NationStates Jolt Archive

I just came back from my high school's annual spring musical about a half hour ago, it was The Music Man this year. It was great! My high school always put on amazing fall plays and spring musicals. It was good enough this year that I am thinking about getting involved next year.

Does anyone on this board watch or participate in their school musicals or plays? If so, what productions have they done this year (for me, it was Anne of Green Gables for our fall play and the Music Man for the musical)? And which productions would you like to see them do next year?

To answer my last question, I would like to see my high school do King Lear for the play and Fiddler on the Roof as the musical (as they are two of my personal favorites).

I just came back from my high school's annual spring musical about a half hour ago, it was The Music Man this year. It was great! My high school always put on amazing fall plays and spring musicals. It was good enough this year that I am thinking about getting involved next year.

Does anyone on this board watch or participate in their school musicals or plays? If so, what productions have they done this year (for me, it was Anne of Green Gables for our fall play and the Music Man for the musical)? And which productions would you like to see them do next year?

To answer my last question, I would like to see my high school do King Lear for the play and Fiddler on the Roof as the musical (as they are two of my personal favorites).


Bump.

this year/spring they are doing south pacific.....

I just came back from my high school's annual spring musical about a half hour ago, it was The Music Man this year. It was great! My high school always put on amazing fall plays and spring musicals. It was good enough this year that I am thinking about getting involved next year.

Does anyone on this board watch or participate in their school musicals or plays? If so, what productions have they done this year (for me, it was Anne of Green Gables for our fall play and the Music Man for the musical)? And which productions would you like to see them do next year?

To answer my last question, I would like to see my high school do King Lear for the play and Fiddler on the Roof as the musical (as they are two of my personal favorites).

Well, I just quoted the Music Man in my last post (see if you can find it!), and I performed in "Seussical the Musical" earlier this month.

The fall is marching band season, so I'm always doing that instead of the fall play (although I did do "Clue" through Acting Ensemble this year).

Last year's musical was "Fiddler on the Roof", the year before that was "Cinderella!", and the year before that "Oklahoma!". The year before that, I didn't participate, but the musical was "Lil' Abner".

I have also performed in "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown!"

Well, I just quoted the Music Man in my last post (see if you can find it!), and I performed in Seussical the Musical earlier this month.

We did Seussical last year, and The wizard of Oz the year before that (which I missed because my sister "forgot" to buy me a ticket).

We did Seussical last year, and The wizard of Oz the year before that (which I missed because my sister "forgot" to buy me a ticket).

I saw a variation of the Wizard of Oz called "Oz!" at a community theatre two years ago. Fun stuff!

I think my school should do Fiddler next year (or the year after that when I am a senoir). We have been redoing ones they have done in the past, and the last time they did Fiddler was 5 or 6 years ago.

I just hope they don't do Grease.

And I just found your qoute. I was thinking of posting something like that in that thread.

I saw a variation of the Wizard of Oz called "Oz!" at a community theatre two years ago. Fun stuff!
First "The Wiz" now "Oz!"...I'm holding out for "Of"....

As a musician I played in the pit for Grease and Caberet. For the latter I had to be on stage, which I didn't like. Especially since the dancers knew I was uncomfortable and enjoyed messing with me.

Grease I didn't like because it was high school and every once in a while we'd get a singer who thought we where playing in the wrong key. "No, kiddo...we got buttons. We don't just 'accidently' switch keys. It might be your adolescent voice...just a guess...)

My graduate degree is in playwrighting, so I've been very involved in theater at schools. I'm not going to go into it because I always feel like I'm straining to pat my own back, but lots of plays. Only in ones where I had to be.

Grease I didn't like because it was high school and every once in a while we'd get a singer who thought we where playing in the wrong key. "No, kiddo...we got buttons. We don't just 'accidently' switch keys. It might be your adolescent voice...just a guess...)

