Hello all –
Here is a major puzzle I'm trying to solve. Can you help?
I teach at a PreK-12 Orthodox Jewish day school. We present a grade 3-5 musical (hugely successful) and a grade 6-8 musical (also successful, but much smaller in scope). There is no high school production, and no theatre classes at any grade level.
And...I've gotten permission to produce a high school play this fall. That's the easy part. The hard part is navigating the many different parameters that must necessarily affect my choice of what to produce. Here are some of the many considerations I'm trying to take into account as I look for possible titles:
- Because it's a conservative community, we can't do plays with adult themes or sexual content, and swearing is also out. Both boys' and girls' attire must be "modest," even in the context of a theatre production, so tight clothing, bare legs/shoulders, and cleavage are all out, as is opposite-gender physicality.
- We do have a decent budget, and fairly sophisticated lighting and sound systems. [No fly system though.]
- More than half of our student population is first or second generation South American (esp. Argentina and Venezuela). They all speak English, but in many cases have had little exposure to American culture beyond what is currently on TV, YouTube, etc. I mention this because cultural references that most of us would be familiar with are lost on them. [How many kids seeing "Arsenic and Old Lace" these days get the Teddy Roosevelt and Frankenstein references?]
- I have no idea how many students, and of what genders, might be interested (and available) to be part of the production. I'm going to be optimistic and assume a mixed cast of at least 8-10.
Putting all of this together, I find myself a bit baffled in terms of what play to produce. I started by looking at the list of ten most-produced plays in high schools in 2016-2017, just to see how these might fit my situation. I'll share my "take" on each show to give you an idea of how our specific situation impacts various kinds of pieces:
Almost Maine: Love the show personally, but it would never be permitted by the school administration. We can't have kissing, or allusions to pre-marital sex, and I'm not sure how they'd feel about the gay scene or the beer.
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Our kids/audience would probably go for the Mechanicals scenes (silly and slapstick), but it would be hard to stage the lovers' scenes without male/female physicality, and Shakespeare's language would be an extra challenge in a community where English is many people's second language.
The Crucible: Too long, too verbal, and I myself find a piece like this super painful when performed by the completely untrained/inexperienced.
You Can't Take It With You: Would a gently zany show from the 1930's click with our kids? As beloved as Kaufman and Hart shows are, I think that our kids would find them very dated and rather remote.
Alice in Wonderland: No idea how this would be received...
Peter and the Starcatcher: Some of them will know of Peter Pan; others not. I think they'd enjoy the scene-chewing Hook, certainly. Hmmm.
12 Angry Jurors: Possible. Again, something of a challenge for totally inexperienced/untrained teenage actors, but it's got some good drama, and a story that is easy to follow, so maybe.
A Christmas Carol: Nope! [Jewish school]
Macbeth: I think the High Drama and possibilities for dramatic visuals might appeal, but I'm not sure.
Our Town: I enjoyed acting in Our Town when I was in it in high school, but for kids who know nothing about Americana of yesteryear, and who have limited attention spans, I think its length and subtlety would lead many to find it boring.
Here are some characteristics that I believe would help a play be successful in our situation:
- Relevant to kids in 2018
- Genuinely funny (but not based on subtle shades of wit)
- Deliciously dramatic
- Visually striking/imaginative
- Active/high energy
- Fairly easy to follow
- [And must follow the rules about avoiding romance and s-e-x]
You may feel I'm not giving the kids and audiences enough credit, and am going for what's easy rather than challenging them to discover and embrace things beyond the familiar and comfortable. I love that theatre can bring us to these new places, both as performers and audience members, and would hope to take big strides down that road as soon as we can. At the moment, however, this is our first outing, and I feel like I've got just this one chance to grab them, and have to hit it out of the park.
What is on your list of surefire winners? What shows (plays) have you done or know of that both actors and audiences just love?
Thanks for your ideas!
Stuart Rosenthal
Scheck Hillel Community School
Miami, FL