I totally feel your pain! I go through this every year when I'm trying to pick a straight play for my students. Usually we have to do two straight shows in rep so that everyone can have a quality role. My dream is to someday write a play that hits this sweet spot we all seem to be seeking. Other pieces with decent cast sizes that I've had success with are:
Still Life with Iris by Steven Dietz,
Triangle by Laurie Brooks,
Arabian Nights by Dominic Cooke, and
The Good Fight (about British suffragettes) by Anne Bertram. You may also want to look at pieces by Liz Shipe (I enjoyed reading her
Bonny Anne Bonny and
Seven Athenian Women). You could also look at some offerings from Nick Hern Books like
Blue Stockings by Jessica Swale. They also have a project designed to promote large cast shows for young, predominately female casts like
This Changes Everything, The Light Burns Blue, and
The Glove Thief. They have a play called
Mermaid that's a really interesting re-telling of "The Little Mermaid" and is on my short list for next year. I also want to read
The Sweet Science of Bruising, but I can't find my copy. :-(
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Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Shenandoah Valley Governor's School
VA
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-09-2021 07:59
From: K Lang
Subject: Need a Large Ensemble Comedy or Comedy/Drama with some literary merit
I really appreciate the suggestions here. I'm not sure the Zimmerman shows are the right direction for us right now. This is more an indictment of our audience than the quality of her shows.
I find myself super frustrated by most of the large cast options out there. The scripts are either silly and corny, poorly written, or inappropriate for high school (and I am proud of the way we have pushed the envelope with shows like Cuckoo's Nest, Almost, and SKM).
As an example, I bought a perusal of a new show called June, July, August as Dramatists featured it on their high school page, it seemed like an interesting story with merit, and it fit our cast sized perfectly. I didn't get past page two. The content was so unbelievably explicit.
The search continues for that sweet spot of quality writing, a sizable cast, humor, and literary merit, along with something that is right for our audience.
Sorry for the rant, but I am at a real loss right now. I will definitely look into the additional suggestions mentioned here. When I've read the scripts for our past few productions, I just kind of had that feeling, you know? The search continues.
Thank you for the input and keep the suggestions coming.
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K Lang
Original Message:
Sent: 09-24-2021 07:48
From: K Lang
Subject: Need a Large Ensemble Comedy or Comedy/Drama with some literary merit
Yes, thanks!
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K Lang
Original Message:
Sent: 09-24-2021 07:33
From: Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Subject: Need a Large Ensemble Comedy or Comedy/Drama with some literary merit
I think I sent you a private reply with pictures. Did it come through?
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Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Shenandoah Valley Governor's School
VA
Original Message:
Sent: 09-22-2021 15:09
From: K Lang
Subject: Need a Large Ensemble Comedy or Comedy/Drama with some literary merit
I am intrigued by Metamorphoses. Robert and Cassy: how did you handle the pool of water?
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K Lang
Original Message:
Sent: 09-15-2021 11:33
From: Robert Laconi
Subject: Need a Large Ensemble Comedy or Comedy/Drama with some literary merit
I produced two Mary Zimmerman plays with teens - Metamorphosis and Arabian Nights. Both were very successful. Her scripts are beautifully written and accessible. They are both ensemble pieces with lots of featured roles and opportunities for double casting if necessary. And we had many more girls than boys. I wouldn't classify them as comedy, but both have lighter moments, especially Arabian Nights. They are challenging and are very theatrical and have great design potential, but can also be simple. I insisted that if we do Metamorphosis that we have a pool. We got permission from the school powers that be and it added so much to the production. It was really beautiful. We staged it so that every actor had some interaction with the water so it was fair and all inclusive. We also added a video component for the underworld, an opportunity to incorporate more participants/departments. We commissioned an original score for Arabian Nights and that too really added to the overall effect and the period. Using existing period music would also work. Metamorphosis has one suggestive scene that might be problematic (incest), but we staged it as a dance in the pool and it worked.
I licensed the Zimmerman pieces through her literary agent, but they were easy and accessible to work with.
I also considered The Locker Next 2 Mine by Joanathan Dorf. I really liked the script and envisioned a video component to that production too. We never got around to doing it, but worth taking a look at and very relevant.
Here is a link to production pics on our Facebook page should they help in your decision.
ARABIAN NIGHTS: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=Laconi.Robert&set=a.10154070332958974
METAMORPHOSIS: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=Laconi.Robert&set=a.10153079126843974
While a lot more traditional and classic, by students have also enjoyed doing Kauffman & Hart's Man Who Came to Dinner and Royal Family.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Robert Laconi
Robert.Laconi@gmail.com
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Robert Laconi
Original Message:
Sent: 09-14-2021 20:24
From: K Lang
Subject: Need a Large Ensemble Comedy or Comedy/Drama with some literary merit
It's that time of year again. I am proud to say my high school program is bigger and better than ever. We are looking for a play similar to what we have done in the past: a comedy or comedy/drama that has some literary merit. Our past few shows are as follows:
Almost, Maine
Dearly Departed
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Quaran-Teens (virtual play)
She Kills Monsters (delayed from 2020, we pulled it off in May 2021!)
I am of course perusing old threads, but I am always looking for fresh suggestions. We try to avoid comedies penned primarily for high schools and instead look for shows that are funny but also start conversations--just like the ones above.
Like many of you, I have many more female performers than young men. But I do have a handful of the latter that are of great quality as well, including one standout who killed it as Chuck in SKM.
Thanks for your help!
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K Lang
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