Choosing a Musical For Middle School Aged Performers

[tinkerscanne]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:24pm

This is the time of the year when I start my research for the musical I will direct in the Spring. My situation is unique in that I have a class of 24 eighth grade students (13 and 14 years old)that I will see every day of the school year. We do choral music, acting, vocal technique, movement/dancing and discuss costume, set and scenery design as well as sound and lighting.

This year's class has 9 boys, which is about the most I've had. I cast the show from the class itself and have been double casting principals for the past three years. This gives more students the opportunity to have the spotlight.

All the kids can sing well, some of course, have that "star power" quality.

I also cast the ensemble from the 5th-7th graders, taking about 10 from each grade for quite a large ensemble.

I have been doing the Broadway Jr. shows for the past 4 years because it's cost effective (read, I have NO budget and must fundraise!) and the Jr.'s include performance CD's (which are great because hiring an accompanist is costly). Our band can play well, but not well enough to play a show and we don't have an orchestra or any string players.

So.........I want to do a BIG show this year. Last year I did High School Musical and we sold out all of our performances. Yay! But I want to do something this year that is not linked to Disney. I want something with a fair amount of dancing, fun characters, easy costumes/sets and great music.

It has to be a show that would work with a large ensemble, too.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

By the way, I do it all...the casting, directing, musical direction, choreography, costumes, set/scenery design (but our tech teacher has his students actually build and paint the sets) and I also take care of all adminstrative duties like securing the rights, advertising and the program. It is exhausting but incredibly rewarding and most importantly, fun!

So, what are your thoughts? Any ideas are appreciated and I'd also like to know why you are recommending a particular show.

THANK YOU!!!

[Pippin]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:31pm

"How to succeed in business without really trying" would be a wonderful option for you. great, funny characters all around (Hedy LaRue, Bud Frump, Mrs. Jones), clean jokes, real fun musical numbers and dance parts (coffee break, paris original). this show is a real crowd pleaser with lots of ensemble numbers. I did it in high school and we all had a great time with it.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:36pm

"How to Succeed..." is NOT all that clean... the Hedy LaRue character ispretty much a bimbo slut.

"Bye Bye Birdie" is always a good choice - since about half the character and most of the chorus is teens.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:39pm

INTO THE WOODS.

Numerous very good female and male lead roles. A very accessible score that is challenging, but also do-able. Could have some fun set/ lighting designs.

[tinkerscanne]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:40pm

OK, before anyone else replies, I will list the shows I've done in the past 9 years.

Annie, Jr.
Music Man, Jr.
Bye, Bye, Birdie!
The Sound of Music
Disney'd Aladdin, Jr.
Disney's Jungle Book Kids
Disney's High School Musical (One act version)

My first two years in this position I did small shows from a company called Pioneer Drama. Those were just bad...

Also, one year when I came back from maternity leave, I did a musical revue.

OK, now, bring on the suggestions!!!

[jg4892]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:42pm

Once Upon a Mattress? Once on this Island?

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:42pm

Yeah, I think INTO THE WOODS would be a great choice for you.

There is an INTO THE WOODS JR. It's one act and much lighter than the real version (the dreary second act is gone). However, the scores strongest number (NO ONE IS ALONE) is cut.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:49pm

MATTRESS would be great fun -- easy score, lots of roles, not really as daunting for set/costumes as one might think (Like everything else, it depends on the approach)

WOODS might be a bit much vocally for kids this age, IMHO. I know, there's a Junior version, but it's still rough going.

There's also the classics: BOY FRIEND, ANYTHING GOES, anything along the Gershwin/Porter canon -- again, stuff that's easy to sing and fun to perform. DAMN YANKEES, since you have so many boys available.

If you want something slightly unusual, BEN FRANKLIN IN PARIS.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:51pm

MATTRESS could be very good, too.

Rent the ABC movie. It's a nice interpretation and highlights the show's childish sensibility.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:57pm

Into the Woods (even the Jr. version) would be very difficult for Middle School kids.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 1:59pm

I've seen it done at more than one middle school. The students could definitely handle it.

If ANNIE is do-able, then INTO THE WOODS.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 2:03pm

I've seen it done at High Schools, and some of them had trouble with it.

