One Acts for Teens
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=4033
Printed Date: 11/26/24 at 1:28pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: One Acts for Teens
Posted By: socalmom
Subject: One Acts for Teens
Date Posted: 5/20/09 at 5:14pm
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Hello!
We are a new theater group and let's just say we are about as green as it gets! :)
We just finished up _The Man Who Came To Dinner_ and the students did a superb job!
We did learn, however, that this is not the type of scripct we want to offer...too many kiddos in very small roles.
So, as we look forward to the Fall we are leaning towards 2 or 3 one-acts..you know..to spread the love! :)
We are trying to stay away from sexual situations for the most part...romance is okay, of course. We'd like to stay away from bad words altogether. I guess you could say we're looking for PG-type stuff!!
We had 25 actors last semester and we expect to have that many again with the majority being girls.
Have I talked too much my first time out?? I'm sorry if I did!!!
Oh dear, one more thing!!!! How does one go about researching scripts other than doing the searches on the sites? Do you order one to read?? Do they let you borrow a copy?? Are the synopsis' that they offer accurate enough to just go with one that you like??
I want to thank anyone and everyone who took the time to read this far and if you reply to me I will pray blessings upon you!!!
Laura Gonzalez
http://www.alethiatheater.com - www.alethiatheater.com ------------- www.alethiatheater.com |
Replies:
Posted By: Theatrefolk
Date Posted: 5/20/09 at 5:24pm
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All of our one act plays are suitable for teenagers to perform. Most are very girl-heavy. http://www.theatrefolk.com/products/length/2-one-act - http://www.theatrefolk.com/products/length/2-one-act All of the plays have tons of sample pages for you to read before committing to anything! ------------- Theatrefolk: Scripts for High Schools, Middle Schools, and Elementary Schools http://www.theatrefolk.com - http://www.theatrefolk.com |
Posted By: Nyria
Date Posted: 5/20/09 at 5:53pm
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theatrefolk is a good one.
Also try playscripts.com as you can read theirs online.
Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon from playscripts is a great one to share the love, also 'Hard Candy' and 'A Simple Task' ------------- NYRIA |
Posted By: Lazy Bee
Date Posted: 5/20/09 at 6:07pm
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Lots of http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Search_Results.asp?iMF=2&iXM=4&iXF=6&iMT=30&iAR=2&iC%281%29=2&iC%282%29=1&iC%286%29=2&iC%2810%29=2&iC%2813%29=2&iC%2817%29=2&iC%2818%29=2 - possible scripts here . The starting point, of course, is a bunch of synopses, but in this case you can read every script in full on-line (as long as you have the free Java plug-in working from your browser.)
------------- Stuart Lazy Bee Scripts http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk - http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk read complete play scripts on-line |
Posted By: socalmom
Date Posted: 5/20/09 at 7:29pm
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Oh my goodness, everyone!!! You have no idea how relieved I feel right now!!! The task of searching out appropriate, one act plays made me feel a little breathless....moving a bit towards hyperventilation, really!! lol!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a wonderful place this is!!!!!!!
Laura Gonzalez
http://www.alethiatheater.com - www.alethiatheater.com
------------- www.alethiatheater.com |
Posted By: socalmom
Date Posted: 5/20/09 at 10:20pm
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I have another question that I hope is appropriate in this section....
I am reading the Brothers Grimm play...ohmygosh, it's hilarious!!! I can just hear it in my head and it makes me laugh out loud!!!! I would enjoy doing this one myself!! :)
My question is in regards to making changes....Playscripts has a lot of verbage about presenting the play as written, basically no changes. However, the author of the play says its okay to take parts out and ad lib. Would changes to the script be okay to young it up a little more? That would seem to be against the publishers wishes and it doesn't fit in with what the author says is okay......
I am going to share this play with the rest of the board and there is one member who I think would be more comfortable with it if she knew we could alter a few things and that it would be okay with the author and wouldn't go against the publisher's contract.
Thank you again!!
Laura Gonzalez
http://www.alethiatheater.com - www.alethiatheater.com
------------- www.alethiatheater.com |
Posted By: donzolidis
Date Posted: 5/21/09 at 12:19am
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As I understand the rules, it's like this:
I think it's generally accepted that the director has the right to cut things from a play, (whether that's a bad word here or there or chunks of scenes to make it shorter) it's adding things in that's not allowable.
