I find it interesting that you are seeking advice on this board. You are a high school director. Have you no degree or certification? How is it that you come here for suggestions? May I ask where you teach?

I'm not being judgmental; I'm just very intrigued by the fact that you do this as part of your job and have what appears to be a limited knowledge of the repertoire. Were I lucky enough to have your job, I would have dozens of ideas of my own going into the position.

Really, I'm not being a jerk!

I am also a high school director, and I am checking on this board constantly. There are quite a few plays that have been written since the dawn of time, from all around the globe. People often suggest plays that are new or sometimes obscure,. Who doesn't need inspiration?

SingActDirect--no worries!  My journey to teaching drama is not a conventional one.

I did forensics in high school and had parts in my school plays.  I took a few classes after high school just for fun, and had a couple of parts in a couple of community college productions, including Little Shop of Horrors and Daddy's Dyin', Whose Got the Will.  Then, I foolishly fell in love and dropped out of college to get married.

Fast forward a couple of years and I had an eight-month-old baby and a husband who couldn't hold a job or stay out of trouble.  I decided that I had to make a life for my daughter and me, so I went back to school.  About five years later, I became a language arts teacher.

One school in which I applied was interested in restarting a defunct drama/speech/forensics program.  I had a few speech/drama credits, and I enjoyed the activities in high school, so I told them I was willing to get the credential to teach a speech class along with language arts.

So, that led to starting up a speech and debate team and directing an all-school play each year.  I do whatever I can to learn more about all of this, and my school is pretty small, so they were never interested in a full-time speech/drama teacher.  This year, I taught a drama class for the first time.  I still teach four sections of language arts and one forensics class.

Yes, I probably missed out on learning a lot about the shows that exist, and many shows I love are not going to fly in my rural, conservative area.  I am always open to ideas.  I also have to pull things together with just my students and current husband, so I can't get too elaborate.  But, I love what I do.  Often, it's a juggling act trying to keep everything afloat, but I have an awesome job!

Stacey-Sue, You don't owe an explanation to anyone.  You were looking for advise and asked an appropriate source.  For other people, if you feel it is needed to say I am honestly not being a jerk, yes you are.