Musicals that CTs shouldn't even attempt...

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 10:02am

I'm just wondering what musicals community theaters can't even make work- no matter how hard they try. Some may be obvious, but I'm wondering what everyone thinks. (the legal rights stuff doesn't really matter- name any musical)

Although it's not an original musical, I would be horrified to see CTs attempting "Movin' Out". And I think that I would be horrified to see CTs try performing "Avenue Q." Especially if there isn't a good puppeteer in the company.

Anything else? It's kind of hard for me to think of any others...

[dry2olives]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 10:16am

What would be wrong with a community dance company doing Movin' Out? Local dance companies do ballets all the time.

As far as Avenue Q is concerned I wouldn't be surprised if there were some requirements for future college & community productions to rent specific puppets when they gain the performance rights.
dry2olives

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 11:01am

Wicked might be hard with all the technical aspects, though I'm sure they could probably get people to sing the roles. Updated On: 1/18/04 at 11:01 AM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 11:07am

Starlight Express

[DefyingGravity2]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 11:15am

honestly? long shows. there is nothing worse than sitting through a bad production of a really long show. Not to say that ALL community theater is bad.... but sometimes there is bad community theater, and they should not do long shows.... haha. i hope you all can comprehend that. I write like a 7 year old, as is apparent in what i just wrote and the sentence i am currently writing. i'm gonna stop now. ah.

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 2:19pm

I agree with Gothampc...

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 2:39pm

Well it also depends what kind of space and budget community theatres have. Some shows might work for one ct but not for another in indy we have a 80 seat theatre and then there's footlite which is 200, and then there's the Civic Theatre which is 700 I think, plus they have different operating budgets. Civic is the oldest operating civic theatre in the country and they have some very nice stuff, they can pull off a lot of the bigger shows much better than say Theatre on the Square could (80 seat theatre). Then again they are doing asassins in this tiny theatre up here at BAll State that has 60 seats I think. Correct me if I'm wrong. So I guess what I'm trying to say is it depends on ones preconcieved notion on the average size of a ct.

Updated On: 1/18/04 at 02:39 PM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 2:41pm

The two shows that come to mind are MOST HAPPY FELLA and PORGY AND BESS. If I am not mistaken these two are not even available for CT's to produce. At least at one time the estates prohibited it.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 4:08pm

TITANIC (can you imagine the stagcrew trying to tilt the stage as the ship goes down?)

MISS SAIGON (Yeah, a community theater-created helicopter!!!)

HAIRSPRAY (the local police commissioner plays Edna Turnblad)

TAKE ME OUT (due to local sensitivities the men in the showers are seen only from the waist up)

KISS ME KATE (the Christian community insists that the word be changed from "bastard" to "stinker")

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 4:24pm

Has a CT ever done a full-nude TFM? Just wondering. If not, add that to my list.

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 4:42pm

I saw a Kiss Me Kate production and it wasn't too great.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 4:56pm

I don't think there is a single show that a CT couldn't do with the right director/designers on board as long as the writing is good. If a show can't be done with just actors and minimal prop/set pieces--it isn't a good play or musical. The writers can never rely on the design to tell the story for them.

There are lots of shows (or moments in shows) that people thought could never be done without Broadway level tech and budgets.

I recall that when Into the Woods came out, some people thought you had to have a conveyour belt to make the cow work. Well, high schools, colleges and CTs (even the recent revival) have found ingenious ways to make the cow work.

When Theatre Under The Stars (granted, a regional theatre) did Miss Saigon in the round (this was even the first production ever mounted post-Broadway), few thought the show would work without the helicopter, flying car, giant statue, etc. The director did an amazing job creating new ways to tell those moments in the show without the need for spectacle. People had always said that MS is just about a helicopter. Well, without a fancy helicopter in this production, it became very clear that the writing was there and that the drama of that scene was all about the characters. I don't think there will be any problem with CTs and colleges doing this show.

