Open Forum

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

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Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


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One way is to get the choir teacher involved.

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Vicki Bartholomew
Playwright

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


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I believe it is incredibly important to have a philosophy regarding your theatre program to guide such decisions.  This should be supported by the overall school priorities / philosophy as well.

At Hunting Hills, a significant priority is our focus on inclusion and this is supported strongly by the entire Fine Arts Department.  As a result, we allow students from all grades and all ranges of academic ability and performance experience to participate in our Main stage shows.  Hence, we consider large cast productions with significant ensemble opportunities.  We also double cast each show.

In addition, as a Department, we consciously look for scripts which have significant characters close in age to our students.

Some recent musicals:
Les Miserables
Grease
Willy Wonka
Suessical

This has also resulted in us having to build wheelchairs into sets / stages and looking at multiple adaptations of scripts to find ones with the required parts (i.e. for the Jungle Book).

This philosophy and focus on inclusion and ensemble also is reflected in small things - curtain calls share the spotlight equally, the director's name is not on promotional materials / posters...

Cheers.

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William Jacobsen

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2014 10:28
From: Vicki Bartholomew
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

One way is to get the choir teacher involved.

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Vicki Bartholomew
Playwright

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


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BTW, Eli, here is a list of musicals that I have produced and I highly recommend!

The Drowsy Chaperone
Les Miserables - School Edition
Seussical - The Musical
Little Shop of Horrors
Pirates of Penzance
Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella
Disney's High School Musical
School House Rock
Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Disney's The Little Mermaid

You could also consider a musical revue if you are just starting out.

Largest licensing companies: Music Theatre International, R and H Library, Tams-Witmark, Theatrical World Inc, Samuel French. 



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Beverly Quinn
Theatre Arts Teacher and Director
Serrano High School


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Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2014 11:54
From: William Jacobsen
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

I believe it is incredibly important to have a philosophy regarding your theatre program to guide such decisions.  This should be supported by the overall school priorities / philosophy as well.

At Hunting Hills, a significant priority is our focus on inclusion and this is supported strongly by the entire Fine Arts Department.  As a result, we allow students from all grades and all ranges of academic ability and performance experience to participate in our Main stage shows.  Hence, we consider large cast productions with significant ensemble opportunities.  We also double cast each show.

In addition, as a Department, we consciously look for scripts which have significant characters close in age to our students.

Some recent musicals:
Les Miserables
Grease
Willy Wonka
Suessical

This has also resulted in us having to build wheelchairs into sets / stages and looking at multiple adaptations of scripts to find ones with the required parts (i.e. for the Jungle Book).

This philosophy and focus on inclusion and ensemble also is reflected in small things - curtain calls share the spotlight equally, the director's name is not on promotional materials / posters...

Cheers.

-------------------------------------------
William Jacobsen

-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2014 10:28
From: Vicki Bartholomew
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

One way is to get the choir teacher involved.

-------------------------------------------
Vicki Bartholomew
Playwright

-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


-------------------------------------------

When I was directing high school musicals I would choose the show with the vocal director and the orchestra conductor making certain that I had the voices possible for the parts and the pit available.  My final year directing (last year) I wanted to make certain that the senior musicians as well as the senior performers would have a vehicle to showcase their talents.  However, I would start thinking of shows a year prior usually during the musical run.  That way I could look at the underclassmen talent to see who stood out in performance and who I could build a show around.  I actually chose Beauty and the Beast when I was in the process of directing Wizard of Oz because I heard one of the choral members singing during a rehearsal when I was working a group number, and she looked and sounded just like Belle.  In other words, you should always be thinking of shows to do.  But since you do not work alone my advice is to choose a show as a team.  (You cannot do Fiddler if you do not have a Tevye.)

The only time I did not work with my team in show selection was when I did The King and I.  Although an old chestnut, I had two phenomenal dancers one of whom was graduating.  I had my Simon Legree and my Eliza.  I could not shake the idea and as it turned out, we had plenty of strings for our pit that year and we had the right performers for the roles.

Make certain that you use your underclassmen so that you are building your program.  too many schools only cast seniors in the lead roles and that is destructive to morale and the program.

Good luck.

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Gretchen Barbor
Retired Senior High Dramatics Coordinator
Indiana Area School District


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Original Message:
Sent: 03-30-2014 10:28
From: Vicki Bartholomew
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

One way is to get the choir teacher involved.

