Need ideas for a
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Topic: Need ideas for a
Posted By: Guests
Subject: Need ideas for a
Date Posted: 2/02/01 at 11:41pm
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My favorite is TO GILLIAN ON HER 37th BIRTHDAY (Broadway Play publishers). Single set, contemporary, relevent, has two teen aged girls plus five adults. We put a kleenex in every program. There was never a dry eye at the end of Act I. There is also a lot of humor and it is a feel good play - everyone leaves to live happily ever after. If you decide to do it, let me know - I can help with pictures of the set and cast.
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Replies:
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 2/03/01 at 12:10am
Wow! Thanks so much for the quick answer, Doug. That sounds like a great idea and yes, we would like any and all material you could provide us!
Bill
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 2/03/01 at 12:31am
Reply#2
To amplify the last reply to you, Doug: I looked in the latest play catalogs that I had and couldn't find GILLIAN, so I guess if you could provide us with ordering info, that would be a start.
Thanks
Bill
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 2/05/01 at 12:03am
Here is the web address of the publisher. They are great to deal with - actually most royalty houses are - except for Samuel French - they are so big they don't have to be easy to work with.
http://www.broadwayplaypubl.com/
I have some pictures of the set and cast - I'll see if I can get someone to scan them for me.
I also have programs, posters and some notes that might be of help.
I'll be in touch.
We are currently in rehearsals for Neil Simon's Chapter Two - it has aged very well - I don't think that most of his plays have aged well. 42 year old man loses his wife to cancer, finds a new love, loses her, gets her back. This play is interesting because there are two other characters that are wonderfully developed. In fact, I heard that at a production near here a few years ago the audience liked the other two characters more than the main characters. We do our shows in a different venue each night and the set for this is too big to move easily - oh well.
Gurney's SYLVIA and LOVE LETTERS are both very good. If you ever want to try a small cast musical try NUNSENSE. ON GOLDEN POND is wonderful - it is generally considered the best play ever done in our local theater. Think about Harvey - old but still plays well.
Next summer we are going to try ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. For older casts there is THE GIN GAME and one I am afraid to try but has two wonderful roles for senior citizens - FOXFIRE - needs hill country accents to work. There are many farces that play well: DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER, MOON OVER BUFFALO, LOVE, SEX AND THE IRS.
I haven't been associated with all of these but have seen them.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 2/05/01 at 4:52am
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Do something the audience is familiar with. Arsenic and Old Lace is a great draw but are you ready to do a large production like that? While we were at one venue (an old school gym) for a three year period, Steel Magnolias was our biggest draw, averaging over 100 per night for a 5 night run. We have also had good luck with Neil Simon. Don't know why but our community will come to any play written by him. Good luck, keep us updated.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 2/05/01 at 9:36am
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You may not need a "Boffo" play. Our first production was a play I doubt many people have heard of called "Dead Men Don't Need Dress Rehearsals," an interactive murder/mystery/comedy. Not exactly high art, but entertaining none the less. We did it on the cheap. It cost us $2100 to produce and we netted $100 profit. And that was with giving out $250 worth of free cheesecake and drinks at the intermission. If people have fun, they will come back.
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