High School Musicals (a trite topic I know)

[shiksagoddess4]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:18pm

So I'm going to be my school's artistic director next year and am faced with the difficult task of choosing a musical for a cast with little vocal talent (we're pitchy on a normal day), no dance talent (we have trouble with a box step), and minimal acting abilities (a majority of the cast is in favor of Les Mis-that would be show suicide). Something lighthearted and comical would probably be best, I have been searching MTI daily to come up with options, I really think Throughly (sp?) Modern Millie would be good seeing as we have one talented girl (who will be carrying the show no matter what it is), and a guy who is perfect for Jimmy (and will be cast as the male lead no matter what show). If done right, Millie can be funny and entertaining, and if messed up, well it would be unfortunate but noone dies in the show so no one in the cast would have to learn the art of fake crying and it wouldn't be worse than any other show. Other shows I'm mulling over are H2SinBWRT, The Pajama Game, Redhead, and Chicago. I prefer modern shows ala Rent, Hair, Ave. Q, but am open to other suggestions- we also have a very conservative principal so Chicago is probably definatley off the list already, but anyway to get to the point, given the information does anyone have any suggestions whatsoever in case Millie's liscence is still not avaliable or that show just doesn't happen? Thanks anything is appreciated.

[LoudIrishGirl]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:22pm

I don't know if it would work for you, but a show I did in HS that was fun was STARMITES. Rather quirky and odd, but those two things can possibly make up for the low talent of the people in it.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:30pm

Grease

[shiksagoddess4]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:35pm

Nice YankeeFan, but I don't know if my cast would be able to handjive :)

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:36pm

anyone can do the handjive..... Updated On: 7/24/05 at 07:36 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:41pm

Godspell....

People can over look crappy singers when they are talking about God.

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:45pm

Little Shop was wonderful - and hte only ones taht could really sing were Audrey and our Doo-wops (plus some ensemble girls). My department is pretty acting based - and that was perfect. There's no real dancing necessary (except for a delightfully comic tango in Mushnik and Son). And Mushnik and orin dont necessarily need good voices. We added a Skid Row Ensemble and split up Orin's other parts into cameo roles and added a dentist patient.

Bye Bye Birdie is overdone but it's pretty hard to do a bad version of it. It's cute, fun, and no brilliant acting is needed. Rosie and Al should have good voices, Kim should be decent, but that's pretty much it. It's so cute and its pretty hard not to adore it.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:47pm

(plus some ensemble girls).

Huh?

Did you re-write the show?

[shiksagoddess4]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:53pm

TD- Yes, but I wouldn't want to insult God- Heaven still looks like a pretty nice place to end up. CU- Little Shop...I've considered but again with people to fill the parts. Bye Bye Birdie- I think the cast would eat me...not that they have any say...and I would just get the plant from little shop to eat them.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:55pm

Please don't do Chicago. It's an adult show, and should not be performed by HS kids. I want to slap every director who does CHICAGO for a HS production.

[LuvBroadwayHugs]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 7:58pm

Once Upon A Mattress was our show this year.. I personally can't stand the show but if you've got about 8 or so strong/ decent singers, you can handle it.

Updated On: 7/24/05 at 07:58 PM

[pab]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 8:08pm

Once On This Island

Posted: 7/24/05 at 8:12pm

I'm not sure if you have the cast for these shows (seeing as I haven't seen these people) but here are a few musicals I know high schools tend to use:
My Fair Lady, Damn Yankees, Once Upon a Mattress (probably a good idea...in fact I would recomend it, considering what you said about the cast you have this year), Pajama Game, Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, Bye Bye Birdie, Grease, and Little Shop of Horrors.
Please don't do Chicago. And is that even allowed?

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 8:22pm

TheatreDiva, I have no idea about legalities, but my theatre teacher added a Skid Row chorus, who sung in Skid Row and the Finale and appeared in Closed for Renovations and Callback in the Morning.

[darkmist115]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 1:36am

if you have no dance talent, millie would be a bit tough! Forget About the Boy is one of hell of a tap number, and the title song isn't too easy either. there are also parts in a club/bar that need a bit of dancing.
Perhaps Smile? There's a LOT of girls, and they don't need to be THAT talented. Limited choreography.
need about 2 talented guys for Bob and Ted, and three or four girls for Joanne, Robin, Doria, and perhaps Shawn.

you can also easily make it modern. if not, it is 1986, so it's not too old.
Updated On: 7/25/05 at 01:36 AM

[jam_man]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 1:47am

If you make the dances VERY easy, The Music Man wouldn't be too bad. You said the girl is the good one, and while Prof. Hill is the lead, any Music Man is made or broken with it's Marion. Most of the music isn't too hard, and let's face it, have you EVER seen an amateur quartet that was any good? (Though I'm in a pretty good one, now.)

Of course, if they can't HAND JIVE...

[Broadway_Bound_Star]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 1:53am

OMg TMM would be horrible for a HS to do! you would have t start rehersals 2 years ahead to teach everyone tap!

Yeah, I could reccomend The Music Man, not too hard Or you could do Cinderella, its not too hard and you could simply CUT the waltz...lol

[superstarjpp]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 1:54am

Footloose

[DiRrTy_ReNtHEAD420]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 2:09am

i would have to second Once Upon a Mattress not a lot of dancing at all adn the singing is pretty easy not that i had to sing it i was the KING it was such a BLAST!

note the picture lol

Posted: 7/25/05 at 2:24am

Your a good man charlie brown??? ehhhhh? My school did Cinderella with only two singers!! It turned out great! It was friggin awesome, we got a lot of good reviews!
~EM~

[JudasIscariot]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 2:33am

If they can't dance, there is no way in hell they can do Footloose.

[Hairspraydoll]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 4:02am

As a high school theatre teacher.... I suggest LSOH, Bye Bye Birdie (need two decent girls and two decent guys), Once Upon a Mattress, Cinderella If you have the one guyand girl, this will work), Wizard of Oz, (especially if you have the one strong girl), Godspell, the Fantasticks. WSome of these you can get away with the singing and dancing just because people have heard of the show and parents just want to see their kids be cute. I do not suggest Chicago, Once on This Island, or TMM if you don't have the singers or dancers!!!

[MusicRox]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 4:24am

I would second The Fantasticks! The only problems I see with Fatasticks is you'll need two decent guys for Matt and El Gallo. We're doing the show now and our El Gallo is pretty pathetic. You already have your girl. The fathers don't need to be great. The second problem is that your kids might get upset because it's such a small ensemble show. You could double cast though.

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 4:36am

Into the woods???......... just kidding.

what about MAME?

[ilovespamalot]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 8:02am

Starmites is cool HS production but, I think your best bet is a musical revue.