Open Forum

I need suggestions for a short (45-60 minute) musical that will be intersting for Middle School kids to produce, but easy on me tech wise. My district is teaming me up with the choir teacher to team teach a musical theater class for 60ish kids. She wants to perform a musical in the spring as a class project. I'm hoping for something that is NOT tech heavy ( no sets or costumes) because I know that will all fall on me.

This is taking the place of her beginning choir class and my beginning drama class, so these kids have no experience and no commitment to our department yet. She doesn't want anything that we'll have to work on after school, and wants to rehearse from October to March in class. I'm also open to ideas for a different project of any kind if you have taught a similar class. We both don't just want a "showcase" or choir show. That's what was not working with the beginning kids, and why we're teaming up this year. 

In addition to this I'll teach a year long Theatre Basics class (scene studys, tech, critique), and an Advanced Performance class (festival competitions and a one act). I already also direct our after school musical that has open auditions.

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Nicole Pedroche
Drama Teacher
Covina CA
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MTI Junior products seem like a good choice. Try something like Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr. We have done it and had great fun!

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Nell Lynch
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2015 23:41
From: Nicole Pedroche
Subject: Musical Theatre Class suggestions

I need suggestions for a short (45-60 minute) musical that will be intersting for Middle School kids to produce, but easy on me tech wise. My district is teaming me up with the choir teacher to team teach a musical theater class for 60ish kids. She wants to perform a musical in the spring as a class project. I'm hoping for something that is NOT tech heavy ( no sets or costumes) because I know that will all fall on me.

This is taking the place of her beginning choir class and my beginning drama class, so these kids have no experience and no commitment to our department yet. She doesn't want anything that we'll have to work on after school, and wants to rehearse from October to March in class. I'm also open to ideas for a different project of any kind if you have taught a similar class. We both don't just want a "showcase" or choir show. That's what was not working with the beginning kids, and why we're teaming up this year. 

In addition to this I'll teach a year long Theatre Basics class (scene studys, tech, critique), and an Advanced Performance class (festival competitions and a one act). I already also direct our after school musical that has open auditions.

------------------------------
Nicole Pedroche
Drama Teacher
Covina CA
------------------------------

Does anyone know about how much it usually costs to get the rights for the Jr. versions? What does the package include? We use MTI for our spring musical, and it's hefty, but worth it since we charge admission over 4 performances. We'll probably only have the Musical Theater class perform one night, and I'd hate to not break even. 
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Nicole Pedroche
Drama Teacher
Covina CA
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2015 06:47
From: Nell Lynch
Subject: Musical Theatre Class suggestions

MTI Junior products seem like a good choice. Try something like Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr. We have done it and had great fun!

------------------------------
Nell Lynch
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2015 23:41
From: Nicole Pedroche
Subject: Musical Theatre Class suggestions

I need suggestions for a short (45-60 minute) musical that will be intersting for Middle School kids to produce, but easy on me tech wise. My district is teaming me up with the choir teacher to team teach a musical theater class for 60ish kids. She wants to perform a musical in the spring as a class project. I'm hoping for something that is NOT tech heavy ( no sets or costumes) because I know that will all fall on me.

This is taking the place of her beginning choir class and my beginning drama class, so these kids have no experience and no commitment to our department yet. She doesn't want anything that we'll have to work on after school, and wants to rehearse from October to March in class. I'm also open to ideas for a different project of any kind if you have taught a similar class. We both don't just want a "showcase" or choir show. That's what was not working with the beginning kids, and why we're teaming up this year. 

In addition to this I'll teach a year long Theatre Basics class (scene studys, tech, critique), and an Advanced Performance class (festival competitions and a one act). I already also direct our after school musical that has open auditions.

------------------------------
Nicole Pedroche
Drama Teacher
Covina CA
------------------------------

From: Nicole Pedroche
Subject: Musical Theatre Class suggestions

I need suggestions for a short (45-60 minute) musical that will be intersting for Middle School kids to produce, but easy on me tech wise. My district is teaming me up with the choir teacher to team teach a musical theater class for 60ish kids. She wants to perform a musical in the spring as a class project. I'm hoping for something that is NOT tech heavy ( no sets or costumes) because I know that will all fall on me.

This is taking the place of her beginning choir class and my beginning drama class, so these kids have no experience and no commitment to our department yet. She doesn't want anything that we'll have to work on after school, and wants to rehearse from October to March in class. I'm also open to ideas for a different project of any kind if you have taught a similar class. We both don't just want a "showcase" or choir show. That's what was not working with the beginning kids, and why we're teaming up this year. 

In addition to this I'll teach a year long Theatre Basics class (scene studys, tech, critique), and an Advanced Performance class (festival competitions and a one act). I already also direct our after school musical that has open auditions.