The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon requires interaction with the audience, so obviously the author (me) can't write perfect lines for every situation. It's assumed that in cases where actors talk to the audience, you have wiggle room there.
Further, the nature of the play (and the play that inspired it, The Complete works of Shakespeare (abridged)) is that its adaptable and flexible depending on the performers. So ad-libbing is okay.
Further, you can always ask the author about changes you'd like to make - you can email playscripts and they'll send on a request to me (or another playwright if it's another play) - if the changes are small and logical, I don't have a problem approving them. Now, not every author is as flexible as I am (Neil Simon is famous for this, but then again, he's Neil Simon and I'm not) so your request might be turned down, but you can always ask.
So yes you can take things out to young it up a bit. Looking at your website, there is some sexual innuendo that would likely be inappropriate for your audience and I think the play can survive and still be funny without that. ------------- www.donzolidis.com |
Posted By: socalmom
Date Posted: 5/21/09 at 1:42am
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Oh my goodness!!! I never imagined that the author of the play I'm thoroughly enjoying would reply!!!! I've never talked with an actual playwright before!! (I'm kinda nervous!!) :) So you wrote that hilarious play!! Thank you for replying and for taking a look at our website so you know what kind of changes we would most likely want to make. As I was reading it and came across those things, I agree with you...making those changes would keep the integrity of the play and still be funny. We have so many talented actors and we so want to give everyone a chance to at least say _something_ on stage....in our last play we actually had two kiddos with basically no lines.....we felt SO bad!!! It was our complete lack of knowing any better....live and learn...and boy, are we learning!! Okay, so knowing that we go through the publisher to contact the author is good to know! We'll steer clear of any Neil Simon..thanks for the heads up on that one!! lol!!! This discussion board just gets better and better!!!
Laura Gonzalez
http://www.alethiatheater.com - www.alethiatheater.com
------------- www.alethiatheater.com |
I love it!!!Posted By: Jo Norland
Date Posted: 5/23/09 at 10:31am
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ProPlay is a good database of one act & full length professionally produced plays - clearly set out in terms of number of characters, length, etc. My script, 'Mothers Have Nine Lives' is there on http://www.singlelane.com/proplay/mothers.html - http://www.singlelane.com/proplay/mothers.html . It has 12 good female roles, and has worked well in a number of high school productions. Give me a shout if it looks interesting to you. Good luck, Joanna
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Posted By: imamember
Date Posted: 5/23/09 at 2:03pm
| We're doing The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) for our 2010-2011 season and I'm forwarding the Brothers Grimm link to our Youth Theatre Chair for consideration. That might be neat to have both shows in one season. |
Posted By: socalmom
Date Posted: 5/24/09 at 3:22pm
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Hi Jo!
Wow, this board is truly amazing!!
Thank you so much for the information on your play!! I looked it up and it looks very good!! I forwarded the link to the other board menbers so they could take a look at it. We have _so_ many girls and your play would give a big hunk of them very good roles!
If any questions pop up I'll be sure to contact you - thank you!!!!
Laura
http://www.alethiatheater.com - www.alethiatheater.com ------------- www.alethiatheater.com |
Posted By: socalmom
Date Posted: 5/24/09 at 3:29pm
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I can totally see both of those plays being done in the same season!! lol!! I love both of them for their tongue-in-cheek pokes at the classics!! I think either one would draw in audience, but doing both would be fantastic!! I can see people telling everyone how funny the first one was and get their friends to come out for the next one!!
I've been watching the Reduced Shakespeare Company on YouTube since I read your post earlier....they are hilarious!!! Will your group do what they do there or is the play you mentioned something else? Also, are you buying the book that is $14.95 or is there another book? I'm still not sure what is what!! :)
Thank you!!!
Laura
http://www.alethiatheater.com - www.alethiatheater.com ------------- www.alethiatheater.com |
Posted By: Jo Norland
Date Posted: 5/24/09 at 5:28pm
| sounds good - best of luck! Joanna |