Catholic High School Musical Choices- Page 2

[binau]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 3:49am

I can’t wait until a religious high school tried to perform the Book Of Mormon one day. I want to be front row center.

Good on you for trying to advocate for Legally Blonde. Hang in there!

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 6:38am

Superman only has two principal female roles, Lois and Sidney, though some productions have gender swapped the villians Dr. Sedgewick and Father Ling.

The Lings are a Chinese crime family who tour the U.S. as acrobats. Their material is mildly offensive. The television special changed them to Russian mobsters but the published script offers no such alternative.

The raciest number is Sidney's "You Got Possibilities," which she sings while attempting to seduce Clark Kent. "Relax sweetheart, I'm not gonna bite ya... Yet."

Max Menken tries to seduce Lois with a rather tame song "You're the Woman for the Man" and then later sings a vaguely homoerotic duet with Dr. Sedgewick "You've Got What I Need Baby."

 

[DCDrama2]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 10:34am

The song There, Right There! (Gay or European) is cut from the Jr. version of Legally Blonde. That could make it work for the admin and bringing on the middle school.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 11:59am

Whether or not the "Gay or European" song is cut, Legally Blonde doesn't sound like something that would be a good choice as your first year teaching drama at a Catholic School. Maybe in a few years when you've got job security and can get away with pushing the envelope a little bit.

Also, aside from a few good songs, the Superman musical is terrible. I saw the revamped version in Dallas and it was pretty bad, and with the offensive "Flying Lings" stuff I imagine it is even worse. It is also a very guy-heavy show (and do you have a boy who can convincingly play Superman?). Just don't it.

I also like the idea of Little Women. Small cast, mostly girls, famous title, G-rated. Perfect. It's on my list as well.

[bdn223]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 12:08pm

Doubt

[Shh_413]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 12:36pm

"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" if you need a small cast (that can also be expanded). It's funny, highlights every cast member, the IP is well-known, doesn't have a lot of moving pieces so directing should be slightly easier, the score isn't insanely complex, and has no objectionable material. A lot of people are also suggesting "Seussical" but I personally think that's a hard score that looks deceptively simple. Updated On: 6/25/19 at 12:36 PM

[NievesG]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 12:47pm

The above poster beat me to it, but "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" would be perfect. I was involved in a production during my Catholic school days and the Jesuit school that put it on did a great job. I still can't listen to "The Book Report" without laughing thinking about it.

 

edit:  The "Doubt" comment made me laugh but when the film came out, our very own Sister Margaret (the inspiration for Sister James) actually showed it to us in class and was so excited about meeting Streep. Good times.

Updated On: 6/25/19 at 12:47 PM

[broadwayindie]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 1:16pm

I always recommend Working (the 2012 version) so many characters, great songs, relatively age appropriate, Lin Manuel Miranda appeal, educational.

 

Elf, Fiddler, Freaky Friday, Mamma Mia, Sondheim on Sondheim/Putting it Together, Songs For A New World, 13, Spelling Bee (one song can have alternate lyrics) all could be decent choices.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 3:31pm

I went to a Catholic school and our theatre department put on Jesus Christ Superstar (although a pretty sanitized version, especially concerning Mary Magadelen), Godspell, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wiz, Little Shop of Horrors, and more recently Phantom of the Opera and Leader of the Pack.

[(Insert Clever Name)]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 3:47pm

I think that Camelot or My Fair Lady would be good choices, and both have a name draw, at least for parents

[JSquared2]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 5:49pm

Are any of you guys who are making these suggestions reading that OP says they have maybe 7-10 kids, and possibly some middle schoolers?  Shows like Fiddler, Mamma Mia, My Fair Lady, Camelot, etc do not exactly lend themselves to a cast of a 12.

 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 8:41pm

JSquared2 said: "Are any of you guys who are making these suggestions reading that OP says they have maybe 7-10 kids, and possibly some middle schoolers? Shows like Fiddler, Mamma Mia, My Fair Lady, Camelot, etc do not exactly lend themselves to a cast of a 12."

Most musicals can be scaled down to a cast about that size and every one of those probably has been already somewhere.

Updated On: 6/25/19 at 08:41 PM

[brdway411]

Posted: 6/25/19 at 8:53pm

VotePeron said: "Off the top of my head, I'd look intoPeter and the Starcatcher.It's a play, has some music, can be done with 12 people, and everyone loves Peter Pan."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This. It's a fun show and easy to do with limited kids and the sets can be done with recycled stuff. 

[copskid949]

Posted: 6/26/19 at 2:23am

Matilda could be fun. Just cast the middle schoolers as Matilda, Bruce,
etc. and have your 7-10 high schoolers as the adults. Idk if a Catholic school would be cool with the guy-playing-Trunchbull deal but it’s a WHOLE lot more comedic than it is gay or suggestive so it probably passes.

(But on the safe side I want to throw Tuck Everlasting in as my suggestion.)

[Renart]

Posted: 6/26/19 at 3:58pm

In about 1980 my parents and I went to see the local Catholic H.S. production of South Pacific and got to hear a high school Bloody Mary yelling, "Bastard!!!"  The nuns sitting in front of us were not fazed.

 

Meanwhile a few years later a different local Catholic H.S. put on Two Gentlemen of Verona, although they did make some changes to Thurio's Samba.

Updated On: 6/26/19 at 03:58 PM

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 6/26/19 at 4:22pm

I went to a Catholic girls high school, and the four years I was there they did:

R & H Cinderella

Anything Goes, which got canceled because of lack of guys and replaced with a Christmas show

Once Upon a Mattress

High School Musical

[JeaniusIsMe]

Posted: 6/26/19 at 5:44pm

The Doubt suggestion made me cackle out loud at work...

I went to Catholic high school and we did Fame (those directors were not asked back the following year, though), West Side Story, Joseph, and Footloose. They did Fiddler the year before I started, and Godspell the year after I graduated. They've also done Sound of Music, Little Mermaid, Bye Bye Birdie, and Oklahoma in recent years.

West Side Story and Joseph were the shows that got the greatest interest from the students (massive casts for both), while Fame and Footloose were less successful getting people to join up.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/27/19 at 12:14am

I went to a Jesuit high school and in my four years our musicals were Damn Yankees, How to Succeed, Joseph, and Guys and Dolls. In the few years before I was there they did Jesus Christ Superstar, Little Shop, and West Side Story, and immediately after I graduated they did City of Angels, Pippin, and Godspell. In more recent years I know they've done Evita, Sweet Charity, The Wizard of Oz, and just this past spring was The Wedding Singer. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/27/19 at 8:46am

Some Catholic schools are quite progressive in what they will "allow". Others, not so much. Not really any different from public scools that face issues.

I think the bigger problem is findi g a show that meets their community standaed, is appropriate for middle schoolers AND appealing to high schoolets.


Bye Bye Birdie might fit tbe bill nicely.