Make a giant-cast show tiny- Page 2

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 9:30am

Isn't Island written without an ensemble? The ensemble is optional, since the four gods and the various non-Ti Moune humans portray all the other roles, including ensemble.

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 12:17pm

I saw a production of Joesph at the Marriot Lincolnshire with a relitivly small cast.

No Children's chorus.
Joesph, Narrator and Pharoah were the only ones not playing more than one role.
They had four "ensemble" girls (including Potiphar's Wife)

It really worked well.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 2:25pm

In other words, you saw the "Original" version of Joseph.

The first Broadway production had no kids, and only four women in the ensemble. The only difference was that Jacob and Potiphar did not double.

Pharoah usually doubles as one of the Ishmaelites who buy Joseph from the brothers.

The original Grease and Once on This Island had no "ensembles" - only principal, named characters.

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 5:39pm

I have seen so many Joesph productions with huge casts that it was strange to me.

Actually, the same guy played Jacob and Potiphar. I did not read the Playbill carfully enough and did not realise it until the Megamix at the end when he tore off his Jacob robes and beard.

I do think if the venue had been different, they might have gone for a huge production.

In the original version wasn't the Narrator a man?
Updated On: 7/15/10 at 05:39 PM

[gypsy4]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 5:48pm

when was the childrens chorus added to the production?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 5:49pm

Yes, up until Laurie Beechman was cast, the Narrator was traditionally played by a man.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 7:19pm

Basically:
1970's version - male narrator, no kids.
1980's - female narrator, no kids
1990's (Michael Damian/Donny Osmond) - add the kids and Megamix

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 10:05pm

^ Actually, in the US premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, it had a male narrator AND the megamix and STILL clocked in under 80 minutes.

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 11:42pm

The Wedding Singer

Robbie Hart
Julia
Sammy/Donny/Waiter 1/Loser Guy/Suit 1/Billy Idol
George/Mookie/Waiter 2/Bad Haircut Guy/Suit 2/Ronald Reagan
Holly/Crystal/Large Lady/Cyndi Lauper
Glenn/Harold/David/Priest/Shane/Ricky
Grandma/Angie/Sideburns Lady/Secretary/Bum/Stripper/Tina Turner
Linda/Debbie/Waitress/Tiffany/Wedding Planner/Donatella/Stripper/Agent/Imelda Marcos

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 11:45am

The Threepenny Opera- I actually saw this casting performed

Narrator/Streetsinger/Filch/Matt/Rev. Kimball/Constable Smith/Lucy Brown/Executioner/Mounted Messenger
Macheath
Polly/Betty
JJ Peachum/Bob
Celia Peachum/Jake
Jenny Diver/Walter/Cheerful Cripple
Tiger Brown/Doxy/Blind Man
Suky Tawdry/Vixen/Ned/Epileptic

[westycenterstagejack]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 4:35am

Well, technically, its written entirely ensemble. Here's an example of how the script is written:

STORYTELLER (Asaka) or STORYTELLER (Ti Moune) for every line as I recall.

But yes, I suppose you are right. Its a very intimate show.

[Jon]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 3:50pm

OLIVER as done with a cast of 15 at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse (Chicago) in the 1970's:

MALES:
OLIVER
DODGER
FAGIN
BILL SIKES
MR. BUMBLE/DR. GRIMWIG
MR. SOWERBERRY/ MR. BROWNLOW
NOAH CLAYPOOL//KNIFE GRINDER/ENSEMBLE
BOOKSELLER/ENSEMBLE
4 ORPHANS/FAGIN'S GANG

FEMALES:
NANCY
BET/STRAWBERRY SELLER
WIDOW CORNEY/MILK SELLER/ BAR WENCH
CHARLOTTE/OLD SALLY/ROSE SELLER/ BAR WENCH
MRS. SOWERBERRY/ MRS. BEDWIN/ BAR HAG

[jagfkb]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 5:44pm

Usually Island is done with a cast of about 11 or 12, but if the director really wanted to, it could be scaled back to only 7 people:

Ti Moune/ Little TiMoune
Tonton/ Daniel's Son
Mama Euralie/ Peasant Girl
Asaka/ Gatekeeper
Agwe/ Daniel
Erzulie/ Andrea
Papa Ge/ Daniel's Father

I remember a director of mine saying that by casting the gods as the Beauxhommes, it makes it seem as if the Gods are truly the ones creating the journey. Also, by making Tonton and Euralie the two children at the end, in a way, the production is able to come full circle.

Any other shows which can be parred down?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 10:47pm

I just saw a production of Joseph where Potiphar and Jacob were played by the same person. They only had four female ensemble members. I think the entire show could do without the children's chorus. I do not think they add anything to the show.

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/16/10 at 3:27pm

I don't know if the Company scaling suggested above would work, simply because of the opening number, in which all the characters sing different things at once. having only five people would make it hard to get all of that out... I'd actually have to try it out to see if the won works that way.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 11/16/10 at 6:01pm

Rent is already pretty doubled over; you're just changing the parts around. Ex: Mimi's mom, Mrs. Jefferson, Bag Lady, and SOL #1 are all played by the same person. Also, since when was there a priest in Rent?

I don't remember how big the cast was, but I know in the most recent Sweeney revival, they took out the chorus and had the principles/supporting cast since the chorus.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 11/16/10 at 11:04pm

The priest has 2 lines after Goodbye Love and before What You Own. It's always been SOL2/Mr.Jefferson.

I don't know why anyone would feel the need to scale a show with 15 (with 8 leads) roles down further. Leads playing 3-4 roles each? It would look like a summer camp skit with all the quick changes to switch characters back and forth a dozen times throughout the show. (Does anyone else remember that skit? Hilarious.) Save the gimmick for the shows with giant expendable ensembles instead, because otherwise you'd need permission to rewrite the book to Rent just to keep it from looking silly and ridiculous.

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/16/10 at 11:22pm

These are just hypotheticals. I can't think of any situation other than "theatre kids have an unrehearsed reading/sing-through just for fun" in which some of these majorly shrunken shows would occur.