Open Forum

Hi all, 

My high school's desire for us to start out the year with a large cast show has been dashed by the arrival of only 9 students at the auditions. I have 7 female and 2 male actors. 3 Black students and 1 Asian student. I want to do something that addresses their diversity and exceptional talent. If there are multiple shorter suggestions that is also welcome. Anything to keep our little theatre group going. 

Thank you,

------------------------------
Claire Federhofer
Huron High School
Ann Arbor MI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 9/17/2020 8:55:00 PM
From: Claire Federhofer
Subject: Plays for 9 characters

Hi all, 

My high school's desire for us to start out the year with a large cast show has been dashed by the arrival of only 9 students at the auditions. I have 7 female and 2 male actors. 3 Black students and 1 Asian student. I want to do something that addresses their diversity and exceptional talent. If there are multiple shorter suggestions that is also welcome. Anything to keep our little theatre group going. 

Thank you,

------------------------------
Claire Federhofer
Huron High School
Ann Arbor MI
------------------------------

You might look at "Selfie" by Bradley Hayward. It's a really good play with lots of flexibility.

------------------------------
Frieda Gebert
Drama and Speech
Boyle County Schools (Retired)
Danville, KY
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2020 20:54
From: Claire Federhofer
Subject: Plays for 9 characters

Hi all,

My high school's desire for us to start out the year with a large cast show has been dashed by the arrival of only 9 students at the auditions. I have 7 female and 2 male actors. 3 Black students and 1 Asian student. I want to do something that addresses their diversity and exceptional talent. If there are multiple shorter suggestions that is also welcome. Anything to keep our little theatre group going.

Thank you,

------------------------------
Claire Federhofer
Huron High School
Ann Arbor MI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 9/17/2020 8:55:00 PM
From: Claire Federhofer
Subject: Plays for 9 characters

Hi all, 

My high school's desire for us to start out the year with a large cast show has been dashed by the arrival of only 9 students at the auditions. I have 7 female and 2 male actors. 3 Black students and 1 Asian student. I want to do something that addresses their diversity and exceptional talent. If there are multiple shorter suggestions that is also welcome. Anything to keep our little theatre group going. 

Thank you,

------------------------------
Claire Federhofer
Huron High School
Ann Arbor MI
------------------------------

I love Almost, Maine, especially for something on the light side. There are several versions of Frankenstein around that have variable characters also, which could accommodate a diverse cast.

------------------------------
Jean Klein
Playwriting Teacher in MFA program, Wilkes University]
Virginia BeachVA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2020 20:54
From: Claire Federhofer
Subject: Plays for 9 characters

Hi all,

My high school's desire for us to start out the year with a large cast show has been dashed by the arrival of only 9 students at the auditions. I have 7 female and 2 male actors. 3 Black students and 1 Asian student. I want to do something that addresses their diversity and exceptional talent. If there are multiple shorter suggestions that is also welcome. Anything to keep our little theatre group going.

Thank you,

------------------------------
Claire Federhofer
Huron High School
Ann Arbor MI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 9/19/2020 9:05:00 AM
From: Jean Klein
Subject: RE: Plays for 9 characters

I love Almost, Maine, especially for something on the light side. There are several versions of Frankenstein around that have variable characters also, which could accommodate a diverse cast.

------------------------------
Jean Klein
Playwriting Teacher in MFA program, Wilkes University]
Virginia BeachVA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2020 20:54
From: Claire Federhofer
Subject: Plays for 9 characters

Hi all,

My high school's desire for us to start out the year with a large cast show has been dashed by the arrival of only 9 students at the auditions. I have 7 female and 2 male actors. 3 Black students and 1 Asian student. I want to do something that addresses their diversity and exceptional talent. If there are multiple shorter suggestions that is also welcome. Anything to keep our little theatre group going.

Thank you,

------------------------------
Claire Federhofer
Huron High School
Ann Arbor MI
------------------------------

None of these address the topic of diversity, but would fit the numbers: Women of Lockerbie and These Shining Lives. If you want something deep and disturbing, look at Five Kinds of Silence - it deals with domestic violence, but it requires a cast that is willing to deal with a very serious topic.