Lol, actually, I have accidentally switched keys while playing on a bass clarinet before. It was one of the first times we rehearsed a solo section of mine... my nerves were totally shot, and I started a half step too high. I managed to stay in that new key until halfway through my solo when I suddenly realized, "holy sh*t, I'm playing in the wrong key! WTF? How is that possible?!" and suddenly I wasn't able to sight-transpose it anymore, flubbed a bit, and then picked up again in the correct key.

What instrument do you play?

I go to a performing/visual arts school, so we do several productions a year plus student-written showcase plays. Last year one kid wrote a sequel to Romeo and Juliet entirely in iambic pentameter. That was impressive.

This year we've had The Amen Corner, Our Town, Once on this Island, and Cabaret. Last year was Damn Yankees, Hot Mikado, Learned Ladies, the Foreigner, and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

entirely in iambic pentameter.

Most people don't even remember what meter is anymore, and rhyme is being forgotten too...

Lol, actually, I have accidentally switched keys while playing on a bass clarinet before. It was one of the first times we rehearsed a solo section of mine... my nerves were totally shot, and I started a half step too high. I managed to stay in that new key until halfway through my solo when I suddenly realized, "holy sh*t, I'm playing in the wrong key! WTF? How is that possible?!" and suddenly I wasn't able to sight-transpose it anymore, flubbed a bit, and then picked up again in the correct key.

What instrument do you play?
Sax-a-ma-phone.

Sax-a-ma-phone.

I figured it was some sort of woodwind, since you mentioned "buttons".

Alto, I presume?

Most people don't even remember what meter is anymore, and rhyme is being forgotten too...
That's not really fair. Last year the movie Yes was released that was done entirely in verse and Shakespeare festivals still dominate the amount of theater produced every year, with the accompanying plays not getting nearly the attendance. (I'vedramaturgdramaturg on one of those...kinda frustrating...)

I figured it was some sort of woodwind, since you mentioned "buttons".

Alto, I presume?
Honestly, they all play the same. I have an alto now because it was the cheapest horn I could find and I lost my tenor. I played tenor longer than anything, but really felt at home playing the bari. The alto is pretentious, a showman or virtuo's horn. The tenor sax is foreplay. The bari is the deed...

Honestly, they all play the same. I have an alto now because it was the cheapest horn I could find and I lost my tenor. I played tenor longer than anything, but really felt at home playing the bari. The alto is pretentious, a showman or virtuo's horn. The tenor sax is foreplay. The bari is the deed...

I know what you mean. I went from clarinet to bass clarinet, and now to contra bass, two full octaves below where I started :D

That's not really fair. Last year the movie Yes was released that was done entirely in verse and Shakespeare festivals still dominate the amount of theater produced every year, with the accompanying plays not getting nearly the attendance. (I'vedramaturgdramaturg on one of those...kinda frustrating...)

That's what I get for making a statement with which I have no supporting evidence to back it up...

yeah, you're probably right, you and your darn "logic" and "facts" :p

yeah, you're probably right, you and your darn "logic" and "facts" :p

But there is definitely no shortage of shoddily written "free verse" by angsty/depressed/hormonal teenagers.

But there is definitely no shortage of shoddily written "free verse" by angsty/depressed/hormonal teenagers.

That's what prompted that little outburst ;)

Strangely, I've never seen a highschool do "My Fair Lady", which is the best musical of all time.

If, in some other life, I become a drama teacher, I shall remedy this.

Well, not in High School, but it's been my life long ambition to be an actor. I'm doing it in college (university, to those of you outside the US). in Fact last month, I was in myschool's production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

ACTUAL "poem" from the "AimGirl" forum, source of much hilarity, though unintentionally:

"i * luV * so u |s|o|O| muCh
thAt i whY u don'T loVe mE ((bakK))
thEn i [-loOk-] in thE ::miRror::
n sEe alL thE thinGz wRonG wiT /me\
iS thaT whaT ...you... seE toO?"

This is the sort of thing that makes me lose hope in humanity. This is our future, kids.