Last year a highschool in the Houston area mounted a stunning production of Les Miserables that went to the Edinburgh Festival. They didn't have a revolve. They were lovely performers, but even with their inexperience (compared to the Broadway performers, I mean), their performance was very moving--the storytelling, the writing was all there. This show will be done in high schools, colleges, and CTs for decades to come.

I'm sure others can list examples of shows you never thought could be done--and yet, were done quite well. I'm sure Titanic and Wicked will do just fine--with an inventive director and designers.

And, there are many CTs who are brave enough to tackle the content and even nudity in shows like The Full Monty and Take Me Out.

Just my thoughts. =)

Updated On: 1/18/04 at 04:56 PM

[mebice]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 9:15pm

I was IN a production of KMK and it wasn't that great...


it's the truth....sorry

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 10:36pm

My school did Les Mis last year, and even though we did have the revolving stage, it kept breaking. All in all, it was one of the best musical productions I have ever seen in my life.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/18/04 at 10:46pm

When I was in high school, I kept suggesting "Oh! Calcutta!". I couldn't understand why they wouldn't do it. It would have been an SRO run.

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/19/04 at 11:13am

I've seen Titanic at two community theatres as well as Broadway and they book did excellent jobs with the set work as well as the production as a whole.
Hairspray wouldnt be bad either. It would be very energetic. And Kiss Me Kate as well if directed by a more professional, experienced director.
Wicked, I agree will be a toughy for the actors and set designers.

Posted: 1/19/04 at 11:32am

COMPANY and FOLLIES -- The score of both shows is just too difficult for the untrained voices of most CT groups. There is nothing worse than sitting through a show where the quality of the cast's acting, singing or dancing is not up to the material they are trying to present.

[DivaMommy]

Posted: 1/19/04 at 4:18pm

It completely depends on the theatre company itself. And then - the talent of the board and producers and directors etc. and the money. Some community theatre's have a lot of money. I've done several community show that topped the $60,000 mark. I know that's not a lot compared to broadway, but it's more than some professional theatres spend on a show.

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 1/19/04 at 4:28pm

Thanks for your message DivaMommy...

I started out in a community theatre that has it own space built using a bond drive. It seats over 400, has wings and a fly space, dressing rooms, a rehearsal hall, and a massive scenery warehouse. Our costumes for muscials were rented from New York.

It's probably better furnished than most of the theatres at which I've worked in Chicago.

With the right vision and imagination, a community theatre can do anything.

The sticking point would be whether the audience's sensibilities would accept it.

Remind me to elaborate on their reaction to "Equus" when I did it!

Michael

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/19/04 at 8:06pm

Our local summer theater just sent out a brochure in which they claim they are "considering" THE FULL MONTY for production this summer. I can't wait to see how it plays in this town!

[Sally]

Posted: 1/20/04 at 12:50am

Phantom of the Opera would be pretty hard to do in CT. A local high school did a very respectable production of Les Mis, with revolving stage, but it would be pretty hard to do the chandelier, the boat(with major smoke effects), the candles(well, maybe moving in from the side),and the Masquerade staircase--and so on. Even if they manage the effects, the voices could be a problem---but only, I suppose, if the audience has pretty high standards. The weakness in the local high school's Les Mis was that they had two strong leads, but the rest of the cast didn't sing as well.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 1/20/04 at 2:20am

But, what if the director and designers didn't have the boat and fog, but some other cool way to tell that song? What if there was another way to stage "Masquerade"? What if the chandelier is rethought for CT? You have to think outside of the box. A musical's life isn't solely about "what they did on Broadway".

[qpidsangel]

Posted: 1/20/04 at 11:14am

Sunday in the Park With George

[Sally]

Posted: 1/20/04 at 8:10pm

" But, what if the director and designers didn't have the boat and fog, but some other cool way to tell that song? What if there was another way to stage "Masquerade"? What if the chandelier is rethought for CT? You have to think outside of the box. A musical's life isn't solely about "what they did on Broadway"."

Hmmm, I'm not a director or designer and tend not to think outside the Broadway box, but if it sounded like some original thinkers had come up with an innovative way to stage Phantom, I would go see it.