THE HIGH SCHOOLERS HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT- Page 2

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 2:57pm

^ I've seen Hair done effectively without the nude scene. Honestly, that's the least of their worries. Try telling your school administrator that you want to do a musical with the following elements:

- A song listing drugs the characters are interested in
- A satirical scene poking fun at the Catholic Mass
- A song listing terms to describe sexual activities
- A song in which a black character uses racial slurs about himself to deflate the "ammunition" of bigots
- Mockery of the KKK
- Mention of LSD
- Kidding about getting the Pope stoned
- Depiction of a high school principal as Hitler (oooh, that would not go over well)
- Advocacy of dodging the military draft
- A scene featuring a male in drag portraying a middle aged woman
- A song poking fun at people who idolize the American Flag
- Advocacy of smoking marijuana
- Draft card burning
- Songs teasing the public's discomfort with the personal attraction between people of different races
- A scene in which the characters get high, with a strong anti-war slant
- Suggestion that the characters have multiple sex partners
- A frisky song about everything that can be done in bed in which there is use of the word "cock"
- The death of a lead character as a strong anti-war statement

If Hair was a modern film, made faithfully to the text and milieu of the play, it would unquestionably have an "R" rating. The "objectionable" sections of the show are not the focus of the show, but they are there. And all things that a high school drama teacher would consider in selecting a show that both preserves their job and allows the kids to perform.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 3:17pm

Also I have no idea where you go to school, OP, but if you live in/around an area where a production of the show is running (Broadway or a 1st National is all I have experience with), it can be very difficult or pricey to get the rights. As I went to school within spitting distance of Broadway, we were not allowed to do Beauty and the Beast, even though the rights were technically available, because of our proximity to the Broadway production.

Essentially, a lot more goes into selecting high school shows than you're really accounting for. It isn't just about people not "letting" you do modern, controversial shows to make you miserable.

Updated On: 5/19/13 at 03:17 PM

[trentsketch]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 3:22pm

Thank you for your input. I'll be sure to let every high school theater director I music direct for know that they should only teach rock musicals from the 1970s and pop shows written in the last 20 or so years.

It's so funny. I taught at a pre-k to 8th grade summer camp last year that put on two musicals. One was Alladin, Jr. and the other was The Music Man, Jr. Many of the same kids did both shows. The response from the children working on the far more challenging book and score of The Music Man was much more enthusiastic than the response from working on the stage adaptation of the film they watched a million times already.

And what's even funnier is that the high schoolers I'm fortunate enough to work with are always asking why we don't do more of the older shows. They're tired of doing modern shows like Legally Blonde and Little Women. Sadly, these are the kids that are in schools without a lot of guys in the theater program. I had one student actively campaign for Hello, Dolly for all four years of her high school experience; wasn't practical with the kids we had. Believe me, their teachers would love to do My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, etc., but they don't have enough male students to fill all the roles. They also wish they had the diversity to really do a show like Hairspray or West Side Story where the racial breakdown is integral to the plot. There's a good chance they don't.

To the high school theater students: we do not set out to do shows that you don't want to do. We set out to do shows that we can do that fit our budge and our potential talent pool. We also have to consider shows known enough to actually drawn an audience in to fund the program for another year and actually get the kids to audition. We also have our own likes and dislikes. And some even consider that, no, teenagers probably don't have the emotional maturity or life experience to adequately put on some of the more well-known mature shows. We're limited in the material we're allowed to do by the approval of the school itself and casting policies that are forced on us by extracurricular activity rules. And, above all else, it's always great when we can do a show that allows us to teach you about what makes musical theater work, its history, and how to best approach it as an actor, a stagehand, a costumer, a makeup artist, a lighting designer, a sound designer, etc.. We want as many students involved that want to be involved and need to do shows that allow for that level of participation.

Posted: 5/19/13 at 3:34pm

Jay Hauser, my high school has done a good mix of classic and new shows. Kiss Me Kate, Into the Woods, Guys and Dolls, as well as Footloose, Grease, And Hairspray. It's important to do both because it not only educates all the children but for old souls like me, it wouldn't be fair or right to do all new stuff. By doing both we have more versatile performers.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 4:12pm

That list of desired shows isn't very nice to legit sopranos. Does Light in the Piazza count since it's new, or does it not have enough belting?

Also, Godspell is only a few years younger than Joseph so I'm confused by your criteria.

