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Newbie needing help!

  • 1.  Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-27-2020 11:37
    We are brand new to all things theater at my school. I am finding it overwhelming to look for scripts we can perform that don't cost hundreds of dollars. While I could afford one mti play, I am wondering if there are cheaper, easier plays I could access?

    Any and all help appreciated!

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    Jennifer Kiep
    Orange Park FL
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  • 2.  RE: Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-27-2020 14:12
    If you want to find a balance between "affordable" and well-written, I'd advise Dramatic Publishing. Lots of great options, both in new plays and great adaptations of classic literature (always a good option for school theater).

    Dramatists Play Service and Samuel French (now Concord Theatricals) have most of your 'famous' plays, but the royalties are higher. Publishers like Pioneer Drama, Brooklyn Publishers, and Big Dog are far less expensive, with shows geared more toward school and amateur productions.

    If musicals are your interest, they are generally more expensive, but again, Dramatic has some that are affordably priced. There are other publishers out there that also fit the bill, but Dramatic is my favorite.

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    Josh Kauffman
    Teacher, Thespian Society/Drama Club sponsor
    Winfield City Schools
    Winfield, AL
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-28-2020 03:32

    These are fun. Sometimes a little cheesy but kids love them. 
    https://www.pioneerdrama.com/Default.asp



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    Mark Middlebrooks
    Specials Department Director
    Castle Pines CO
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-28-2020 07:31
    If you're looking for a less expensive musical, consider Sing Down the Moon or Perseus Bayou, both available from Dramatic Publishing. I agree with Josh that they have some very decent titles for reasonable prices. Keep in mind that a straight play is always going to cost WAY less than a musical, both in terms of materials and production expenses.

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    Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
    Theatre Department Coordinator
    Fishersville VA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-28-2020 08:10
    I highly recommend Pioneer Drama and Eldridge Publishing.  You will find so many scripts that are affordable and easy to stage (perfect for a beginning program).  They offer a large selection of plays and musicals that are fun to perform and fun to watch!

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    Karen Crispin
    West Terre Haute IN
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-28-2020 11:21
    When I started, buying scripts for perusal was a challenge. Now, they cost about 10 apiece. Try your local library. Scour garage and book sales. I simply buy up all the scripts. I also got a line item in my budget (about 100 a year) to buy perusal scripts when I explained that I purchased a perusal and then found it inappropriate or too short, or just not my thing, so that I read about 50 plays a year to pick three. (We do not do musicals.) Stage Agent is a good resource, too. Always try to check length and cast breakdown to see if a play fits your needs before purchase. Ask around at other nearby schools. Shared libraries would be awesome! Good luck!

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    Elisabeth Ledwell
    Falmouth MA
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-28-2020 11:48
    Are there any sister schools you can check with? You might be able to borrow scripts to peruse from their script library. 

    Are you set on a musical? If not, it is significantly cheaper to do a play and there are a lot of fast paced comedies. When I took over my department I didn't do a musical for the first 4 years; I couldn't afford it at the time. I built my audience with intense dramas and very light-hearted comedies. I also recommend Dramatic Publishing and Playscripts and Youthplays.There are a lot of really good options at all of these companies. 




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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-28-2020 12:39
    You have already been given such great advise anout where to find plays. I want to suggest a play to you from Dramatics. MASH. It is a huge cast and so much fun and is a great title that isn't a musical to get a large audience. It is also low production. We made so much money on this title. Just an idea.

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    Michaela Moore
    Juneau AK
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-29-2020 09:38
    All the suggestions you got are great. I prefer Playscripts and Dramatic Publishing. On Playscripts you can read most of the play for free (like the last 5-10 pages are missing), that way you can really know how the play would work for you before buying it. Another cheap option is free domain plays. You can do anything by Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, and other older works without licensing costs. Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw is a good one because it is the story My Fair Lady is based off of so many are already familiar with it. You can find the scripts for most free domain plays on Amazon or visit a library to read it first.

    We were new last year so I understand the cost factor. For our first show we had to get a "loan" from the school to purchase the licensing. Then we paid it back with ticket sales. Then we chose a play this fall and a musical for this spring and used the money from the ticket sales last spring to pay for them. I chose to do The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon by Don Zolidis (on Playscripts). It was a great choice to do on a budget because it is supposed to be done with very little set and only costume pieces (like just a crown, wig, or hat). It's also good because the cast is flexible and you can do it with as few as 6 or as many as 25 or more. For musicals stick with older or lesser known titles. We are doing Guys and Dolls this spring and at first the students were unsure about it because it wasn't something they were familiar with but now I hear them singing it in the halls walking to class! LOL!

    Hope this helps!

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    Amy Williams
    District Librarian/Theater Teacher
    Thespian Troupe #8881
    Auburn High School
    Auburn, IL
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-29-2020 09:59
    Hi Jennifer,

    Not really a script finding suggestion, but for a young program, you might want to look at what plays are curricular in your English Department. You can get an immediate buy in and support from the English teachers which should result is more students seeing your show. My first production was The Crucible for just this reason. I had no money, no supplies, (The department had one hammer and one screwdriver - both stolen from the shop!) I did a bare stage version (couldn't afford to build a set) The profits from that production funded a massive tool buy and served as the foundation for later productions.

    Of course, you can also reach into the history bin for Shakespeare, Moliere, Congreve, etc. Many of that type of script can be found online in their full form and you can do your own edits - no royalties!

    Good luck!

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    Robert Smith
    VA Co-Chapter Director
    Retired
    Centreville VA
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Newbie needing help!

    Posted 01-29-2020 10:35
    It's very inexpensive to get a Reader membership to the New Play Exchange. Hundreds of playwrights like myself post thousands of scripts that you can read for free. There is an excellent search function as well. You are able to contact the writer directly in many cases to inquire about rights. The only challenge is that you have to sort and find scripts on your own rather than having a publisher curate them for you. But when you find the right one for your school, NPX offers a cost-effective way to find new plays and musicals. Newplayexchange.org

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    Lojo Simon
    Laguna Beach CA
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    Original Message


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