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Middle School play suggestions?

  • 1.  Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-06-2014 12:48
    This message has been cross posted to the following Discussions: Theatre Community Beta Testing Group and Open Forum .
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    Dear Theatre Educator Friends,

    I have read dozens of one act plays, and have not found the right one yet.  A Grimm themed play would be ideal, however would need to be middle school age appropriate.  I am looking for a straight play that will accommodate 20-50 students for our spring performance.  Any suggestions?

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    Danielle Pittel
    Theatre Teacher
    Minnetonka Public Schools


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  • 2.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-06-2014 12:59

    In terms of one act straight plays, the best we've ever done was A Thousand Cranes. You might be able to make it work for your numbers, but we only had 12 in our production. This is the very reason why I've gone to only doing musicals. It's really hard to find a straight play with a large cast for MS. We also did a version of Alice in Wonderland where I added cast by creating the set out of students wearing morph costumes of various colors, who moved and shifted to create the set and background. It was fun and trippy.

    Good luck!
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    Sean Kifer

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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-07-2014 08:31
    I am getting into the same problem now. I started with only six or seven kids and now have almost thirty audition for every show. Lately, I have been creative and picked shows where I could add extras. Cap'n Hook was a fun show that takes place in a retirement home for pirates so you could have as many as you wanted, also the number of lost boys or girls isn't limited. I also have way more girls than boys so I have to take that into consideration or have girls play boy parts and I always have a few that are willing to do that. I do have a couple of catalogs that have shows for large number casts for middle schools but I don't remember which ones off the top of head. Hope this helps!

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    Douglas Parks

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  • 4.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-21-2014 15:42

    NORA'S ARK is the first new Middle School musical created by The Jazz Drama Program, http://www.thejazzdramaprogram.org/. Uniting musical theatre and jazz, these musicals are created specifically for student performers. They feature 30+ speaking parts (always more female than male parts), a jazz score written for student voices, a CD accompaniment and a running time of about an hour. For a licensing quote visit http://www.theatricalrights.com/noras-ark, and click on the blue button, "Apply for a License" to submit an Amateur License Application.

    Their second musical, HOLDING THE TORCH FOR LIBERTY tells the true story of the culmination of the women's suffrage movement in the United States, circa 1920.  The opening feels like NEWSIES, but the newspaper sellers are girls. Through ragtime, classic blues, New Orleans and Cuban infused original music, HOLDING THE TORCH FOR LIBERTY traces how courageous working women joined forces to fight for and win final passage of the 19th Amendment.  With the country openly divided, a lone congressman from Tennessee gets and inspirational letter from his mother reminding him that standing up for justice and doing what is right comes easily when you follow your heart. For a licensing quote visit http://www.theatricalrights.com/holding-torch-liberty, and click on the blue button, "Apply for a License" to submit an Amateur License Application.

    More Jazz Drama musicals to follow!



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    Jim Hoare
    Director of Licensing

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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-07-2014 11:19
    15 Reasons Not to be in a Play was a great success when I directed it at the middle school level. Now they have 18 Reasons not to be in a play....you can put any number of students into the production.

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    Laura Agudelo
    Drama Teacher

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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-07-2014 07:27
    I don't teach middle school, but we have a very active Jr. Troupe at our local middle school.  They have been very successful with vignette plays.  If you haven't checked out Lindsay Price's plays at theatrefolk.com, do it!  They have HS and MS scripts, some that can be adapted and some that have specific middle school versions.  Fun shows that have heart as well as humor.  With the vignettes, you can have as large a cast as you wish!  Specific shows to consider of Lindsay's are The Snow Show, Wait Wait Bo Bait (which has a middle school version,) Hoodie, &  School Daze.

    The best of luck!

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    Carolyn Greer

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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-07-2014 09:35
    Hi Danielle! There are MANY wonderful one acts for Middle School theatre kids!

    I am constantly challenged to find shows that allow my classes of 20-35 students to be on stage, have lines, and take character building to a new level.

    Here are some of the plays we have performed (a few were directed in Drama 1 classes or Production Basics classes at the HS but could easily be adapted for middle school):

    From Playscripts.com

    Law and Order: Fairy Tale Unit by Jonathan Rand - great show - my 7th grade class did this last year - I tweaked the Pinocchio monologue to make it a bit more PG than PG-13 because I am pretty conservative when it comes to my kids.

    Homework Eats Dog and Other Woeful Tales by Alan Haehnel - the High School did this but it's great for a LARGE group and hilarious!

