Open Forum

Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged or Complete History of America abridged are extremely funny and can work with a good mixture of students.  If looking for something more challenging as a drama Laramie Project is an excellent show as well.  Best of luck!

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[Chris] [Veneris]
Theatre Educator/NC Chapter Director]
Guilford County Schools
[Greensboro] [NC]
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I agree with Christopher that the Complete... series is a good line for comedic options, and there is also All the Great Works (abridged).

Does your audience prefer a thru-line plot or are you open to script that are arranged as scenes and monologues that center around a general theme? If that is okay either Class Action or Second Class by Brad Slaight are good options and there is a lot of flexibility in how you cast. 

If you are willing to go gender blind we did The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Noah Smith about 8 years ago. I think it called for 5 males, but you could play with that (possibly). It was definitely a dramatic piece and it sold really well. Parents also like it because, even though it is a "horror" piece, it is based in literature.

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Shira Schwartz
Chandler Unified School District
Chandler AZ
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I think there is a radio play version of A Christmas Carol.  It would need minimal costumes and sets.  Or with a class of 12, how about 12 Angry Jurors (the gender mixed version of 12 Angry Men)

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Robert Ellis
North Richmond VA
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Hi Amy,

This play has had huge success in the UK, a top pick at the Edinburgh Festival and the playwright has written for BBC and worked for National Theatre. It's brilliant - funny and challenging and based on Ken Robinson's TED talk 'Do Schools Kill Creativity'. 

https://www.treepress.org/scripts/the-electra-project

Hope this is helpful and you find something perfect soon! 

Good luck :O) 

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Adrienne Ferguson
Creative Director
TreePress
London. United Kingdom
adrienne@treepress.org

www.treepress.org
Making theatre easily accessible for everyone, everywhere.
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"Fools" by Simon is great for a large cast.  "Alice in Wonderland" always a great sell.  Fun comic book spoof "Mighty Man and the Zombie Curse".  Runaways or Up the Down Staircase are large cast dramas.  Bad Seed another favorite but not a large cast.

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Kendra Walls
Rome0 MI
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Hi Amy,

You might take a look at "The Good Doctor" by Neil Simon. It can be done with a small cast or you can cast the scenes independently. It can be staged with suggested pieces of scenery and lighting.

It's fun and witty. 

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Jeannie Brzovic
Lake Forest Park WA
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Twelve Angry Jurors

The Laramie Project

Check Please

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David Kramer
Mt Sinai NY
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Wiley and the Hairy Man by Zeder is a great, expandable cast where the performers have to stretch as they assemble into the different settings/scenery of the piece.

Drop Dead Juliet! or Postcards from Shakespeare, both by Allison Williams, are really fun.

Mutually Assured Destruction is a fairly new collection of sibling fights through the 20th century. Could be expanded/contracted as needed, with flexibility on the genders.

Check, Please 1, 2, 3

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Phillip Goodchild
Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
Hillsborough County Schools
Ruskin FL
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A Christmas Carol would be a huge success.  It might be interesting to do it with a cast of 12, have folks play multiple roles.  Could be a lot of fun.  Cross curricular might also be an option, most of the scenes are pretty self contained and you could work on certain moments in class and others after school.  We did the show with a very minimal set-- painted the floor like grey wood and went totally into the costumes.  It was great.  There are some picture on our website if you want to see what we did.  Home