Well, not in High School, but it's been my life long ambition to be an actor. I'm doing it in college (university, to those of you outside the US). in Fact last month, I was in myschool's production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
Ah, a guilty pleasure of mine. I don't normally go in for musicals, this one is more just because of childhood memories of finding my mom's old record of the 'concept' album...the one with Murray Head as Judas.

Were you Judas? It'd be cool if you were...I guess it'd be cool to be Simon, maybe Herod or Pilate...but really, Judas is where it's at (is he where you are...)

ACTUAL "poem" from the "AimGirl" forum, source of much hilarity, though unintentionally:

"i * luV * so u |s|o|O| muCh
thAt i whY u don'T loVe mE ((bakK))
thEn i [-loOk-] in thE ::miRror::
n sEe alL thE thinGz wRonG wiT /me\
iS thaT whaT ...you... seE toO?"

This is the sort of thing that makes me lose hope in humanity. This is our future, kids.
Anyone read comic books in the 80s? Read The New Mutants? Remember the Warlok character-his voice text looked like that...

Anyone read comic books in the 80s? Read The New Mutants? Remember the Warlok character-his voice text looked like that...

Oh, wow, that was a long time ago.

Yeah, I remember that :)

Tomorrow I get to go see some of my kids in the spring musical. It's about a beauty pagent, so it ought to be amusing.

Tomorrow I get to go see some of my kids in the spring musical. It's about a beauty pagent, so it ought to be amusing.

What's it called?

A website detailing the major productions at my school: http://www.philipswan.homestead.com/

Unfortunately I havn't been in a play yet for my current school, but I might be in a major one called 'Hamp', which will be going to Edinburgh! I'll either be playing in it, or I will take the director up on his offer to come as assistant director; which would be really good. Already had my audition, just waiting for him to make his choices. (For those who know the play, I am most likely to be playing the officer who is forced to defend the main character)

Strangely, I've never seen a highschool do "My Fair Lady", which is the best musical of all time.

If, in some other life, I become a drama teacher, I shall remedy this.

I think my school may have done it a long time ago, but I am not entirely sure.

I played bass guitar in my high school days when we did the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Spectacular tunes.

Jesus Christ Superstar is one that I know they have not done yet.

Spectacular Judas.
Of course.
http://uashome.alaska.edu/~jndfg20/website/judas.jpg

The whole show is GD brilliant. All of them are killer tunes really.

What's the buzz... :D

Tomorrow I get to go see some of my kids in the spring musical. It's about a beauty pagent, so it ought to be amusing.

Could it be Miss Saigon? I know a beauty pagent happens durring that one.

My school is incredibly incompetent about their spring musicals.

Oh, sure, they look nice and they have great talent, but what a fucking toll it takes on us kids. We've spent about 14 and a half hours so far on lighting - and we're not done.

I had to show up there at 8:00 yesterday morning, and didn't get home until 10:30 at night. It's bullshit, and a waste of our time. It's in a week and our set isn't finished and we don't have any backdrops.

I'm particularly cynical, though, because I'm on stage crew.

Which production are you doing? It does take a long time, effort, and practice to put on muscicals. For our production of the Music Man, they practiced for what seemed like months almost every day.

Bump.

To move this along, what are your favorite lines or monolauges from a play and what are your favorite song from a musical?

My favorites from a play come from A Midsummer Night's Dream; One is line by Demetrius and one is a monolauge from the same character earlier in the scene:

Are you sure
That we are awake? It seems to me
That yet we sleep, we dream.




My lord, fair Helen told me of their
stealth,
Of this their purpose hither, to this wood;
And I in fury hither follow'd them,
Fair Helena in fancy following me.
But, my good lord, I wot not by what power,—
But by some power it is,—my love to Hermia,
Melted as doth the snow, seems to me now
As the remembrance of an idle gaud
Which in my childhood I did dote upon;
And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,
The object and the pleasure of mine eye,
Is only Helena. To her, my lord,
Was I betroth'd ere I saw Hermia:
But, like in sickness, did I loathe this food,
But, as in health, come to my natural taste,
Now do I wish it, love it, long for it,
And will for evermore be true to it.






