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Plays with singing that aren't musicals

  • 1.  Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-09-2017 03:30
    Can you suggest any plays that are not musicals but that have a fair amount of music in them? I know I could add music to a Shakespeare play, for example, but I'd love to find something else that has some music meaningfully integrated into the script ... but that's not a musical. 

    Thank you for any ideas!!

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    Arden Thomas
    Teaching Artist, Theater
    Sequoyah High School
    Pasadena CA
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  • 2.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-09-2017 18:45
    Off the top of my head, I'd say  Peter and the Starcatcher,most Brecht plays (Mother Courage and Caucasian Chalk Circle for sure), the Kneehigh Theater adaptation of Brief Encounter,, One Man Two Guvnors had a lot of music but I'm not sure that is in the script.

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    William Addis
    Chair of Visual and Performing Arts
    Westtown School
    West Chester PA
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  • 3.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-10-2017 09:47
    Peter and the Starcatcher has quite a bit of music. Master Class, but that's for a really accomplished soprano.

    ------Original Message------

    Off the top of my head, I'd say  Peter and the Starcatcher,most Brecht plays (Mother Courage and Caucasian Chalk Circle for sure), the Kneehigh Theater adaptation of Brief Encounter,, One Man Two Guvnors had a lot of music but I'm not sure that is in the script.

    ------------------------------
    William Addis
    Chair of Visual and Performing Arts
    Westtown School
    West Chester PA
    ------------------------------


  • 4.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-10-2017 09:05
    OUR TOWN

    Some church hymns sung in Act One.  Act Two songs during wedding.  Act Three one hymn sung at funeral

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    David Kramer
    Mt Sinai NY
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  • 5.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-10-2017 10:03
    Lend Me A Tenor: The Bellhop, Max, and Tito all sing opera throughout.

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    Carina Stiles
    Theatre Teacher
    Phoenix AZ
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  • 6.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-10-2017 10:37

    Quilters is one of my favorite shows that has a lot of singing, but is not a musical. It is all girls, however.



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    Andy Simon
    Theater Teacher
    Naperville North High School
    Naperville, IL
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  • 7.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-10-2017 11:06
    Shout-out to Henning Nelms's Only an Orphan Girl. My high school used to perform this show every four years as part of an event called Gaieties, which we did in lieu of a more traditional spring play. It's an absurd Victorian melodrama where audience members throw peanuts and yell callbacks. The event was hosted by an emcee (in our year, the saloon madame). Between scenes, performers would sing rousing refrains of 19th century songs ("Daisy Bell [Bicycle Built for Two]," "Oh, Susanna," "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," etc.) and do other vaudeville-style acts. It's a great introduction to melodrama for high school students, and, because of its format, it can be either a large or small ensemble piece.

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



  • 8.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-10-2017 17:29
    Ten November has a chorus but no characters who sing. Great, challenging play about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. (Maybe you know the Gordon Lighfoot song?) Also, Under MilkWood, Selkie, and Miracle Worker all have characters that sing. Then there is the fairy chorus, using the Mendelsohn music in Midsummer Night's Dream.

    Sent from my iPad

    ------Original Message------

    Can you suggest any plays that are not musicals but that have a fair amount of music in them? I know I could add music to a Shakespeare play, for example, but I'd love to find something else that has some music meaningfully integrated into the script ... but that's not a musical. 

    Thank you for any ideas!!

    ------------------------------
    Arden Thomas
    Teaching Artist, Theater
    Sequoyah High School
    Pasadena CA
    ------------------------------


  • 9.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-11-2017 09:37
    I'd also recommend Lend Me A Tenor and I believe Warhorse has quite a bit of music (it's been years since I saw it though...)

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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-11-2017 11:52
    As it is in Heaven - 9 women in a Shaker community. Many scenes have Shaker hymns.
    Ascension Day - High school aged kids at a Lutheran summer camp in the 1940's. Many scenes begin with hymns. 5w, 4m.

