Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: High School Musical Suggestions

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upnorth98
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Topic: High School Musical Suggestions
Posted: 3/22/05 at 9:08pm

I'm looking for a suggestion for a show for next year. We just finished Anything Goes. We will have two very strong male leads next year and a strong female lead. All three have WONDERFUL comedic timing and acceptable voices, but nothing too fancy. This year we had a cast of 40 of which 8 were guys.

In the past we have done:
Footloose
Annie Get Your Gun
South Pacific
Hello Dolly
Music Man
Grease

We really are looking for something to spotlight the comic timing of the three mentioned above. Any suggestions??

Thank you,
Steph

Benzie Central High School
Benzonia, MI

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Scott B
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Posted: 3/23/05 at 2:02am

Guys and Dolls has some great comedic roles for men and one female. Of course if you've got 8 guys and 32 dolls ... well, never mind. Nothing else comes to mind.

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AnonymousActor5
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Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:58pm

Ahhh! Crazy For You ! it has actually 3 comedic male roles, but only one comedic female. There are also 4 other huge parts. It has many moments that would definitely show off the talents of your mini-comedy team

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sparklegal
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Posted: 3/30/05 at 7:28pm

Our high school just finished "Little Shop of Horrors" and it was honestly one of the best musicals our school has done. I had the lead as Audrey and it was one of those shows that never got old because there was so much energy required to do it. There need to be at least two strong male actors/singers and one strong female actor/singer and the rest need to have good singing abilities. I would highly recommend this show, but only if you have enough good singers to do it.

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Sir Actsalot
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Posted: 4/01/05 at 9:07pm

"Wizard of Oz", is always a classic. 5 guy leads (including the Wizard and Uncle Henry). It doesn't matter if the rest are girls or not.

Acting is controlled schizophrenia.

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ljstockham813
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Posted: 4/01/05 at 9:31pm

Sir Actsalot is a priceless name that should be the title of a play about an actor's life.

My musical suggestion and one that is ideal for high school is GOOD NEWS.

Linda Stockham
Playwright/Cultural Anthropologist

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fourninety
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Posted: 4/05/05 at 6:07pm

You might consider the stage version of "Singin' in the Rain" (MTI has the rights). Rent the movie if you want - the script and music is almost identical (a few extra numbers thrown in, including a solo for Lina). The three leads (2 male, 1 female) all need comedy and the vocals are not overly challenging. You'd also need a funny Lina (the silent movie actress with a voice like fingernails on the chalkboard!)...but with 32 girls I'm sure you'd have some good options. Lots of bit parts for the chorus. We did it last year and it went over extremely well.

I also concur that "Crazy For You" would be an excellent option...your two males would bring down the house in "What Causes That?"...I'd worry, though, if your Polly can't dazzle them with her vocals.

And one more suggestion. "Sugar" - the musical version of the old movie "Some Like It Hot" (starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis). This is hands down the funniest script I have seen, and the music, though not well known at all, is surprisingly good. Imagine your two males (unemployed musicians) spending the show dressed as women in an all girl band (starring your female) in order to hide from the mafia after accidently witnessing a mob hit! Again, rent the movie - none of the music is in it, of course, but it gives you a good sense of the show.

Good luck!

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Theatre13
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Posted: 4/08/05 at 1:30pm

Little Shop of Horrors

Once Upon a Mattress

Saturday Night

Working is awesome

Damn Yankees

All of the above are vocally acceptable range wise for that age group. If you are looking for something Odder you could look at:

Return to the Forbidden Planet

Hamlet Cha Cha Cha (corney and campy)

Jeff
Freelance Director/Designer/Dialect Coach

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THS-SM
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Posted: 4/10/05 at 9:19pm

The Producers (MTI) has just been released for amature use. Very soon they will release the PG version for use. It needs two funny leading Guys.

Or Bat Boy: the musical (Dramatist)

This is a great show. Two strong guys. Not so much comic timing but my HS just finished it and it was great.

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tristanrobin
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Posted: 4/25/05 at 8:14pm

I've directed "Working" twice with high school students. It has
some very funny - and some very decidedly NOT funny -
moments and characters. The music is interesting and not
'done to death.' It can be done with an elaborate, multi-level set
- or with not set at all. It's a director's dream - and a
choreographer's as well - the creative possibilities are endless.
There are about 40 characters - in one school, I had a student
for each character, and they combined as the chorus - in
another about 10 students played all the characters, and we
used a separate group of students as the chorus.

