musicals for a high school?

[camfatkin_]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:09pm

hey everybody, so next year is my senior year and its also out year to do a musical. last year it was fiddler on the roof and it was an amazing experience. And my drama teacher who also happens to be my dad, is stuck on deciding on a musical. he really wants to do the producers, but MTI has the rights currently restricted. but on the MTI site it says that a PG version of the producers is coming, anyone know when thats coming? also could something like godspell be done with a cast of about 40 students? any suggestions to a great show that can incorperate many people would be awsome. if we can't get the producers, my dad is aiming for chicago...a school in the town over from us did it last year. we would lvoe to take a shot at it :) thanks for you help:)

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:14pm

How about Pippin?

I hate to be the nagging Mizzie I am, but mayhaps Les Miz?

[ihearttheatre]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:16pm

West Side Story...?


ETA: We're doing Kiss Me Kate with a very large cast, and although I don't love the show it seems to be working well. Updated On: 3/7/06 at 09:16 PM

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:17pm

That version of the Producers won't be around for a long time.

Sounds like you have some comic male talent if you want to do The Producers, apparently you have a strong, big man since you did Fiddler, and you're clearly not afraid of edgier material. How about "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"? "Guys and Dolls" is good too.

[Jwaa]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:17pm

ZOMBIE PROM

:)

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:23pm

NO CHICAGO!!!

I am VERY VERY VERY passionate about this show NOT being in High Schools. I am a HS student myself, and I really think it needs to stay out of High Schools.

Bob Fosse, Kander & Ebb, and Gwen Verdon created this show as an amazing adult show. A show that deal with MANY adult themes, but REALLY has a message. I do not think these themes belong in a HS. Plus does anyone really want to see a 15 year old Roxie and Velma?

I know many High School's have failed trying to do CHICAGO. I just think it's out of reach. I feel the same for Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, among others in a High School.

i think R&H shows are PERFECT for High School, and if you want something challenging, and by an amazing composer - then INTO THE WOODS. Perfect for High Schools who want a challenge.

I just don't feel adult shows belong in High School. No one wants to see 14 year olds in leather, and skimpy outfits, shooting their lovers, having an orgy. Which is all in CHICAGO. come on now. It makes me ill when High Schools try to imitate the revival on Broadway, and have REALLY skimpy costumes. Who the hell wants to see children in those costumes?

I know many of you might not agree with me. I just have a very conservative view with what belongs in a High School.

Also the last thing I've heard that the rights were also restricted for CHICAGO. I don't know if they're available again. Also I think THE PRODUCERS is again - way too adult for HS. Thankfully that isn't available. And this is nothing against you or your dad.

By the way my school did GODSPELL with a cast of 30 something, not the best production, but it did work.


Updated On: 3/7/06 at 09:23 PM

[leon1489]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:31pm

The way I feel above the above poster's opinion is that it isn't so much the costumes or the themes, but rather the way it is presented. If your drama director is willing to have no qualms about what he does and is willing to go full-out on the themes, then it's not an issue. If he's going to sugarcoat it, or change things around so that it's appropriate, then maybe it's just not the right show.

For instance, my school is doing Les Mis at the moment. Granted, there are many shows that are much more innapropriate, but it is a relatively risqué show for a high school to do. Certainly "Lovely Ladies." My director, however, wants the full effect and she's not changing anything in order to make it more appropriate. Her mentality is that what's the point of doing the show if you're going to completely censor it?

So I guess it all depends on what the director has in mind. If he's planning on performing THE Chicago as it's meant to be done, then by all means, do it. But if he's going to change it so that it becomes appropriate (which is a perfectly acceptable desire), then really there's a lot of other cool shows of a similar "nature."

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:36pm

^ Your points are very valid, and I respect.

But CHICAGO needs to be done with skimpy costumes. There is no way around it. The original production and revival both had/have very revealing costumes. The original costumes at times were even skimpier than the revival!

No one wants to see the show with covered up performers. So doing CHICAGO as it it suppose to be done - would have to be with skimpy costumes. But costumes like that on High Schoolers is SICKENING. Many adults would feel uncomfortable seeing that.

And I still feel these aren't themes for a High School production. Like I said if you want to be risky try something like INTO THE WOODS - a challenging show, but still HS appropriate. Not something like Chicago - which is meant to be performed by adults. Updated On: 3/7/06 at 09:36 PM

[leon1489]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:37pm

Oh, no, absolutely. I don't think Chicago COULD work without the costumes. But in the majority of shows, I wouldn't make the costuming the central reasoning for the decision. But I will agree that Chicago is one of those exceptions where the costumes are crucial to the story-telling process.

