Open Forum

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------

You might look at a Jekyll and Hyde where he plays both characters. I really enjoyed producing the Noah Smith The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from Playscripts.

------------------------------
Shira Schwartz
Chandler Unified School District
Chandler AZ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2018 15:48
From: Rachel Snow
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------

This is almost never my problem, but you could look at The Last Lifeboat, which someone else on this forum recommended to me. There are also great male roles in The Kentucky Cycle (especially "Tall Tales") but you might not have the guys to fill out the rest of that.

------------------------------
Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre Department Coordinator
Fishersville VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2018 16:07
From: Shira Schwartz
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

You might look at a Jekyll and Hyde where he plays both characters. I really enjoyed producing the Noah Smith The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from Playscripts.

------------------------------
Shira Schwartz
Chandler Unified School District
Chandler AZ

Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2018 15:48
From: Rachel Snow
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------

We did The Elephant Man last year because I also had a very strong male lead. It was a very powerful show and my student won awards for it. He had to contort his body for the whole show. It wasn't easy but people are still talking about over a year later.

------------------------------
Ray Karns
Theatre Teacher
Wakefield School
The Plains VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2018 15:48
From: Rachel Snow
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------

I agree with Elephant Man.
Also, Ordinary People or Dracula. 
We are producing Frankenstein in October.

------------------------------
Tobin Strader
Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair,
Theatre Arts Instructor
Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School,
Indianapolis, IN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-15-2018 08:02
From: Ray Karns
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

We did The Elephant Man last year because I also had a very strong male lead. It was a very powerful show and my student won awards for it. He had to contort his body for the whole show. It wasn't easy but people are still talking about over a year later.

------------------------------
Ray Karns
Theatre Teacher
Wakefield School
The Plains VA

Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2018 15:48
From: Rachel Snow
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------

There are a couple good adaptations of Georg Buchner's Woyzeck out there, or you can work up your own. Because it's public domain and lends itself to creative adaptation, most of the roles can be played by male or female.

------------------------------
Josh Kauffman
Teacher
Winfield AL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2018 15:48
From: Rachel Snow
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------

If you and your students are willing to tackle domestic abuse (both physical and sexual) take a look at Five Kinds of Silence. The lead male role is a monster of a father and husband, but we also see scenes (monologues actually) from his childhood that help to explain why he is such a monster. You would also need three fearless girls to play the wife and two daughters. It has 8 smaller roles that generally appear just for one scene. We used an ensemble of 4 (2m 2w) but you don't have to double. The supporting roles can be flexible.

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

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

Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2018 15:48
From: Rachel Snow
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------

• Oedipus, The King by by Sophocles, trans. Nicholas Rudall  (7m/3w plus a chorus, either)
• Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe (36m/7w. This can be done with a much smaller ensemble and extensive doubling, only Faustus and Mephistopheles are constant.)
• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (17m/4w. Cutting, doubling and gender switching can bring the cast down to 8 men. Extensive sword fighting)
• Hamlet by William Shakespeare (26m/2w. Cutting and doubling can bring the cast down to 10 men.)
• Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov. (4m/4f, two are minor) role: Vanya
• Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, trans. Brian Hooker (10m/5f, some roles are minor and can be doubled, lots of sword fighting)
• An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen, trans. Christopher Hampton (9m/2f, gender change possible on role of Billing), role: Doctor Thomas Stockmann
• The Iceman Cometh by Eugene O'Neill (16m/3w, doubling possible) role: Theodore "Hickey" Hickman
• The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (2m/2w) role: Tom
• A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (6m/6w) role: Stanley
• The Time of Your Life by William Sorayan (18m/7w, doubling possible) role: Joe
• The Rainmaker by N. Richard Nash (6m/1w) role: Starbuck
• A Thousand Clowns by Herb Gardner (5m/1w) role: Murray Burns
• The Norman Conquests by Alan Ayckbourn (3m/3w) role: Norman
• Lonesome West by Martin Mcdonagh (3m/1w) role: either brother Valene or Coleman
• True West by Sam Shepard (3m/1w) role: either brother Austin or Lee

I realize that these many of these have casts that are too large or too small. Unfortunately, few plays are in between. Older plays have larger casts because the actors were available and affordable. Newer plays have smaller casts because producers don't want to pay for larger casts. 