As far as musicals are conserned, my favorites are "Miracle of Miracles" and "Do You Love Me" from Fiddler on the Roof.

Which production are you doing? It does take a long time, effort, and practice to put on muscicals. For our production of the Music Man, they practiced for what seemed like months almost every day.

It does not take 14 and a half hours to do lighting. At most, it takes four hours to do the basic lighting diagrams, and then four more hours to do it with the actors.

We're doing Beauty and the Beast, btw.

Ah, a guilty pleasure of mine. I don't normally go in for musicals, this one is more just because of childhood memories of finding my mom's old record of the 'concept' album...the one with Murray Head as Judas.

Were you Judas? It'd be cool if you were...I guess it'd be cool to be Simon, maybe Herod or Pilate...but really, Judas is where it's at (is he where you are...)


No, I just had a small part as one of the people in the temple looking to Jesus for healing. Our Herod kicked ass. His scene was hysterical. Our Judas had a good voice, but never did get the lyrics to "Heaven On Their Minds" right. Annas was played by a woman (she'd hurt me if I called her a girl), she is, in fact, the girlfriend of the guy who played Jesus. Must have been difficult having to condemn him to death every night.

About two weeks ago, my high school finished its production of Urinetown, a truly excellent musical. I doubt any of you have ever heard of it (it came out on Broadway only about 3 years ago), but it's quite funny at times, yet more moving than most other musicals I've seen at other times. This is largely due to the songs, which are top-notch and cover a wide variety of styles/genres (The Act I finale song is incredible and probably my favorite song from any musical).

But anyway, I was a techie - I helped build the sets and moved around the pieces during the shows. It was a lot of fun, but difficult (the sets were quite big and complex, and there were some really technically demanding scene changes!)

As for other stuff - there was a small production of Much Ado About Nothing earlier this year in which I wasn't involved, and pretty soon there're going to be auditions for short student-written plays, to be performed all together in May (I think I'll try out).

About two weeks ago, my high school finished its production of Urinetown, a truly excellent musical. I doubt any of you have ever heard of it (it came out on Broadway only about 3 years ago)

I've heard of it (it's a name to remember), but I don't know any of the story...

bump.

I played bass guitar in my high school days when we did the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Spectacular tunes.
That has to be the funnest instrument to play in that, specially in What's the Buzz.

No, I just had a small part as one of the people in the temple looking to Jesus for healing. Our Herod kicked ass. His scene was hysterical. Our Judas had a good voice, but never did get the lyrics to "Heaven On Their Minds" right. Annas was played by a woman (she'd hurt me if I called her a girl), she is, in fact, the girlfriend of the guy who played Jesus. Must have been difficult having to condemn him to death every night.
Hell, I can get the lyrics to that right. But, then, I've listened to it an abnormal amount of times. At the record store I used to work at we'd play it all day long on Easter. Then there where the spontanious viewing parties that would happen now and then. Playing Judas is cool mostly becuase of Heaven on Their Minds...

About two weeks ago, my high school finished its production of Urinetown, a truly excellent musical. I doubt any of you have ever heard of it (it came out on Broadway only about 3 years ago), but it's quite funny at times, yet more moving than most other musicals I've seen at other times. This is largely due to the songs, which are top-notch and cover a wide variety of styles/genres (The Act I finale song is incredible and probably my favorite song from any musical).

But anyway, I was a techie - I helped build the sets and moved around the pieces during the shows. It was a lot of fun, but difficult (the sets were quite big and complex, and there were some really technically demanding scene changes!)

As for other stuff - there was a small production of Much Ado About Nothing earlier this year in which I wasn't involved, and pretty soon there're going to be auditions for short student-written plays, to be performed all together in May (I think I'll try out).
I think Urinetown started out here in the Bay Area (I'm not technically in the bay area, but more or less...)

