Open Forum

This will be my first year at this high school which has basically no program and no funding. Beside the four beginning theatre classes, I'll have one production class of approx. 40 students and I'm not sure of their past experience. No rehearsal time other than class time of 50 minutes per day. So, this year, I'd like to keep the productions short (relatively) and simple. Maybe expand as the year progresses so I'd like to have a "bag of scripts" that fit the bill ready and waiting. This year's theme is hero/villain and I have a melodrama picked for the fall. I'd would greatly appreciate suggestions for the rest of the year. I'd like to mix it up with genres, styles etc. I know Admin would like a musical as well. Too much to ask?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------

What an exciting adventure!  

I'd have the first piece picked for that production class in Summer.  Then after school <g class="gr_ gr_11 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="11" data-gr-id="11">starts</g> figure out whether they are ready enough to be a part of picking the next one (and what that might be).  You could do a lot for connecting with them and teaching them the heart of collaboration Through actually going through the collaboration process.  Or you could see that they aren't ready, and decide on your own once the dust settles from the first of the year.  Either <g class="gr_ gr_347 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="347" data-gr-id="347">way</g> it is great to have a few plays on a list for now... and a perfunctory plan.

Ask them for help filling in with show selections, with getting some funds together, with getting an audience collected from the community.  What an exciting journey for you this year.  As much as anything <g class="gr_ gr_98 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="98" data-gr-id="98">show</g> them what your vision is for what the program can BECOME and let them in on the process of building it together.  They may surprize you!

break a leg!



------------------------------
[Drama] [Dan] []
[Drama Teacher/Director]
[Dublin Coffman HS]
[Dublin] [Ohio]
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2017 13:05
From: Deborah Kemp
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

This will be my first year at this high school which has basically no program and no funding. Beside the four beginning theatre classes, I'll have one production class of approx. 40 students and I'm not sure of their past experience. No rehearsal time other than class time of 50 minutes per day. So, this year, I'd like to keep the productions short (relatively) and simple. Maybe expand as the year progresses so I'd like to have a "bag of scripts" that fit the bill ready and waiting. This year's theme is hero/villain and I have a melodrama picked for the fall. I'd would greatly appreciate suggestions for the rest of the year. I'd like to mix it up with genres, styles etc. I know Admin would like a musical as well. Too much to ask?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------

Thank you , Daniel, for your good idea. I do have the first one picked. I would love some suggestions of hero/villain plays that I can have readily available. Ones the students might explore and choose from as the year progresses. Do any come to mind?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2017 07:31
From: Daniel Stowell
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

What an exciting adventure!  

I'd have the first piece picked for that production class in Summer.  Then after school <g class="gr_ gr_11 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="11" data-gr-id="11">starts</g> figure out whether they are ready enough to be a part of picking the next one (and what that might be).  You could do a lot for connecting with them and teaching them the heart of collaboration Through actually going through the collaboration process.  Or you could see that they aren't ready, and decide on your own once the dust settles from the first of the year.  Either <g class="gr_ gr_347 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="347" data-gr-id="347">way</g> it is great to have a few plays on a list for now... and a perfunctory plan.

Ask them for help filling in with show selections, with getting some funds together, with getting an audience collected from the community.  What an exciting journey for you this year.  As much as anything <g class="gr_ gr_98 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="98" data-gr-id="98">show</g> them what your vision is for what the program can BECOME and let them in on the process of building it together.  They may surprize you!

break a leg!



------------------------------
[Drama] [Dan] []
[Drama Teacher/Director]
[Dublin Coffman HS]
[Dublin] [Ohio]
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2017 13:05
From: Deborah Kemp
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

This will be my first year at this high school which has basically no program and no funding. Beside the four beginning theatre classes, I'll have one production class of approx. 40 students and I'm not sure of their past experience. No rehearsal time other than class time of 50 minutes per day. So, this year, I'd like to keep the productions short (relatively) and simple. Maybe expand as the year progresses so I'd like to have a "bag of scripts" that fit the bill ready and waiting. This year's theme is hero/villain and I have a melodrama picked for the fall. I'd would greatly appreciate suggestions for the rest of the year. I'd like to mix it up with genres, styles etc. I know Admin would like a musical as well. Too much to ask?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------

I would go on the publisher websites and peruse some new plays.    I know many on these type of boards suggest thirty year old plays by playwrights that are very well off, but new playwrights gotta eat too  and best to support them.   There are some very good plays written in the last few years and publishers only choose the best of hundreds of submissions.