Look it over - Music Theatre International has the rights

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Author	Message
upnorth98 Walk-On Joined: 3/22/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: High School Musical Suggestions Posted: 3/22/05 at 9:08pm
	I'm looking for a suggestion for a show for next year. We just finished Anything Goes. We will have two very strong male leads next year and a strong female lead. All three have WONDERFUL comedic timing and acceptable voices, but nothing too fancy. This year we had a cast of 40 of which 8 were guys. In the past we have done: Footloose Annie Get Your Gun South Pacific Hello Dolly Music Man Grease We really are looking for something to spotlight the comic timing of the three mentioned above. Any suggestions?? Thank you, Steph Benzie Central High School Benzonia, MI

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Scott B Celebrity Joined: 12/08/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 239	Posted: 3/23/05 at 2:02am
	Guys and Dolls has some great comedic roles for men and one female. Of course if you've got 8 guys and 32 dolls ... well, never mind. Nothing else comes to mind.
	IP Logged

AnonymousActor5 Walk-On Joined: 3/24/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:58pm
	Ahhh! Crazy For You ! it has actually 3 comedic male roles, but only one comedic female. There are also 4 other huge parts. It has many moments that would definitely show off the talents of your mini-comedy team
	IP Logged

sparklegal Walk-On Joined: 3/30/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 3/30/05 at 7:28pm
	Our high school just finished "Little Shop of Horrors" and it was honestly one of the best musicals our school has done. I had the lead as Audrey and it was one of those shows that never got old because there was so much energy required to do it. There need to be at least two strong male actors/singers and one strong female actor/singer and the rest need to have good singing abilities. I would highly recommend this show, but only if you have enough good singers to do it.
	IP Logged

Sir Actsalot Walk-On Joined: 4/01/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 4/01/05 at 9:07pm
	"Wizard of Oz", is always a classic. 5 guy leads (including the Wizard and Uncle Henry). It doesn't matter if the rest are girls or not.
	Acting is controlled schizophrenia.
	IP Logged

ljstockham813 Player Joined: 3/31/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 21	Posted: 4/01/05 at 9:31pm
	Sir Actsalot is a priceless name that should be the title of a play about an actor's life. My musical suggestion and one that is ideal for high school is GOOD NEWS.
	Linda Stockham Playwright/Cultural Anthropologist
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fourninety Walk-On Joined: 5/02/04 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Posted: 4/05/05 at 6:07pm
	You might consider the stage version of "Singin' in the Rain" (MTI has the rights). Rent the movie if you want - the script and music is almost identical (a few extra numbers thrown in, including a solo for Lina). The three leads (2 male, 1 female) all need comedy and the vocals are not overly challenging. You'd also need a funny Lina (the silent movie actress with a voice like fingernails on the chalkboard!)...but with 32 girls I'm sure you'd have some good options. Lots of bit parts for the chorus. We did it last year and it went over extremely well. I also concur that "Crazy For You" would be an excellent option...your two males would bring down the house in "What Causes That?"...I'd worry, though, if your Polly can't dazzle them with her vocals. And one more suggestion. "Sugar" - the musical version of the old movie "Some Like It Hot" (starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis). This is hands down the funniest script I have seen, and the music, though not well known at all, is surprisingly good. Imagine your two males (unemployed musicians) spending the show dressed as women in an all girl band (starring your female) in order to hide from the mafia after accidently witnessing a mob hit! Again, rent the movie - none of the music is in it, of course, but it gives you a good sense of the show. Good luck!
	IP Logged

Theatre13 Player Joined: 4/01/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 4/08/05 at 1:30pm
	Little Shop of Horrors Once Upon a Mattress Saturday Night Working is awesome Damn Yankees All of the above are vocally acceptable range wise for that age group. If you are looking for something Odder you could look at: Return to the Forbidden Planet Hamlet Cha Cha Cha (corney and campy)
	Jeff Freelance Director/Designer/Dialect Coach
	IP Logged

THS-SM Walk-On Joined: 4/10/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 4/10/05 at 9:19pm
	The Producers (MTI) has just been released for amature use. Very soon they will release the PG version for use. It needs two funny leading Guys. Or Bat Boy: the musical (Dramatist) This is a great show. Two strong guys. Not so much comic timing but my HS just finished it and it was great.
	IP Logged

tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 4/25/05 at 8:14pm
	I've directed "Working" twice with high school students. It has some very funny - and some very decidedly NOT funny - moments and characters. The music is interesting and not 'done to death.' It can be done with an elaborate, multi-level set - or with not set at all. It's a director's dream - and a choreographer's as well - the creative possibilities are endless. There are about 40 characters - in one school, I had a student for each character, and they combined as the chorus - in another about 10 students played all the characters, and we used a separate group of students as the chorus. Look it over - Music Theatre International has the rights
	IP Logged

Topic: High School Musical Suggestions( Topic Closed)