Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: preparing for a new season

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drose
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Joined: 8/23/07
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Topic: preparing for a new season
Posted: 2/03/15 at 7:51pm

Looking for some shows to consider for our upcoming season. I'd like to get away from the old time community theater classics and start trying some new things. Adult content will be an issue: our patrons seem very adverse to adult language and sexual content. But it will kill me if we have to keep doing shows I did in high school (back in the 80's). Any suggestions of great titles?

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edh915
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Posted: 2/03/15 at 10:53pm

Not sure what you're specifically up against.

See my remarks at your other posting in "Other Topics" for a start.

Do you want drama? comedy? sex?

There are a lot of shows that talk about things, rather than show them. They would be a good place to start, in my opinion.

Other Desert Cities

Doubt

Voice of the Turtle

Second Samuel

Visiting Mr. Green

Somewhere in Between

Just a few thoughts.

As I said, I could recommend more if I knew what you were looking to do.

Break a leg!

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Ogreking4
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Posted: 2/04/15 at 9:41am

Complete Works of William Shakespeare; Abridged
"Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some)"
"Funny Money" or "Run for Your Wife" (R. Cooney)
"Rabbit Hole" by David Lindsay-Abaire
"Big Five-Oh" or "Mostly Minnesota Christmas"by Brian Mitchell
"God of Carnage"
"Leaving Iowa"
"My Three Angels"

Edited by Ogreking4 - 2/04/15 at 9:41am

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drose
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Posted: 2/04/15 at 1:47pm

Not looking for anything in particular, just seeking title suggestions based on your opinions and the responses of your audiences. I have several shows I love, but were received poorly. And then we did Boeing Boeing...which the attendees loved. There were a few complaints about the sexuality of the show, but they were few and far between. However, Young Frankenstein was not well received. So, I guess I'm looking for shows that did well with your audiences: particularly newer titles. Not the same old/same old. We are almost completely lacking in racial diversity here, so shows with racial minorities are almost impossible for us to mount.

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bnk01
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Joined: 9/05/09
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Posted: 3/20/15 at 9:27am

Take a look at "Long Joan Silver" - it has the name recognition of being an adaptation of "Treasure Island"... but a modern, very funny take on it. Also, more female roles than male roles. It's written for adult actors, but has been played by all ages.
http://www.arthurjolly.com/longjoansilver.html

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Raging Thespian
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Posted: 4/14/15 at 1:26pm

I think we have the same type of audience. Ours love Norm Foster comedies - Melville Boys, Self Help, Kiss the Moon/Kiss the Sun are good ones. Go to www.normfoster.com for synopsis of the plays and excerpts from the script. His agent will email you an electronic copy of any script.

We just finished doing "Love, Loss and What I Wore" by Nora and Delia Ephron. Our audiences absolutely LOVED it. Alan Ayckbourn farces are always fun - "Taking Steps", "How The Other Half Loves".

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trcg
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Joined: 7/20/07
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Posts: 9

Posted: 10/21/15 at 11:32pm

Look at: The Last Night of Ballyhoo and Arsenic and Old Lace both did great for us. Other good titles: Philadelphia Story (was a movie with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn after the play came out). For a good drama The Death and Life of Larry Benson is super. Funny Money is great as well. There is a lot of sexual innuendo in it though. Oh, Dearly Departed had audiences laughing non-stop. It is actually part of a trio of comedies someday we'll get back and do the other two in the series as well. Another good drama is Summer and Smoke.

Musicals: CASH Ring of Fire is super. One we keep looking at doing is The Good War. One that looks like great fun to do is Forbidden Broadway greatest hits.

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edh915
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Joined: 11/19/09
Location: United States
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Posts: 325

Posted: 10/22/15 at 10:09pm

If they loved Boeing, Boeing, I highly recommend Love, Sex, and the IRS, or anything by Jones, Hope & Wooten.

Something like Bus Stop might bring them in, or Enchanted April (the Matthew Barber version), or one of the many Agatha Christies that are available.

