Topic: Recommend Me Some Plays (Read 10382 times)

RallyMonkey · « **on:** 24 Oct 2007, 18:58 »

Now, I realize theater is not under the headline for Movies, TV Shows, and Books, but I'm guessing this is the best place to put it.

Anyway, next year, in my senior year, I am casting and directing one of the school plays. This is a pretty big deal for me, because only one student is chosen to do it a year.

Though, another thing I get to do, is actually chose which play we will be performing, which is something the student director never gets to do.

Now this is where you go for help. I know some of the major playwrights like Tom Stoppard and Neil Simon, but otherwise, I know very few actual plays.

So, if you have a favorite play, and you think it would be a good idea for me to take a look at it, then please, do tell.

The only real guidelines is it has to be feature length, a comedy, and preferably have a fairly equal number of female to male roles.

So, now, take it away.

Ishotdanieljohnston · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 19:58 »

My first thought was accidental death of an anarchist by Dario Fo, which is an excellant, hilarious play. Unfortunately that has, as far as i remember, no female roles and few players. You should read it anyway, will only take you an hour. George Bernard Shaw plays are pretty funny in an old fasioned way, though i haven't given them a very thorough look. And why not Tom Stoppard? He's a great playwright, and one of the great innovator's in theatrical comedy. Harold Pinter is also worth a look, one of my favourites but very subtle and difficult. There's one awesome play i studied last year, but the name escapes me just now- has a massive cast with lots of male and female roles. I'll be back when i remember.

Directing is very ver difficult. One of my freinds did it with our school play this year and though he did a really good job in the end, it nearly killed him and it created alot of tension between us. Most people our age (especially me) don't like to be told what to do and that their ideas are shit and wrong by one of their freinds. It's condascending. having said that, if ou're careful i'm sure you can do a good job- it's just always harder with theatre than you think its gonna be. Good luck.

RallyMonkey · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 20:12 »

I would love, love, love, love to direct a Stoppard play, yet, next year, I am starring as Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Which we are doing repertory with Hamlet, with the same cast and such, it's going to be amazing). Thus, I doubt anyone would want to do two Stoppard plays in one year. Though, I am currently reading The Coast of Utopia series.

And then a no to Shaw because we're doing Pygmalion this year.

Most likely, I'm going to do a Neil Simon play, but I am definitely on the look out for other options.

I will definitely check out Accidental Death of an Anarchist.

I know directing is difficult, I have directed about 10 or so 10 minute short films (Plus doing the camera work at the same time), and I directed a play two years ago. This one is taken slightly more seriously than my last effort though, so, I am very excited.

Thanks for the recommendations none the less.

tomselleck69 · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 21:13 »

Waiting for Godot.

It may be the longest two hours any high school play's audience has ever had to sit through, but when you are old and dying, you will be able to look back and say that you really threw 'em for a fucking loop and it was WONDERFUL.

Ishotdanieljohnston · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 21:34 »

Yeah, but i think the cast would be a little pissed of only four of them are being used. And try three hours. That play just keeps on going...

Well done with the directing man... i could never do it. I've been involved in a few short films though and they've been alot of fun.

imapiratearg · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 21:55 »

My school put on a rendition of Beauty and the Beast that I heard was top notch. Just a thought though. If I were going to recommend a play, it might have to be Spamalot. I don't know if you can do that one though.

Blue Kitty · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 22:23 »

Little Shop of Horrors, though you will need a lot of planning for the plant

really, anything but Greese

RallyMonkey · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 22:26 »

I feel bad to be flat out vetoing all of your suggestions, but the local Shakespeare Festival is currently running Little Shop of Horrors, so I'd rather not do that. Even though it would be extremely fun.

tomselleck69 · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 22:58 »

Quote from: Ishotdanieljohnston on 24 Oct 2007, 21:34

Yeah, but i think the cast would be a little pissed of only four of them are being used. And try three hours. That play just keeps on going...

Well done with the directing man... i could never do it. I've been involved in a few short films though and they've been alot of fun.

Five! The boy counts! Or six, if you cast someone as the tree.

And man if you think Godot is tedious, you should see Rockaby. Although technically it is much shorter, it is the onstage equivalent of a black hole, both visually and temporally.

