Good Clean Comedies
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Play Suggestions
Forum Discription: Need help finding a show that's right for your theater? Ask here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1770
Printed Date: 11/22/24 at 5:15am
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Topic: Good Clean Comedies
Posted By: gailact
Subject: Good Clean Comedies
Date Posted: 3/24/06 at 1:08pm
| Our theatre does nothing but comedies, but they have to be "clean" -- no vulgarity. Sexual inuendo is fine. Help! |
Replies:
Posted By: Christine
Date Posted: 3/24/06 at 3:59pm
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Still promoting "Messiah on the Frigidaire". One character says "sh*t" twice and "Jesus Christ" once. Another character says "sh*t" once.
It that too vulgar? |
Posted By: bernster74
Date Posted: 3/25/06 at 12:28pm
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We just did Sabrina Fair, a romantic comedy (you may have seen one of the movie versions) and it's a delightful piece of fluff. Audiences loved it, and it sold well. Also, you may want to consider classic comedy, Bus Stop. And there's always Noel Coward if your audience can handle dry British comedy - try Blithe Spirit, can be hilarious with good actors. |
Posted By: Unclepeter
Date Posted: 3/27/06 at 7:04pm
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May I recommend "The Old Faith , Hope and Charity" by Pat Cook. Lillenas had the script but I think it is out of print. You can contact Pat at http://www.Patcook.org - www.Patcook.org Our theatre has done many of Pat's plays. They are always clean, and we have had good response from our patrons to all his plays that we have done. We have just closed "Mandate for Murder (or taking a stab at politics), about a mayor's race which coincidently we will have here in our town this Saturday. Also high on the list is the "Monday Series" (Murder's Bad But Monday Can Kill You, Three Murders and It's Only Monday, and If It's Murder, This Must Be Monday) The main character in all three is Harry Monday, a "1940's Sam Spade" wanabee. They are hilarious. Also try Mark Allen Smith, Faith County and Faith CountyII.
------------- "Good judgement comes from experience - and a lot of that comes from bad judgement." (Will Rogers) Uncle Peter |
Posted By: k8tt
Date Posted: 3/28/06 at 7:45am
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Mark Landon Smith is the playwright for Faith County. We are currently in the middle of a run of Faith County and our audiences LOVE it! We were sold out Opening Night - a first for us since we started our CT three years ago. There is some sexual innuendo but very mild. The town tramp character can be toned down or vamped up. Faith County II is supposed to be even funnier. We also had success with There's a Burglar in my Bed by Michael Parker, however it is for a mature audience because of the sexual themes. |
Posted By: POB14
Date Posted: 3/30/06 at 2:54pm
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IIRC, The Foreigner is pretty clean. And really, really funny. Lend Me A Tenor should work, too. If you can do larger casts, look at anything with George S. Kaufmann's name on it. Ray Cooney's farces run to the strong end of innuendo, but nothing explicit, I think. ------------- POB Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard |
Posted By: MoonlightFlame
Date Posted: 3/31/06 at 4:26pm
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I'm with k8tt on Mark Landon Smith. Our theatre did Radio TBS a few months ago, and had a very short run of only 7 shows, but 4 were sold out! It was SOOOO great! People LOVED the show.
