Open Forum

I teach in a very small school.  We only do one big show a year. I'd like my theatre 2 and 3 classes do performances with their classes.  So I need ideas for smaller casts. 

This year I have my top advanced class of 4 men and 2 women. 

My theatre 2 class has 3 men and 3 women, with two of those men not being the strongest of actors. 

If you have any suggestions for smaller cast shows that don't require huge sets... as these would be rehearsed at the same time... that would be great.  I'd like something comedic for both groups, with the advanced group of 4 men and 2 women to be a longer piece that then 3 men and 3 women piece. 

Thank you!

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Lori Joffs
Teacher
Maury County Schools
Spring Hill TN
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Almost, Maine could be done with as few as 4 and as many as 18-20 actors, and doesn't have ensemble scenes, so it would be easy to rehearse within your structure.  Set needs are very low key.  I did it with a cast of 18, but a smaller cast would have let each actor dig in more to the work.  (A side note -- my kids and I are Mainers -- I'm always intrigued to know how the humor goes over in other places!)

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Josie Tierney-Fife
English Teacher/Theater Director
Gorham, Maine
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-17-2017 10:48
From: Lori Joffs
Subject: Small cast comedy

I teach in a very small school.  We only do one big show a year. I'd like my theatre 2 and 3 classes do performances with their classes.  So I need ideas for smaller casts.

This year I have my top advanced class of 4 men and 2 women.

My theatre 2 class has 3 men and 3 women, with two of those men not being the strongest of actors.

If you have any suggestions for smaller cast shows that don't require huge sets... as these would be rehearsed at the same time... that would be great.  I'd like something comedic for both groups, with the advanced group of 4 men and 2 women to be a longer piece that then 3 men and 3 women piece.

Thank you!

------------------------------
Lori Joffs
Teacher
Maury County Schools
Spring Hill TN
------------------------------

Take a look at 39 Steps. It is the entire 1935 adventure film done with four actors. One actor plays the hero, a actress plays the three women with whom he is romantically involved. The other two actors play all the other characters, including men, women, children and inanimate objects. 
It is crazy fun. At one point the hero is climbing through a window that he holding. It is inventive and imaginative.

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James Van Leishout
Olympia WA
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-17-2017 10:48
From: Lori Joffs
Subject: Small cast comedy

I teach in a very small school.  We only do one big show a year. I'd like my theatre 2 and 3 classes do performances with their classes.  So I need ideas for smaller casts.

This year I have my top advanced class of 4 men and 2 women.

My theatre 2 class has 3 men and 3 women, with two of those men not being the strongest of actors.

If you have any suggestions for smaller cast shows that don't require huge sets... as these would be rehearsed at the same time... that would be great.  I'd like something comedic for both groups, with the advanced group of 4 men and 2 women to be a longer piece that then 3 men and 3 women piece.

Thank you!

------------------------------
Lori Joffs
Teacher
Maury County Schools
Spring Hill TN
------------------------------

Hi all!
I would recommend the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. We did it last year and the audience loved it. One member commented that it was not what they expected but glad that they came. It is scripted as 3 people, but you can expand as needed and still keep the comedy. The kids LOVED doing it, especially the improv parts and audience participation.

Good Luck!

------------------------------
James Fry
Director of Student Life and the Malvern Theatre Society
Malvern, PA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-17-2017 10:48
From: Lori Joffs
Subject: Small cast comedy

I teach in a very small school.  We only do one big show a year. I'd like my theatre 2 and 3 classes do performances with their classes.  So I need ideas for smaller casts.

This year I have my top advanced class of 4 men and 2 women.

My theatre 2 class has 3 men and 3 women, with two of those men not being the strongest of actors.

If you have any suggestions for smaller cast shows that don't require huge sets... as these would be rehearsed at the same time... that would be great.  I'd like something comedic for both groups, with the advanced group of 4 men and 2 women to be a longer piece that then 3 men and 3 women piece.

Thank you!

------------------------------
Lori Joffs
Teacher
Maury County Schools
Spring Hill TN
------------------------------

You could easily take any of the vignette type shows and potentially even have both classes participate in the same show, since they wouldn't really have to rehearse together.  If you did Almost, Maine  or The Dining Room you could cast students from the same class in each scene and split the scenes between the classes.

------------------------------
Laura Steenson
Theatre Director
Reynolds High School
Troutdale OR
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2017 10:12
From: James Fry
Subject: Small cast comedy

Hi all!
I would recommend the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. We did it last year and the audience loved it. One member commented that it was not what they expected but glad that they came. It is scripted as 3 people, but you can expand as needed and still keep the comedy. The kids LOVED doing it, especially the improv parts and audience participation.

Good Luck!

------------------------------
James Fry
Director of Student Life and the Malvern Theatre Society
Malvern, PA

Original Message:
Sent: 10-17-2017 10:48
From: Lori Joffs
Subject: Small cast comedy

I teach in a very small school.  We only do one big show a year. I'd like my theatre 2 and 3 classes do performances with their classes.  So I need ideas for smaller casts.

This year I have my top advanced class of 4 men and 2 women.

My theatre 2 class has 3 men and 3 women, with two of those men not being the strongest of actors.

If you have any suggestions for smaller cast shows that don't require huge sets... as these would be rehearsed at the same time... that would be great.  I'd like something comedic for both groups, with the advanced group of 4 men and 2 women to be a longer piece that then 3 men and 3 women piece.

Thank you!

------------------------------
Lori Joffs
Teacher
Maury County Schools
Spring Hill TN
------------------------------

The Dining Room would be great. No set change at all!

------------------------------
Holly Whiting
Drama Teacher
Issaquah WA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-17-2017 10:48
From: Lori Joffs
Subject: Small cast comedy

I teach in a very small school.  We only do one big show a year. I'd like my theatre 2 and 3 classes do performances with their classes.  So I need ideas for smaller casts.

This year I have my top advanced class of 4 men and 2 women.

My theatre 2 class has 3 men and 3 women, with two of those men not being the strongest of actors.

If you have any suggestions for smaller cast shows that don't require huge sets... as these would be rehearsed at the same time... that would be great.  I'd like something comedic for both groups, with the advanced group of 4 men and 2 women to be a longer piece that then 3 men and 3 women piece.

Thank you!

------------------------------
Lori Joffs
Teacher
Maury County Schools
Spring Hill TN
------------------------------