Quirky and eccentric, each one adds depth and dimension to your theater program. Many schools offer a tiny (or nonexistent) budget for the drama department. It has everything: a big cast, cute kids, beloved music, and just enough darkness to keep things interesting. I Love You, Youre Perfect, Now Change is a GREAT small cast show, featuring 4 performers ( 2 M, 2 W). If youre looking for an interesting, slightly offbeat high school musical, The Apple Tree fits the bill. With a tuneful, groovy, mid-1960s score by Cy Coleman, sparkling lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and a hilarious book by Neil Simon,Sweet Charitycaptures all the energy, humour, and heartbreak of Life in the Big City for an unfortunate but irrepressible optimist. This jukebox musical is fun and unexpected, featuring music from Katy Perry, The Supremes, and more. And, if you cast a beloved teacher or coach as the Trunchbull, youre sure to draw a crowd. All of the below musicals have six roles or less, and are listed from the smallest cast size to the largest. 60-minute play scripts with all females about survivors of sexual abuse. Picking musicals for high school is a huge responsibility in addition to finding a show thats appropriate for your students, you need to consider parents, school leadership, the school board, and the community at large. Miss Littlewood by Sam Kenyon (UK)(Full Length Musical / 9f, 3m)Joan Littlewood was the anarchic revolutionary of 20th century theatre. My heart skipped a little when I read your shout out! Please note:This post contains affiliate links. Watch videos and learn about plot, characters, context, songs. Each of these shows is virtually guaranteed to draw a huge audience, so you can pack the house with excited friends, family members, and people from the community. The rousing, sure-fire finale hits the mark every time in a testament to the power of female ingenuity. Double Trouble (A Musical Tour de Farce) Christabel dedicated her life to the cause and let nothing, not even the pursuit of love and happiness, stand in the way of womens emancipation. 35. Stagingis simple, and you dont need much in the way of a set, making this a great show for a black-box theater or another intimate setting. Due to their limited budget, the sisters wind up sharing a less-than ideal basement apartment in Greenwich Village. This is a musical everyone can get behind students will love the chance to bring the iconic literary characters to life, and parents will happily buy tickets for the whole family. A fairy godmother soon appears, bestowing her with a gown, footmen and a pumpkin carriage, but the magic disappears at midnight! Marie Christine by Michael John LaChiusa (US/UK)(Full Length Musical, Drama / 10f, 6m, 2boy(s)Set in the twilight years of the 19th century,Marie Christinechronicles its doomed heroine's journey from her genteel life of privilege in New Orleans Creole society through betrayal and incomprehensible vengeance in boisterous Chicago. Dangerous Daughters by Annemarie Lewis Thomas and Nick Stimson (US/UK)(Full Length Musical, Drama / 11f, 3m)The Pankhursts were a family divided, a family often at war. New to musical theater licensing? Beheaded. Plus, the cast has a large number of roles, so you can show off more of your talented performers. So heres a full list of musicals for small casts. And as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We love that two of the principal roles in A Bronx Tale are high schoolers; it lends an extra level of realism to the musical. Students resonate with the show because it doesnt make light of the very real problems they face and the potentially lifelong consequences of their decisions. With its period costumes and modern music (the orchestration will be a fun challenge for your high school pit ensemble), Little Women is a great opportunity for everyone involved. A small cast can create a great big show! Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more. But as the girls' dreams and desires challenge their mother's harsh rules, the outside world begins to permeate their isolated existence. Most of the libretto is on the CD. No one could argue seriously any more for the narrative of the Julia Roberts-Richard Gere rom-com, where a rich guy pays for a prostitute to be his hassle-free arm candy and sex handmaid for a week so different from the rich women he knows, with all their human needs . Oliver! Musicals with big ensembles especially those with a variety of featured roles, like Bye Bye Birdie help you foster the talent of all your singers and actors. You might recognize the song Single Man Drought it makes for a hilarious scene that