-------------------------------------------
Vicki Bartholomew
Playwright

-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


-------------------------------------------

I have a running list of musicals that I would like to produce over the next few years. I make sure that they are HS appropriate and that my community will embrace them. I look for titles with enough parts for women.

I have two lists, small casts and large casts. I try to trade off and do a small cast during one year and a large cast the next, just to try to not burn out! I do choose the "big" recognizable titles. I have paid as high as $6,700 in royalties for big Disney titles and as little as $2,200 for shortened versions of slightly lesser known ones. I have not risked producing a lesser known title because I have been able to charge ticket prices to support the more expensive ones.

I have, however, chosen lesser known titles for my two main-stage productions of comedies and dramas. It is very difficult to find well-known, recognizable titles that are not children's titles, Shakespeare or musicals. I have done children's titles such as Alice in Wonderland, Robin Hood, Peter Pan, etc. I have directed Shakespeare such as Much Ado About Nothing and Midsummer but you can't use those titles all the time and sometimes the richer parts for women and the larger cast shows are unknown titles but they work really well. 

Hope this helps,
Beverly

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Beverly Quinn
Theatre Arts Teacher and Director
Serrano High School


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Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


-------------------------------------------

The musical is a class at my school which students audition into at the beginning of the spring semester.  When the musical is finished in early May (we go to school until mid June) I have a lot of time left so I have the students work in groups to pitch a musical that they would like to have considered for the following year.  They have to present the musical to the class with plot summary, production history, character information, design ideas and why they think that this would be a good choice for the students and for our audiences (they do this with a PowerPoint and include some video clips as well. They also have to perform a song and scene from it.  

I have a list of musicals that they cannot pitch which include the ones that are currently not available (like Wicked) and those that we have done in the past few years as well as those that the subject matter would not be appropriate for our audience (like Hair).

I present them with some Broadway musical history in class through a variety of eras. 
It has been very interesting to see what they take an interest in and decide to pitch.  

It has also made them see that there are many factors that have to be considered when we choose a musical as we talk about our audience base, the style of dance needed (and if we have the talent base for it), the vocal ranges and difficulties, the orchestration, the technical requirements needed for the show and how many students will be needed. Of course, the budget is a factor as well!

I then take their ideas and meet with my vocal and musical directors, choreographer and dance teacher and our technical director.  We then discuss what would be the best choice for all of our respective students.  Generally, our administration does not have to approve of our choice however we do present our choice to them out of professional courtesy so they are aware of the decision.

We have had a mix of musicals over the years from Singin in the Rain, West Side Story, Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast to Quilters, Marat/Sade and Urinetown.  Our audience base includes support from the community so we try to do the more well known musicals (it is important for our budget as well--they sell better if the audiences have heard of them).  Our biggest sellers have been Annie and Beauty and the Beast.  Our favorites--Urinetown and Les Miserables.

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Kathy Cannarozzi-Harris
Chairperson Of Visual And Performing Arts

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


-------------------------------------------

We do 2 types of musicals; partnership musicals with a school in the UK and independent musicals on our own. When we do them on our own:

We have Thespian Troupe Governing Board and it is their job to talk with Thespian Troupe/ Drama Club about where their interests lie. Then they each (there are 5 to 6 of them) form a committee with Thespian Troupe Members to research musicals. They present them to me, my Department Chair, the Choir Teacher, and the Band Director.

We make pros and cons for each show based off of what the show requires (instrumentation, singing ability, dance, acting, technical components, cost, etc.). We also discuss the profitability of the show and the interest it may or may not garner in our community. We also discuss appropriateness and what the learning benefits of the show might be. This usually narrows them down to two easily and then we put it to a vote. Each Governing Board Member gets one vote and each teacher gets one vote.

Final choice must be approved by the Principal with the 2nd choice as a back up option.

We are a school of about 900 and we are the only high school in our community. We have some limitations in what we are able to do. We almost always apply for a grant from our local educational foundation to do an independent musical and the kids know whether or not we do the musical is contingent on that grant. This is why the educational value of the musical is very important. I also have the kids help me write the grant application.

For partnership musicals students are not involved in the decision making process other than us questioning what kind of musicals they might be interested in doing. That comes down to a panel of adults that includes artistic directors from both the US/UK, The producer from the US/UK (Superintendents), Choreographer, Music Director from the US/UK, Vocal Director from US/UK, a school Principal and our department chair. We usually narrow it down to three and see what shows we can secure rights for in two separate countries.

For what it is worth, I don't think I could take a chance on an obscure musical for my partnership shows but might be able to on my off years.