------------------------------
Leon Kalayjian
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2017 08:58
From: Deborah Kemp
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

Thank you , Daniel, for your good idea. I do have the first one picked. I would love some suggestions of hero/villain plays that I can have readily available. Ones the students might explore and choose from as the year progresses. Do any come to mind?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2017 07:31
From: Daniel Stowell
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

What an exciting adventure!  

I'd have the first piece picked for that production class in Summer.  Then after school <g class="gr_ gr_11 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="11" data-gr-id="11">starts</g> figure out whether they are ready enough to be a part of picking the next one (and what that might be).  You could do a lot for connecting with them and teaching them the heart of collaboration Through actually going through the collaboration process.  Or you could see that they aren't ready, and decide on your own once the dust settles from the first of the year.  Either <g class="gr_ gr_347 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="347" data-gr-id="347">way</g> it is great to have a few plays on a list for now... and a perfunctory plan.

Ask them for help filling in with show selections, with getting some funds together, with getting an audience collected from the community.  What an exciting journey for you this year.  As much as anything <g class="gr_ gr_98 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="98" data-gr-id="98">show</g> them what your vision is for what the program can BECOME and let them in on the process of building it together.  They may surprize you!

break a leg!



------------------------------
[Drama] [Dan] []
[Drama Teacher/Director]
[Dublin Coffman HS]
[Dublin] [Ohio]
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2017 13:05
From: Deborah Kemp
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

This will be my first year at this high school which has basically no program and no funding. Beside the four beginning theatre classes, I'll have one production class of approx. 40 students and I'm not sure of their past experience. No rehearsal time other than class time of 50 minutes per day. So, this year, I'd like to keep the productions short (relatively) and simple. Maybe expand as the year progresses so I'd like to have a "bag of scripts" that fit the bill ready and waiting. This year's theme is hero/villain and I have a melodrama picked for the fall. I'd would greatly appreciate suggestions for the rest of the year. I'd like to mix it up with genres, styles etc. I know Admin would like a musical as well. Too much to ask?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------

A short play that I read this year, licensed by Playscripts, comes to mind.  We also did A Wrinkle in Time as our winter show this year.  TONS of room for creativity and StagePartners licenses several different versions.  (apparently, there are now even free lesson plans to go with the show!) Here are some links:

Stage Partners Free Lesson Plans

Stage Partners		remove preview
Stage Partners Free Lesson Plans Stage Partners Free Theater Lesson Plans. For teachers with student actors in the drama classroom. Ensemble work, First Rehearsal, Advanced Tactics, Staging... View this on Stage Partners >

SUPERHEROES by Ian McWethy | Playscripts Inc.

Playscripts		remove preview
SUPERHEROES by Ian McWethy | Playscripts Inc. For superheroes, saving the world is tough, but the time spent away from work is tougher. The Hulk has to do taxes, a crime-fighting sidekick joins a support group, and Batman goes stir-crazy without enough criminals to take down. SUPERHEROES is a funny, fast-paced series of vignettes that explores how the caped crusaders deal with life in street clothes. View this on Playscripts >

------------------------------
Kristen Statt
Thunderhawk Theater Director
Lakota East High School
Liberty Twp, OH
Kristen.statt@lakotaonline.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2017 08:58
From: Deborah Kemp
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

Thank you , Daniel, for your good idea. I do have the first one picked. I would love some suggestions of hero/villain plays that I can have readily available. Ones the students might explore and choose from as the year progresses. Do any come to mind?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2017 07:31
From: Daniel Stowell
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

What an exciting adventure!  

I'd have the first piece picked for that production class in Summer.  Then after school <g class="gr_ gr_11 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="11" data-gr-id="11">starts</g> figure out whether they are ready enough to be a part of picking the next one (and what that might be).  You could do a lot for connecting with them and teaching them the heart of collaboration Through actually going through the collaboration process.  Or you could see that they aren't ready, and decide on your own once the dust settles from the first of the year.  Either <g class="gr_ gr_347 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="347" data-gr-id="347">way</g> it is great to have a few plays on a list for now... and a perfunctory plan.

