Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Larger Cast musicals

Author

Message

Aimee
Celebrity

Joined: 8/31/04
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 156

Topic: Larger Cast musicals
Posted: 3/05/13 at 7:01pm

We've been researching musicals and are a bit stuck for our next one. We are looking for something kind of modern, with a large cast (25 or so is perfect), and music the high school band members are capable of playing. Musicals we've recently done are Anything Goes, Barnum, Little Shop of Horrors, Footloose, Grease, Beauty and the Beast.
any help or perhaps other places to check for musicals...

Aimee

IP Logged

Rorgg
Celebrity

Joined: 2/10/09
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 151

Posted: 3/06/13 at 2:23pm

Ones I like a lot that come to mind:

- Fiddler on the Roof (especially if you have a violinist keen on dressing up and sitting up high)

Les Misérables

Seussical

Urinetown

IP Logged

Jim_L
Lead
Lead

Joined: 6/09/06
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 34

Posted: 6/20/13 at 8:43am

I'm not sure what you mean by 'modern' (present day concerns or more T&A& explosions as seen on tv & movies...;>) but I have a royalty free musical comedy (or as I like to say, 'A comedy with songs'...;>)

The Tavern & The Storyteller: 2 acts, one set, minimal costume changes by a few characters, 10 songs that 9 can be played by just an acoustic guitar (the original plan by me until the high school that performed it decided to utilize the schools orchestra) & 1 pre-recorded song sans vox meant to be played through a PA system or boom box the character can bring 'onstage' as a prop(the Fairy Godmother Rap - I hate rap so it's more of a rock/orchestral tune with 'some' rapping).

If you're interested, I've stuffed the webpage with as much info, pics, video, demo songs, pdf script & post production notes as possible.

Please don't be put off by the 2 story set as my original set intent was to just have 'painted' bedsheets but the director decided to go with my lighted scale model set design. I'm very flexible & understand the physical & financial limitations of producing a play (read my 'Reasons' page on the site as to why I wrote the script) so if you think you could pull it off as a 'black box', I'd be very interested in seeing that!

Everyone should be able to sing & there's room for actors to play multiple parts.

-Jim

http://home.comcast.net/~castle.walls/tavern/index.html

http://home.comcast.net/~castle.walls/tavern/

IP Logged

edh915
Celebrity

Joined: 11/19/09
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 325

Posted: 6/26/13 at 12:58pm

You say "kind of modern", and then list Anything Goes and Barnum and Little Shop of Horrors; so I'm not really sure what you're going for.

Pippin might work for you. It has a slick score, and a plot involving inter-generational conflict, and a number of featured players. There are a couple of aspects that might deemed a little "adult", but they could easily be moderated.

Show Boat" isn't precisely "modern", but it is the first modern musical in that it was the first to make the songs integral to the plot. And if you have a racially diverse school, there are great songs for everyone.

Les Miserables is a solid possibility, and you could look toward The Scarlet Pimpernel as well.

Or you could fall back on Gilbert and Sullivan with HMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance or The Mikado - not to mention some of their lesser known, but equally entertaining works like Yeomen of the Guard, Iolanthe, Patience, The Gondoliers, or an evening of the two one-acts: Trial By Jury and Cox and Box.

IP Logged

Aimee
Celebrity

Joined: 8/31/04
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 156

Posted: 12/05/13 at 9:27pm

thanks for the info.. I know this was a while ago.. we just recently got a new director. We are trying to go in a new direction... We just did Legally Blonde.. and it was fabulous! VERY demanding.. but well worth it!

Aimee

IP Logged

Unclepeter
Lead
Lead

Joined: 7/26/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 37

Posted: 3/02/14 at 10:24pm

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Fantastic show, high intensity. Opened this weekend...Patrons are loving it, and cast is having "too much" fun.

"Good judgement comes from experience - and a lot of that comes from bad judgement." (Will Rogers)

Uncle Peter

IP Logged

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

Author	Message
Aimee Celebrity Joined: 8/31/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 156	Topic: Larger Cast musicals Posted: 3/05/13 at 7:01pm
	We've been researching musicals and are a bit stuck for our next one. We are looking for something kind of modern, with a large cast (25 or so is perfect), and music the high school band members are capable of playing. Musicals we've recently done are Anything Goes, Barnum, Little Shop of Horrors, Footloose, Grease, Beauty and the Beast. any help or perhaps other places to check for musicals...
	Aimee

	IP Logged

Rorgg Celebrity Joined: 2/10/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 151	Posted: 3/06/13 at 2:23pm
	Ones I like a lot that come to mind: - Fiddler on the Roof (especially if you have a violinist keen on dressing up and sitting up high) Les Misérables Seussical Urinetown
	IP Logged

Jim_L Lead Joined: 6/09/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 34	Posted: 6/20/13 at 8:43am
	I'm not sure what you mean by 'modern' (present day concerns or more T&A& explosions as seen on tv & movies...;>) but I have a royalty free musical comedy (or as I like to say, 'A comedy with songs'...;>) The Tavern & The Storyteller: 2 acts, one set, minimal costume changes by a few characters, 10 songs that 9 can be played by just an acoustic guitar (the original plan by me until the high school that performed it decided to utilize the schools orchestra) & 1 pre-recorded song sans vox meant to be played through a PA system or boom box the character can bring 'onstage' as a prop(the Fairy Godmother Rap - I hate rap so it's more of a rock/orchestral tune with 'some' rapping). If you're interested, I've stuffed the webpage with as much info, pics, video, demo songs, pdf script & post production notes as possible. Please don't be put off by the 2 story set as my original set intent was to just have 'painted' bedsheets but the director decided to go with my lighted scale model set design. I'm very flexible & understand the physical & financial limitations of producing a play (read my 'Reasons' page on the site as to why I wrote the script) so if you think you could pull it off as a 'black box', I'd be very interested in seeing that! Everyone should be able to sing & there's room for actors to play multiple parts. -Jim http://home.comcast.net/~castle.walls/tavern/index.html
	http://home.comcast.net/~castle.walls/tavern/
	IP Logged

edh915 Celebrity Joined: 11/19/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 6/26/13 at 12:58pm
	You say "kind of modern", and then list Anything Goes and Barnum and Little Shop of Horrors; so I'm not really sure what you're going for. Pippin might work for you. It has a slick score, and a plot involving inter-generational conflict, and a number of featured players. There are a couple of aspects that might deemed a little "adult", but they could easily be moderated. Show Boat" isn't precisely "modern", but it is the first modern musical in that it was the first to make the songs integral to the plot. And if you have a racially diverse school, there are great songs for everyone. Les Miserables is a solid possibility, and you could look toward The Scarlet Pimpernel as well. Or you could fall back on Gilbert and Sullivan with HMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance or The Mikado - not to mention some of their lesser known, but equally entertaining works like Yeomen of the Guard, Iolanthe, Patience, The Gondoliers, or an evening of the two one-acts: Trial By Jury and Cox and Box.
	IP Logged

Aimee Celebrity Joined: 8/31/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 156	Posted: 12/05/13 at 9:27pm
	thanks for the info.. I know this was a while ago.. we just recently got a new director. We are trying to go in a new direction... We just did Legally Blonde.. and it was fabulous! VERY demanding.. but well worth it!
	Aimee
	IP Logged

Unclepeter Lead Joined: 7/26/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 37	Posted: 3/02/14 at 10:24pm
	Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Fantastic show, high intensity. Opened this weekend...Patrons are loving it, and cast is having "too much" fun.
	"Good judgement comes from experience - and a lot of that comes from bad judgement." (Will Rogers) Uncle Peter
	IP Logged