will resonate with anyone whos ever dealt with a dating dry spell. Theatre Degree Programs. Cy Coleman's celebrated jazz and pop-inflected score concludes with Sonja and Queen singing a powerful two-woman duet called My Friend.. Others, like Working, are easy to direct. The story follows five friends who are writing a musical. Woman of the Year by Peter Stone, Fred Ebb & John Kander (US)(Comedy / 6f, 11m +Ensemble)Though most of the musical is carried by a strong female lead, Woman of the Year features one of the all-time great female duets: The Grass Is Always Greener, a hilarious competition song between high-powered newswoman Tess Harding and her earthy homemaker friend, Jan. But Carrie's just discovered she's got a special power, and if pushed too far, she's not afraid to use it. Theatre Trip participates in affiliate programs. Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespians Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. The musical, which has an all-female cast, is based on the play The House of Bernarda Alba. Costumes are easy to put together with thrift-store finds or volunteers who can sew, and you can get away with very minimal sets. Next to Normal. Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespians Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. Produced by Sydney Harper and Eric Krupke. The script is based on Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice. Thats where youll find musicals sorted by composer, theme, setting, and more! Plus, Millennial parents will get a kick out of seeing this classic high school story brought to the stage. Roxie & Velma Mame and Vera Effie, Deena and Lorrell when two or more great female leads share the stage, theatre magic happens! Fun Home by Jeanine Tesori & Lisa Kron (US/UK)(Drama / 4f, 2m, 1 girl, 2 boys)Not two, but three actresses share center stage in this honest and heartbreaking portrait of a lesbian graphic novelist and her complicated relationship with her father. Read expert guides about theatre shows including musicals, plays and operas. Five Great Musicals with Small Casts - StageAgent Theatre Blog If you're looking for a show fit for a small cast, this collection has it all from classic dramas to family-friendly comedies. Carrie: The Musical. You can do the show with as few as six performers or expand the cast to accommodate the number of kids who come out for auditions. The 2014 movie starring Meryl Streep brought everyone else into the fold now this show is guaranteed to draw a crowd. Chances are, youve never seen a production of I Love You, Youre Perfect, Now Change. I love how the Leonide is constantly making things up, which I think is always fun for an audience (like NOISES OFF). In this case you have, Gertrude, Mayzie, Sour Kanagaroo, Mayor's Wife, Bird Girls, and the Marshall. Next to Normal is the story of Diana Goodman and her family. When a group of senior citizens resorts to shoplifting to save their retirement home from the wrecking ball, hilarity ensues. The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall gives everyone a chance to get onstage it has a whopping 18 roles for women. But misfit Veronica Sawyer rejects their evil regime for a new boyfriend, the dark and sexy stranger J.D., who plans to put the Heathers in their place six feet under. If youre facing a casting challenge, these musicals all have female leads. Gypsy by Arthur Laurents, Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim and Gypsy Rose Lee (US/UK)(Full Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 6f, 2m)Gypsyis the ultimate tale of an ambitious stage mother fighting for her daughters' success - while secretly yearning for her own. Review: BroadwaySF's 'Pretty Woman' is the musical no one asked for All the nuns you love, plus Father Virgil and four students, take the stage to celebrate the season with warmth and hilarity. Legally, high schools can perform any musical thats available for licensing. Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical JR. . This gripping tale of one headstrong and passionate young woman's all-consuming love for an ambitious sea captain provides a tour-de-force for its leading lady. With this combustible combination, Nunsense cant help but rise to the heavens! Theres something special about doing a musical set in a high school with actors who are still in high school. Authors: Book by Joe Tracz.Music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki. Small cast | Music Theatre International The Little Sisters of Hoboken include: the feisty and stagestruck Mother Superior, competitive and highly competent Mary Hubert, streetwise Brooklynite Robert Anne, ditzy