Ask them for help filling in with show selections, with getting some funds together, with getting an audience collected from the community.  What an exciting journey for you this year.  As much as anything <g class="gr_ gr_98 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="98" data-gr-id="98">show</g> them what your vision is for what the program can BECOME and let them in on the process of building it together.  They may surprize you!

break a leg!



------------------------------
[Drama] [Dan] []
[Drama Teacher/Director]
[Dublin Coffman HS]
[Dublin] [Ohio]
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2017 13:05
From: Deborah Kemp
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

This will be my first year at this high school which has basically no program and no funding. Beside the four beginning theatre classes, I'll have one production class of approx. 40 students and I'm not sure of their past experience. No rehearsal time other than class time of 50 minutes per day. So, this year, I'd like to keep the productions short (relatively) and simple. Maybe expand as the year progresses so I'd like to have a "bag of scripts" that fit the bill ready and waiting. This year's theme is hero/villain and I have a melodrama picked for the fall. I'd would greatly appreciate suggestions for the rest of the year. I'd like to mix it up with genres, styles etc. I know Admin would like a musical as well. Too much to ask?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------

This spring I directed The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza (Don Zolidis - Playscripts) and cast 32 students. You can use more or less actors as the play utilizes flexible casting. My students LOVED it, almost everyone wore a toga, and we used a unit set with some Greek pillars. It can be "prop heavy" but most are very easy props. We also used a lot of sound effects - but almost all were collected from free sound websites. It certainly carries the hero/villain theme and is definitely a comedy. You can read 90% of the script online at the Playscripts website. 

Hope that helps!
Ann

------------------------------
Ann Hileman
Indiana Chapter Director
Bunker Hill IN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2017 13:05
From: Deborah Kemp
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

This will be my first year at this high school which has basically no program and no funding. Beside the four beginning theatre classes, I'll have one production class of approx. 40 students and I'm not sure of their past experience. No rehearsal time other than class time of 50 minutes per day. So, this year, I'd like to keep the productions short (relatively) and simple. Maybe expand as the year progresses so I'd like to have a "bag of scripts" that fit the bill ready and waiting. This year's theme is hero/villain and I have a melodrama picked for the fall. I'd would greatly appreciate suggestions for the rest of the year. I'd like to mix it up with genres, styles etc. I know Admin would like a musical as well. Too much to ask?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------

We did the Comic Book Artist some years back it was fun!

------------------------------
Elisabeth Holzinger-Kottemann
Teacher
Sumrall MS
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2017 13:05
From: Deborah Kemp
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

This will be my first year at this high school which has basically no program and no funding. Beside the four beginning theatre classes, I'll have one production class of approx. 40 students and I'm not sure of their past experience. No rehearsal time other than class time of 50 minutes per day. So, this year, I'd like to keep the productions short (relatively) and simple. Maybe expand as the year progresses so I'd like to have a "bag of scripts" that fit the bill ready and waiting. This year's theme is hero/villain and I have a melodrama picked for the fall. I'd would greatly appreciate suggestions for the rest of the year. I'd like to mix it up with genres, styles etc. I know Admin would like a musical as well. Too much to ask?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------

We did a cute, fun show called Captain Fantastic. It's about a kid in a high school obsessed with comic books. We added a lot to it. We added dancers between scenes, ala Austin powers movies, and had great sets and really fun costumes. The kids loved it.

------------------------------
Amber Hugus
Harmony PA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2017 13:05
From: Deborah Kemp
Subject: Hero/Villain theme

This will be my first year at this high school which has basically no program and no funding. Beside the four beginning theatre classes, I'll have one production class of approx. 40 students and I'm not sure of their past experience. No rehearsal time other than class time of 50 minutes per day. So, this year, I'd like to keep the productions short (relatively) and simple. Maybe expand as the year progresses so I'd like to have a "bag of scripts" that fit the bill ready and waiting. This year's theme is hero/villain and I have a melodrama picked for the fall. I'd would greatly appreciate suggestions for the rest of the year. I'd like to mix it up with genres, styles etc. I know Admin would like a musical as well. Too much to ask?

------------------------------
Deborah Kemp
Canyon Country CA
------------------------------