    How to Succeed in High School Without Really Trying by Jonathan Rand - Also done at the HS but I think it could be something that the 7th and 8th grade kids would have fun with

    Cinderella and the Substitute Fairy Godmother by Ed Monk - my 6th grade class did this last year and it's great! The substitute FG could be a male or female and if you have a boy that can pull this off - I say GO FOR IT! Hilarious piece!

    A Nuther Thing by Alan Haehnel - the HS did this but it's funny and I considered it for my 8th graders this year

    High School Musi-pocalypse by Don Zolidis - the HS also did this one but it would be GREAT for MS because it's a spoof of HS Musical.

    The Skokie Detective Charter School by Philip Dawkins - It's on my shelf for the right class...I'm just waiting to do it. Maybe next year - smaller cast but one to keep in mind.

    OKAY -

    On to TheatreFolk.com - I LOVE TheatreFolk! There are many shows to choose from and Lindsay Price is one of our favorite playwrights - the MS kids REALLY feel like she "gets" them.

    School Daze by Lindsay Price - My 7th and 8th graders read through this one while looking for a competition piece and loved it! However, we chose to go with her other (and similar)  show, "Hoodie"...EXCELLENT piece! I encourage you to check them out.

    Hoodie by Lindsay Price - see above

    Just about ANYTHING by Lindsay Price is great - it's just not all suitable for MS. But there are MANY playwrights and shows to choose from on Theatrefolk.com

    I hope this helps and you find something you love!

    Jessica Stafford
    Theatre Teacher
    Owensboro Middle School
    Director - Jr. Troupe 89126
    Owensboro, KY


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    Jessica Stafford

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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-07-2014 11:01
    Try theatrefolk.com

    I am right now producing a script called School Daze and they have a TON of other things as well that accommodate any size casts from 10-60.  They're great.  And Lindsay and Craig (the owners) are so easy to reach out to.  They will help you find exactly what you're looking for.

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    DanielDobrovich
    Director of Theatre
    Cranbrook Kingswood School
    ddobrovich@cranbrook.edu
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  • 9.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-07-2014 14:03
    Great website recommendation, Daniel. Thanks!

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    Sean Kifer

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    Sent via Higher Logic Mobile



    Original Message


  • 10.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-07-2014 15:00
    Hi Danielle,

    Here are some of my favorites that I've used for my middle school troupe.

    Law & Order: Fairy Tale Unit

    Ten Actors in Search of a Cell Phone
    Homework Ate Dog and Other Tales of Woe
    Middle Class
    The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs
    15 Reasons Not to Be in a Play
    Fairy Tale Courtroom
    First in Line and Other Traumatic Life Experiences
    Blather, Blarney and Balderdash
    Once Upon a Wolf
    School Daze
    Monster in the Closet
    Murder by Indecision
    Works in Progress

    Most I find at:
    PlayScripts - http://www.playscripts.com/
    Theatre Folk - https://www.theatrefolk.com/
    Baker Plays - http://www.stageplays.com/plays-by-publisher/bakers_plays (But I think most of this stuff is now through Samuel French)
    Dramatic Publishing - https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/
    Pioneer Drama - https://www.pioneerdrama.com/
    Heuer Plays - https://www.hitplays.com/

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    Lynda Gibson
    Jr. ITS Troupe 88305
    Flushing Middle School
    Flushing, MI 48433
    lynda.gibson@flushingschools.org

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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-07-2014 16:32

    Hi Danielle,

    I would try The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon by Don Zoldis and provided through Playscripts, Inc.  There are approximately 45 characters and it covers almost all of the Grimm fairytales.  You can even read a free copy on the Playscripts, Inc. website.

    All the best!

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    Nancy Moran
    Drama Instructor

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    Original Message


  • 12.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-09-2014 09:11
    Thanks for the lovely shout outs for Theatrefolk and my own work! I love seeing what Middle School students can do on stage - I just adjudicated A Thousand Cranes for the first time at the Florida Junior Thespian Festival and I rather liked it's theatrical potential.

    As for my stuff, and Theatrefolk's other middle school material, you can read sample pages online (same for Playscripts) so you get a good sense of the play before you buy. So important at the middle school level. Here's the link to our middle school material:

    https://www.theatrefolk.com/products?suitability_id=2

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    Lindsay Price
    Playwright
    Workshop Instructor
    Adjudicator
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    Original Message


  • 13.  middle school play suggestions

    Posted 02-10-2014 08:17
    Try The Hamlet Thrillmageddon also by Don Zolidis, very funny show although it has numerous parts that really play better with music but it doesn't provide that music. We had to find someone to write the music for us. I have it now, so life is good.