I have only been at my school four years so I've included some that took place before I got here:

Independent Shows:
You're A Good Man Charlie Brown
Little Shop of Horrors
Thoroughly Modern Millie

Partnership Shows:
Jesus Christ Superstar
West Side Story
Sweeney Todd
Cabaret
Anything Goes


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Victoria Kesling Councill
Theatre Teacher
New Kent County Public Schools


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Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


-------------------------------------------

Our production season is chosen by our students. Each May, the drama classes pitch 20-30 different plays and musicals to their respective classes. Each class chooses 2-3 plays and 2-3 musicals from those that have been pitched. Those 6-9 choices are placed on a ballot and put to a vote at an open Drama Club meeting which any Westmont student can attend. This exciting, collaborative process has a hidden instructional value in that students learn about 20-30 shows and thus broaden their knowledge of theatre history as they work through the process.

The complete Pitch Project can be seen at:
http://www.angelfire.com/ego/westmontdrama/PitchProject.html


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Jeff Bengford
Performing Arts Chair & Director

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Original Message:
Sent: 04-01-2014 07:55
From: Victoria Kesling Councill
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

We do 2 types of musicals; partnership musicals with a school in the UK and independent musicals on our own. When we do them on our own:

We have Thespian Troupe Governing Board and it is their job to talk with Thespian Troupe/ Drama Club about where their interests lie. Then they each (there are 5 to 6 of them) form a committee with Thespian Troupe Members to research musicals. They present them to me, my Department Chair, the Choir Teacher, and the Band Director.

We make pros and cons for each show based off of what the show requires (instrumentation, singing ability, dance, acting, technical components, cost, etc.). We also discuss the profitability of the show and the interest it may or may not garner in our community. We also discuss appropriateness and what the learning benefits of the show might be. This usually narrows them down to two easily and then we put it to a vote. Each Governing Board Member gets one vote and each teacher gets one vote.

Final choice must be approved by the Principal with the 2nd choice as a back up option.

We are a school of about 900 and we are the only high school in our community. We have some limitations in what we are able to do. We almost always apply for a grant from our local educational foundation to do an independent musical and the kids know whether or not we do the musical is contingent on that grant. This is why the educational value of the musical is very important. I also have the kids help me write the grant application.

For partnership musicals students are not involved in the decision making process other than us questioning what kind of musicals they might be interested in doing. That comes down to a panel of adults that includes artistic directors from both the US/UK, The producer from the US/UK (Superintendents), Choreographer, Music Director from the US/UK, Vocal Director from US/UK, a school Principal and our department chair. We usually narrow it down to three and see what shows we can secure rights for in two separate countries.

For what it is worth, I don't think I could take a chance on an obscure musical for my partnership shows but might be able to on my off years.

I have only been at my school four years so I've included some that took place before I got here:

Independent Shows:
You're A Good Man Charlie Brown
Little Shop of Horrors
Thoroughly Modern Millie

Partnership Shows:
Jesus Christ Superstar
West Side Story
Sweeney Todd
Cabaret
Anything Goes


-------------------------------------------
Victoria Kesling Councill
Theatre Teacher
New Kent County Public Schools


-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


-------------------------------------------

Our students are involved in our musical and play selection process in much the same way as Victoria has described. In fact, the process is described in our by laws. Our executive board polls the membership regarding the attributes they are looking for in the up-coming season and shows. They (the board) then refine the list of attributes and come up with a "long list" of suggestions, their own, the staff's and the general membership. Each show is then held up to the list of attributes for discussion and the board narrows that down to 6 or 8 shows. Those shows are read, studied, and listened to by the board with input from the adult staff. The board then votes for three of those shows and hand that short list over to the adult staff who make the final choice. The students learn so much through this process and they never fail to hand us a short list that is just right for the troupe. Our adult staff consists of Director, Producer, Technical Director, Scenic Designer, Costume Designer, with Music Director, and Pit Conductor for Musicals.  Although we have input that is considered by the board before they select the final three shows, we do not get a vote until we get together to choose from the final three.

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Jill Campbell

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Original Message:
Sent: 04-01-2014 07:55
From: Victoria Kesling Councill
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

We do 2 types of musicals; partnership musicals with a school in the UK and independent musicals on our own. When we do them on our own:

We have Thespian Troupe Governing Board and it is their job to talk with Thespian Troupe/ Drama Club about where their interests lie. Then they each (there are 5 to 6 of them) form a committee with Thespian Troupe Members to research musicals. They present them to me, my Department Chair, the Choir Teacher, and the Band Director.