Edited by edh915 - 10/22/15 at 10:09pm

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

Author	Message
drose Celebrity Joined: 8/23/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 162	Topic: preparing for a new season Posted: 2/03/15 at 7:51pm
	Looking for some shows to consider for our upcoming season. I'd like to get away from the old time community theater classics and start trying some new things. Adult content will be an issue: our patrons seem very adverse to adult language and sexual content. But it will kill me if we have to keep doing shows I did in high school (back in the 80's). Any suggestions of great titles?

	IP Logged

edh915 Celebrity Joined: 11/19/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 2/03/15 at 10:53pm
	Not sure what you're specifically up against. See my remarks at your other posting in "Other Topics" for a start. Do you want drama? comedy? sex? There are a lot of shows that talk about things, rather than show them. They would be a good place to start, in my opinion. Other Desert Cities Doubt Voice of the Turtle Second Samuel Visiting Mr. Green Somewhere in Between Just a few thoughts. As I said, I could recommend more if I knew what you were looking to do. Break a leg!
	IP Logged

Ogreking4 Player Joined: 2/25/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Posted: 2/04/15 at 9:41am
	Complete Works of William Shakespeare; Abridged "Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some)" "Funny Money" or "Run for Your Wife" (R. Cooney) "Rabbit Hole" by David Lindsay-Abaire "Big Five-Oh" or "Mostly Minnesota Christmas"by Brian Mitchell "God of Carnage" "Leaving Iowa" "My Three Angels" Edited by Ogreking4 - 2/04/15 at 9:41am
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drose Celebrity Joined: 8/23/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 162	Posted: 2/04/15 at 1:47pm
	Not looking for anything in particular, just seeking title suggestions based on your opinions and the responses of your audiences. I have several shows I love, but were received poorly. And then we did Boeing Boeing...which the attendees loved. There were a few complaints about the sexuality of the show, but they were few and far between. However, Young Frankenstein was not well received. So, I guess I'm looking for shows that did well with your audiences: particularly newer titles. Not the same old/same old. We are almost completely lacking in racial diversity here, so shows with racial minorities are almost impossible for us to mount.
	IP Logged

bnk01 Lead Joined: 9/05/09 Online Status: Offline Posts: 32	Posted: 3/20/15 at 9:27am
	Take a look at "Long Joan Silver" - it has the name recognition of being an adaptation of "Treasure Island"... but a modern, very funny take on it. Also, more female roles than male roles. It's written for adult actors, but has been played by all ages. http://www.arthurjolly.com/longjoansilver.html
	IP Logged

Raging Thespian Player Joined: 2/29/12 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Posted: 4/14/15 at 1:26pm
	I think we have the same type of audience. Ours love Norm Foster comedies - Melville Boys, Self Help, Kiss the Moon/Kiss the Sun are good ones. Go to www.normfoster.com for synopsis of the plays and excerpts from the script. His agent will email you an electronic copy of any script. We just finished doing "Love, Loss and What I Wore" by Nora and Delia Ephron. Our audiences absolutely LOVED it. Alan Ayckbourn farces are always fun - "Taking Steps", "How The Other Half Loves".
	IP Logged

trcg Walk-On Joined: 7/20/07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Posted: 10/21/15 at 11:32pm
	Look at: The Last Night of Ballyhoo and Arsenic and Old Lace both did great for us. Other good titles: Philadelphia Story (was a movie with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn after the play came out). For a good drama The Death and Life of Larry Benson is super. Funny Money is great as well. There is a lot of sexual innuendo in it though. Oh, Dearly Departed had audiences laughing non-stop. It is actually part of a trio of comedies someday we'll get back and do the other two in the series as well. Another good drama is Summer and Smoke. Musicals: CASH Ring of Fire is super. One we keep looking at doing is The Good War. One that looks like great fun to do is Forbidden Broadway greatest hits.
	IP Logged

edh915 Celebrity Joined: 11/19/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 10/22/15 at 10:09pm
	If they loved Boeing, Boeing, I highly recommend Love, Sex, and the IRS, or anything by Jones, Hope & Wooten. Something like Bus Stop might bring them in, or Enchanted April (the Matthew Barber version), or one of the many Agatha Christies that are available. Edited by edh915 - 10/22/15 at 10:09pm
	IP Logged