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  • 1.  Our Town

    Posted 04-25-2015 14:14
    I'm thinking of doing Our Town for the fall production, but am a little apprehensive about 17 males. Has anyone else had experience with this? Can you change some of the roles to female? ------------------------------ Jeana Whitaker Theatre Director Mesa AZ ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Our Town

    Posted 04-25-2015 16:47
    Edited by Kandace McGowan 04-25-2015 16:47
    Oh definitely. The Crowell brothers, Howie Newsome, the Constanle, etc, could all be women. Even the Stage Manager by no means has to be male. Wally could be a sister, too, why not. I teach Our Town every semester in a Drama 1 and they always change roles. I just keep the parents and Emily and George in their gender, but besides that, anybody could do it. ------------------------------ Kandace Arens Drama Teacher Bellingham WA ------------------------------
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  • 3.  RE: Our Town

    Posted 04-26-2015 09:31

    Absolutely!

    I did it a few years ago, and had a female stage manager, constable, the Crowells, Professor Willard, Sam Craig and undertaker. It worked very well!

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    Elizabeth Kott
    Port Washington NY
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Our Town

    Posted 04-26-2015 06:56
    Similar to the discussion that has taken place in other threads about changing or cutting lines, sometimes you have to be careful for copyright reasons on changing a character's gender....depends on the play and the contract, I think.  We just did Our Town this year and double cast a number of the male parts because we didn't have 17 males.  And, if your Stage Manger is a male, he can step into a few of the scenes as a character.  The newer version of the script that is available had doubling suggestions.

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    Lynda Gibson
    Jr. Troupe 88305
    Flushing MI
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Our Town

    Posted 04-27-2015 12:40
    When we did the show a couple of years ago we were easily able to change genders of some characters without altering any lines in the play

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    Zachary Mazouat
    Morristown NJ
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  • 6.  RE: Our Town

    Posted 04-29-2015 12:49
    I've done a production of Our Town in the past in which Howie Newsome and Professor Willard were gender bent roles. :)

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    Natasha Schlaffer
    Simi Valley CA
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Our Town

    Posted 04-30-2015 12:08
    "Gender bent" is not the phrase I think you want. Are you using "non-traditional casting" or non-gender specific casting. We also use color blind casting. ------------------------------ Phillip Rayher Director, Theatre Dept. Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts San Francisco CA ------------------------------
    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Our Town

    Posted 05-01-2015 07:35

    We often ignore gender in casting-- sometimes, to great effect.  In The Romancers, we had two senior girls play the fathers and that was a lot of fun.  hey played the characters as males, complete with wigs and coats, but I've produced that play with female "fathers" as well.  Was a lot of fun and raises some interesting questions about character, motivation, choices, and language.  I tend to only do this to non-royalty work, though as changes to intellectual property have to be approved.

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    Michael Johnson
    Trinity NC
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    Original Message


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