Updated On: 5/19/13 at 04:12 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 4:19pm

I love when a single person believes he speaks for everyone. You, young Jay, know little about life, the casting process, school politics or (likely) much else.

A good theatrical education includes both classics and modern work, you learn very little from only one or the other.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 4:39pm

Don't forget his little to no knowledge of musical theater.

[AKarp2013]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 4:40pm

I think you scared him off, Jordan.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 4:41pm

Nah. He'll be back. It must just be his nap time.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 4:48pm

Can we ban his posts to the student board?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 4:49pm

No. Because that discrimination. You just don't understand what high schoolers want.

[showchoirguy]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 4:53pm

The struggle is real.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 4:58pm

Use that pain when you perform such classics as LEGALLY BLONDE.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 5:17pm

I agree with what everyone else here has said about budgets and talent and all of that.

And a show does not need to have a rock score to have some controversial topics. Maybe if you actually knew some of these classical shows you despise so much, you would know that. They aren't all puppies and rainbows.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 5:20pm

You don't get it. He doesn't despise them, he's just already done them ALL.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 5:23pm

Oh right. I forgot that's how they know they hate them all.

[SweetLips]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 5:26pm

How wonderful to even HAVE a school musical program of any sort--didn't happen at my school unfortunately-my lounge room was my theatre.Kelly2-loved reading your constructive imput and JC-Thanks for confirming my thoughts on LB.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 6:49pm

Oh my.

Jay, I do not know if you plan on pursuing theatre, but you really need a reality check. I am not questioning your taste (regardless of how much I may disagree with some of it) but I assure you, high school students passionate about theatre, who may plan to pursue it, would jump for joy to do any musical, let alone a classic.

Judging from your post, I am just assuming you know very little about licensing, or factor in the people your school has and what shows are possible, given regards to casting and budget.

[Gorlois]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 7:04pm

I'm currently a Junior, soon-to-be Senior. In my school's Drama Department we only do straight plays, since our Drama teacher doesn't feel she can do a musical alone. Freshman year (also our teacher's first year teaching) it was a showcase of student directed one-acts, 2 different ones each night; Sophomore year we did Arsenic and Old Lace and excerpts from Almost, Maine. This year we've done Rehearsal for Murder and another showcase of one acts-- one of which I got to direct! Next year, it's an adaptation of Little Women. I'm pushing for Pygmalion or Harvey next. I really want Pygmalion, but I think we have a better chance of doing Harvey.

To be honest, I'm thankful for the experience my Drama teacher has offered us. I missed doing musicals but I got over it. I realized that not everyone gets an education in theatre, and that's what keeps me from getting upset when we get a play I don't like-- or worse, when I'm cast in a role I don't like. If doing theatre makes you happy and you're doing it, you're lucky.

Also, first post!

[SweetLips]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 7:24pm

I had tears Gorlis reading your first post thinking 'if only'.You have such an intelligent,enthuastic attitude and approach--it seems also to life in general--good luck with all endeavours.

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 7:33pm

I of all people know how this feels, but you have to understand that the newer shows require more from young performers than older shows do. The only tricky part of casting South Pacific is finding a baritone and enough guys to be in a chorus. To do RENT, you need a guy who can belt, a few girls who can riff - essentially, you need people who can actually sing, because otherwise the music isn't singable.

Now, if you're looking to be a legit performer, know that the college and post-college scenes are completely different worlds. When everyone is able to sing at a professional level, more contemporary musicals are put up, and classic musicals become incredibly difficult to get cast in - because only the best performers get them.

I will say, though, that there are plenty of young performers who are down with doing older shows. I know I wanted to lead Sunday in the Park as a teenager, and had to wait until I was twenty to do it in college. Try to enjoy the **** high school productions now, find the fun in learning period dialects and dressing in period outfits - because in the real world you'll be doing a LOT of contemporary.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 7:55pm

Welcome, Gorlois!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 8:13pm

This thread reminds me of my teaching days. When I announced the next production, the kids would inevitably come up to me saying, "We should do________." They were unaware of how that particular show had specific talent requirements and the show I picked was more suited to the talents I had available.

Ah, kids knew everything in those days!

[Gorlois]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 8:46pm

Thanks for the welcome SweetLips and dramamama611, I appreciate it. I'm afraid I won't be posting much since I've never been to Broadway and have no plans to do so in the near future-- unfortunately. This thread I knew something about.

[LuminousBeing]

Posted: 5/19/13 at 9:13pm

Welcome, Gorlois, from a fellow Arthurian Lit scholar!