Closed Topics: New teacher needs HS melodrama ideas?

Print Page | Close Window

New teacher needs HS melodrama ideas?

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Archives
Forum Name: Closed Topics
Forum Discription: Uncategorized posts from the previous version of our discussion board. For browsing and searching.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=300
Printed Date: 5/31/25 at 10:05pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: New teacher needs HS melodrama ideas?

Posted By: Guests
Subject: New teacher needs HS melodrama ideas?
Date Posted: 1/15/04 at 6:46pm

Hi, I'm a new drama teacher looking for people who could tell me which would be the easiest and most fun melodrama to do as my first high school production and dinner theater. I would love to find a funny one with around 15-25 characters and not too hard of affects/costumes. I'm interested in Vaudville numbers too. Anyways if you can recommend melodramas and which company to order them through I'd be overjoyed. Please forward this to others if you know anyone else that can help. Plays too. Thanks, Andrea 530-343-3384 or email

Replies:

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 1/16/04 at 2:56am

Hi Andrea...Samuel French has loads of good melodramas, we recently produced Showtime on the Showboat and followed it with a second act of skits and olios, musical numbers. Deadwood Dick is another all time favorite, though a little more difficult.
Other winning shows, not melodramas, for High School? I really like MASH, The Lion that Roared and Harvey. They all have good name appeal, are easily produced and costumed and have a good number of characters.

Good luck!

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 1/16/04 at 1:24pm

It's not even remotely a melodrama- but it's fantastic & if I had access to HS kids I'd do it in a heartbeat- read "Bang, Bang, You're Dead"- forget about what you saw on Showtime- read the script which you can download at bangbangyouredead.com (I believe). It's just really phenominal & moving- there are no rights required if you're doing it for a school either which is a bonus. Read it if only because you work with high schoolers.

Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 10/14/05 at 4:50pm

My favorite melodramas:

Musicals, but non-musical versions available too:

Tied to the Tracks, Orphans in Candyland (both PIONEER)

Straight:

Pure as the Driven Snow (SF), Egad! What a Cad! (SF)

Samuel French also has melodrama song books and idea books. Pioneer Drama has a book and CD called Between Hisses.

-------------

Posted By: sastb2
Date Posted: 10/15/05 at 9:10am

My first melodrama was last year. I was so pleased with Pioneer Drama Services(www.pioneerdrama.com) I did Heaven Help the Potater's. I only had problem on choosing the waltz and getting the dancing in. I also used their book, Between Hisses. It gave me the jokes of that period, plus some songs. I ended up choosing other songs, but it at least started me with the ideas and I was able to take off. Hope this helps. The audience enjoyed the jokes, dance and music before the production.

-------------
GWK - theater teacher

Posted By: angelsme
Date Posted: 10/15/05 at 9:43pm

Hi-

I also directed ShowTime on the Showboat a few years back, followed by Olios, musical numbers and mime, several from the "Hisses" book. This was a great way to use a large cast with a real ensemble quality, and to give each actor something they could really shine in.

The actor performing as your Master of Ceremonies is pivotal to the success of your show, look for an actor with high improvisation skills and the ability to work directly off of the audience. The MC sets the tone and teaches the audience how to participate in the show.

Have fun, Melodrama is one of my favorite teaching tools.

Angel

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 10/16/05 at 12:13am

The most enjoyable melodrama I have done, was ?Jack the Ripper?, it was treated as an old English music hall.
It had smattering?s of panto, to include the audience participation of "He?s behind you", also chucked in the mix!

-------------
Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 10/16/05 at 7:35am

Gaafa - I think I've seen that version - the characters in the
music hall double as the characters in the Ripper story? As I
recall, it was really quite good - very theatrical...and the songs
were real songs, not rehashed popular tunes of the 1890's. I'm
glad you mentioned it - I'm going to get a copy and read
through it LOL

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 10/16/05 at 10:37am

that's the one - it was great to do I think the it was played out in the 'Packet boat' Music hall of the Whitechapel area!
There were a couple of songs which were an adaptation of old ones of the Cockney stage!
I'll try & find the programme & find out more details mate!

Joe

-------------
Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 10/16/05 at 11:43am

ah - I found it with very little hassle!
I've sent off for a copy - I may be interested in doing this LOL - I
had completely forgotten about it.

for anybody else interested, just go to
http://www.samuelfrench.com and enter "Jack the Ripper" in the
search box!

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 10/17/05 at 10:42am

G?donya that saves me a search thru boxes!
It is great fun & plenty of scope for Set/scene trickery
joe

-------------
Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

Posted By: Sueshoo
Date Posted: 10/21/05 at 4:18pm

Take a look at

"Love Rides the Rails" (this one adapted well to the addition of olio acts ) and "Klondike Kalamity", I believe they are both from Dramatists. Both were received well by audiences. Also, take a look at "East Lynne" - I was in this one back in high school, some great characters.

-------------
Susan
Life is not a Dress Rehearsal