Highschool drama

[itsmeeeee]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 2:24am

Alright, I'm directing a musical this year for a highschool. I have bad casting situation and i need a show that will work for me. I need a musical with a major male tenor, and a relatively small cast. Preferably that one tenor as the lead role. It needs to be able to be somewhat easily done, but easily pleasing to an audience as well (nice sets, interesting plot, blahblah.) Any ideas? Thanks!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 8:50am

I thought this was going to be a thread about drama in high school; you know, like teenage cattiness and such. heh. It's way too early.

[Georgeanne]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 9:54am

You are not alone, Emcee.

I thought the very same thing.

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 10:09am

I thought so too!

Maybe you can do Nine. I know it's a bit mature for high school, but it only has one lead male if you Guido as young Guido also.

[Coondiggitydogg]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 10:29am

Godspell or You're a good man charlie brown. If you don't want to cut people from the cast you can add them in here and there to scenes in Godspell. You do have to have decent singers for the rest of the roles in Godspell but u can spread solo's out and such. Most of it falls on Jesus shoulders. With charlie brown u need a stronger all around cast than Godspell, but they are both do able. And with Godspell the kids can sorta add a lot of their own flair and personality to the show.

[stagebeauty]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 10:42am

Youre a Good Man Charlie Brown

or Joseph and the Amazing Tech. Dreamcoat

[jeremykushnier1fan]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 11:15am

My schools done Joesph, it turned out really well, i say go for it!

[babygiraffeboots]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 1:24pm

Everyone has been in Joseph. At one master class at camp someone sang the finale and everyone joined in with the children's chorus. Sorry, random bit there.

[briarbrad]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 1:34pm

Uhh the Joseph cast is not relatively small, the smallest you could do it with is probably 20, and the cast is more heavily male than female (which is usually a problem in HS situations!). It's also a pretty complicated show, requiring serious costumes and choreography. I wouldn't recommend it for a student directing project.

But Charlie Brown is a really good idea.

[itsmeeeee]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 2:40pm

i thought the subject was cleverly misleading. way to go me. But thanks, ill look into those. joseph is a little cliche, in my opinion. its the our town of highschool musical theater

[WalveMalve]

Posted: 8/16/05 at 10:44pm

Pippin has a relatively small cast but has two tenor leads. If you have the budget, Little Shop of Horrors is good.

[bwayrunner22]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 2:52pm

I think, in Illinois at least, Joseph is a standard HS play, everyone does it.

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 8/18/05 at 3:12pm

agreed from another Illinois teen...this is what we're doing this year...and I disagree. Joseph isn't complicated at all...
get bib overals for the brothers, narrator wears her own stuff, you're about set. or do biblical costumes with $1/yard fabric from wal-mart...it's about $2 per costume
and you can do jospeh with alot of dancing or very little. It's a very versitile show.

[theater4life]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 12:18am

Godspell...cast of like 12 lead roll is a tenor

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 12:52am

Godspell - Jesus would be your male lead...(and then theres Judas, but he doesn't do as much singing) and the rest of the show is ensemble which you can make as big or as small as you'd like. Plus, its a really touching show.

Little Shop - If you can, try this one. Small cast; great show.

[Conor]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 7:46pm

Would your schools really let you do Joesph or Godspell? Mine would definitely shy away from anythign religiously themed.

[theater4life]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 10:03pm

they wouldn't let you do those shows? that's weird... Up in CT the highschools do many religious shows un-questioned. In fact not just religious shows. A bunch of schools are doing a show called The Laramie Project which is very touchy. I guess we're just somewhat liberal where I am.

[timmetzner]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 5:35pm

What about Songs for a New World? You can add more cast members if need and also accentuate on performer over the others.

[BroadwayBettini2]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 6:00pm

In my junior year of High School a senior Directed You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. I played Lucy, and the cast was small and perfect. Music is on the easy side. And sets and costumes were easy to come by. I had such a blast!

I saw a local student production of Songs For a New World done with 10 kids. It was amazing. But, I warn you the music is HARD HARD HARD for a MALE to sing. The music is HARD to play. I wouldn't recommend it.

This year come October I'm heading to college, but this summer I'm assitant directing a student run show for my old high school. Last Five Years. If you have the means, Talent, and Great Pianist you might be able to pull that one off.

Still Charlie Brown would be your Best Bet. My friend who directed it only did Invitation only auditions which you could do to.