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Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

  • 1.  Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-06-2017 11:59
    Hi Everyone!

    I have two sections of a Children's Theater Class comprised of juniors and seniors who are new to theatre.  I am looking for a one act (60 minutes tops) play that is great for young audiences and easily mobile.  

    The cast size would need to be medium-large, 12 to 20, and flexible.  

    Any plays in particular come to mind?  Great experiences with particular playwrights?  

    Just hoping to get some ideas.

    Thanks, all!

    -Jarad


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    Jarad Benn
    Acting Teacher and Director
    The Kinkaid School
    Piney Point Village TX
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  • 2.  RE: Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-06-2017 12:55
    ​Still Life With Iris. There's a 60-minute cut. Don't let the set intimidate you -- it can totally be done on a shoestring.

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    Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
    Theatre Department Coordinator
    Fishersville VA
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-06-2017 13:08
    There's a one-act version of Jeremy Bloom's Peter/Wendy available on Playscripts that's absolutely lovely. It's appropriate for children of all ages, while at the same time remaining true to the original text and never condescending to its audience. It also lends itself well to super low-tech and inventive staging. (I can't say enough positive things in general about Jeremy Bloom and his NYC-based company Rady&Bloom. They're brilliant.) Cast is anywhere from 7-30 and flexible.

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    Victoria Chatfield
    Executive Director
    National Theatre for Student Artists
    www.nationalstudenttheatre.org
    vchatfield@nationalstudenttheatre.org
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-07-2017 07:42
    ​If you are looking for something funny, I recommend Law and Order: Fairy Tale Unit by Jonathan Rand.  It has the humor that your older students will still find funny, yet is simple enough that young audiences find it hilarious.  Especially if you add in a good chase scene to catch the wolf!  Very easy to tour - I did it with props and a few tables and crates only.  And you can triple cast the parts if needed.  We really enjoyed it!

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    Amber Hugus
    Harmony PA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-07-2017 08:09
    Beatrice the Butterfly
    Lazy B scripts

    Fun characters
    Keeps the attention of a younger audience
    Easy to tour

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    Tammy Smith
    Virginia Beach VA
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-07-2017 09:36
    I have loved directing any of the Dramatic Publishing Plays for Young Audiences: RAMONA QUIMBY, STUART LITTLE, CHARLOTTE’S WEB, MAGIC THEATRE, I DIDN’T KNOW THAT.
    Also look at the list of books that the national association of Librarians, and have your students adapt some of the children’s stories.
    If you tie it to the Read Across America, you can do adaptations or staged readings of Dr. Seus.

    Gai.jones@sbcglobal.net
    Gai@gaijones.com
    Www.gaijones.com


    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-07-2017 14:32
    ​I highly recommend Dramatic Publishing's "Sing Down the Moon" by Mary Hall Surface and David Maddox (even though it is a musical, still give it a look, I pulled it off with only 4 real singers because it is so flexible when it comes to casting singers). We just finished up this show and OMYGOSH it was absolutely magical!! I loved every aspect of it (and I was working with a cast I did not love so much).  Costumes are a little difficult to pull off since some of the characters are quite complex and need a little more love than some Halloween masks (pigs, fox, crow), but set can be minimal. The music is fantastic and the stories are so much fun for younger audiences.  It is a series of "wonder tales" and can be cut to four tales plus the intro song for a 55 min show. This is my second Surface/Maddox production, and though we won a state competition with the other one (Perseus Bayou), I secretly liked this one more! It opened up great opportunities for not the greatest performers.

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    Analiese Hamm
    ECHS Drama Director
    Statenville GA
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-07-2017 14:44
    I like a lot of the Don Zolidis scripts for younger audiences. My kids did The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon years ago and had a blast with it.

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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-08-2017 08:08
    I have done 2. A mixed up version of Jack and the Beanstalk (can't remember the real name, ack!) and Red v. the Wolf. Both were easy to produce, minimal staging, my HS kids loved performing them for the elementary schools and those kids eat it up. There are easy to use tricks for the sets and stuff. Contact me if either of these fit your needs.

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    Kati Heintzman
    Thespian Advisor
    Middletown City Schools
    Middletown OH
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-15-2017 04:42
    James and the Giant Peach can be done simply and is a story they all know.  
    Noonie's Masterpiece in Purple is also a fun one.
    If you want to perform for the K - 2, or younger, Gary Grinkle's Battles With Wrinkles and Other Troubles in Mudgville is a cute one.
    Another option is to create an ensemble piece using children's public domain poetry.  

    Wishing you the best!

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    Carolyn Cork Greer
    The Kentuky Thespian Society
    Owensboro KY
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Best Touring Children's Theater Plays?

    Posted 11-15-2017 06:41
    How To Eat Like a Child.  
    Miss Nelson is Missing - The elem kids LOVED this, as did the high school actors' peers.  It can be done so over the top.  Great fun to produce!

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    Lana Thompson
    Sugarland TX
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    Original Message


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