Into the Woods is just too complex for Middle School Students. And Annie isn't even COMPARABLE to Into the Woods.

[IMissNYC]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 2:07pm

In the last 5-6 years I've done the following with middle schoolers:

Once On This Island Jr
Annie Jr
Seussical Jr
Peter Pan
The Wizard of Oz
Bye Bye Birdie
Fiddler On The Roof Jr

All were successful. I also have NO budget as I work for a non-profit.

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 2:23pm

I've seen a reasonable version of The King & I with elementary school kids. Nice songs, nice message. Just two strong voices needed and lots of ensemble parts. You can get the dancers involved in the Uncle Tom's Cabin play.

[supportivemom]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 4:20pm

My daughter is a rising 8th grader at a performing arts school. Last year, they did Jungle Book and the year before Aladdin. This fall, the musical is Fabulous Fable Factory. When my son was at that school, they did Dear Edwina and the Wizard of Oz. My daughter is curretntly doing OUAM. I never thought of this but one high schooler said they couldn't do that show because Lady Larkin was pregnant before she got married. I did see Godspell Jr. on the Jr. website- that would be fun. Middle school is such a hard age because shows are either too juvenile or too risque. I've also seen youth theatre doing Oklahoma, Lil Abner, Little Shop of Horrors, Guys and Dolls, cinderella (with boys playing the ugly step-sisters). hope this helps!

[cotter]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 4:38pm

As for everyones suggestion of into the woods, I would go against it for middle schoolers. The original is really not that accessible for students with tricky rhythms, melodies, and harmonies I would not recomend it for middle school. The Junior version maybe but certainly not the full original show.

Also, How to Succeed.. is probably not the best choice. Its far to long and drags most of the time. Not to mention the music is very difficult, lots of jazz rhythms and if your orchestra can't cut it, it's not a pretty picture.

For easy/fun middle school shows (in no particular order):

Grease (school edition of course)-Its an easy sell to audiences
Bye Bye Birdie-Familiar book and music most of the cast is supposed to be students
School house rock-This show is easy to tailor to the needs of your students.
Moby Dick the Musical-A rather funny musical rarely done.
Seussical-Great music, big cast, easy to learn, plus a really fun show.
Damn Yankees-Great features for girls and great guy roles as well.
Fiddler on the roof-If you got some good guys why not use them!
Funny Thing....Forum-Lost of guys parts.
Once on this island-Fun music and easy to use tech elements
Seven brides for seven brothers-classic music big cast
Wizard of Oz-easy to learn and sing eveyrone knows the music
year with frog and toad-great story and characters for kids and I think the music is abolutely charming.
No NO Nannette-Huge Cast and classic songs. I mean its a cheesy show but if you play it up I think it's great.

These are just my humble opinions but I think most of these shows would work reasonably well for your conditions.

Hope this helps!!

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 4:42pm

I vote for Once Upon a Mattress.

For many reasons, some already listed, plus... I was in it when I was in middle school! A great show to do with an ensemble of young teens!

[supportivemom]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 4:47pm

Yeah- I saw several groups performing numbers from Year w/Frog and Toad at the state junior thespian festival. All the numbers were adorable!

[danielloz]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 5:01pm

I would suggest the Mary Martin version of Peter Pan.

[jagfkb]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 6:00pm

I would recomend Beauty & the Beast, the disney version, of course, however another show which would be interesting for you to perform would be Titanic the musical. since the students create the set, it would be quite an interesting challenge for them to create the massive ship. Also, if you could play the piano for these performances, almost any musical is doable. another fun one is Honk, which is a great pick for youth theatres.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 7:36pm

A Year With Frog and Toad was originally done with five people, but can be done with a larger cast.

[JKlock]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 9:56pm

the Jr. High in my school district did Grease this year, it wasnt half bad
I've also seen Into the Woods at other middle schools/jr highs in my area

[withoutlovewithoutU]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 10:19pm

Guys an Dolls is a great show to do with a large cast, and MTI has a Jr. version.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 7/19/07 at 10:26pm

Aw, Tinker, I did PIONEER DRAMA shows in my Middle School days.
Which ones did you do? They all are pretty random and bite the big one.