School Shows

[chinto1984]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 4:36pm

What musicals do you think are the hardest for schools to pull off? What do you think are the best? College or high schools?

[cait]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 6:12pm

We did Charlie Brown a few years ago. We solved the small cast problem by double casting the show. It worked pretty well actually.

[Amneris]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 7:15pm

um sweeney todd... MY HS did that and it was dreadful... I dont think ANY HS should be allowed to do sondheim unless it's Into the woods Junior..

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 10:00pm

Well, my hight school is about to put on Inherit the Wind in the fall and Sweeney Todd in the Spring. I Think that both show are completely inappropriate for high school, but that's what makes me excited. Inherit the wind has some fantastic male parts, and Sweeney Todd is my favorite musical of all time. I've been begging to so Sweeney for 3 years and now in my senior year, it will be my final musical at my high school. I'm so set on winning the title role. Auditions are in December, and I'm already practicing! We have a good theatre program at mu school, so I think that we can pull off both shows. We may even have a real live monkey for Inherit the Wind!

[fabala4077]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 1:07am

My drama teacher at I are at a loss for how to deal with my anti-Sweeny Todd type town. They don't like blood, language, or sex in theatre. Since he and I both love Sweeny Todd, we dream of the day we could try to do it. I would love to be Mrs. Lovett. Problem: (obviously) It's quite hard!! I was listening to the music and was like, damn. I don't think we could ever do this. boo!

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 12:02am

I hope you get the part, Broadwayboy!

[tinkerscanne]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 1:38pm

A high school near me did Beauty and the Beast last spring and it was magnificent. Of course, they had the budget and MOST of the talent. Gaston was not cast well, but other than that, it was very high quality. The theatre director at this school has lots of ties to Broadway which is why I think it was so successful. My husband and I are actually considering moving to this town when our kids enter high school (they're little now - 3 and 5) but show lots of interest in theatre and musicals. In fact (as a side note) we're taking them to see Wicked this weekend and they have both already seen Beauty and the Beast in New York before it closed. Yes, I am breeding thespians - and I'm darn proud!

[MerMaggieGalinda]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 1:50pm

"My drama teacher at I are at a loss for how to deal with my anti-Sweeny Todd type town. They don't like blood, language, or sex in theatre."

I know the feeling. My summer community theater program is too scared to do Les Miserables because they think it's too much of a downer, only because they didn't sell the best tickets when the did Phantom(Y and K's version) a few years ago. They still might do it anyway though, so I'll finally get a shot and playing Cosette! Yeah, but we would never ever do Sweeney Todd here.

[TheFriarsDruggist]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 4:05pm

When my school did Aida it led to more than a few headaches for everyone involved.

And then last year The Chronicles of Narnia was a nightmare for the stage crew people(We were using a LOT of projections behind these see-thru screens, and the computerized snow kept stopping randomly and the projectors would go down every so often). And quite a few of the actors(I think by the end of it the girl who played the witch and myself were the only people who were actually having fun the whole time).

[stonewall2]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 7:03pm

Hey Tinkerscanne- are they now letting little ones-under 5's- into "Wicked"? I know they didn't in NYC and was wondering if the rules had been relazed. Personally, I have no problem with it, as long as they can sit through the show and the parents realize that the kids are not entitled to ruin everyone else's time just because the kids occupy seats. I grew up in the theatre and learned to behave and I have seen a great many wonderfull kids here on our "Broadway Family Night's" that our local theatre league holds for some of the touring shows. You children are lucky to have a family who will expose them to theatre early on, but don't start packing the moving boxes until you're sure that THEY have been bitten by the bug too!

[tinkerscanne]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 8:25pm

stonewall2,

We are seeing Wicked in Philadelphia at the Academy of Music. I wasn't aware of an age restriction - will they not let my 3 year old in??? I guess I should make a phone call to the Academy of Music and find out. She'll be so disappointed if she can't go. I mean it. We listen to Broadway shows in the car every day while I drive them to daycare. She knows all the words to Popular - it's hysterical!

Thanks for the heads up - I will call the theatre tomorrow.

BTW, my kids were great at BATB in NYC. And I am very firm with them as far as their behavior goes. They MUST sit quietly and I tell them that if they don't like something (like they did not like the wolves in BATB) to close their eyes and we tap them when it's over. It works well with my kids.

Anyway, thanks for the heads up and the compliment. I know that if I get my break on Broadway, the house is up for sale and the boxes are packed! LOL! But for now I'm fine doing community theatre and teaching general and vocal music and directing the school musical.