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What Musicals do you think should be performed more often in High Schools? — Page 2

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#26

What Musicals do you think should be performed more often in High Schools?

Posted: 1/15/20 at 10:31pm

Alex Kulak2 said: "I could see Shaina Taub's version ofTwelfth Nightbeing very popular in high schools. Not only was it initally written for the Public Works program and meant to be performed primarily by amateurs, but it's one of the most accessible versions of Shakespeare I've ever seen."

So surprised someone mentioned this show! My high school did a production of this adaptation of Twelfth Night this past fall and it was quite honestly my favorite show I have ever been a part of. I was Malvolio, and had such an incredible experience. The show can be adapted for any cast size, any dance level, etc. It is so joyful and fun and I strongly urge anyone who is able to do this show.

#27

What Musicals do you think should be performed more often in High Schools?

Posted: 1/15/20 at 10:40pm

"I could see Shaina Taub's version of Twelfth Night being very popular in high schools. Not only was it initially written for the Public Works program and meant to be performed primarily by amateurs, but it's one of the most accessible versions of Shakespeare I've ever seen."

What an awesome idea, I would never even think of that for high school.

#28

What Musicals do you think should be performed more often in High Schools?

Posted: 1/16/20 at 12:28am

When I was in high school, every school in the area was doing The Drowsy Chaperone--it seemed a great choice as it was fun, short, accessible, and a text that really worked. And if any mistakes happen or if the production values are clearly limited by poor funding, you can pass it off as a mistake in the show-within-the-show. Spelling Bee and Urinetown were also very popular choices at the time. Something that I think a lot of high schools neglect thinking about is the vocal demands many contemporary musicals put on adolescent voices--even the most talented high schools I would not encourage to do shows like Les Miz or Evita because of the great risk of vocal injury that even seasoned professionals face when tackling some of those roles.

I remember choosing shows for high schools was also frequently difficult because there were generally so many more women auditioning than men, and the canon of musical theatre has so many more shows with male-dominated principle casts. Shows like Little Women and Legally Blonde were also very popular at the time for this reason, presumably. If you look at the list of musicals in the original post of this thread and compared the number of women and men in principle roles in each show, I'm sure the vast majority of them are male-dominated.

#29

What Musicals do you think should be performed more often in High Schools?

Posted: 1/16/20 at 2:22am

Les Mis HAS a high school version, which takes care of a lot of the problems you discuss. Also, since most high schools only perform approx 3 times, the risk is barely there.

Your point about number of women vs men auditioning is spot on.

Other points to consider...is size of cast and audience appeal. Few high schools can garner audiences with a small cast show or without name recognition. The success of our musical funds the rest of our program. We get NO funds from the school department, except for stipends for the adults. If we fail to pull in an audience, we have no money.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#30

What Musicals do you think should be performed more often in High Schools?

Posted: 1/17/20 at 7:58am

I’m actually jealous of that list because the shows I did in middle and high school were often the old school shows that every high school circles back around to every few years. Granted, half the musicals on the list were on Broadway when I was in HS (I’m 25)

The shows we did: Anything Goes (x2), Annie Get Your Gun, Guys And Dolls, Leader of the Pack, and Footloose (which was the most out-of-the-box choice).

Since then, my high school has done Hairspray (VERY JEALOUS), 9 to 5, Sweet Charity, Young Frankenstein, and Nice Work If You Can Get It (that I can remember)
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#31

What Musicals do you think should be performed more often in High Schools?

Posted: 2/10/20 at 2:09am

Question to those who direct high school shows.

I know budgets are factors but how do you pick the shows?


But long story short. I went to a private all male school. I glance through my alumni magazine and saw they did “Chicago”. Love the show but why do it at an all male school?
#32

What Musicals do you think should be performed more often in High Schools?

Posted: 2/10/20 at 9:57am

Well, I can't answer that for sure! (It is odd.)



Every director has different thoughts on "how" but these are the things I take in consideration:

What shows have we done within any student's 4 years with me - is there a mix between classical and new, fun and serious, popular and subtle?

Do I have comedians? Belters? Strong actors? What's my m/f ratio?

Lastly: I consider tech - can WE pull it off tech wise.

And then: does it FEEL right? (So hard to put into words. But I just "know".)

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

Updated On: 2/10/20 at 09:57 AM

#35

What Musicals do you think should be performed more often in High Schools?

Posted: 2/10/20 at 8:11pm

JBradshaw said: "Question to those who direct high school shows.

I know budgets are factors but how do you pick the shows?"



I teach at a relatively small school, so I have to basically pre-cast at least the major male roles. Who we have is honestly the biggest factor.

I also teach at a pretty conservative school, so that eliminates quite a lot of shows.

It is rare that any of my students have any dance experience whatsoever, so we can’t do dance-heavy shows. We don’t have the money to pay a choreographer to come in every day anyway.

It has to be something that can be done on a shoe-string budget in our poor excuse for a theater with no fly or wing space, so...that eliminates even more possibilities.

Also, I have to like it enough to spend four to six months working on it.

And lastly, it has to be something I think our kids would want to be in and the community would want to see.

This year we are doing Into the Woods, which is considered “edgy.” Sigh.

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