[kyguy78]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:37pm

If you wanna be quirky, why not do "Little Shop of Horrors," especially if you've got some strong male talent. I did it when I was in high school and, sure, our Audrey may not have been the most beautiful thing to look at, but we had fun doing it. "Bye Bye Birdie" would be a great throwback musical to do too. Like someone else said "Guys & Dolls" would be great too, especially if you have some really skilled singers for the showstopping numbers like "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat."

[leon1489]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:38pm

Now, to camfatkin:

What kind of talent is there at your school? Do you have the usual boy vs. girl issue? Do you have a lot of dancers? A lot of singers? More ensemble than lead-material kids? If you give us those criteria, then it will be easier to give suggestions.

[Kevo711]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:42pm

We did Crazy For You with over 50 people in the cast and it was amazing! We had everyone tap dancing and all! Great experience!

[camfatkin_]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 10:06pm

thanks for all your suggestions! my school is very artsy, we have a huge drama group, singing group etc etc. our production of fiddler last year was SO ambitious, (cost us 20,000$, which is alot for a high school) we are still paying it off. we just finished the play taming of the shrew last week (which we updated and set in 1940's italy) and we used the money from that to pay off fiddler. and at the last show of fiddler last year, my dad said when we do another show it has to be "bigger and more ambitious" show.
if we do chicago, we wouldn't so much change it as just make the chages the movie did. the school near us that did it, did the movie version. ive uploaded a couple pictures from our production of fiddler just for fun. take a look below.
and i gotta say, our dream sequence in the show was effing amazing! sorry that the pics are a little big! i had trouble resizing them

[leon1489]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 10:11pm

Okay, first of all, that's the hottest Fruma Sarah ever.

Second, I hope you know that it's technically illegal to make changes so that they follow the movie. I know a lot of people don't pay much attention to it, but if you guys are a big artsy high school, then it'll probably be much more noticeable that you guys are changing stuff around than if some random school in the middle of nowhere does it.

[camfatkin_]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 10:18pm

yup that fruma sara is definatly a hotty.
but is it actually illigal to make changes? cause if we pay for the rights, dont we have the right to make cuts if its too long, etc?

[leon1489]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 10:22pm

You know, it may depend on the individual show. As far as I know, every script I've seen for any show I've done has in giant bold letters "Cuts, changes, etc. are illegal." Now, people do them anyways, and nobody's going to sue you for dropping a line. But major changes where the script is being altered are generally not allowed. Again, many people disregard the rule, but the rules DOES exist. But honestly, I'm not that familiar with how Samuel French works (they're the ones who license Chicago), but I believe the rule applies to them as well.

[camfatkin_]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 10:36pm

well we will have to see what happens. anybody know if the rights to "notre dame du paris" or "whistle down the wind" are available. also, my dad was thinking about jesus christ superstar but wasnt sure how the people would take it...all the religious aspects etc

[wishinguweresomehow]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 10:17am

I know that my high school did Godspell as a summer show my senior year. It worked with about 65 people...but there are better musicals to work with more people. IE: Les Miz, Man of La Mancha, Into the Woods, etc.

Hope that helps!
~Meg~

[kimmie103]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 3:55pm

My Sr. of high school( which was 11 years ago already ugh) we did Hair. We also did the usual Grease and one year was a Chorus Line.

[Horton]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 4:02pm

Why not Urinetown somthing like that?

[Kgshrauder]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 7:34pm

When I was in high school we did Sound of Mucus...I mean Music, Les Mis, Crazy for You, Secret Garden and Beauty and the Beast, all with huge casts of near 60. They all were fantastic too.

[catsuit]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 7:58pm

My school is doing Chicago, but as most people probably have doubts about language and stuff being changed, I'm not worried. Our public school is one of the best known theater schools in the country! (and the costumes- WOW, sketchy lol)

[camfatkin_]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 6:27pm

wow thats so awsome catsuit!

[broadwaybaby221]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 6:31pm

My school is doing Aida this year. In the past they've done Parade, Ragtime, Pippin.. and more that I can't think of at the time.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 6:48pm

Broadwaybaby, didn't Ragtime like, JUST become available last year? Did you do the school version or full version? That's awesome that you guys do such cool shows like Parade and Ragtime. Our school has a VERY good program, but we more or less stick to the classics, like Guys and Dolls, Brigadoon, My Fair Lady, 42nd Street etc....