Ishotdanieljohnston · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Oct 2007, 23:39 »

I'm misunderstood... godot's a great play... but it is damn long and if it isn't played by absolute proffesionals it could turn out to be a VERY tedious production. I've never seen it done- but i've heard and can imagine this to be the case.

Johnny C · « **Reply #10 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 00:22 »

where is the love for arthur miller and tennessee williams you motherfucks

death of a salesman is too good for you

ThePQ4 · « **Reply #11 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 06:07 »

EQUUS
It is controversial-deliciousness.
(Nudity is optional for this play. I think you could do it well without it, and it has been done in high schools before, so...)
And you should read it even if you don't do it. It is pure awesome.

How big of a cast are trying to find a a play for? If very small, I would suggest Moon for the Misbegotten.
Are you looking for a drama, a comedy, a musical? I could give you lots of suggestions, but I'm not really sure what you're looking for.

Edit: Pffft, helps if I read your post! I'll go through my Theatre notes from last year and reccomend you a few.

SusurrusIgnoramus · « **Reply #12 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 06:39 »

this isn't a comedy, so you won't be able to perform it, but i always reccomend translations by brian friel. it's an EXCELLENT read.

Lines · « **Reply #13 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 07:34 »

Cheaper by the Dozen was a fun play. (NO, it's NOT like the crappy movie at all. It's actually good and fun and half the cast gets to pretend to be children.) Arsenic and Old Lace is probably one of my favorite plays ever and it's hilarious. Even if you don't do it, you should still read it.

ThePQ4 · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 07:44 »

It's a musical (which I'm not sure is what you're looking for), but I reccomend A New Brain by William Finn. It's kind of a crap-play to read through, I'm sure, but with the right cast it is six kinds of awesome. My university did it last semester and I totally fell in love with it.

Also: You Can't Take It With You by Kaufman and Heart

There is another one, but I can't recall the title... gah. I'll find it in my notes though, I swear.

ThinWhiteDuke09 · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 13:55 »

"No Exit" its a great Sartrean comedy, and everyone would be way into an existential play. It's also a pretty short read, but easily my favrite of what Sartre has written.

carrotosaurus · « **Reply #16 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 13:59 »

Anton Chekhov is my hero.

Inlander · « **Reply #17 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 15:46 »

Quote from: RallyMonkey on 24 Oct 2007, 22:26

the local Shakespeare Festival is currently running Little Shop of Horrors

WHAT?!

michaelicious · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 16:52 »

It's a shame you have to have an equal number of male and female roles because that means you can't do The Zoo Story by Edward Albee. Real shame.

RallyMonkey · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 19:56 »

I'm glad to know that QC is so versed in theater.

I just finished reading Equus a a few days ago, and really truly, I'd love to direct that, but I really don't think it's going to happen. One could wish, though.

To Inlander, I have yet to hear of a Shakespeare Festival that doesn't run other plays too. Even the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which is widely considered as the best in America, performs about 3/4 non-Shakespearian stuff. The local one does 2 Shakespeare, 2 Farces, and 1 musical every season.

We performed You Can't Take It With You and Arsenic and Old Lace last year, along with The Curious Savage.

I will check out Translations, and Zoo Story, and No Exit. Then I believe we're doing a Chekhov showcase sometime this year, I love him too.

The play doesn't have to have an equal number by any means. This is all constraints I am putting on myself. Mostly, I'd just like to have some major female roles, because the females around here get very little recognition. Also, for cast size, I'd like from like 6-10 or so, but I could change my mind if something really good comes around.

So, I will get to checking those out. Thank you very much for your suggestions.

celticgeek · « **Reply #20 on:** 25 Oct 2007, 21:43 »

How about Tamara, by John Krizanc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamara_(play)

Jimmy the Squid · « **Reply #21 on:** 26 Oct 2007, 01:47 »

Oedipus the King - incest, violence and you get to have a fucking chorus! A chorus damnit!

The Dumb Waiter - it only has two parts so people may not be happy but I'll be damned if it isn't just about the best damn play I've ever seen.

Gary's House - it's got comedy, a baby and suicide. Woo!

Also you should probably stay away from Arthur Miller plays. From what I hear it's almost impossible to get the rights to and they will sue you if you change one thing even the tiniest bit.