It does not take 14 and a half hours to do lighting. At most, it takes four hours to do the basic lighting diagrams, and then four more hours to do it with the actors.

We're doing Beauty and the Beast, btw.

Depends entirely on the production and the facility. If you have two hundred lights to hang and focus, it takes more time than if you only have twenty, or if the ones you have don't get moved.



To answer the thread... I did do all the musicals and plays in school, in various roles (I actually WROTE and starred in the second grade Christmas play "Christmas in Many Lands", which was a big hit). I have continued to work in theatre and am a professional stage manager, and have been for many years.

Last year, I wrote (and sort of accidentally ended up performing in, when the kid playing the narrator was expelled at the last minute) a play for a middle school at which my brother was teaching. It was a rather bizarre experience, but the kids were great, and the parents had big time fun, so it was all good.

So at 39, I was the star of the middle school play.

That has to be the funnest instrument to play in that, specially in What's the Buzz.
Damn right. :D The bass improvs carry the whole show except for a few numbers. I hacked my way through it.

In my school's play we had a black Jesus and a white Judas to break the mold.

It does not take 14 and a half hours to do lighting. At most, it takes four hours to do the basic lighting diagrams, and then four more hours to do it with the actors.

We're doing Beauty and the Beast, btw.
In professional theater they do these things called "10 out of 12" where for two to three days your there all day adjusting all the cues, including lighting. Since in those situations I've been doing media, which can't be changed on the spot (with some programs it can, but still) and has a fraction of the cues that everything else has it is MIND NUMBING...

Damn right. :D The bass improvs carry the whole show except for a few numbers. I hacked my way through it.

In my school's play we had a black Jesus and a white Judas to break the mold.
Quality

I've heard of it (it's a name to remember), but I don't know any of the story...

It's set in a future NYC (I think) in which there has been a long drought, and as a result, a monopolizing company has private toilets banned and charges everyone to use the public bathrooms. One of this company's employees (a somewhat idealistic, naive one) realizes that something must be done, and starts a revolution among the poor to overthrow the company's oppression and legalize free peeing again.

That's probably enough without giving away the ending.

It's set in a future NYC (I think) in which there has been a long drought, and as a result, a monopolizing company has private toilets banned and charges everyone to use the public bathrooms. One of this company's employees (a somewhat idealistic, naive one) realizes that something must be done, and starts a revolution among the poor to overthrow the company's oppression and legalize free peeing again.

That's probably enough without giving away the ending.

That sounds like it could actually make a good musical.

I love musicals! Acting in them, that is. At school, I've done Fiddler on the Roof Jr, Bye Bye Birdie, and Cinderella. I've also done Seussical as part of a summer theatre group.
This summer, my group is probably doing Fiddler on the Roof, which is exciting, because I've done a version of it before, so I know it quite well. I'm hoping to get the role of Hodel. I can't hope too much though, because my director never casts me in good roles. In Cinderella, I played "grandmother." The director even admits that I'm one of (if not the one) best singer in the musical, but every week he has a different excuse for not giving me the lead. I'm a classical singer with an impressive Soprano range, but I haven't got the huge, confident broadway voice and personality he's looking for. So it'll probably be another lame chorus role for me. Someday, someone will understand me talents and cast me. And the chorus isn't so bad. I just feel a bit underappreciated.

Yes in short. Given that we pre-dominantly, as a school, not deparmentally, perform musicals, and I cannot sing in the slightest, I am, and have been for three years, stage crew manager. This allows me to inventory sets, make sets, arrange the lighting and sound with the respective crews, and perform stage hand duties on performance nights. I absolutely love it.

I did a few at school... the only one I can really remember is Copacabana where I played flute and guitar. I used to love doing the music (and I hated the actors because they were all up themselves :p)

I've always always wanted to be in Grease, Rocky Horror, Chicago, Saturday Night Fever and Jesus Christ Superstar. Unfortunately none of those ever happened at school (Grease kept almost happening but something about money stopped it. And RHPS almost happened at uni...but again, cash problems:()