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    Ken Buswell
    Drama Teacher
    Peachtree City, GA
    http://mcintoshtheater.org/

    Theater kills ignorance
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-11-2017 15:04
    Too Fabulous to Fail is a fun script by Don Zolidis that is not a musical, but does require some singing. It's available from Playscripts.

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    Christopher Hamilton
    Drama Teacher
    Kennewick WA
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  • 12.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 12-11-2017 21:55
    Becoming Memories is a charming play with music as is Story Theatre.  Eons ago I saw Rider (or was it Ryder?) which was about horses; surprisingly, War Horse (if it is available) also has a lot of music in it!

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    Marilynn Zeljeznjak
    Blacksburg VA
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  • 13.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 02-19-2024 12:41

    I'm re-awakening this old thread to see what other suggestions people have for non-musical plays that still have opportunities for the actors to sing or play. Next year should be my non-musical year, but I still have a lot of talented singers that I could feature. No Shakespeare, please. We have a professional company in town that performs year-round. Thanks!



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    Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
    Theatre, Film, and Communications Instructor
    Shenandoah Valley Governor's School
    Fishersville, VA
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  • 14.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 02-20-2024 05:36
    Try Ten November by Steven Dietz. Mostly acting with a chorus interspersed throughout.




    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 02-20-2024 09:45

    Somethings Afoot.  Perhaps, Peter and the Starcatcher



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    Michael Johnson
    Teacher
    Trinity High School
    NC
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    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 02-20-2024 10:37

    Look into the plays by David Landau & Nikki Stern. Most of their stuff is comedic murder mystery style and many of the shows have songs in them but not considered musicals. They also allow for audience interaction and/or participation.  We did Murderous Crossing (dinner theatre style) several years ago and it was a huge hit.



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    Jillian Lietzau
    Lutheran High School
    CO
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    Original Message


  • 17.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 02-20-2024 19:32

    In the fall of 2011 we did Dark Deeds at Swan's Place (Or Never Trust a Tattooed Sailor) by Tim Kelly, licensed through Samuel French, now Concord Theatricals:

    Dark Deeds at Swan's Place (or Never Trust a Tattooed Sailor) | Concord Theatricals

    Concord Theatricals remove preview
    Dark Deeds at Swan's Place (or Never Trust a Tattooed Sailor) | Concord Theatricals
    This sparkling entertainment is loaded with laughs and seedy jokes
    View this on Concord Theatricals >

     This is a great over-the-top melodrama with really fun roles for 14 characters. We had about 33 actors in the play because we did all of the suggested song numbers and added extra townspeople and other suggested characters.

    I am attaching a couple of pictures of song numbers:


    ------------------------------
    Valerie Gargus
    Former NJ Thespians Festival Director/Membership Advisor
    Retired Theatre Arts Teacher
    Retired Thespian Troupe 4762 Director
    Northern Burlington County Reg HS
    Columbus, NJ
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 18.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 02-21-2024 16:13

    I think you've already done "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940," but that's one. The Mary Zimmerman "Arabian Nights" has lots of music (but I think you've done another version of "Arabian Nights"). There's a small amount of music in my adaptation of "The Two Princesses of Bamarre." I've never directed "Suite Surrender" (on Playscripts), but I've thought about it. Ditto "Babette's Feast", but I think I only know about that adaptation from your rec!



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    Cora Turlish
    NJ
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    Original Message


  • 19.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 04-30-2025 16:25

    I just did Game of Tiaras by Don Zoldis and it has a few songs in it. My students really enjoyed it. I am looking for another like this right now also. 



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    Maria Butler
    Director of Theatre, ELA 11 & ELA 12 Special Education Teacher
    Waynesville High School
    MO
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    Original Message


  • 20.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 05-01-2025 08:18

    There is also Les Examables by Don Zolidis.



