high school musicals/plays

[TinyDancer2]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 8:29pm

hey, members of my schools theatre department are going to be discussing different plays and musicals for next year. in the past we have done fiddler on the roof, taming of the shrew, les miserables, the government inspector, the secret garden, noises off, a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and romeo and juliet.

obviously, we have done a lot of period musicals and i was hoping to bring up some more modern suggestions like Sweet Charity or All Shook Up. I was just wondering if anyone had any good ideas for possible high school shows that will not be too corny or cheesey and appealing to the students and audience. thanks so much!!

[TinyDancer2]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 8:46pm

p.s. we've already done bye bye birdie and grease too :)

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 8:58pm

Perhaps Working?

[TinyDancer2]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 8:59pm

do you know what publisher it is?

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 9:05pm

Once on this Island.

[rewritemystory]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 10:18pm

I don't suggest Working for the high school.
A local HS did it around here. It just didn't work. The audience didn't react to it well.

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 10:20pm

A school did it really well here a few years ago. But the cast was really talented...

I'll try and find the publisher.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/27/08 at 10:22pm

Urinetown! (I just choreographed this for my HS in the fall, the kids loved it, the audiences loved it, the production team loved it.)

[westcoast_wannabe]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 8:28am

I’ve seen really fabulous high school productions of Once On This Island, The Wiz, and She Loves Me. I don’t really care for Stephen Schwartz but a lot of high schools do his shows. I’ve seen a decent production of Children of Eden and an awful production of Godspell. I’ve never seen a high school do Pippin, but I know they do it, and I think it’s the most interesting choice.

[Patash]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 9:54am

I have seen high schools do Pippin and it is a WONDERFUL choice. Working is nice for the actors as it showcases so many people, but generally I think it's dull as dirt to most audiences.

[into_the_woods2]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 2:53pm

would "the fantasticks" be horribly inappropriate?!

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 3:19pm

I have never seen it done, but here is the Working link:

http://www.mtishows.com/show_home.asp?ID=000081

I would suggest (but they are period pieces):
Ragtime
Thoroughly Modern Millie

How about:
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Urinetown
The Producers
How to succeed in business without really trying
Tenderloin



Updated On: 5/28/08 at 03:19 PM

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 5:31pm

DRS is 'Restricted' right now.
Same goes for 'The Producers' apparently.
I'm just going by what MTI has told me as of late.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 5:47pm

Do! Re! Mi!
Zombie Prom (Ok, it's corny)
Shenandoah (heavy on guys which are hard to cast in high school)

Reckless
Deathtrap
Arsenic & Old Lace

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 5:53pm

West Side Story

[gypsy4]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 6:58pm

"crazy for you" if you can locate good dancers.

[sgv123]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 7:11pm

this year my school did thoroughly modern millie.

[Fat Actor]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 8:41pm

If you have strong males I would say A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt.
Rumors by Neil Simon is always a fun show.
Our Town was one of the best shows I have ever been in.
Beyond Therapy is one of the funniest things I have ever read.
Little Shop... equals amazingness(and audiences love it)
Also Ball High School in Galveston did the original play version of Spring Awakening which was outstanding.

[MerMaggieGalinda]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 8:44pm

If my school wasn't so midwestern conservative, I'd love to do the original play version of SA. I think we'd even have the talent too for it too.

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 9:55pm

Tim Rice and Elton John's Aida
RENT: School Edition

MTI