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  • 1.  Help!! Holiday Play ASAP

    Posted 11-05-2015 09:58

    I have read nearly 40 plays/musicals and can't find a holiday show that isn't cheesy for high school. We have roughly 5 weeks to pull it together. I have a cast so far and a set (same interior set as my fall show) and no actual show picked.  My interior set has double doors for a front door and an arch on the left side of the room. 

    We had 9 kids audition, 3 okay males 4 minor character males, 9 females all strong. Initially I wanted a christmas carol but after auditions I don't have the makes to pull it off.  : ( 

    Any show suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

    ------------------------------
    Denique Morris
    Teacher
    Cerritos CA
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  • 2.  RE: Help!! Holiday Play ASAP

    Posted 11-06-2015 07:18

    Hi there,

    I'm a drama teacher based in London. 'Alice in Winterwonderland' and 'The Turn of the Screw' (both from www.treepress.org) are both popular festive shows in the UK. They both have flexible casts and have been written with the school stage in mind. Links below. Hope this is useful and you find what you are looking for! 

    Good luck! 

    Adrienne 

    https://www.treepress.org/scripts/the-turn-of-the-screw

    https://www.treepress.org/scripts/alice-in-winter-wonderland

    ------------------------------
    Adrienne Ferguson
    Creative Director
    TreePress
    London. United Kingdom
    adrienne@treepress.org

    www.treepress.org
    Making theatre easily accessible for everyone, everywhere.

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Help!! Holiday Play ASAP

    Posted 11-06-2015 09:59

    With the time frame you're looking at, I would suggest "It's a Wonderful Life, a live radio play" by Joe Landry. Publisher: Playscripts.  You can add holiday music, and there are some included ideas for radio "jingles".

    Link: https://www.playscripts.com/play/1064

    This was a big hit with our audience and cast alike.  Formatted along the lines of a reader's theater, It gave the actors who are not quick at memorization a chance to perform well with a script in-hand. And it sounds like you've already got the makings of a1940's radio studio set design. 

    ------------------------------
    Darlene Shaw
    Drama Coach
    LaGrange GA

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Help!! Holiday Play ASAP

    Posted 11-06-2015 11:03

    I agree with Darlene, a live radio show might be just the type of show that would work for your situation.  Playscripts Inc. carries a radio show for both "It's a Wonderful Life," and "A Christmas Carol."  Dramatic Publishing also carries a radio show for "A Christmas Carol."

    A good Christmas Carol musical that showcases the females in your cast is a show called, "Bah, Humbug!", from Pioneer Drama.  We performed this with great success and the kids and audience loved it.

    Best wishes to you,

    ------------------------------
    Danny Hobson
    7th Grade Theatre Arts
    Hellstern Middle School
    Springdale, Arkansas
    dhobson@sdale.org

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Help!! Holiday Play ASAP

    Posted 11-07-2015 00:54

    Hi,

    Last year we did It's A Wonderful Life which was fantastic!! It's available in a play version, radio studio version, musical version. We did the full length radio studio version which was awesome because of all the vintage sound effects. Doing the radio version also allows them to have scripts because that's what they would have done in a real radio studio. We didn't use scripts but you sure could!! The cast size can vary greatly because again, in a radio studio a few people read many parts. The radio version comes in full length and a short version. It's a play you can make as simple or elaborate as you'd like. You can look at it at www.playscripts.com

    Good luck!

    ------------------------------
    Connie Sandoz
    Theatre Director, Retired
    Henderson NV

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Help!! Holiday Play ASAP

    Posted 11-08-2015 12:25

    ​Years ago my program presented "The Christmas Schooner". It is based on a true story about the German family that begain the tradition of the Christmas trees in Chicago at navy peer. It is romantic and based in truth but also a tragedy. The songs are sweet is a large cast. 
    ​

    --
    Denise Dion
    Get a signature like this: Click here!



    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Help!! Holiday Play ASAP

    Posted 11-08-2015 07:52

    I produced Christmas Belles which is a comedy about three southern sisters trying to produce a Christmas pageant: one is pregnant, one is a felon, and the other has dated every man in town and can't find anyone in town to play Joseph. It is a really funny play that has a message in the end. The show ends with a holiday song and the audience is invited to sing-a-long too. It's a small cast, 7 females and 4 males, but you could expand with a chorus. Dramatists has the rights. 

    ------------------------------
    Marla Blasko
    Theatre Arts Director
    Columbia MD

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Help!! Holiday Play ASAP

    Posted 11-09-2015 08:10

    I was just coming in to recommend Christmas Belles, so I second that recommendation!  The kids had a lot of fun with the characters, and the audience loved it as well.  It's very easy to stage, and you can add additional students.  We added Doyce Pender- who is mentioned in the script but never seen- and had him dress as Elvis.  You can easily add people to the pageant and behind-the-scenes moments.    

    ------------------------------
    Jennifer Bronder
    Theater and English Teacher
    Knoch High School
    Tarentum PA

    Original Message


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