and sweet Mary Amnesia, and aspiring ballerina Mary Leo. The Pirates of Penzance is one of the best low-budget musicals you can do with a high school group for one big reason: its in the public domain, so you dont need to pay licensing fees! It's basically a Jerry Herman revue that can be interpreted in anyway possible. With its small cast and comical script, this is a great musical for a smaller high school theater departmentand you only need one male actor! Cast size, 8. Cast each one separately to include more performers, or use the same cast to stretch your actors abilities. Next to Normal is the story of Diana Goodman and her family. Small cast musicals are also a great option for COVID-era streaming productions or experimental college theater. Brilliant innovators with humble roots, both were masters of self-invention who sacrificed everything to become the countrys first major female entrepreneurs. We also have had many producers, directors, and educators who said they'd love to see showsbig, medium, smallfor mostly female casts. Not sure if I missed it, but how did you come up with the BAD and GOOD lists? Trans and nonbinary students have long had a place at women's - CNN With spirit, humour, class and wit,Mamecontinues to thrill audiences around the globe. Classic MusicalsMoneymakersShowcase Your Finest PerformerGreat Vocal DemandsFeature ChoreographyLittle ChoreographyPredominantly Female CastsPredominantly Male CastsFor Schools and Youth GroupsFor Advanced Youth Groups and Senior SchoolsMusicals with Parts for Middle-Aged PerformersShows That Don't Depend on Young CastsMusicals That Rely . Four companies handle the majority of musical theater licensing: Another licensing company, Tams-Witmark, was acquired by Concord Theatricals in 2018. SHOW Falsettos. Little Women the Musical (6 females and 4 males) Set in the Bronx in 1960, A Bronx Tale tells the story of a young boy with mob-boss ambitions and a father whos fighting to keep his son away from organized crime. Need more ideas for choosing a high school musical? Explore the big blue world with this lively new stage musical based on the beloved Pixar film! political all-female cast play. The biggest challenge is Audrey II, the bloodthirsty plant. The 1970s are alive and well in this comedy jukebox musical, which pokes fun at classic disaster movies. Its a tale as old as time: a widower marries again, only to be tormented by the ghost of his first wife. Resources Small-Cast Comedies | Playscripts, Inc. Just as Anna Antonelli's roller rink is about to be demolished, her estranged daughter returns, sparking painful memories and reawakening unresolved conflict. Sometimes, you just need a surefire hit for your theater program and thats when its time to choose from the most popular high school musicals. Actually, LUCKY STIFF is exactly ten people. Top image courtesy of Otterbein University Theatre & Dance under CC BY-SA 2.0. New Broadway musicals usually arent available for licensing while the show is running on Broadway or touring the country. Displaying guides for 2,350 theatre shows including musicals, plays, operettas and operas. Set in a small Wisconsin town, the show features a gorgeous, soulful score and several strong roles for women, including an emotionally contained parolee and her . | Image: First Date . Theres an option to add an all-genders ensemble. Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists. Mrs Beeton Says by Eamonn O'Dwyer and Helen Watts (UK)(Full Length Musical / 5f, 3m)Isabella Beeton was only 23 years old when she penned these words in "Mrs Beetons Book of Household Management", first published in 1861. Trying to find show with mostly females for high school 6th Floor And lets not forget nuns! Eight short plays, commissioned and developed as part of the Women Centre Stage Festival, that together demonstrate the range, depth and richness of women's writing for the stage Selected by Sue Parrish, Ar. With Nina Feldman and . Koko Da Doll, Star of Film on Transgender Sex Workers, Is Killed in BY JEEVES (cast of 10) A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD (5) A DAY IN HOLLYWOOD, A NIGHT IN THE UKRAINE (cast of 8 ) THE RINK (9) FALSETTOS (7) ROMANCE ROMANCE (4) OLYMPUS ON MY MIND (9) 70 GIRLS 70 . Scaled-down musicals have big benefits. (See above: Cynthia Erivo giving a masterclass in the power of simplicity and raw emotion) Jamie and Cathy are often onstage alone, existing in the same moment only once during the musical. Top image courtesy of Steven Pisano under CC BY 2.0 | In the Heights, directed by Sonya Baehr at Poly Prep Country Day School. Showtime! 9 Perfect Musicals for the Middle School Set