Play Suggestions: HELP! I have only four weeks to replace a show

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HELP! I have only four weeks to replace a show

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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=2583
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Topic: HELP! I have only four weeks to replace a show

Posted By: mommathes
Subject: HELP! I have only four weeks to replace a show
Date Posted: 8/16/07 at 4:23pm

We are in desperate need. We have to replace a show and be ready to perform in four weeks. Any suggestions for something that would be quick and easy to pull together. We have adults and kids available but I would like to hit more kids. Let me rephrase that; I would like something that would allow us to cast more kids than adults.

Replies:

Posted By: biggertigger
Date Posted: 8/16/07 at 4:58pm

Yikes! Ok, now the questions?

Are you looking for a musical, comedy, straight play, etc?

How big of a cast? (With so little time I would look for a small cast)?

Size of set, scenery, space?

Might I suggest that kids take a little longer to rehearse and with time frame you are talking about, I would focus on adults that can put more time and energy, plus wont have to reinvent the wheel after every break that you do with kids.

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The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes.

Posted By: mommathes
Date Posted: 8/16/07 at 6:16pm

Any suggestions would be appreciated. We have a 17'X26' stage with VERY tiny wings. We have had a cast size up to 43. It was tight but we did it. If we do a musical I have a music director available but she will only work with kids or teens. We try to stick to light hearted, family oriented, shows.

Posted By: biggertigger
Date Posted: 8/16/07 at 9:18pm

Ok, if kids it be then there are these shows by MTI. They are design especially for children. http://www.broadwayjr.com/default_HOME.asp - http://www.broadwayjr.com/default_HOME.asp

or http://www.mtikidscollection.com/default_HOME.asp - http://www.mtikidscollection.com/default_HOME.asp

The most popular of all these shows is High School Musical. There are problems acquiring the rights currently.

Now with such short nortice, if you can acquire one script from Samuel French for a play you want to do, you can legally photocopy the script and use those while you wait for the real scripts to come in.

The scripts will have to be destroyed after the originals arrive.

THis is the website to Samuel French for Youth Theater shows. YOu can take a look at cast size from there.

http://www.samuelfrench.com/store/index.php/cPath/31 - http://www.samuelfrench.com/store/index.php/cPath/31

You can get so many different suggestions, but I think it is best that you browse these websites to see what really meets your criteria. I know it can be overwhelming, but the best is to look at the current material and go from there.

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The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes.

Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Date Posted: 8/17/07 at 5:28pm

We have done "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" with high school and with middle school age actors. It is a rather simple show that can be staged with ease on basic platforms. The style of the show can be wide open and twisted, like a Far Side comic strip or Bugs Bunny cartoon. You just need a few simple props and your "stock" period costumes.

Considering your short rehearsal time, you might cast many of the chorus parts with kids and teens, and have your adults do some of the more involved lead parts. The lighthearted nature of his show allows for a mix ages like this, and for that matter, you could easily pad the chorus with everybody who auditions.

Good luck. -Dana

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Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School

Posted By: Lazy Bee
Date Posted: 8/18/07 at 5:41am

Try looking at the http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/YouthTheatre/Index.htm - Youth Theatre Scripts
on the Lazy Bee Scripts web site, or, to refine your search, try using the http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Full_Search.ASP - script search engine . (That will let you seach by numbers of actors, length of piece, ages of actors, etc.)

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Stuart
Lazy Bee Scripts
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk - http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk read complete play scripts on-line

Posted By: mommathes
Date Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:02pm

Thanks for all of the suggestions. We decided the easiest way to go was with a series of short plays revolving around one subject. That way we can have two or three directors working with small groups making it easier to pull together in 4 weeks. I am hoping they with blend well when we put them together. I am writing transitions to make it more cohesive

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Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 8/23/07 at 3:10am

That's a good idea, especialy if you can put them all under a one banner generic titlle, which helps in putting bums on seats.

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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}