Smit |
Posted By: carlwin
Date Posted: 4/01/06 at 6:55pm
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Hello "Any Body Home?" published by Dramatic Publishing. 3 women, 2 men |
Posted By: centerstage
Date Posted: 4/01/06 at 9:40pm
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I myself liked the show, "Play on!" There's some sexual innuendo, but it's all good clean fun. ------------- I want to be in the spotlight, I want to be in the show. I want everybody to know that I can dance and I can sing, and I can do most anything. I want to be in the spotlight, I want to be in the show |
Posted By: Playwright
Date Posted: 4/02/06 at 9:37pm
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Hi, "Here On The Flight Path" by Norm Foster is a wonderful comedy. 3 women, I man. Set is two outside balconies- side by side- 3 acts with each act concentrating on one women who moves into the apartment next to that of the guy. First woman is a hooker- second women is an aspring singer-actress- third woman has recently left her husband. Man is recently divorced and living on his own. The play has been done with one actor and one actress playing the three women. I directed this is October 2001, using 3 women and one man. At the annual awards ceremony my production of Flight Path won all the awards (director, production, set design,sound design, lighting design, lead actor, lead actress, supporting actress & best newcomer). THe only one we didn't get was for supporting actor. Norm Foster did the play himself with his wife playing the three women. He lives in the town next to me. It's a nice play with lots of laughs. One of the best lines comes from the hooker character who says 'Men are like kitchen tile. Lay them right the first time and you can walk all ovber them." This play is worth a look and is available through PLaywrights Guild Canada. |
Posted By: fourninety
Date Posted: 4/09/06 at 7:47pm
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I'll throw in a few suggestions we've done and ask that if anyone else has ideas they keep them coming as this is also exactly what I am looking for! "You Can't Take it With You" "Ask Any Girl" "The Man Who Came to Dinner" ...and yes, I'm in absolute agreement on "Faith County" (probably our funniest show ever). "An Evening of Culture" (the sequel) is funny, but I actually think the original is the better of the two.
|
Posted By: RachelB
Date Posted: 4/19/06 at 8:49pm
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There's a new one I saw not that long ago. It's written by the same woman who wrote "Dearly Departed" - everyone's done that one right? Well, the new one is called "Dearly Beloved" and is hilarious! It's had maybe five, seven productions from what I can find out and has a big cast. (The playwright's website is http://www.JezebellesInk.com - www.JezebellesInk.com and has all the info.) Check it out! You won't be sorry. Break a leg! Rachel B (Dramatists Play Service has just published it!) |
Posted By: Bailey
Date Posted: 7/24/06 at 10:44pm
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How about, The Curious Savage? It's warm and very funny. A
definate audience pleaser. Melodramas are also so much fun to do and the audience loves the participation element - Boo, Hiss, Hooray. Tim Kelly has written some good ones. |
Posted By: red diva
Date Posted: 9/26/06 at 12:50pm
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Interesting that audiences will accept sexual innuendo but not profanity.....I guess I don't understand why one is ok and not the other. Our audiences seem to be like that too, though. Anyway, how about "Harvey", "Auntie Mame", "Arsenic and Old Lace", "The Male Animal", and (I agree with Bailey) "The Curious Savage"...all audience pleasers and (except for "The Male Animal", which we haven't done yet) all filled the seats for us. ------------- "I've worked long and hard to earn the right to be called Diva!" |
Posted By: JShieldsIowa
Date Posted: 11/09/06 at 2:32pm
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Two recent shows we did that were clean and fun were I Hate Hamlet and Father of the Bride. Both are unit sets and pretty easy to prop and costume. Father of the Bride says 21 actors and is available from http://www.dramatists.com - www.dramatists.com , (I personally don't remember casting that many, though)
|
Posted By: BMitchell
Date Posted: 3/09/07 at 12:50am
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Our theatre sold out a farce called "Squirrel Lake". You can find it at www.hitplays.com Good luck! |
Posted By: SkiDoc
Date Posted: 3/09/07 at 8:55am
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How about a mystery comedy...Done to Death by Fred Carmichael. It is from Sam French. Here's the link.