------------------------------
Ken Buswell
Drama Teacher
Peachtree City, GA
http://mcintoshtheater.org/

Theater kills ignorance
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2020 20:54
From: Claire Federhofer
Subject: Plays for 9 characters

Hi all,

My high school's desire for us to start out the year with a large cast show has been dashed by the arrival of only 9 students at the auditions. I have 7 female and 2 male actors. 3 Black students and 1 Asian student. I want to do something that addresses their diversity and exceptional talent. If there are multiple shorter suggestions that is also welcome. Anything to keep our little theatre group going.

Thank you,

------------------------------
Claire Federhofer
Huron High School
Ann Arbor MI
------------------------------

Claire, your potential cast reminded me of a play I've been planning to read for a few years, The Story by Tracey Scott Wilson.  Dramatists has the rights.  Not having read or seen it, the only things I can say for sure are that it would match your numbers and meets your diversity needs.

------------------------------
C. J. Breland
Retired Theatre Arts Educator
Asheville NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2020 20:54
From: Claire Federhofer
Subject: Plays for 9 characters

Hi all,

My high school's desire for us to start out the year with a large cast show has been dashed by the arrival of only 9 students at the auditions. I have 7 female and 2 male actors. 3 Black students and 1 Asian student. I want to do something that addresses their diversity and exceptional talent. If there are multiple shorter suggestions that is also welcome. Anything to keep our little theatre group going.

Thank you,

------------------------------
Claire Federhofer
Huron High School
Ann Arbor MI
------------------------------

I love the Play "The Dining Room." You can do this entire play with limited characters, and do the scenes you want, or do the entire play. You can certainly cast diverse students, as the family changes over the years with every generation. AND it uses only one set for the entire show! Break a Leg!

------------------------------
Suzanne "Mama" Craig
MS/HS Theatre/Speech
Lipscomb Academy
Nashville, TN
Suzanne.Craig@Lipscomb.Edu
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2020 20:54
From: Claire Federhofer
Subject: Plays for 9 characters

Hi all,

My high school's desire for us to start out the year with a large cast show has been dashed by the arrival of only 9 students at the auditions. I have 7 female and 2 male actors. 3 Black students and 1 Asian student. I want to do something that addresses their diversity and exceptional talent. If there are multiple shorter suggestions that is also welcome. Anything to keep our little theatre group going.

Thank you,

------------------------------
Claire Federhofer
Huron High School
Ann Arbor MI
------------------------------

Regarding The Dining Room, it's worth mentioning that just because the script makes it clear that all of the characters are white people living in New England between 1880ish and 1980ish, that does not mean that the actors have to present as that ethnicity.

One lovely aspect of the play is that there are more than 50 characters, some of whom show up in more than one play. The original cast was six, and they played all different ages. The way we work today, that cast could play a variety of ages and genders.

------------------------------
Nathan Rosen
Atholton High School
theatre teacher/director
Columbia, MD USA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-23-2020 08:44
From: Suzanne Craig
Subject: Plays for 9 characters

I love the Play "The Dining Room." You can do this entire play with limited characters, and do the scenes you want, or do the entire play. You can certainly cast diverse students, as the family changes over the years with every generation. AND it uses only one set for the entire show! Break a Leg!

------------------------------
Suzanne "Mama" Craig
MS/HS Theatre/Speech
Lipscomb Academy
Nashville, TN
Suzanne.Craig@Lipscomb.Edu

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2020 20:54
From: Claire Federhofer
Subject: Plays for 9 characters

Hi all,

My high school's desire for us to start out the year with a large cast show has been dashed by the arrival of only 9 students at the auditions. I have 7 female and 2 male actors. 3 Black students and 1 Asian student. I want to do something that addresses their diversity and exceptional talent. If there are multiple shorter suggestions that is also welcome. Anything to keep our little theatre group going.

Thank you,

------------------------------
Claire Federhofer
Huron High School
Ann Arbor MI
------------------------------