Play Suggestions: Cast size for straight plays?

Cast size for straight plays?

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Topic: Cast size for straight plays?

Posted By: donzolidis
Subject: Cast size for straight plays?
Date Posted: 12/20/12 at 10:50am

Hi all!

I'm in the process of writing a new play for community theatres and I had a question about cast size.

The play I'm writing, THE MOSS RIVER PLAYERS PRESENT: AN UNSPEAKABLE TRIUMPH OF SUPREME BRILLIANCE, is sort of Waiting for Guffman meets Friederich Durenmatt's "The Visit." A community theatre is presenting a terrible original play, when a former chorus member of Annie returns, having married the third-richest man in the world, and now offers a New Play Prize for North Central Minnesota Community Theatre: $10 million for the best play.

Since there are only two community theatres in this region, the avant-garde Red Barn Players, and the Moss River Players, the two community theatres essentially go to war and try to one-up each other's productions in the second act (which sees both plays performed simultaneously on stage) for the huge prize, judged solely by the former chorus member of Annie.

Anyway, the reason I wanted your opinions is that there are two possible ways for me to do the second act, one of which involves the actors of The Moss River Players also playing the actors of the Red Barn Players, which would keep the cast size down. The other uses different actors for every role.

If I go with option A: We're looking at a cast size of 8, (5F 3M), if we go with option B: We're looking at a cast size of at least 12, up to maybe 15 or 16. Technically, I think option B would probably result in the better play, but it might become too hard to produce.

So the question: If you were doing a straight play, would you have rather have the medium-sized cast (8-10) or a larger cast (12+)? Could you even cast that many actors in your community?

Thanks for your help!

Don

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www.donzolidis.com

Replies:

Posted By: David McCall
Date Posted: 12/20/12 at 2:06pm

One thing that is very important to community theaters is the number of butts in the seats. A large cast (especially one with a lot of children) is better in that they'll have brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, parents and grandparents, plus friends that can come to see the show.

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David M

Posted By: donzolidis
Date Posted: 12/20/12 at 6:20pm

Yeah, if I could put a chorus of 20 kids in the show, I would! (In fact, I have a joke that both community theatres have recently produced Annie in order to make money.)

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www.donzolidis.com

Posted By: KeeKeeDee
Date Posted: 12/21/12 at 6:40am

Another consideration is whether the added 4 players are male or female. That is where I feel the strain, if they are male specific roles. Gender neutral, fabulous.

Posted By: angelsme
Date Posted: 1/21/13 at 1:08am

One of the reasons that we enjoyed producing your show "Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon" was the opportunity to use a generous sized cast. I would completely agree that more cast members equal more dollars, and that female roles are always always always welcome.

Posted By: edh915
Date Posted: 1/21/13 at 3:08pm

As most have already said, people in the cast will put butts in the audience. And having a large cast in the way that your play seems to be laid out would actually simplify the rehearsal schedule a bit, because half of the cast would only have to be there half of the time. That in itself might make it easier to fill the cast requirements. So I guess I would opt for the larger cast, but I think it would also be beneficial if you'd offer a schematic for directors to refer to if they want to be able (or find themselves forced) to do the show with the smallest cast possible. (Audition turnout can be such a crap shoot.)

Posted By: JGrigsby
Date Posted: 2/19/13 at 3:12pm

Mr. Zolidis,

Even from a high school perspective, cast size is a huge determiner for me. Larger casts, even for a straight play, is much more likely to be selected by me and many public schools. If you're still working, I'd say make it a larger cast.

Good luck, and happy composing.