http://www.samuelfrench.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/2199?osCsid=88ae95d973a4dec721aac191d8517859 - http://www.samuelfrench.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/2199?osCsid=88ae95d973a4dec721aac191d8517859
|
Posted By: GoldCanyonLady
Date Posted: 3/10/07 at 9:12am
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We are working on a very funny farce, A Bad Year for Tomatoes. From what research I have done on the Web, whenever it was performed, the audiences loved it---no sex, no bad words, just nosey neighbors. Here's the link. http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=1447 - http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=1447 ------------- Barb Hofmeister, MountainBrook Village Players, Gold Canyon, Arizona. |
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 4/25/07 at 2:50pm
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I have to agree with POB14, the foriegner is a fantastic clean show. I've done it twice and both times the audiences loved it. Also the Cooney shows are a delight, though a bit racy at times. ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: trcg
Date Posted: 7/20/07 at 2:42pm
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I know this thread is a bit old, but here are a few we've done and are looking at doing. Funny Money has the audience in stitches from beginning to end and we also did Bedroom Farce it was pretty funny too...both are written by the same writer and his name is escaping me right now. These are both British Farce's. We've looked at the script Lucky Stiff and it is very funny too...it is also a musical with the silliest songs around. Barefoot in the Park is great and another one that left the audience laughing is Dearly Departed. Renee |
Posted By: tdsands
Date Posted: 7/20/07 at 9:28pm
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I have to agree that "Here on the Flight Path" by Norm Foster is great! If you need a larger cast his 'Office Hours" is very funny. ------------- tdsands @ NRT |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 7/20/07 at 10:18pm
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Give the 'Farndale Avenue Townswomens Guild Dramatic Society a go, there is about 7 in the stable, with total sendups of everything from the Mikado to the Scotish Play & in between.
http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsM/McGillivrayDavid.htm#23224 - http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsM/McGillivrayDavid.htm#23224
If you have plenty of blokes;- [9 males]
Give 'Fur coat & no knickers' a try or 'Last Tango in Whitby'
These are all Pohmy plays but if you don't worry about accents - they are great!
------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 7/22/07 at 10:21am
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Sorry if its been mentioned already, but I didn't go through the entire post.... But if you are looking for a great little comedy that dosen't make them think too hard, flows right along and is nothing but good clean fun, kinda like watching an old Bob Newhart show... try "You Can't Get There From Here" by Pat Cook... We will close this afternoon, and the audinces and the cast have truley loved it! ------------- Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.." |
Posted By: JujitsuPrincess
Date Posted: 7/25/07 at 11:04pm
| I was recently in a fun murder-mystery comedy called "Murder Can Be Habit-Forming". Yes, there is one murder, but the rest of the show is very clean, and even respectful to the Catholic nuns, including the hilarious comic relief senior citizen nun who obviously has a little bit of dementia. The plot involves a busload of folks getting stranded at a convent in a snow storm. One of them is the "Mary Murderer," who has been killing off women named Mary. Of course, there are several women on the bus named Mary, and ALL of nuns are "Sister Mary" something! It's a clever and funny show. I certainly enjoyed it, and would recommend it. You may wish to note that you will need a suit of armor, though. We used a fiber-glass rental and it was perfect. |
Posted By: ManMan
Date Posted: 7/25/07 at 11:39pm
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I like Last night of Ballyhoo...its clean |
Posted By: Jim_L
Date Posted: 7/26/07 at 8:59am
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My Tavern script is available and for all ages (and royalty free), stage tested and audience approved (already had it's debut peformance), 10m/5f, no set changes, just an acoustic guitar needed to perform all the music except one song which the music is pre-recorded, almost everyone sings, costumes are easy and the set is what you can make of it or do what our high school volunteers did. 2-1/2 hours long.
http://home.comcast.net/~castle.walls/tavern/index.html - http://home.comcast.net/~castle.walls/tavern/index.html
-Jim ------------- 
http://home.comcast.net/~castle.walls/tavern/ |
Posted By: bbpchick
Date Posted: 7/27/07 at 1:27am
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A really cute one is "Happily Ever, Once Upon". It's Cinderella and Prince Charming 10 years later =D. "Love, Sex, and the IRS" is a great play and was really successful for us. There is also "Moose Murders" which is pretty funny. And then there is always the melodrama. Those are always a good time, and the audience gets to participate!
Well thats my two cents. ------------- Kendra http://www.murphysblackbartplayer.com - www.murphysblackbartplayers.com You are NEVER too old to dress up! |
Posted By: Diane Grant
Date Posted: 9/03/07 at 11:40pm
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I have a funny comedy with four people, called Sunday Dinner, that's had great success at our community theatre in Los Angeles. If you'd like to look at a copy, I can email you one.