------------------------------
Nicole Pedroche
Drama Teacher
Covina CA
------------------------------

I need suggestions for a short (45-60 minute) musical that will be intersting for Middle School kids to produce, but easy on me tech wise. My district is teaming me up with the choir teacher to team teach a musical theater class for 60ish kids. She wants to perform a musical in the spring as a class project. I'm hoping for something that is NOT tech heavy ( no sets or costumes) because I know that will all fall on me.

This is taking the place of her beginning choir class and my beginning drama class, so these kids have no experience and no commitment to our department yet. She doesn't want anything that we'll have to work on after school, and wants to rehearse from October to March in class. I'm also open to ideas for a different project of any kind if you have taught a similar class. We both don't just want a "showcase" or choir show. That's what was not working with the beginning kids, and why we're teaming up this year. 

In addition to this I'll teach a year long Theatre Basics class (scene studys, tech, critique), and an Advanced Performance class (festival competitions and a one act). I already also direct our after school musical that has open auditions.

------------------------------
Nicole Pedroche
Drama Teacher
Covina CA
------------------------------

Nicole, I'd be interested to hear how this year goes for you, as I am planning on adding a Musical Theatre class for the 2016/2017 year, and I know I might well be reaching way out of my comfort level with such a step!

The MTI junior versions could be a great place to start. If you are doing a performance that's paid entry, then familiarity is going to bring more folks into the auditorium. A colleague of mine recently talked of doing the junior/hour long version of 'High School Musical' and its benefits, being that it's a super popular brand, and the shorter version retains pretty much all the songs you want to do anyway (for the most part).

In terms of not too tech heavy...any production you do can be as tech light or tech heavy as you want! Going for minimal, well-made set pieces often works better (and works out cheaper) than super elaborate and fancy sets. Just a thought.

Hope it works out well, and as I said, I'd love to follow how this works out for you and talk about how it goes.

------------------------------
Phillip Goodchild
Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
Hillsborough County Schools
Ruskin FL
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2015 23:41
From: Nicole Pedroche
Subject: Musical Theatre Class suggestions

I need suggestions for a short (45-60 minute) musical that will be intersting for Middle School kids to produce, but easy on me tech wise. My district is teaming me up with the choir teacher to team teach a musical theater class for 60ish kids. She wants to perform a musical in the spring as a class project. I'm hoping for something that is NOT tech heavy ( no sets or costumes) because I know that will all fall on me.

This is taking the place of her beginning choir class and my beginning drama class, so these kids have no experience and no commitment to our department yet. She doesn't want anything that we'll have to work on after school, and wants to rehearse from October to March in class. I'm also open to ideas for a different project of any kind if you have taught a similar class. We both don't just want a "showcase" or choir show. That's what was not working with the beginning kids, and why we're teaming up this year. 

In addition to this I'll teach a year long Theatre Basics class (scene studys, tech, critique), and an Advanced Performance class (festival competitions and a one act). I already also direct our after school musical that has open auditions.

------------------------------
Nicole Pedroche
Drama Teacher
Covina CA
------------------------------

I need suggestions for a short (45-60 minute) musical that will be intersting for Middle School kids to produce, but easy on me tech wise. My district is teaming me up with the choir teacher to team teach a musical theater class for 60ish kids. She wants to perform a musical in the spring as a class project. I'm hoping for something that is NOT tech heavy ( no sets or costumes) because I know that will all fall on me.

This is taking the place of her beginning choir class and my beginning drama class, so these kids have no experience and no commitment to our department yet. She doesn't want anything that we'll have to work on after school, and wants to rehearse from October to March in class. I'm also open to ideas for a different project of any kind if you have taught a similar class. We both don't just want a "showcase" or choir show. That's what was not working with the beginning kids, and why we're teaming up this year. 

In addition to this I'll teach a year long Theatre Basics class (scene studys, tech, critique), and an Advanced Performance class (festival competitions and a one act). I already also direct our after school musical that has open auditions.

------------------------------
Nicole Pedroche
Drama Teacher
Covina CA
------------------------------

I need suggestions for a short (45-60 minute) musical that will be intersting for Middle School kids to produce, but easy on me tech wise. My district is teaming me up with the choir teacher to team teach a musical theater class for 60ish kids. She wants to perform a musical in the spring as a class project. I'm hoping for something that is NOT tech heavy ( no sets or costumes) because I know that will all fall on me.

This is taking the place of her beginning choir class and my beginning drama class, so these kids have no experience and no commitment to our department yet. She doesn't want anything that we'll have to work on after school, and wants to rehearse from October to March in class. I'm also open to ideas for a different project of any kind if you have taught a similar class. We both don't just want a "showcase" or choir show. That's what was not working with the beginning kids, and why we're teaming up this year. 

In addition to this I'll teach a year long Theatre Basics class (scene studys, tech, critique), and an Advanced Performance class (festival competitions and a one act). I already also direct our after school musical that has open auditions.

------------------------------
Nicole Pedroche
Drama Teacher
Covina CA
------------------------------