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  • 1.  One-Acts with Strong Male Leads

    Posted 04-25-2016 11:14

    Hi!

    I am searching for challenging one-acts with a strong male lead.  I have 2-3 very gifted male actors that I would like to feature/challenge in our fall one-act.  The max number of actors  I would like to have in this cast would be 10-12.  I've read a lot of stuff, but I feel stuck.  Any suggestions?  

    Thank you!!!

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    Alli Sanderson
    Monroe, NC
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  • 2.  RE: One-Acts with Strong Male Leads

    Posted 04-25-2016 12:15

    A popular choice of late but that's because it's actually good and challenging and hilarious would be Peter Shaffer's 'Black Comedy'. Needs a couple of strong male leads, especially in physical comedy. Riotous fun. I think there may be a version that's under 40 minutes... at least, I've seen several schools do a production of this play as a sub 40 minute one act. The full thing is more like 70-80 minutes...

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    Phillip Goodchild
    Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
    Ruskin FL

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: One-Acts with Strong Male Leads

    Posted 04-25-2016 14:24

    My Name is Asher Lev by Aaron Posner (cuttable to one act)

    Anatomy of Gray or Diviners by Jim Leonard (both cuttable to one act, and popularly done in TX, you could probably reach out to other teachers to see how they have cut it)

    The Filmmaker's Mystery by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

    The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis  (cuttable to one act)

    The Farnsworth Invention by Aaron Sorkin (cuttable to one act)

    The Picture of Dorian Gray by Neil Bartlett (cuttable to one act)

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    Jessica Harms
    Acton-Boxborough Regional High School
    Acton MA

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: One-Acts with Strong Male Leads

    Posted 04-26-2016 09:02
    Just our experience, but we applied to do a cutting of Black Comedy earlier this year and the request was denied, even for competition.  

    Amy Neal Bussey
    Stuarts Draft High School
    Drama and English Teacher
    Theatre Program Director
    VHSL One-Act & Forensics Coach
     



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: One-Acts with Strong Male Leads

    Posted 04-25-2016 21:48

    Off the top of my head, Running Upstream

    Yellow boat if one of them can play young

    If you have two-three guys, ledge, ledger and the legend, only requires the guys

    There are a lot, but running upstream and yellow boat are two of my favorite one acts for sure.

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    Alan Strait
    Teacher
    CCSD
    Henderson NV

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: One-Acts with Strong Male Leads

    Posted 04-26-2016 07:33

    "And" by Alan Haehnel

    I saw it at competition a few years ago, it is fantastic.  I haven't been able to do, didn't have the right young man.  

    "Fortress" by Michael Scanlan

    Young man has to age throughout the course of the show--did very well at competition for me

    "Women and Wallace"  Jonathan Marc Sherman

    Young man also has to age--great tour-de-force.  My first solo directing piece, still one of my favorite shows.

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    Jennifer Miguel
    Franklin VA

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: One-Acts with Strong Male Leads

    Posted 04-26-2016 07:48

    One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest


    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: One-Acts with Strong Male Leads

    Posted 04-26-2016 14:23

    First thing off the top of my head is Ed Monk's Booby Trap from Playscripts, Inc.  It has 17 roles, but many of them are less than a page in length, so you could double or triple some actors - that might be the challenge for the talented guys you don't use in this play's very demanding leading part.  It's a tremendously moving script that also offers some surprising yet appropriate moments of comic relief.  You can read most of it online for free at the Playscripts website, but they do hold back the ending, so I suggest you buy a full copy to read - with this piece, you need to see the ending in order to understand fully what's up the playwright's sleeve.  The way he manipulates time and space is mind-boggling.  My students were a little wary of this piece when I first announced that we were doing it, but, boy, howdy, did they buy into it as we worked on it!

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    Jeff Grove
    Theatre Teacher, Aesthetics Department Chair
    Stanton College Preparatory School
    Jacksonville FL

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: One-Acts with Strong Male Leads

    Posted 04-26-2016 18:39

    Hi there!

    My program has done the show, "The Other Room" which requires a small cast, but strong actors!

    I've seen it done several different ways, which leaves a lot of room for casting in a way that will meet your requirements.

    Its a wonderful piece!

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    Shaila Seth

    Original Message


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