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    Laura Butchy
    BASIS Independent McLean
    VA
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    Original Message


  • 21.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 05-05-2025 08:49

    We did "The Comedy of Hamlet (a prequel)" in the fall, which has some songs. It's by two of the original Reduced Shakespeare Company actors -- we had a lot of fun with it.



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    Cora Turlish
    NJ
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    Original Message


  • 22.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 02-19-2024 13:14

    Last summer, Boji Bantam Children's Theatre in Iowa showcased a production of "The Mother Goose News Hour."  Below is a link to an excerpt of the script.  If you scroll to the The Production Notes, which appear on page 5 of the excerpt, it states that all songs can either be sung or spoken by the character.   Your choice.  See here:

    https://www.youthplays.com/play/the-mother-goose-news-hour-by-robin-blasberg-601



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    Hans Offenfrish
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  • 23.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 02-20-2024 07:16

    We just began rehearsals for Airness (high school edition) (2019) by Chelsea Marcantel and available through Playscripts.   It's about air guitar contestants and the soundtrack is a trip back to some rocking tunes! We're having a great time with the characters and the air guitar!!! 



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    Caroline Clayton
    Teacher
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    Original Message


  • 24.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 02-20-2024 08:23
    One of my favorites is BECOMING MEMORIES by Arthur Gurion (?) with a relatively small cast taking several different families of diverse backgrounds through 3 generations. It is a beautiful play with music.
    Sent from my iPhone


    Original Message


  • 25.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 05-02-2025 10:32

    Check out PigPen Theatre Company. They have several shows that are not musicals but incorporate singing and (live) music, with stories in the style of folk tales and legends.



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    Josh Kauffman
    Teacher, Thespian Society/Drama Club sponsor
    Winfield City Schools
    Winfield, AL
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  • 26.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 05-12-2025 18:58

    I love PigPen's aesthetic and would really enjoy doing one of their shows if I had the old-timey instrumentalists.



    ------------------------------
    Steven Slaughter
    English/Theatre
    Rosslyn Academy
    Nairobi, Kenya

    "Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts." - W Berry
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 27.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 05-03-2025 04:21

    Hey, CPA Theatricals is working on a new play with music.   All female cast.  Flexible casting - can be done with 6 or 11 or 16 or 21.   Every scene can be a different cast.   SENTINELS is the name.    Here is the pitch:

    Five women form a secret society based in an abandoned dome room in a university in Milwaukee.  Since 1945 these women have secretly altered history.  Each scene depicts an actual event from a different decade and what follows is a fabricated account of what could have happened. 

    This show is for progressive high schools because it features adult themes and mature content.   FREE perusal script.   Send me an email to: larry@cpatheatricals.org

    All the best.
     



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    Larry Little
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  • 28.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 05-04-2025 08:48

    A couple of plays come to mind.

    • Peter and the Starcatcher, adapted for the stage by Rick Elice from the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson 
    • Spokesong, by Stewart Parker with music by Jimmy Kennedy


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    James Van Leishout
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    Original Message


  • 29.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 05-07-2025 13:59
    The Reluctant Dragon by Mary Hall Surface the non-musical version.
     



    Original Message


  • 30.  RE: Plays with singing that aren't musicals

    Posted 05-12-2025 19:16

    I did a beautiful play with music called 'Swallows and Amazons' adapted from a very famous classic children's novel from the UK. From the Narnia era, this was a really popular series of novels that never made its way to America, but it should have. It is so charming, featuring 4 siblings on holiday in the Lakes District whose mother allows them to camp on an island for weeks sailing a small boat (Swallow). They soon encounter some roguish local girls, who compete for their turf in their boat (Amazon). The spirited, folksy songs are so beautiful and the staging is really imaginative and joyful. I loved doing this show and can't wait to do it again!

    https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/swallows-and-amazons-stage-version



    ------------------------------
    Steven Slaughter
    English/Theatre
    Bennett Day School
    Chicago, IL

    "Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts." - W Berry
    ------------------------------



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