Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Blockbuster & Comedy needed

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bamisk
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Joined: 11/12/07
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Topic: Blockbuster & Comedy needed
Posted: 11/12/07 at 12:04pm

My theater company needs a Blockbuster (aka money maker) for this coming season. We also need a comedy that could guarantee sales. The other 2 plays we will do can then be lesser known, high quality works. (Not that the Blockbuster and comedy can be low quality).

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Topper
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Posted: 11/12/07 at 4:15pm

I don't know what part of the country you're in, but here in the Upper Midwest there has been great success with a show called "Don't Hug Me!"

http://www.donthugme.com/

It's an original musical-comedy with a cast of 5 (three men, 2 women) and one set. Audiences here have been packing in to watch.

It ain't high art -- heck, it's not even LOW art -- but I saw it and laughed my fool head off.

It even inspired a sequel (What hasn't?) titled "A 'Don't Hug Me' Christmas Carol." I haven't seen that one, but the humor and songs are similar, I understand.

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

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tristanrobin
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Posted: 11/13/07 at 9:49am

I hate to say it - but - I've never heard of a theatre not making a gazillion dollars by mounting one of the early Neil Simon plays - The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, etc.

The funniest plays I've ever seen were The Nerd, Noises Off, Moon Over Buffalo, and I Hate Hamlet. Not the best plays I've ever seen, mind you, but the ones that I laughed almost nonstop during.

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lmar12
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Posted: 11/19/07 at 5:50pm

We just did Rumors by Neil Simon and the audience just loved it. Terrific buzz from it. 5 men and 5 men--but you must have really strong men!

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AleCelA
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Posted: 11/28/07 at 2:34pm

We did Clue the Musical at my theatre just last year and even though our singing wasn't that great it packed the house just on sheer hillarity and audience curiousity. Clue was also a relatively cheap show set wise. Good money maker over all.

How many directors does it take to change a lightbulb?
3...no, make it 4... on second thought 3... make it 5 just to be safe.

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AleCelA
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Posted: 11/28/07 at 2:39pm

A great comedy would be A Good Man (samuel french owns the rights) a great show that takes place in a funeral home that gets going right away when the family discovers that it is not there father in the casket. I saw it at a theatre in the area and couldn't stop laughing the entire time. Another good show, if content isn't too much of an issue, would be Polish Joke (Dramatists) a hillarious comedy about Polish man who has been taught not to be polish and his attempts to do so.

How many directors does it take to change a lightbulb?
3...no, make it 4... on second thought 3... make it 5 just to be safe.

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B-M-D
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Posted: 11/29/07 at 12:28pm

OMG this is such a no brainer. Go with The Odd Couple. Even a bad production will make a million bucks and a good production two million. It as close to a sure thing as you're ever going to get in community theatre. And almost any Neil Simon is practically money in the bank (for you and Neil).

"Dying is easy, comedy is hard."

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teridtiger
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Joined: 10/24/05
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Posted: 12/03/07 at 2:06pm

Just a heads-up for any theatre considering Neil Simon - *ALL* of his shows now cost $125.00 per performance for the rights.

VERY cost-prohibitive for our 60 seat non-profit theatre company. :(

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Topper
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Posted: 12/03/07 at 2:23pm

Some publishers are willing to negotiate smaller royalties for smaller theaters. They don't always advertise this policy, but it's been known to happen.

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

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teridtiger
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Posted: 12/03/07 at 2:26pm

Neil Simon will not negotiate anything. We tried.

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Topic: Blockbuster & Comedy needed( Topic Closed)
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Author	Message
bamisk Walk-On Joined: 11/12/07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Blockbuster & Comedy needed Posted: 11/12/07 at 12:04pm
	My theater company needs a Blockbuster (aka money maker) for this coming season. We also need a comedy that could guarantee sales. The other 2 plays we will do can then be lesser known, high quality works. (Not that the Blockbuster and comedy can be low quality).

	IP Logged

Topper Celebrity Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543	Posted: 11/12/07 at 4:15pm
	I don't know what part of the country you're in, but here in the Upper Midwest there has been great success with a show called "Don't Hug Me!" http://www.donthugme.com/ It's an original musical-comedy with a cast of 5 (three men, 2 women) and one set. Audiences here have been packing in to watch. It ain't high art -- heck, it's not even LOW art -- but I saw it and laughed my fool head off. It even inspired a sequel (What hasn't?) titled "A 'Don't Hug Me' Christmas Carol." I haven't seen that one, but the humor and songs are similar, I understand.
	"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
	IP Logged

tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 11/13/07 at 9:49am
	I hate to say it - but - I've never heard of a theatre not making a gazillion dollars by mounting one of the early Neil Simon plays - The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, etc. The funniest plays I've ever seen were The Nerd, Noises Off, Moon Over Buffalo, and I Hate Hamlet. Not the best plays I've ever seen, mind you, but the ones that I laughed almost nonstop during.
	IP Logged

lmar12 Player Joined: 8/22/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 25	Posted: 11/19/07 at 5:50pm
	We just did Rumors by Neil Simon and the audience just loved it. Terrific buzz from it. 5 men and 5 men--but you must have really strong men!
	IP Logged

AleCelA Walk-On Joined: 11/28/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 11/28/07 at 2:34pm
	We did Clue the Musical at my theatre just last year and even though our singing wasn't that great it packed the house just on sheer hillarity and audience curiousity. Clue was also a relatively cheap show set wise. Good money maker over all.
	How many directors does it take to change a lightbulb? 3...no, make it 4... on second thought 3... make it 5 just to be safe.
	IP Logged

AleCelA Walk-On Joined: 11/28/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 11/28/07 at 2:39pm
	A great comedy would be A Good Man (samuel french owns the rights) a great show that takes place in a funeral home that gets going right away when the family discovers that it is not there father in the casket. I saw it at a theatre in the area and couldn't stop laughing the entire time. Another good show, if content isn't too much of an issue, would be Polish Joke (Dramatists) a hillarious comedy about Polish man who has been taught not to be polish and his attempts to do so.
	How many directors does it take to change a lightbulb? 3...no, make it 4... on second thought 3... make it 5 just to be safe.
	IP Logged

B-M-D Celebrity Joined: 11/03/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 346	Posted: 11/29/07 at 12:28pm
	OMG this is such a no brainer. Go with The Odd Couple. Even a bad production will make a million bucks and a good production two million. It as close to a sure thing as you're ever going to get in community theatre. And almost any Neil Simon is practically money in the bank (for you and Neil).
	BD "Dying is easy, comedy is hard."
	IP Logged

teridtiger Star Joined: 10/24/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 69	Posted: 12/03/07 at 2:06pm
	Just a heads-up for any theatre considering Neil Simon - ALL of his shows now cost $125.00 per performance for the rights. VERY cost-prohibitive for our 60 seat non-profit theatre company. :(
	IP Logged

Topper Celebrity Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543	Posted: 12/03/07 at 2:23pm
	Some publishers are willing to negotiate smaller royalties for smaller theaters. They don't always advertise this policy, but it's been known to happen.
	"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
	IP Logged

teridtiger Star Joined: 10/24/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 69	Posted: 12/03/07 at 2:26pm
	Neil Simon will not negotiate anything. We tried.
	IP Logged