Diane Grant  ------------- Diane Grant |
Posted By: ladyd
Date Posted: 10/26/07 at 2:39pm
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Hi Diane,
We would love a copy of your script for Sunday Dinner.....
Please forward to:
Dianne Kinney
P.O. Box 159
Payette, Idaho 83661
|
Posted By: stockhamlj
Date Posted: 10/27/07 at 5:09pm
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"Divorce Sale" is a comedy suitable for community theatres. Currently, it is in production at Perry Stagecoach Theatre in Perry, Oklahoma, and Freeport Players, Freeport, Bahamas. It had its world premiere off-Broadway, and then in Queensland, Australia, and Guadacanal, Solomon Islands. A fun play, it is about a group of neighbors that are holding a yard sale for one who is going through a divorce and also holding a séance to contact the deceased husband of one’s ditsy mother-in-law. It is available online at: www:singlelane.com/proplay/divorcesale.html
If any problem pulling up copy, contact playwright at: lindastockham@yahoo.com ------------- Linda Stockham |
Posted By: klever
Date Posted: 11/04/07 at 8:36pm
|
Actually, "Funny Money" is by Ray Cooney and "Bedroom Farce" is by Alan Ayckbourn. "Funny Money" is great, but some audiences might object to the use of the word "pussy" in one scene, but that can easily be changed to something tamer. |
Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 11/04/07 at 9:50pm
Welcome Klever! The big hiccup it is not that simple? Anyhow I think Ray cooney &/or his Rights Agent would make a bigger objection & a more costly fuss about taming the pussy bit.  Remembering it is a Pohmy [British] script & I think it will milk enough laughter to drown out any prissy punters objections. But in some respects in a lot of your local Tamborene basher Belts there, it could raise a few eyebrows - so well worth the  warning.There again it was not that long a go over there, when resounding objections & bans were imposed on 'Damn Yankees' also?  {I never understood that? When 'cor Blimmey' & other such expressions were aceptable - Maybe it was about linking Damn with Yankees, that was the real objection?} Actualy I think old Molly Sugden, gawd bless her, of the BBC series 'Are you being served'. Would have been laid off on the dole much sooner, if it hadn't been for her signature lines of concern "So Wot do I do about my poor old pussy?". Which always hooked the laughter, even from the toffee nosed Kensington Set Pohms.} Chookas ------------- [western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!} |
Posted By: klever
Date Posted: 11/05/07 at 1:48pm
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I don't find the pussy offensive but in some parts of the US it would probably raise a few eyebrows. Interestingly, most farces that use the word "pussy" seem to use it in a sort of nudge-nudge wink-wink way without being overtly sexual. That's mostly true of "Funny Money" as well, except for the line where Betty says to Henry: "You'll get plenty of pussy in Barcelona."
|
Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 11/05/07 at 7:08pm
 See what you mean, I doubt that spain is noted to be bigger cat lovers than any where else?your right it may need to be tamed down, as one of those throw away lines, that is brushed over, without being acentuated at all. Leaving the average punter unsure what was said, that may or not sink in later? Giving the feeling that they have missed that bus, so happily to wait till the next one shows up. In most cases they don't think about it any further or realise it's content. ------------- [western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!} |
Posted By: ACT4JC
Date Posted: 1/09/08 at 3:28pm
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I'd like to suggest the following that I've done with high school students:
But Why Bump Off Barnaby?
