Open Forum

I have been trying my best to find a farce/comedy show for my cast for the fall, and I keep coming back to The 39 Steps. You know how we just always have that one show that we love that haunts us until we can satisfactorily stage it?! This one is mine.  The problem is, I would like to use it for competition and so I would have to cut it.  I've tried contacting Samuel French, but I have received no answer there. Has anyone had success in cutting this show down to about 45-50 minutes without it losing its plot or power scenes? 

Or can anyone think of a show that is so awesome that I will forget about The 39 Steps, at least until my non-competition season? I have 3 strong males and 2 good females. The males would be great in playing multiple characters. I also have one special needs student (male) whose passion is to be my comic relief character. And I love good costuming opportunities.

I like the idea of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, lots of flexibility and definitely unique but not sure how that would be taken in a competition. I have also ordered The Worst High School Play ever, thanks to a suggestion made on another post, and I'm waiting for its arrival to preview.

I have just closed my last show of the year and for the first time ever, I don't have a set plan for the next. Panic mode has set in....Help!!

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Analiese Hamm
ECHS Drama Director
Statenville GA
------------------------------

We did Too Much Light two years ago for the competition (I'm in Georgia) and placed second in regional.  We (me and the cast and crew) really liked the show that won, so we were okay with second. Our lowest scores from the judges were Individual Characterization.  They wanted to see a clearly defined and clearly different character in each scene - especially in the actors' physicality.  We  also had to cut some of the best scenes for the competition, since we didn't want to do any of the audience participation scenes. Even though we didn't advance to state, I have no regrets - the cast loved the showed, and I loved the flexibility built into the show -both the content and the cast size. Oh, and our audiences LOVED it!

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

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

Original Message:
Sent: 05-06-2018 09:06
From: Analiese Hamm
Subject: Cutting Help

I have been trying my best to find a farce/comedy show for my cast for the fall, and I keep coming back to The 39 Steps. You know how we just always have that one show that we love that haunts us until we can satisfactorily stage it?! This one is mine.  The problem is, I would like to use it for competition and so I would have to cut it.  I've tried contacting Samuel French, but I have received no answer there. Has anyone had success in cutting this show down to about 45-50 minutes without it losing its plot or power scenes?

Or can anyone think of a show that is so awesome that I will forget about The 39 Steps, at least until my non-competition season? I have 3 strong males and 2 good females. The males would be great in playing multiple characters. I also have one special needs student (male) whose passion is to be my comic relief character. And I love good costuming opportunities.

I like the idea of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, lots of flexibility and definitely unique but not sure how that would be taken in a competition. I have also ordered The Worst High School Play ever, thanks to a suggestion made on another post, and I'm waiting for its arrival to preview.

I have just closed my last show of the year and for the first time ever, I don't have a set plan for the next. Panic mode has set in....Help!!

------------------------------
Analiese Hamm
ECHS Drama Director
Statenville GA
------------------------------

This year we did Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon by Don Zolidis.  It was a really good time.  It's a mashup of all the old school fairytales but a few actors play all the roles so you have a guy playing snow white and various other comedic situations.  It has a one act version alreayd and is available on playscripts.com I believe.  We expanded the cast a little bit as well so there are options.  Fun costuming and you can do really simple, low budget set and props.

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Joel King
Atlanta GA
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-06-2018 09:06
From: Analiese Hamm
Subject: Cutting Help

I have been trying my best to find a farce/comedy show for my cast for the fall, and I keep coming back to The 39 Steps. You know how we just always have that one show that we love that haunts us until we can satisfactorily stage it?! This one is mine.  The problem is, I would like to use it for competition and so I would have to cut it.  I've tried contacting Samuel French, but I have received no answer there. Has anyone had success in cutting this show down to about 45-50 minutes without it losing its plot or power scenes?

Or can anyone think of a show that is so awesome that I will forget about The 39 Steps, at least until my non-competition season? I have 3 strong males and 2 good females. The males would be great in playing multiple characters. I also have one special needs student (male) whose passion is to be my comic relief character. And I love good costuming opportunities.

I like the idea of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, lots of flexibility and definitely unique but not sure how that would be taken in a competition. I have also ordered The Worst High School Play ever, thanks to a suggestion made on another post, and I'm waiting for its arrival to preview.

I have just closed my last show of the year and for the first time ever, I don't have a set plan for the next. Panic mode has set in....Help!!

------------------------------
Analiese Hamm
ECHS Drama Director
Statenville GA
------------------------------

Look at The Coarse Acting Show by Michael Green plays. I believe there are four volumes.
There are all one-act farces. Great ensemble shows.  The only problem is you will need some set pieces. 

Four Plays for Coarse Actors | Samuel French

------------------------------
Maura Vaughn
The Branson School
Ross CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-06-2018 09:06
From: Analiese Hamm
Subject: Cutting Help

I have been trying my best to find a farce/comedy show for my cast for the fall, and I keep coming back to The 39 Steps. You know how we just always have that one show that we love that haunts us until we can satisfactorily stage it?! This one is mine.  The problem is, I would like to use it for competition and so I would have to cut it.  I've tried contacting Samuel French, but I have received no answer there. Has anyone had success in cutting this show down to about 45-50 minutes without it losing its plot or power scenes?

Or can anyone think of a show that is so awesome that I will forget about The 39 Steps, at least until my non-competition season? I have 3 strong males and 2 good females. The males would be great in playing multiple characters. I also have one special needs student (male) whose passion is to be my comic relief character. And I love good costuming opportunities.

I like the idea of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, lots of flexibility and definitely unique but not sure how that would be taken in a competition. I have also ordered The Worst High School Play ever, thanks to a suggestion made on another post, and I'm waiting for its arrival to preview.

I have just closed my last show of the year and for the first time ever, I don't have a set plan for the next. Panic mode has set in....Help!!

------------------------------
Analiese Hamm
ECHS Drama Director
Statenville GA
------------------------------

Too Much Light is a great collection of works and a lot of fun. 

However, from a I refuse to support a terrible person point of view I would not do the show. There is a reason that Greg Allen is a pariah from all three Neofuturist companies and they no longer perform the show under the name Too Much Light. I have personally been on the receiving end of a 45 minute berating over the phone by him. 

Perhaps talk to the Neofuturists directly about doing some pieces from The Infinite Wrench (their new name for the show) 


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Joseph Gels
Theatre Teacher
Boston Latin School
Boston MA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-06-2018 09:06
From: Analiese Hamm
Subject: Cutting Help

I have been trying my best to find a farce/comedy show for my cast for the fall, and I keep coming back to The 39 Steps. You know how we just always have that one show that we love that haunts us until we can satisfactorily stage it?! This one is mine.  The problem is, I would like to use it for competition and so I would have to cut it.  I've tried contacting Samuel French, but I have received no answer there. Has anyone had success in cutting this show down to about 45-50 minutes without it losing its plot or power scenes?

Or can anyone think of a show that is so awesome that I will forget about The 39 Steps, at least until my non-competition season? I have 3 strong males and 2 good females. The males would be great in playing multiple characters. I also have one special needs student (male) whose passion is to be my comic relief character. And I love good costuming opportunities.

I like the idea of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, lots of flexibility and definitely unique but not sure how that would be taken in a competition. I have also ordered The Worst High School Play ever, thanks to a suggestion made on another post, and I'm waiting for its arrival to preview.

I have just closed my last show of the year and for the first time ever, I don't have a set plan for the next. Panic mode has set in....Help!!

------------------------------
Analiese Hamm
ECHS Drama Director
Statenville GA
------------------------------