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    Tom Leith

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  • 14.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-21-2014 19:46
    Hi Danielle,

    I have a play which I use with a summer theatre program.  It ahs 30ish parts--can be done with mostly ladies, and involves 12 princesses trying to solve the problem of hunger in their communities. It includes fairy tales and nursery rhymes.  If you are interested in seeing the script, please let me know.  I don't normally pitch such things, but the script might work for your group!

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    Amy Sidwell
    Drama Department

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    Original Message


  • 15.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-21-2014 19:52

    Drat, I had a typo in my last post. 

    Aside from that, I also wanted to suggest theatrefolk.com.  It is a great resource.  Our program did Agatha Rex this fall and the use of the chorus was a great learning tool for our actors.
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    Amy Sidwell
    Drama Department

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    Original Message


  • 16.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-23-2014 19:49

    I feel your pain.  I teach at a middle school at which I produce a wide variety of theatrical literature annually, ranging from essentially musical theatre revues to Shakespeare.  But the hardest part of each year seems to be finding one-act straight plays, which I mount about four times a year.

    Forgive me for editorializing for a few moments: It's frustrating that those of us who have taught through the last couple of decades as I have have lived through a significant growth in the area of young adult adult prose literature, but not a corollary development in the realm of YA dramatic literature.  I think it has to do with the market--think of how many of our students buy novels vs. the relatively small number of us procuring the rights to scripts.  Still, whatever the reason, we MS theatre teachers often find ourselves wading through material that is too "babyish" or too grown-up.  It's a constant struggle.

    In recent years, when looking for straight one-acts, I've all but sworn by palyscripts.com.  Their site is highly searchable (cast size, gender break-down, etc.)  Some recent favorites from this source include Homework Eats Dog and Other Woeful Tales by Alan Haenel, How I Got That Part by Robert Pridham (which, interestingly, can be presented by a cast of all girls), and The Audition by Don Zolidis.  (That last author seems to have produced an impressive body of material for students of this age).

    One of my complaints: Do writers of middle school aged material think there are no other topics that middle school actors can handle besides being in a play (I'm tired of metatheatre) or being a student with a maniacal and/or otherwise cray teacher?  The vast majority of viable material produced for middle school actors seems to be devoted to these subjects.  (These subjects AND parodies of varying degrees of quality of fairy tales/Shakespeare plays/Greek myths seem to make up up the bulk of literature for the age group.   Oh, and the plays focused on dating, which, at best, make the parents uncomfortable and, at worst, try to graft a high school-aged worldview of dating on too-young students).

    Another source that I've flirted with and fully intend to utilize more fully in the future is playsforyoungaudiences.org, a partnership of Seattle Children's Theatre and the Children's Theatre company in Minneapolis.  Again, their site is very searchable.

    Hope this helps
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    Ryan Moore

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    Original Message


  • 17.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-23-2014 21:00
    It's very difficult to find straight plays for that big of a cast.  I write all of our middle school straight plays and usually keep a cast of 15-20.  I have some great plays if you're interested in any:

    "Changing the Social Pyramid" - a one-act about bullying and accepting people who are different
    11 speaking characters, but easily add in 5-10 extras.

    "Andi of Green Gables" - full-length modernized version of "Anne of Green Gables"; great if you have an outstanding leading lady
    15 Characters

    "What a Difference a Dad Makes" - a one-act about two girls on two different paths and how having a father can really effect a child's life
    13 speaking characters, but easily add in many more (We had 99 in the show involved in various ways)

    "Midsummer Night's Prom Dream" - a one-act modernized version of Shakepeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream"; absolutely hilarious
    17 characters, 5-10 extras are possible in one scene

    Also, check with pioneerdrama.com.  I found great plays with them for years and we always purchase our spring musical from them.

    My e-mail is pettyc@columbus.k12.ms.us if you're interested in any of the plays above.


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    Chelsea Petty

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    Original Message


  • 18.  RE:Middle School play suggestions?

    Posted 02-24-2014 08:55

    Please get the book, "Plays Children Love Volume II"...I have done several from there and they are VERY well written and recieved!!
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    Elayne Petrucci
    Drama Instructor

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    Original Message


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