We make pros and cons for each show based off of what the show requires (instrumentation, singing ability, dance, acting, technical components, cost, etc.). We also discuss the profitability of the show and the interest it may or may not garner in our community. We also discuss appropriateness and what the learning benefits of the show might be. This usually narrows them down to two easily and then we put it to a vote. Each Governing Board Member gets one vote and each teacher gets one vote.

Final choice must be approved by the Principal with the 2nd choice as a back up option.

We are a school of about 900 and we are the only high school in our community. We have some limitations in what we are able to do. We almost always apply for a grant from our local educational foundation to do an independent musical and the kids know whether or not we do the musical is contingent on that grant. This is why the educational value of the musical is very important. I also have the kids help me write the grant application.

For partnership musicals students are not involved in the decision making process other than us questioning what kind of musicals they might be interested in doing. That comes down to a panel of adults that includes artistic directors from both the US/UK, The producer from the US/UK (Superintendents), Choreographer, Music Director from the US/UK, Vocal Director from US/UK, a school Principal and our department chair. We usually narrow it down to three and see what shows we can secure rights for in two separate countries.

For what it is worth, I don't think I could take a chance on an obscure musical for my partnership shows but might be able to on my off years.

I have only been at my school four years so I've included some that took place before I got here:

Independent Shows:
You're A Good Man Charlie Brown
Little Shop of Horrors
Thoroughly Modern Millie

Partnership Shows:
Jesus Christ Superstar
West Side Story
Sweeney Todd
Cabaret
Anything Goes


-------------------------------------------
Victoria Kesling Councill
Theatre Teacher
New Kent County Public Schools


-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


-------------------------------------------

I am a firm believer in giving students ownership of our season.  I certainly don't need any more high school directorial credits on my resume - I feel that my job is to give students opportunities.  Thus, I created the Pitch Project wherein my students pitch each other shows (class by class).  After a few pitch sessions, each class selects one play and one musical to put on a ballot which is then presented at an open Drama Club meeting at which students from all over the school and our teachers have the opportunity to vote. Of course, I have full veto power all along the way and I do set forth some restrictions before we begin - but I try to avoid making suggestions - even when kids ask me "what do you want to do next year?" I try to steer them toward a catalogue or our library of shows.

The full Pitch Project can be found on our website:

http://www.angelfire.com/ego/westmontdrama/PitchProject.html

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Jeff Bengford
Performing Arts Chair & Director

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


-------------------------------------------

The district gives me the final say on choosing the musical, as long as I don't do something offensive (and that limits us a LOT). However, we rotate the choice between myself, the pit director, and the vocal director (we're a team). I/we choose based on educational value, the number of good female parts, and the difficulty of staging (we have a small theater, with no flyspace and small wings, so we have had to be very creative). Our last five shows were: Hello, Dolly (next week), Pajama Game, Birdie, Music Man, and Oliver!

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Michael Corliss

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


-------------------------------------------

I choose the musical in a similar way to the way I choose the fall play: I want a large cast, I think about the talent level I have and aim for something I think is just beyond them (a few times I have scared myself I went too far, but they always grow into it).  The main thing is that I have to be able see it in my head, if I can't see it, I can't direct it.  After that, I share with the musical director and get her opinions on the ideas I have, then we choose. 
I try to change things up as well, so we do classics like Music Man, but we have also done Urinetown and Zombie Prom, and my favorite - The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  Balance that with Guys & Dolls, Fiddler, West Side, etc. and we have a fair variety over the course of student's time in the HS.

Jeff Davis

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Jeffrey Davis

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Original Message:
Sent: 04-02-2014 13:18
From: Michael Corliss
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

The district gives me the final say on choosing the musical, as long as I don't do something offensive (and that limits us a LOT). However, we rotate the choice between myself, the pit director, and the vocal director (we're a team). I/we choose based on educational value, the number of good female parts, and the difficulty of staging (we have a small theater, with no flyspace and small wings, so we have had to be very creative). Our last five shows were: Hello, Dolly (next week), Pajama Game, Birdie, Music Man, and Oliver!

-------------------------------------------
Michael Corliss

-------------------------------------------






Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 22:11
From: Eli Yamin
Subject: How do you choose your musicals?

How do you select which musicals to perform?  What criteria do you use?  Do you lean toward well known titles or are you willing to take a chance on lesser known ones?

-------------------------------------------
Eli Yamin
Artistic Director
The Jazz Drama Program


-------------------------------------------