Hard Candy (one-act)
Love of a Pig
|
Posted By: lynda gee
Date Posted: 2/02/08 at 3:03pm
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I totally agree with "The Foreigner," "Lend Me a Tenor," "Dearly Departed." and any Farndale play. Also "The Nerd' (of course) and an unknown Carl Reiner play "Enter Laughing" that is very funny and the sweet comedy "Over the River and Through the Woods." |
Posted By: stockhamlj
Date Posted: 2/19/08 at 11:22am
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TITLE: Divorce Sale
GENRE: Contemporary Comedy. LOGLINE: Neighbors hold a séance to contact the deceased husband of one’s ditsy mother-in-law. CAST OF CHARACTERS: 10 (6f,4m) SCENIC REQUIREMENT: Double-car garage. TIME: Spring, early 1990s. APPROXIMATE RUNNING TIME: 80 minutes. AVAILABLE ONLINE AT: <www:singlelane.com/proplay/divorcesale.html>. ROYALTIES: Contact playwright for performance rights at <lindastockham@yahoo.com>. PRODUCTIONS: Multiple, in USA and Internationally. ------------- Linda Stockham |
Posted By: Ogreking4
Date Posted: 2/25/08 at 12:10am
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Visit Heuer Publishing. They allow you to sort by genre and preview the first act of any of their plays... http://www.hitplays.com/default.aspx?pg=sd&st=SQUIRREL+LAKE |
Posted By: Matty
Date Posted: 3/02/08 at 11:17am
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We did "You Can't Take it With You" by Neil Simon. Great comedy, but lots of actors needed.
------------- Vice President Showcase Arts Foundation, Inc. www.dunedinshowcasetheater.org |
Posted By: SherrieAnne
Date Posted: 3/02/08 at 2:41pm
Actually, YCTIWY is by Moss Hart & George S. Kaufman - it IS a great comedy, though. I've done it twice - once as the Grand Duchess and once as Mrs. Kirby - and stage managed it once. ------------- There's a little bit of diva in all of us. Some just have a larger helping than others. |
Posted By: Matty
Date Posted: 3/02/08 at 8:21pm
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Yes, you're correct... after that, we've done two Neil Simon plays... got them confused!! Thanks.
------------- Vice President Showcase Arts Foundation, Inc. www.dunedinshowcasetheater.org |
Posted By: Big Daddy
Date Posted: 1/14/09 at 5:22pm
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We just finished Flaming Idiots - very funny, no cursing, some very mild sexual overtones. One character, Carl, should be played "gay" but it is not required. Not a negative thing and no sexual gags with him, it just adds some texture to the part and makes it sing.
One set, great reviews, sell out performances. ------------- Big Daddy |
Posted By: Big Daddy
Date Posted: 1/14/09 at 5:26pm
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Just finished Flaming Idots - great fun, some sexual overtones, but mild. Much fun, sold out shows, great reviews. ------------- Big Daddy |
Posted By: midgetking111
Date Posted: 1/17/09 at 9:58pm
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I was in a very hilarious show called the Mystery of the Suffocated 7th Grader when I was in 6th grade. You can find the script online at amazon.com. ------------- Mystery of the Suffocated 7th Grader-Perry Paulson Willy Wonka Junior-Grandpa George Air Uganda-Swami Ramblenonada James and the Giant Peach-James Trotter Throughly Modern Millie-Bun Foo |
Posted By: Ogreking4
Date Posted: 3/24/09 at 12:38pm
| You could try "The Big Five-Oh"! It's very funny and family friendly. It's found at Hitplays.com |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 4/02/09 at 7:32pm
| Any other suggestions here, especially with at least as many women as men? I'm running out of time to find one and haven't found anything that strikes me yet. I liked Flaming Idiots but I don't know that I can round up that many good male actors and I have a lot of women interested. We've done just about all the usual suspects and I really don't want to have to do Simon or one of the Dearly Departed sequels. |
Posted By: Melvin
Date Posted: 4/02/09 at 11:15pm
| You might try Lazy Bee Scripts. Lots of comedies and most of them are clean. There are a few exceptions to this, but not many. You can read the complete scripts online for free. It's a Brit outfit, some some of the shows are not for American audiences, but there are lots of really great shows for extremely reasonable royalties, much better than any American company I've dealt with on cost. Instead of sending you a hard copy script, they just send you a master Word document and you make as many copies as you need. Pretty cool. You can reach them at Lazybee.com |
Posted By: DFTDONNA
Date Posted: 4/19/09 at 6:47pm
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We just finished Neil Simon's Rumors to record breaking crowds and rave reviews. Another good one is Moon Over Buffalo by Ken Ludwig. Lots of laughs and both have mixed casts of men and women. |
Posted By: Doc Theatre
Date Posted: 4/20/09 at 1:29pm
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I'm the artistic director for a theatre and have directed for similar theatres that have this same problem. Niel Simon is good. "Same Time Next Year" might be a little naughty - but nothing R-rated and gets good attendance. "Bell Book and Candle" is also good.
