Student Directed Musical

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a good musical for a student director. I will be a senior at Stonehill College, outside Boston, MA. Our theatre department is small yet very prestigous. We are repeatedly chosen to perform at our region's American College Theatre Festival each year. The head of the department, Dr. Patricia Sankus, is one of the main directors for the Chamber Theatre (in Cambridge, MA), and also does a LOT of casting in NYC. I'm not sure if anyone has ever worked with/me her. She's an intersting character....but EXTREMELY talented (actorially AND directorially).

She asked me to direct a show this coming year. Our department does not do many musicals, and I really want to direct one. With such a small department, and me being a beginning director, I want to direct a SMALL musical. Does anyone have any suggestions of shows to look into? Right now, my number one choice is "John and Jen". I love the show and I've always wanted to direct it. It will also work great in the space and with the resources I will have. I'm just not sure if the department will fork over the money to obtain the rights from MTI. Would a small show like that cost the same as larger shows (I've rented "Merrily" and "Once On This Island" from them, both pretty pricey). Thanks!

Thanks, I love them all! I'll add them to my list of possibilities. SFANW may be a bit TOO musically challenging (with the insane harmonies, etc.), but it's still a good possibility.

Good old Easton, MA?

Haha, yes I know what you mean. When people ask me where Stonehill is I say "near Boston", just to make it easy. I'm from Reading, MA, which sort of causes the same problem. Oh well. Someday I'll be in NYC hopefully...(not doing anything theatre-related, I just really want to live there).

I grew up in Boston and Brockton before moving to RI, I know EXACTLY where Easton is!

PS, Finn, have you considered directing part of the Marvin trilogy?

I did a musical in NYC about 7 years ago called FAIRY TALES. It's more of a revue that morphs into a song cycle and it's heavily gay/lesbian. It's fun, w/ some great songs...though it could be a bit outdated at this point. But I think it would be cheap. The composer's name is Eric Lane Barnes and I'm sure you could find him by googling him. For reference, there's a cast album from the Boston production, probably available at Footlight Records.

There's also THE LAST FIVE YEARS, BED AND SOFA, THREE GUYS NAKED FROM THE WAIST DOWN, TELL ME ON A SUNDAY, CLOSER THAN EVER, AND THE WORLD GOES ROUND. There are actually LOTS that would work for you!

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haha, finn, we're neighbors, i live in a ton next to reading!! woowoo!! MA pride!!! lol

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OLYMPUS ON MY MIND. It's a deranged little farce that's small cast, easy to stage, very family friendly.

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'If you can stand Rogers and Hammerstein...'

I don't understand this sentence. I will never, ever begin to understand how people can't stand Rogers and Hammerstein.

GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING is a terrific suggestion.

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Catholic school..small production..have you considered Godspell??? It's fun to take the script and during rehearsals you and the entire cast play around with new ideas to add to the show. It is so much fun and you don't need a lot of space or sets.

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Just as a thought--Are there any straight shows people would recommend?

Last year at my school we did Triumph Of Love, a 7-person show that's really fun. Susan Egan, Roger Bart, Betty Buckley and Christopher Seiber were some of the cast members when it was on Broadway in 1997. The score is terrific and the book isn't bad.

How about...Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Not a very long show either.

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