Hope this helps. 

Break a leg

------------------------------
James Van Leishout
Olympia WA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-15-2018 09:24
From: Kenneth Buswell
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

If you and your students are willing to tackle domestic abuse (both physical and sexual) take a look at Five Kinds of Silence. The lead male role is a monster of a father and husband, but we also see scenes (monologues actually) from his childhood that help to explain why he is such a monster. You would also need three fearless girls to play the wife and two daughters. It has 8 smaller roles that generally appear just for one scene. We used an ensemble of 4 (2m 2w) but you don't have to double. The supporting roles can be flexible.

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

Theater kills ignorance

Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2018 15:48
From: Rachel Snow
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------

Original Message------

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------

Great ideas already. I've been looking for the right boy to do "Curious Incident" as well. I'll need to wait for that. 

Other ideas...

– Juror 8 in Twelve Angry Men is a great part. (I kept the title for the period reference and because I hate the word "Jurors".) We did this w a cast of 7 girls, 5 boys, staging it by building up audience seating on our stage to create a very tight room in which the actors are locked, with a a slightly askew 50s modern jazz era design and classic jazz playing at transition points. I wanted to emphasize this sense of entrapment and it really worked well to have the audience only a couple feet away. A great actors' challenge for the whole cast to shift their bodies frequently and do other things to add motion and to let those sitting behind them at the table see their face. I don't care for the staging of this play when it is separate spread-out tables all facing out like a town hall committee meeting. I want them right up in each other's face. All of my students loved rising to the challenge of really embodying adults in this show and Juror 8 is a wonderful protagonist. The show is also very relevant to the Trump era, with "the Other" treated with suspicion but his race, nationality never mentioned...plus, the immigrant juror talking about coming to America for a fair shake, for the American Dream. Quite timely.

– Buddy in The Diviners. Such a marvelous play for the right actor. In this case, he needs to be really rag-tag looking and can be played as 14 or 17. If you haven't read the script yet, do. It is well worth reading. 

– Inherit the Wind. This show is, unfortunately, very male-heavy and I don't know what I think about changing gender on the two central lawyer roles, given the period. But MAN...that is an amazing script. And again, an interesting commentary on today. Back then, the teacher in trouble for teaching Darwin...today, teachers can get in trouble for teaching creationism. Depending on where you live, this issue seems to still be crackling, and this script is just fantastic.

------------------------------
Steven Slaughter
English/Theatre
Rosslyn Academy
Nairobi, Kenya

"Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts." - W Berry
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2018 15:48
From: Rachel Snow
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------

There are two versions of The Giver that might be worth looking at. The lead role, Jonas, truly does have to have some serious acting chops to pull off the change from innocent and naive 14 year old to a 14 year old laden down with the knowledge and memories of history! We did the two-act version and it was a very powerful acting experience for my Jonas.

------------------------------
Angela Smithhisler
Teacher
Frederick, MD
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2018 15:48
From: Rachel Snow
Subject: Serious Drama to Showcase Male Actor

I have a young man who is a very accomplished performer and has worked his tail off since Freshman year. I'd very much like to pick a serious Drama for the Fall that will showcase and challenge him as the lead character his Senior year. He has had leading roles before, but they were comedic. But he has done Drama before and is adept at both Comedy and Tragedy.

I've considered The Crucible with him as Proctor, but I fear I won't have the necessary boys to fill out the rest of the cast requirements.

The show would ideally have at least 10 characters, most of whom are female or gender flexible/neutral.

Any suggestions?

------------------------------
Rachel Snow
Drama and Technical Theater Teacher
Alhambra High School
Alhambra CA
------------------------------