Open Forum

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 8/31/2021 5:09:00 PM
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------

I did this show many years ago

------------------------------
Cathy Archer
EdTA Member or Troupe Director
Rutland High School
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-01-2021 06:00
From: Elisabeth Ledwell
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I love Jim Leonard's plays! But, I am also rebuilding with a feel good show. I am doing The Birds. It is a play by Aristophanes, adapted by Walter Kerr- two humans who join the birds, literally. It has the added bonus of costumes that would work with masks, just in case we have to! Loads of fun and great movement challenges for the actors. Also flexible casting. 

Original Message:
Sent: 8/31/2021 5:09:00 PM
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------

Years ago I discovered my nearby "rival" high school was doing the same show I'd chosen, and the same weekend. It turned out great for everyone. Either our audience was our audience, or those with wider boundaries to explore were curious to compare. I know that at other schools where this has happened the schools arranged social events for each actor to meet their character counterpart and when possible to see the other version. Great bonding for all. Don't worry about picking a" competing " show. If you want it, do it.

------------------------------
Douglas "Chip" Rome
Theatre Consultant
Educational Stages
Burke VA
http://EducationalStages.com
https://bit.ly/RWTEOview
https://bit.ly/eTeachTech
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-31-2021 17:08
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------

I never pass up an opportunity to recommend Leaving Iowa by Tim Clue and Spike Manton. It's sort of a love letter to the American family road trip/family vacation. It's especially appropriate for the midwest and was written for a midwestern audience, but the core of it is appropriate for everyone. Very sentimental, very heartwarming, and very funny. The play is written with 2m 2f for the main family and then 12 male ensemble characters and 10 female ensemble characters. The script has all of the ensemble characters being played by one male and one female, but some of the turnarounds between characters are so quick and distinct, that I would definitely suggest expanding this.

This is my favorite play of all time- I would produce the thing every year if I could get away with it!




------------------------------
Dalton Pittenger
Theatre Director- Smithville High School
University of Central Missouri, Class of 2018
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-31-2021 17:08
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------

Yes! Leaving Iowa is a wonderful show! We did it last May with a very small cast (you can double cast many of the characters if needed). Needs very little set pieces or you can make it more elaborate-very flexible show! Because of Covid restrictions we had to have a very small audience of mostly family but it worked beautifully. The show is very humorous at times and very touching in the end. It comes with all the sound effects and background music needed and the sounds are almost a character in themselves. I highly recommend it!

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

Original Message:
Sent: 09-01-2021 11:32
From: Dalton Pittenger
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I never pass up an opportunity to recommend Leaving Iowa by Tim Clue and Spike Manton. It's sort of a love letter to the American family road trip/family vacation. It's especially appropriate for the midwest and was written for a midwestern audience, but the core of it is appropriate for everyone. Very sentimental, very heartwarming, and very funny. The play is written with 2m 2f for the main family and then 12 male ensemble characters and 10 female ensemble characters. The script has all of the ensemble characters being played by one male and one female, but some of the turnarounds between characters are so quick and distinct, that I would definitely suggest expanding this.

This is my favorite play of all time- I would produce the thing every year if I could get away with it!




------------------------------
Dalton Pittenger
Theatre Director- Smithville High School
University of Central Missouri, Class of 2018

Original Message:
Sent: 08-31-2021 17:08
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 8/31/2021 5:09:00 PM
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------

The Curious Savage is a lot of fun.

------------------------------
Jennifer Bryan
Drama Instructor
Florida Christian School
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-31-2021 17:08
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 8/31/2021 5:09:00 PM
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------

I second the Kate Hamill Sense and Sensibility as well as Almost, Maine. I also suggest Still Life With Iris, Shakespeare in Love (if you have the guys), Silent Sky, and Babette's Feast.

------------------------------
Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-01-2021 20:16
From: Stefanie Plumley
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I've also decided to take the "Feel Good" route - we all need it! 

I've got 17 students, and only 4 boys, so I've opted for Kate Hamill's adaptation of "Sense and Sensibility" 

If you have a small cast, "The Importance of Being Earnest" is always a good bet.

Good luck!

Original Message:
Sent: 8/31/2021 5:09:00 PM
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------

I will second The Curious Savage!  that is what we are planning to do....  I also love Once in a Lifetime, funny and something different, many different characters to play

------------------------------
Karin Neal
Theatre Director
Trinity Catholic High School
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-31-2021 17:08
From: Sarah Gerling
Subject: "Feel Good" Show

I had decided that one of the shows my students would do this year would be Anatomy of Grey.  I love the show and I love the parallels that we can draw from the show for our times right now.  I am reconsidering, though, for something that is perhaps more light-hearted.  What would be your suggestions?  Recent comedies/light-hearted shows include: Moon Over Buffalo, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Too Much Light..., Almost Maine, and Bethel Park Falls.  I would like something contemporary if possible.  The two other high schools in my town are doing Noises Off and You Can't Take it With You, so I also want to avoid those.  I have some strong female students, but, like many of you, this is a BIG rebuilding year for my program after the challenges of the past year and a half.

Thanks for your suggestions!

------------------------------
Sarah Gerling
Theatre Teacher and Director
Hickman High School
------------------------------