Now: Appologies... I wrote this one. goto: http://faeryskiss.angelfire.com - http://faeryskiss.angelfire.com
It is squeeky clean - a "modern" romantic comedy fairy tale.
We did it and it paid for itself (all costs - included a large rental theatre) in just three days!) It's also very inexpensive to produce! It will be done this summer in Maine, and Canada and in an international festival. Newspaper reviews were great are online at various palces. So were audience surveys.
Good Luck! ------------- 40+ years up on the boards and still at it! |
Posted By: stockhamlj
Date Posted: 4/21/09 at 2:52pm
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TITLE: Divorce Sale
PLAYWRIGHT: Linda Stockham <lindastockham@netzero.net> GENRE: Contemporary Comedy. LOGLINE: Neighbors hold a séance to contact the deceased husband of one’s ditsy mother-in-law. CAST OF CHARACTERS: 10 (6f,4m) SCENIC REQUIREMENT: Double-car garage. (Relative simple scenic design.) TIME: Spring, early 1990s. APPROXIMATE RUNNING TIME: 80 minutes. KNOWN PRODUCTION HISTORY: Divorce Sale: Perry Stagecoach Community Theatre, Perry, Oklahoma. Opened November 3, 2007. Directed by Kandi Gibson. Freeport Players, Regency Theatre, Freeport, Bahamas. Opened October 25, 2007. Directed by Tiffany Dennison. Solomon Islands premiere produced by The Honiara Amateur Musical Society, Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Opened on October 1, 2005. The Dalby Players Little Theatre, Inc., Dalby, Queensland, Australia. Opened August 8, 2003. Directed by Adele Jasper; produced by Nancy Evans. (Australian premiere.) The Manhattan Players, The Duality Playhouse, New York City, New York. Opened on June 11, 1993. Directed by Matthew FitzSimmons. (World premiere.) A copy of this play can be downloaded at: http://www.singlelane.com/proplay/divorcesale.html ------------- Linda Stockham |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 8/06/09 at 2:15pm
Don't know if this poster is around, but this was another great suggestion I've gotten off this board. We had a great opening night with this last night. Serious issues but very funny...one "are you sh***ing me?" |
Posted By: NextStagePress
Date Posted: 8/07/09 at 3:52pm
|
LAMP
Did it in Huntsville, Tx - audience loved it. Adult retelling of the Aladdin's Lamp story.
You can find it at http://www.nextstagepress.net - www.nextstagepress.net ------------- New Plays From Across America! |
Posted By: Jo Norland
Date Posted: 8/10/09 at 2:29pm
| I just finished a full-length adaptation of 'Pride & Prejudice', almost entirely derived from the original text - It's clean, and Jane Austen is as funny as they come. Give me a shout if you'd like a copy - mailto:joanna.norland@gmail.com - joanna.norland@gmail.com |
Posted By: teejaystudio
Date Posted: 8/28/09 at 3:28pm
Couldn't find it. Got any more info about it? |
Posted By: lagazza
Date Posted: 8/29/09 at 10:14pm
| How about No time for sergeants |
Posted By: Diane Grant
Date Posted: 8/29/09 at 11:03pm
|
Hi, All,
I have a good clean comedy about Love, Marriage and Mother, called Sunday Dinner. If anybody wants to look at it, I can email it to them. I'm at grantdiane04@gmail.com Diane Grant  ------------- Diane Grant |
Posted By: stockhamlj
Date Posted: 9/01/09 at 9:32pm
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"Divorce Sale" found at www:singlelane.com/proplay/divorcesale.html
along the lines of "Blythe Spirit." ------------- Linda Stockham |