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  • 1.  Comedies

    Posted 04-25-2016 21:53
    Hi all,
    I am looking for suggestions for a full length comedy that has a relatively large cast (25+). Any suggestions would be appreciated.
    Thank you all in advance.

    --
    James P. Fry, Ed.D.
    Director of Student Life
    Malvern Preparatory School
    484-595-1166

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    418 South Warren Avenue | Malvern, PA 19355
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  • 2.  RE: Comedies

    Posted 04-26-2016 08:37

    Noises Off! Is a Great comedy piece!

     

    Deanna E. Davvs

    HMS Theatre

     

    Strategic * Maximizer * Includer * Ideation * Arranger

     

    Haltom Middle School

    5000 Hires Lane

    Haltom City, Texas  76117

     

    deanna.davis@birdvilleschools.net

     

    Phone: (817) 547-4103

     

     




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Comedies

    Posted 04-26-2016 10:22

    Wow. Tough one. Most big-sized cast comedies tend to be one acts. Here's a couple of suggestions:

    1. One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean is an English (like, cockney knee slapper Estuary London accent English) re-working of A Servant of Two Masters. Pretty hysterical, depends what type of community you have as to whether you could get away with it

    2. 'This House' by James Graham...this might be a little too ambitious, dealing as it does with the flip-flopping of the Conservative and Labor governments of 1970s England...no, really, it's very funny! Lot of pathos in there too, but also funny in terms of wit and banter, and situational comedy. Male heavy.

    3. Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are Dead, Stoppard. Could be fun.

    4. Any Reduced Shakespeare Company vehicle, 'History of America', 'Complete Bible' etc. could be expanded up to however many you need...

    ------------------------------
    Phillip Goodchild
    Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
    Ruskin FL

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Comedies

    Posted 04-26-2016 12:58

    Phillip's definitely right. Most of my immediate thoughts are one-acts. Here's a few though:

    Romeo and Juliet: Choose Your Own Ending by John Fraistat and Ann Fraistat

    Pride and Prejudice by Jon Jory

    Awesome 80's Prom by Ken Davenport

    Happily Ever Once Upon by Virginia Kidd

    and I'm stealing #'s 3 and 4 from Phillip's list as well. 

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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Comedies

    Posted 04-26-2016 11:46

    Good point, fairly raised by a friend: don't look so much at Broadway/Off Broadway for sources for large cast comedies or straight plays, since the trend has been toward smaller cast plays on the whole, usually a cast of 4 (maybe 6) tops.

    But there are other sources, of course. You might want to search for the works of Don Zolidis, Jonathan Rand, and Jonathan Dorf. Just read 'Humbletown' by Rand and Zolidis about a couple of weeks ago, and that was pretty hysterical. The joy with these playwrights is that not only can they do funny, but they can also inject a fair amount of pathos too. Playscripts or YouthPlays might be good places to start searching.

    As with all recommendations, always check and make sure you get to read through the whole play before making the decision. Playscripts has about 20 'free reads' every month to check out, that has the entire play available to peruse. I've picked out several plays from that service.

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    Phillip Goodchild
    Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
    Ruskin FL

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Comedies

    Posted 04-26-2016 12:36

    Try any of the madcap comedies of the 1930s and 40s. YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, are all big cast shows. They also give your kids a great history lesson as well. 

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    Floyd Nash
    Pompano Beach FL

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Comedies

    Posted 04-27-2016 07:29

    The Girls of the Garden Club by John Patrick

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    Rob Albrecht
    Aurora OH

    Original Message