Easier Musicals to direct
Easier Musicals to direct
#1Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:47pm
I may be getting a job as a theatre instructor at a High School for this upcoming year. Although I am certified to teach, I really only want to do it for a year or so to get enough money for graduate school.
The school wants to do a musical, so I'm looking for shows that will be easy to direct.
I don't want something too challenging because I'm not a "director" in the sense that I feel it's my calling. Plus, being a public school I see myself having to worry about all other aspects of the show like costume, set, ect.
So I'm wanting some advice on shows that will be easier for me to direct. Nothing too complicated, no HUGE dance shows, things like that, not even shows that require GREAT acting :)
The only ones that come to mind so far are:
Damn Yankees
Once Upon a Mattress
Oh! Don't suggest Seussical! I've done the show once and HATE it! I don't want to be involved in it again :)
Any Ideas?
#2re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:56pmYou don't want to do a huge dance show and you put Damn Yankees on your list?
#2re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:57pmMattress is actually a boring show to do. Other options are Guys & Dolls, Footloose, Oklahoma.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
keen on kean
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/1/06
#3re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:59pm
Fantasticks?
Sound of Music - minimal dancing but tough vocals
Godspell - tough sell in non-denominational public school setting
Birdie?
#4re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 12:00am
Maybe, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown? A lot of musicals that I can think of that don't have a lot of dancing are very dramatic and would require good actors and musicals that wouldn't necessarily require good actors tend to have a lot of dancing.
Updated On: 7/18/08 at 12:00 AM
NSLV
Swing Joined: 7/11/08
#5re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 12:04amI wouldn't say Birdie is an easy show to direct...Telephone Number alone is really though to stage well. What about "Honk!", the musical version of the Ugly Duckling.
#6re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 12:06am
Damn Yankees isn't a HUGE dance show, imo.
R and H seems like it maybe too difficult in terms of acting.
Charlie Brown and Fantastics are too small, I would think.
gypsy4
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/07
#7re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 1:23am
Bugsy Malone and so is fiddler.
Updated On: 7/18/08 at 01:23 AM
MerMaggieGalinda
Broadway Star Joined: 11/29/06
#9re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 3:26amCharlie Brown doesn't have to be small I SMed a production with like 30 kids in it if you can imagine and it pretty much fills all your descriptions, high school musical, beauty and the beast
jspaeth87
Understudy Joined: 2/10/07
#10re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 5:41ammy first thought was you're a good man charlie brown. cinderella is pretty simple though too
#11re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 9:01am
The Boy Friend is great for a high school. Simple in that it has a smaller cast, lots of young people, over the top adult characters (which they can play better than "real" adults), and only three sets (two if you set the party on the beach). You need a good choreographer, but it's less about dance than a lot of musicals.
Once Upon a Mattress works well too, but only if you can give up the idea of casting the cutest girl in school as the princess. Why do they keep doing that? Give me a 250 pound cherub faced Winnifred with a really good belt any day!
musicalman2
Featured Actor Joined: 5/7/08
#12re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 9:55am
What about "Working"? Not sure if the rights are available since they are revising it at present.
'Mattress" seems like a good choice too.
#13re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 10:10amEasy shows to do would be ones that are TECHNICALLY simple. Look at song cycles (SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, EDGES, etc.) or shows with minimal set/props (THE LAST FIVE YEARS).
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#14re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 10:24am
CapnHook-
In a TX High School you would NEVER get L5Y done.
MTVMANN-
From someone who did mainly RnH in High School (Working being the exception), it's not a challenge acting wise. Just remember, they are in High School, they are "training" or doing it for fun.
If you are worried about the talent pool, wait to announce it until you get in the classroom a week or two. Be prepared to have to take something less well known though, on the off-chance someone in the district decides to do it.
I'll also echo Working as an EASY show to do. Mostly monologues, so you can send kids off with an ASM/SM/AD, build a unit set that rotates, maybe a wagon or two, and the costumes/lighting are a breeze. And, you only need piano accompaniment, AND you're set. No dancing either. The monologues give the kids a chance to really show their stuff, and you don't have to worry about someone forgetting major amounts of blocking. Plus, with TX's No Pass-No Play, it's easy to just remove a monologue versus re-casting. (That's how we went from a full cast to 25)
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jagfkb
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/29/07
#15re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 10:48amLes Miserables can be done with an extremly simple set yet still come off as amazing. Also, aside from the wedding, there's no real dancing.
#16re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 1:28pmSchoolhouse Rock LIVE! is extremely easy.
"Maybe you could teach me how to LuPwn? No, that seems like something only a bitter delusional queen could enjoy." -JoeKv99 on the remarks of TooDarnHot
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#17re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 1:42pmThe idea of doung The Last Five Years - a two character musical - in a high school is prepsterous.
#18re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 1:57pm
Try DO PATENT LEATHER SHOES REALLY REFLECT UP?
There's also high school versions of G&S shows like PIRATES OF PENZANCE...we did that in HS and it went over very well.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#19re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 5:17pmThe Apple Tree. It's three different musicals in one. So you can cast it with the same actors or use all different actors for each act.
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dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#20re: Easier Musicals to direct
Posted: 7/18/08 at 7:52pm
Mattress is a big costume show.
Les Mis? One of the most difficult shows to direct. And if you don't know the kids you would have no way of knowing if you would have the cast. Male heavy
Guys and Dolls: challenging to choreograph, and Male heavy
Honk!: while it's sweet, I don't think it would appeal to HS kids.
Here's an oldie...but fun and easy to cast/direct/perform: Li'l Abner
I have been a HS and MS drama teacher/middle school teacher for 15 years so I've done GADS of shows (2 musicals a year). Feel free to pm me if you have specific questions.
I'll post more as I think of them.
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