Good straight plays for high schools?

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 6:33pm

Hello all!

I need suggestions for a straight play to be performed by a high school. I am being brought in to a local school to direct the spring play, and my theatre repertoire consists of mostly musicals. I am not very familiar at all with straight plays. We need something with a medium-sized cast, and it can be a comedy, drama, or any genre as long as it is appopriate for a high school to perform. It would preferably be two acts. Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

[Fantod]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 6:37pm

Rumors is excellent for high schools, as is The Women

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 7:05pm

Our Town, hands down. There's a reason it has been one of the most often presented plays for over 75 years.

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 7:12pm

The Man who came to dinner.

[Fantod]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 7:23pm

I would have to disagree with TMWCTD, because I think it needs impeccable timing, which is just something that most high schools don't have.

[Gorlois]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 7:25pm

This isn't a great classic of theatre, but when I was a Junior in High School two years ago, we had a blast with REHEARSAL FOR MURDER. A cast of 15, which we double-cast a few parts. Just the right amount of boy roles, too, assuming you're like us and don't have a surplus of guys. Lots of fun, and kind of meta, too.

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 8:53pm

Also, The Man Who Came to Dinner has many, many references to people and places the students couldn't relate to. That being said, I used to the TMWCTD at a Junior High in the Bronx. They were very bright kids and really enjoyed the fact that Whiteside "dissed" everyone.

But another Kaufman and Hart.. You Can't take it with You ... is another high school play that everyone has done.

I would read some modern plays written for high school students. Playscripts.com is probably the best source for those. Check out their site.

[Fantod]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 8:59pm

On the subject of Kaufman and Hart, would Once in a Lifetime be appropriate for high schoolers? It's the only K-H play that I'm not familiar with.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 9:02pm

You Can't Take It With You. Be warned, if done wrong it falls flat.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 9:20pm

Diary of Anne Frank. And perhaps I Remember Mama.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 10:29pm

The Mousetrap

[broadwayboy972]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 10:30pm

My high school is doing A Midsummer Night's Dream (set in the 60s) right now, and I've never done any Shakespeare before, but I'm finding it not too difficult. I'm becoming a stronger actor now because of the show and learning more and more, and I've noticed my diction has become clearer, and I'm just getting a lot better at everything. It's a comedic show with a lot of opportunity to show off comedic skills of the actors. Also, the four lovers in our show have a great sense of youthfulness because they are actually going through things similar to that in the play. Just a suggestion!

[Fantod]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 11:50pm

Midsummer is great for high schools. I would also recommend Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night, which is possibly the greatest comedy play ever written. I would highly advise against setting any Shakespeare show in a different time period, as every production that I've seen do so failed miserably at it.

[phantomcrazy14]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 12:25am

One of the productions my high school did was The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman. I don't really know if a lot of people would recommend that for high school but it was a challenge and very interesting. We also did Our Town. I think Our Town can fall flat if not done right.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 4:25am

Take Me Out

[gleek4114]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 7:32am

In my opinion, Our Town falls flat 99% of the time.

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 10:48am

My old high school did Pygmalion a few years ago as a joint production with another one of the local high schools. For the first act, the kids from the other school were playing all the parts, and for the second act the cast consisted of kids from my school.

Either way, due to how similar My Fair Lady is to Pygmalion, I feel that Pygmalion might be a good place for you to start since your experience lies mostly in the musical department. All of the kids in the double cast played the parts well, so I don't think the material would be too difficult for your students, either.

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 10:54am

Agree with KathyNYC. Diary of Anne Frank. I did it in HS (played Mr. Frank.) Very meaningful play for HS students due to ages of Anne, Marta and Peter.