Play Suggestions: High School Late Nite Theater

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High School Late Nite Theater

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=4953
Printed Date: 11/25/24 at 1:29pm
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Topic: High School Late Nite Theater

Posted By: tech_director
Subject: High School Late Nite Theater
Date Posted: 2/03/11 at 9:25pm

Hey this is a tough one, mainly because I don't know what I'm really looking for!

I'm working with a group of high schoolers to produce a "Late Nite Theater" event for their school. Tickets will only be available to kids from the school. The show will start around 9pm, and there will be pizza and snacks for the kids before the show.

Now for a script.

IDEAS/ CRITERIA:

Something between 60-90 minutes.
Performing in an oversized classroom, turned theater.
COMEDY!
LOTS of audience participation. (Inspired by "25th Annual Spelling Bee"
No musicals.
Something that appeals to teens. Zombies will attract teens, Classics will not.
PG-13, maybe a couple Rated R jokes, but it has to be clean for the most part.

Any ideas are welcome!

Thanks,

Matt

Replies:

Posted By: Lazy Bee
Date Posted: 2/04/11 at 8:17am

Hmm. A difficult combination. There are are http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Search_Results.asp?iMT=60&iXT=90&iAR=3&iC%284%29=2&iC%289%29=1&iC%2820%29=1&iC%2821%29=1 - synopses of 36 scripts here which fit all the criteria on which I can select. (I am unable to filter on the nature of your theatre, or on audience participation.)

- British pantomime fits well with the audience participation, but usually they are musical (hence most are excluded from my link) and many are based on stories which your audience would think too young for them (the source material is too young, the treatment is not!). On that score, take a look at Pantostein in the above list.
- There's also a complete but irreverend treatment of Dracula listed.

If you find a script that appeals from the synopsis, then you should be able to read the complete script on-line.

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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: jonplaywright
Date Posted: 2/12/11 at 2:46pm

The killer is the audience participation part. My play High School (non) Musical, a parody of the Disney phenom and quite widely produced in its own right, fits all of your criteria but that... But who knows, maybe there's a way to get the audience involved as cheerleaders, dancers, etc.

http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1335 - http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1335

Cheers,
Jon

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Co-Chair, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights
Resident Playwright, Final Draft

YouthPLAYS, plays for young actors and audiences
http://www.youthplays.com - www.youthplays.com

Posted By: donzolidis
Date Posted: 2/14/11 at 10:55am

I've got a couple that will work.

The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon (think the complete works of Shakespeare abridged with the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm) has audience participation, can be done in a small space, and even has PG-13 jokes thrown in (fun fact: banned in Arkansas!) There's a 45 minute version and a 2 hour version, both available to be read here:

http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1162 - http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1162

(Click on read free sample to read the whole thing) - despite being banned, it's very popular with high schoolers - over 600 productions.

The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza (this is basically the sequel to the Brothers Grimm play, except with Greek myths instead of fairy tales) - has audience participation, zombies, and PG-13 moments (it's Greek mythology after all) - again, you can read it online here:

http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1738 - http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1738

And lastly, this has some audience participation, and lots of double entendres, but is a murder mystery and might be tough to do in an over-sized classroom.

The Murderous Mansion of Mr. Uno

http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1011 - http://www.playscripts.com/play.php3?playid=1011

Both the Brothers Grimm and the Olympiaganza are extremely flexible and could basically be done anywhere.

Good luck! Cool idea.

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www.donzolidis.com