Ishotdanieljohnston · « **Reply #22 on:** 26 Oct 2007, 02:04 »

Allright if you're still in the direction of comedy i highly reccomend Caryl Churchill's Serious Money. A very funny, complex satire.

i think inlander mentioned how god like Chekhov is and i can only agree- but god help you if you attemt to stage one... SO HARD most proffessional companies can't pull him off. And someone mentioned Equus, which is an absolutely perfect piece of work but how intense do you want this thing to be?

Jimmy the Squid · « **Reply #23 on:** 26 Oct 2007, 02:12 »

If you're ok with moving away from comedy maybe take a look at Hellcab. I can't remember who it's by but it's a pretty interesting play detailing the story of a Chicago cab driver over one Christmas eve and the insane shit that happens to him and his passengers.

TheFuriousWombat · « **Reply #24 on:** 26 Oct 2007, 09:56 »

This might sound a bit odd but I highly recommend you buy a book of Cohen Brothers screenplays. They are amazingly well written, almost like a novel in their level of description and setting moods/scenes/characters. They are, however, written in screen play format so they read much like a play. There's always great dialog as well (which is, of course, essential in any play). They're a very interesting read and I know they sell books with multiple screenplays within. Track one down if you can and I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Johnny C · « **Reply #25 on:** 26 Oct 2007, 09:59 »

I've always wanted to see someone perform a play by Bertolt Brecht.

Ishotdanieljohnston · « **Reply #26 on:** 26 Oct 2007, 17:30 »

We did a brecht this year, The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui, it was alot of fun and went down well. His plays are even more effective these days because of his use of signs and presentational performing, so we used multimedia for it which was my area.

RallyMonkey · « **Reply #27 on:** 05 Nov 2007, 18:34 »

After a lot of thought, I've decided we're going to go with a production of Proof. It's a really great play, and I think it will go really well.

Thank you for the suggestions, wish me luck.

celticgeek · « **Reply #28 on:** 05 Nov 2007, 21:20 »

Break a leg, RallyMonkey!!

tomselleck69 · « **Reply #29 on:** 05 Nov 2007, 22:53 »

good choice. have fun!

Dimmukane · « **Reply #30 on:** 09 Nov 2007, 21:15 »

Well, apparently my uncle just wrote a comedy (he's been telling everyone in the family that it's a really heavy and intense drama), and the Wall Street Journal wrote about it, and now the state of Pennsylvania wants to award him something. So he's been making up stories about a busy schedule to keep them from giving it to him.

Six Characters in Search of An Author
at the People's Light & Theater Company

Which unfortunately I will probably not get the opportunity to see. So could someone maybe go watch it and get back to me on that?

TrekkieTechie · « **Reply #31 on:** 09 Nov 2007, 23:35 »

The quarterback sneak is a good option if you only need a few yards to get to your first down or touchdown.

Dimmukane · « **Reply #32 on:** 10 Nov 2007, 09:13 »

That's not a comedy.

TrekkieTechie · « **Reply #33 on:** 10 Nov 2007, 12:14 »

It is if you've drunk enough.

Postino · « **Reply #34 on:** 10 Nov 2007, 13:01 »

All Wear Bowlers = Vaudevillian Comedy done right.

MusicScribbles · « **Reply #35 on:** 11 Nov 2007, 11:26 »

I can see that you already have your play picked out, but reading suggestions are still good and I've seen some Harold Pinter thrown around.
The Dumb Waiter is an awesome play, and, at least where I'm from, theater buffs joke about Pinter Pauses because his plays are filled with them. Check out The Birthday Party, it is amazing.
Also, read Rhinoceros, because to me it feels like a Waiting For Godot that I can readily appreciate.
Also, check out Constance Congdon's Tales of the Lost Formicans. It is a truly absurd read, and I'm hoping to put it on next year because it is definitely something that needs to be performed.
What about Noises Off? Michael Frayn can do it right.
There are the classics as well, but it seems like you might have read them. I'm speaking of Shakespeare, Sophocles, Marlowe, and all of that stuff.
Enjoy.

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Author Topic: Recommend Me Some Plays (Read 10382 times)

ThinWhiteDuke09

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