cruise to victory in the special election. After all, his only opponent is nerdy Christy Martin, who wants to eliminate football. But when a mysterious Super PAC gives her an unlimited budget, things start to get very ugly. Mark must face total annihilation or accept the services of a slick professional campaign manager with questionable ethics and a million-dollar Super PAC of his own. A hilarious and timely satire on the contemporary political scene." I took pains to not make this a conservative or a liberal play - I think people of all political stripes will get it (case in point: It's been performed in rural Alabama and in Vermont - I'm not sure you can get farther apart than that) Here's a link to the play - you can read it online by clicking on read free sample: http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=2447 I have a number of other large-cast comedies available from Playscripts as well, just search for my name and they'll pop up: As far as large-cast comedies that I didn't write, my favorites for high school are: A Midsummer Night's Dream You can't Take it With You The Good Doctor (vignettes) All in the Timing (vignettes) Arsenic and Old Lace (medium-size) Scapino
	www.donzolidis.com
	IP Logged

Raging Thespian Player Joined: 2/29/12 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Posted: 7/03/12 at 2:39pm
	Our community theatre is currently doing "A Delightful Quarantine" by Mark Dunn. It's a cast of 20 speaking roles and then there's a Hazmat Team that can be up to any number of people. The roles are intended for varying ages (from 11 to 72), but can easily be done by anyone with makeup and wigs. It's a play about a town that is suddenly quarantined because of an alien invasion (coming to get soil samples - however you don't see the aliens) and people are trapped where they are for 3 days together... sometimes in their own houses, sometimes not... makes for interesting situations.
	IP Logged

JGrigsby Lead Joined: 6/20/12 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 38	Posted: 7/08/12 at 10:24pm
	Thank you, Don. I started reading "The Election," a definite possibility. Thank you for the other suggestions as well. Raging, thank you for your suggestion - I'll begin looking at it. I was considering doing "Check Please," "Check Please, Take 2," and "Check Please, Take 3," but my school principal saw it produced and didn't care for it. I'm back to the drawing board. I'm looking at "Love Awkwardly" and "The Awesome 80s Prom." Thank you ... and if anyone else can weigh in, please do. Edited by JGrigsby - 7/08/12 at 10:25pm
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jonplaywright Star Joined: 7/20/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 53	Posted: 7/11/12 at 1:45pm
	*Love (Awkwardly)--I'm assuming it's the play we represent at YouthPLAYS--is a great show. I think your students would really enjoy it. Among my own works, you might check out Harry's Hotter at Twilight, my mash-up parody of Harry Potter* and Twilight. It's available in full-length form at YouthPLAYS (Playscripts has a one-act, but sounds like you need an evening-length piece): http://youthplays.com/plays/view/160/Harrys_Hotter_at_Twilight Also, Run Like the Dickens (aka *Tiny Tim Runs the Marathon*) is available from Playscripts here: http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=2055 In a few sentences: Media darling Oliver Twist has gone from a lowly orphan to an anxiety-ridden corporate spokesperson, pitching everything from juicers to cereal and tofu by reenacting his days in the workhouse and subsequent adventures. But Oliver's monopoly on the inspirational rags-to-riches story is threatened when Tiny Tim throws aside his crutches and decides to run the marathon. Tiny Tim has the chance to inspire millions, but with a homicidal trio of fairytale princesses, scheming Corporate Mommy and Daddy, and meddling friends and family, Tiny Tim may not make it to the starting line. Cheers, Jon
	Co-Chair, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights Resident Playwright, Final Draft YouthPLAYS, plays for young actors and audiences www.youthplays.com
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vickifrank Celebrity Joined: 9/21/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 332	Posted: 7/24/12 at 1:15pm
	How about the "Wizard of Oz"? Munchkins, Citizens of OZ, flying Monkeys, Witch's Guard mean its a big cast. Its also well known, innoculous to most communities, and just fun. Or consider adding a greek chorus to a classic show. "How to Succeed in Business" also can have a large group of dancers as can "Oliver!".
	_____________ http://www.studio-productions-inc.com 1-800-359-2964 The theater scrim people
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JGrigsby Lead Joined: 6/20/12 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 38	Posted: 9/18/12 at 7:00pm
	I received an okay on my play today. Mr. Zolidis, we're doing another one of your plays: Chemical Bonding (or Better Living through Chemistry). Thank you all for your help.
	IP Logged