America's Favorite Plays!
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=4465
Printed Date: 11/25/24 at 2:29am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: America's Favorite Plays!
Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Subject: America's Favorite Plays!
Date Posted: 2/10/10 at 12:15pm
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An article by Terry Teachout. http://tinyurl.com/ydvj5hg - http://tinyurl.com/ydvj5hg .
Good topic for discussion! -Dana
------------- Mr. Lowell, Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director, for the Linda Sloan Theatre, in the Davison Center for the Arts, at Greensboro Day School |
Replies:
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 2/10/10 at 2:14pm
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Looks like a good list. We've done Doubt and Proof and are hoping to do Drawer Boy. Someone correct if I'm wrong but I believe this is a list of plays produced by professional theaters which might be why it is skewed towards newer, smaller, less expensive productions. I would guess the list for amateur theater would be somewhat different. I've seen a list here of the most produced community theater shows but can't seem to find the link now. |
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 2/10/10 at 6:01pm
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I like the article - but the idea that professional theatres don't do musicals isn't because audiences are too smart (Broadway would prove that wrong!), but, rather that smaller cast and one-set plays are far far far more inexpensive to produce. Also, many professional theatres don't have the space for full blown Broadway musicals. We have three professional theatres here in New Haven - one (Yale Rep) does primarily new plays with a few classics); one (Longwharf Theatre) does mostly classic plays, a few new plays, and one musical (their biggest seller) a year; and the Shurbert which only presents Broadway musicals and a few concerts.
it would seem the author of the article thinks quite a lot of his opinion!  ------------- http://tristanrobin.blogspot.com |
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 2/11/10 at 8:43am
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While we were looking at selecting the 2010-2011 season for our playhouse we were tossing around theme ideas. This year we tried "At the Movies" and put together a slate of shows which had all been movies as well as plays. (The season has sold amazingly well.) During the selection process for the upcoming year someone suggested we do all Pulitzer Prize winning shows. After the laughter died down we explained our audience base would not support this and we would most likely lose money on every show. It's ok to sprinkle one or two of these in a season, but a whole season? ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Date Posted: 2/11/10 at 2:01pm
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I forwarded this article to an old high school buddy of mine who manages a professional theatre. This is his reply:
"The article does miss the biggest reason for many of these shows on the top 10 list for PROFESSIONAL theatre. They are all great shows, but they all have 6 or fewer actors, which keeps the cost down". ------------- 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: MLT.
Date Posted: 2/15/10 at 12:01pm
Out of curiousity - and if you don't mind sharing..."which play's did you select for your season?"
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Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 2/15/10 at 12:24pm
Steel Magnolias? |
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 2/16/10 at 12:26pm
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The At the Movies season was:
Wizard of Oz
House of Frankenstein
It's a Wonderful Life (added after Fiddler rights were yanked)
The Odd Couple
Arsenic and Old Lace
2010-2011
Once upon a mattress
Sunshine Boys
Annie
Escanaba in Da Moonlight
Harvey
------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: POB14
Date Posted: 2/17/10 at 4:28pm
The article didn't miss that:
"On the other hand, it should be noted that all but three of these shows, "Crowns," "Wit" and "The Laramie Project," call for no more than four actors. The lesson is clear: If you want to write a smart, serious play that has a halfway decent chance of getting produced, keep the cast as small as possible." ------------- POB Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard |