Theatrical day one, so to speak. Youre A Good Man, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz, Clark Gesner and Andrew Lippa(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 2f, 4m)Happiness is great musical theatre! Both grittily naturalistic and ethereally dream-like, this one punches the audience in the gut time and again simply because it allows us to witness his heartbreaking final downfall while also allowing us to go inside his mind to seemingly feel his deep-seated pain. Can one achieve it while also remaining true to one's heritage? This is the story of the Puffs who just happened to be there too. Before walking into a production or picking up a copy of the script, we all know that King Oedipus has killed his father, married his mother, etc. We love that the music is so singable your audiences will definitely walk out humming Seventy-Six Trombones and Marian the Librarian. If you can cast it, Mamma Mia! /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. They say theyre from a traveling bazaar of magic and someone has kidnapped their impresario, Madame Vera. "Attention must be paid." In turn-of-the-century Yonkers and New York City, an irrepressible matchmaker finds love for a host of colorful characters, including herself. is one of the best musicals for community theater. It's not just this factor that puts Raisin on this list. Digressions include fever dreams and trips to the heavens. So homespun. Hedda doesn't strike quite the same feminist blow as another of Ibsen's plays (A Doll's House, where the Nora just leaves), but that's why Hedda is here. When he takes her home, she is murdered. His lawyer, Ken, and wife, Chris, must get "the story" straight before the other guests arrive. Virginia Beach, VA 23464 A new era in playwriting dawned with the debut of this play in 1948. Puffs is not authorized, sanctioned, licensed or endorsed by J.K Rowling, Warner Bros. or any person or company associated with the Harry Potter books, films or play. Wedding Belles by Alan Bailey, Ronnie Claire EdwardsFour garden-club ladies meet a young girl who has come to their little Texas town to marry an infantryman before he ships off for World War II. The community theater group was offered this lease from Lyceum at Lee owner Ruth Berry, whose . is one of the best musicals for community theater. As proprietor Barbara Jean shares her customers funny, heartbreaking humanity, the wacky local DJ breaks in with news, commercials and slew of quirky, unforgettable toe-tapping songs. Why Vanya and not The Seagull or Cherry Orchard or Three Sisters, you may ask? With simple scenic requirements and memorable characters, Four Weddings and an Elvis is a comedic treat certain to please audiences! High school and older. It goes downhill from there as she starts using again and all three guys hit the bottle. It's a simple premise that Pinter turns into a debatable conundrum as he makes action and dialogue concurrently realistic and opaque, both ordinary and menacing. Tin Cat Shoes by Trish Harnetiaux(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 5 any gender)A madcap odyssey through a wilderness of corporate bureaucracy and crippling human dependencies. Afraid that people will think them frivolous, they've secretly arranged for a representative from Revlon to come and give them a talk on beauty tips. Why Choose Chicago for a Community Theater Musical? New Black Fests Hands Up: 7 Playwrights, 7 Testaments by Idris Goodwin, Nambi E. Kelley, Nathan James, Nathan Yungerberg, Eric Micha Holmes, Nsangou Njikam, Dennis A. Allen II(Collection / Anthology, Drama / 1f, 6m)In light of the police shootings of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and John Crawford III in Beavercreek, Ohio, among others, The New Black Fest commissioned seven emerging Black playwrights to write 10-15 minute monologues that explore their feelings about the well-being of Black in a culture of institutional profiling. Athena by Gracie Gardner(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 3f)Mary Wallace and Athena are brave young fencers training for the Junior Olympics. Updated 4th October, 2022. Indeed. Ken Ludwigs Moon Over Buffalo by Ken Ludwig(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 4f, 4m)Charlotte and George Hay are on tour in Buffalo in 1953 with a repertory consisting of Cyrano de Bergerac (the "revised, one nostril version") and Noel Coward's Private Lives, when they receive word that they might just have one last shot at stardom: Frank Capra is coming to town to see their matinee. Though appearing to be forthright in her story Naomi clearly is hiding a devastating secret. Martin Vanderhof or Grandpa, as he is more commonly known is the paterfamilias of a large and extended family of charming eccentrics. A Taste of Things to Come by Debra Barsha and Hollye Levin(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 4f)This laugh-out-loud, fabulously fun musical romp celebrates the friendships of four very different women from middle America, with Act 1 taking place in 1957 and Act 2 in 1967. The beloved score insludes "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "The Boy Next Door" and "The Trolley Song.". Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson are chatting in the parlor at 221B Baker Street when a strangely attired group of individuals enter, pleading for help. A popular movie-lovers tradition is taking place in Chester County on Friday night. Thus, it's a piece that has remained timely and delightful through the centuries. Put on a killer performance, and you might see more talented singers at your next musical theater audition. Part of the reason for this is the fact that it is indeed unfinished and hence sketchy. Orton tackles everything from sexual and gender politics to governmental ineptitude in this iconoclastic play from the late 1960s that seems particularly apt for revival right now. Four Old Broads by Leslie Kimbell(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 6f, 1m)In this riotous comedy, the residents at Magnolia Place Assisted Living - including retired burlesque queen Beatrice, her religious best friend Eaddy Mae, TV fan Maude, forgetful Imogene and retired Elvis impersonator Sam Smith - conspire to solve a mystery and get themselves on the Sassy Seniors Cruise through the Caribbean. Concord Theatricals has the perfect show for you! When the piece debuted in 1950, no one had never seen anything quite like it. A hip-hop history lesson, a dizzy Dahl musical and a continent-hopping barbershop we pick the finest new works of theatre since 2000. by Michael . Include the following: Your order will be sent upon receipt of the complete Purchase Order from your facilitys Business Department. Good for Community Theater? You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/, The method of delivery: email (downloadable PDF); hard (print) copy, Birth Pangs and Growing Pains: Theater After COVID, Building An Audience: Conversation Starters, The name and number of the item(s) you wish to purchase, A telephone number for the contact person. However, theres no denying that its a crowd pleaser. Rumors by Neil Simon(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5f, 5m)At a large, tastefully-appointed Sneden's Landing townhouse, the Deputy Mayor of New York has just shot himself. Sparks fly when his granddaughter Alice brings Tony, a handsome scion of Wall Street, to meet the clan. This is done by revisiting all the scenes from Hamlet in which Ophelia appears. Hwang astutely saw the story's theatrical possibilities and created a piece that thrillingly explores racial and sexual stereotypes. Terms of Service Privacy Policy. Legacy of a Father is a collection of seven dramatic and comedy one-act plays inspired by real one-on-one, personal interviews conducted by the playwright, Monique Franz. The first act takes place in 1934; the second ten years later during a Halloween bridge party where each acts out her costume's persona. Holiday Inn by Irving Berlin, Gordon Greenberg and Chad Hodge(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 3f, 3m, 1 boy +Ensemble)The beloved film classic comes to the stage in a charming crowd-pleaser featuring one glorious Irving Berlin number after another. Adding Machine: A Musical by Elmer Rice, Joshua Schmidt, Jason Loewith With fixed royalty fees that are the same no matter your ticket price, our plays also make fantastic fundraisers for your community! You tell us what youve got, and well tell you which shows fit the bill. These local productions attract actors of all skill levels and thats part of the fun! The hit musical features audience favorites I Got Rhythm, They Can't Take That Away from Me, Embraceable You and Someone to Watch Over Me.. Little Shop of Horrors is another intermediate-level musical for community theater. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, available at the box office and at . The Honeymoon Show: Dana + Tim = Comedy. 5. It's best served up in an era in which society is itself preying on dirt and innuendo, and for better or worse we're never quite far away from that. If your usual audience tends to prefer older shows, this is an easy way to drag them into the present. A guy brings home his girlfriend to meet the family. If new, original plays tackling "uncomfortable truths" and inspired by "outrage at social injustice" float your boat, hit up Factory Theatre's box office. This one has lots of kids with lots of stage time, so make sure you have enough young performers to choose from. Discover good plays for community theater, play scripts for community drama groups and amateur dramatic groups to perform. To make money off of ticket sales, you often need to choose musicals that audiences recognize. Scroll to the bottom for tips. Her unique gifts coalesced and found a wider audience with this play about two brothers (named Booth and Lincoln) whose existences are irrevocably and tragically intertwined. The Old Ladies by Rodney Ackland(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3f)This play was produced at the Booth Theatre in New York City, under the title Night in the House. Its a classic show with fantastic music, but it has one major challenge for community theaters: most of the main roles are for men. It was a groundbreaker in 1988 and, among other honors, was a finalist for the Pulitzer. What does it mean tosay whichplays are the best? At this friendly little playhouse, the company spends their downtime in the parking lot around an aging hippie/now turned techie's van due to lack of wing space. Together they make a tentative stab at happiness in this tough, tender, funny and poignant musical featuring soulful music and a lyrical text. PREV PAGE 1 OF 39 NEXT RESULTS PER PAGE: SORT: Beauty and the Beast Bed and Breakfast Cast: Flexible cast of 18 (5M, 7F, plus 6 roles that can be any) Of all the plays on this list, this might be the "sturdiest" and probably the most old-fashioned. Tshembe Matoseh, the English-educated son of a chief, has come home to bury his father. Jealousies abound, especially between Lotta and another who was also married to her former husband. This saga about a woman who makes her living from the soldiers fighting on both sides of the Thirty Years War has proven remarkably versatile since its premiere in 1939. 1m, 2f, My First Time by Ken DavenportThis play features four actors in hysterical and heartbreaking stories about first sexual experiences written by real people. The Revlon Girl by Neil Anthony Docking(Full-Length Play, Drama / 5f)Eight months after the Aberfan Disaster of 1966, in which 144 people were killed (116 of them children), a group of bereaved mothers meet weekly above a local hotel to talk, cry and even laugh without guilt. Barbaras Blue Kitchen by Lori Fischer(Full-Length Musical, Comedy /1f, 1m)Set in a small town just outside of Nashville, this slice-of-life comedy is a genuine look into the hearts of everyday people. What does that mean for your theater? What are the best musicals for community theater that youve seen lately? Naomi, reluctant at first, eventually agrees to the interview. Community Theatre | Playscripts, Inc. Community Theatre Favorites From hit comedies like Unnecessary Farce and Is He Dead? Angelas lifelong loss of a father figure is further complicated by her biracial identity and her struggles with an unloving mother. They practice together, they compete against each other, they spend their lives together. Hello, Dolly is another one of those classic musicals thats easy to love. Crocodile Fever Meghan Tyler (2019) Armagh, Northern Ireland, 1989. Here are some suggestions to fit your needs, whether you're looking for a large-cast comedy, a guaranteed audience pleaser, or a fresh new work. 2m, 3f, Four Weddings and an Elvis by Nancy FrickSandy, the four-times-married-three-times-divorced owner of a wedding chapel in Las Vegas, has certainly seen her fair share of matrimonies! One-Act Plays; Free Reads Corner; Musicals; Streaming Rights; Challenging Dramas for Students; Large Cast Plays; Forensics; Plays For Virtual Spaces; Filter; Musicals; Our Imprints. If youre short on male singers (the plight of community theaters everywhere), its no problem. Two teams. A reviewer from Cue Magazine calls Levin's comic suspense play, "two-thirds a thriller and one-third a devilishly clever comedy.". Choosing Menagerie over, say,A Streetcar Named Desire or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof comes down to this: Menagerie is his breakthrough work that introduced his unique brand of theatrical lyricism to the world. Within the script, Angela must come to the terms that fate hadnt been cruel to her at all, that maybe the absence of her father was the heavens working in her favor. And it doesjust not always as planned. The energy and anger of a communityand the playwright himselfmake this play about the earliest days of the AIDS crisis vibrate with passion and intensity even 30 years after its premiere. If your theater group is ready to move beyond the Rodgers and Hammerstein classics, Crazy for You is a fun place to start. Brecht's depiction of how Courage's business tears her three adult children from her has been reset in periods and on continents far away from its original location of Europe, thanks to the story's universal themes about war profiteers and the human cost of warfare. Leaning neither right nor left, The Gun Show jumps into the middle of the gun control debate and asks, Can we have a conversation about this?. Their only hope open a theater! That's the case inTwo on the Aisle, Three in a Van,a comedy where the point of view this time comes from the unsung heroes who call the show, man the spotlights, sew the costumes, count the tickets and suffer through every flubbed line, forgotten prop and missed cue. George Washington's Teeth by Mark St. Germain(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5f)With time running out to renew their lease, the women of the beleaguered New Bunion Historical Society must find creative ways to snare new members and lure visitors to their sleepy New England town. Tensions run high between them, and while the charming tchotchke-filled inn might seem to be the place where frayed nerves could be soothed, it proves to be anything but. Curly carries the show, taking most of the big solos and driving much of the action. This play continues to prove the old adage that somehow, some way, the show must go on. Tumacho by Ethan Lipton(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 3f, 6m)In a small town in the Old West, the mayor cant keep his people from running away or dying at the hands of the local brute. Here are some suggestions to fit your needs, whether youre looking for a large-cast comedy, a guaranteed audience pleaser, or a fresh new work. Lonergan's play about a trio of young people hanging out, squabbling over a coke deal, and looking for some sense of direction in the early years of the Reagan era follows in the footsteps of the British "angry young man" plays. Comedians Dana Smith and Tim Gray from CBC's 'The Debaters' are making their Toronto Fringe Festival debut this July with a 1-hour show . All Quizzes; . Do you want to step away from the usual community theater musicals? Now, at last, the upstanding residents of Milton, Nebraska from the cop and the nurse to the co-captains of the dance team, and even Bobbie himself are ready to tell you their sides of the story. Check out this comedy about waking up from the American Dream. Long live the "angry young man play.". Plays and Musical dramas, Comedies, One-Acts, Duet-Scenes, Monologues and Other Theatre Resource Material for Elementary, Jr High, High School, Community and Other Amateur and Professional Theatres. Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties by Jen Silverman(Full-Length Play, Dark Comedy / 5f)Betty is rich; Betty is lonely; Bettys busy working on her truck; Betty wants to talk about love, but Betty needs to hit something. As their pent-up feelings erupt, so does their city, and they find themselves caught in the middle of the '67 riots. Grand Concourse by Heidi Schreck(Full-Length Play, Drama / 2f, 2m)Having dedicated her life to religious service, Shelley runs a Bronx soup kitchen with unsentimental efficiency. The play might have been originally written as an indictment of members of Louis XIV's court, but this satire has the ability to speak to almost any age. The Aristotelian notion that a tragic hero needs to be noble gets thrown out the window in this play about a man who's heralded as a hero for having killed his father in self-defense only to be reviled by those who had cheered him when it turns out the old man was only wounded. "The World's most popular Comedy" Charley's Aunt was a hugely popular vintage farce It was first performed at the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds in February 1892 and quickly transferred to London's Globe . These 26 innocent deaths, like pebbles thrown into a pond, created ripples and vibrations that were felt far beyond the initial rings. From Greek tragedies andShakespearean comediestoTony Awardwinners and modern experimental theater, this opinionated list by the late theater journalist and critic and Andy Propst covers some truly excellent works (though we're leavingBroadway musicalsfor another day). Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. A tragedy brings them to their senses and a new solarium brings out everyone's good nature. The three men wrestle with their shared past, the bitter irony of Jewish slave-owning and the harsh realities of their new world. It's a drama that works both as a family drama and as profound investigation about the legacy of slavery. Community drama and amateur drama groups often need play scripts for small groups with a broad range of roles for casts of different ages, races and acting abilities.