Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more. $26.99 , $20.24 (25% off) 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. . If youve ever read Nol Cowards play Blithe Spirit, you already know the plot of High Spirits its the musical version of the play. Top image courtesy of Steven Pisano under CC BY 2.0 | In the Heights, directed by Sonya Baehr at Poly Prep Country Day School. Manage Settings You can perform it in a theater of any size, but it works particularly well in an intimate black-box setting. To help with this weve compiled a list of musicals that give you the flexibility to explore all aspects of female power, unity and musical prowess! At school, she's an outcast who's bullied by the popular crowd, and virtually invisible to everyone else. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Ms. Six is a modern retelling of the lives of Divorced. The romantic and comic exploits of Dolly Gallagher-Levi, turn-of-the-century matchmaker and "woman who arranges things," are certain to thrill and entertain audiences again and again. When Roxie and Velma close out the show with their duet Nowadays, youll wonder if musical theatre ever gets any better. Celebrate the women of musical theatre with some Free Reads. This musical captures a snapshot-sharp portrait of the lives, loves, disappointments, and dreams of these young women growing up during the turbulent sixties and seventies and reconnecting in the late 1980s. The familiar characters are just the right amount of outrageous and the costuming requirements are surprisingly flexible. They were also fierce competitors whose 50-year tug-of-war would give birth to an industry. 311. Jerrys Girls by Jerry Herman (US/UK)(Revue / 3f, Expandable)This Broadway hit features three women sharing the stage as they sing all the best songs from immortal musicals like Mame, Hello Dolly!, Milk and Honey, Mack and Mabel, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine and La Cage Aux Folles. Its essential. Mame by Jerome Lawrence, Robert E. Lee & Jerry Herman (US/UK)(Comedy / 6f, 6m +Ensemble)Mame Dennis and Vera Charles are quintessential frenemies. Fun and irreverent, this is an excellent musical for high schools with largely female performers. As youre choosing a high school musical, some factors to consider include: High schools can do any Broadway musicals that offer licensing rights. Smile by Howard Ashman & Marvin Hamlisch (US/UK) (Comedy / 10f, 6m, 2 boys) . believe. Fortunately, theres a whole world of small cast musicals to choose from! Divorced. Many groups also find themselves casting a girl to play the Mayor's son JOJO, due to the "voice change" of many high school boys. Locked away by her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella is forbidden from going to the ball. It's very cool and different. Audiences wont think twice about buying tickets because they already know theyll love the show! Due to their limited budget, the sisters wind up sharing a less-than ideal basement apartment in Greenwich Village. You wont miss the R-rated elements; the revised version has excellent music, plenty of meaty characters to go around, and some high-school-appropriate life lessons about bullying and inclusivity. The biggest challenge is Audrey II, the bloodthirsty plant. New York, NY 10107-0102, I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road, Love, Linda (The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter), Rodgers & Hammersteins A Grand Night for Singing, Some Enchanted Evening - The Songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Original), Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella (Broadway Version). Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Music:Andrew Lloyd WebberLyrics:Don Black, Richard Maltby Jr. Music:Andrew Lloyd WebberLyrics:Don Black, The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns, Musical Type:Contemporary/Jukebox (2016), Music/Lyrics:David Kirshenbaum Book:Jack Heifner. Watch videos and learn about plot, characters, context, songs. This brassy, tuneful, hilarious and touching adaptation of Patrick Dennis's bestseller Auntie Mame features two of musical theatres most colorful characters. Evita is based on the historical story of Mara Eva Duarte de Pern, a poor Argentinian girl who. All-Female Casts See All. 42nd Street by Harry Warren, Al Dubin, Michael Stewart & Mark Bramble (US/UK)(Comedy / 7f, 6m +Ensemble) In the ultimate show-biz musical, leading lady Dorothy Brock literally shares the spotlight when she allows youngster Peggy Sawyer to take her role in a glitzy Broadway hit called Pretty Lady. Interestingly, the music was written by Mary Rodgers, the daughter of the famous Richard Rodgers. Rodgers + Hammersteins Cinderella (Broadway Version) by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II & Douglas Carter Beane (US/UK)(Comedy / 5f, 4m +Ensemble)Can the worlds most famous fairy tale, featuring five women (as protagonist, primary supporting role, and all three villains) capture our hearts and our funny bones? 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 flinty boss. All the nuns you love, plus Father Virgil and four students, take the stage to celebrate the season with warmth and hilarity. Small cast | Music Theatre International So heres a full list of musicals for small casts. 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. I'm going to the licensing companies' websites but am still going to post a request for suggestions here on BWW, of course. Next to Normal is the story of Diana Goodman and her family. Music:David ShireLyrics:Richard Maltby, Jr. Musical Type:Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1976), Musical Type:Pre-Contemporary/Contemporary (1990/2001), Music/Lyrics:David Kirshenbaum Book:Jack Heifner, Music:Howard MarrenLyrics:Susan BirkenheadBook:Jeffrey Sweet, Music/Lyrics:VariousConcept:Sheldon Epps, Musical Type:Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1980), Music/Lyrics/Book:Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Musical Type:Contemporary/Song Cycle (2005), Music/Lyrics:VariousBook:Dick Scanlan, Sherie Rene Scott, Musical Type:Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1989), Music/Lyrics:Nick BlaemireBook:James Gardiner, Music/Lyrics/Book:Michael RobertsConcept:Eric Krebs, Music:Jimmy RobertsLyrics/Book:Joe DiPietro, Music:Jerome KernLyrics:VariousBook:Dick Vosburgh, Musical Type:Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1986), Music/Lyrics:Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer, Alan Stevens HewittMusic/Lyrics/Book:Tim Maner, Music/Lyrics:Juliana NashLyrics/Book:Julia Jordan, Music:Joshua Salzman Lyrics/Book: Ryan Cunningham, Music/Lyrics:Jeff BowenBook:Hunter Bell, Susan Blackwell, Music/Lyrics: Douglas Lyons Music: Greg BorowskyBook: Melvin Tunstall III, Music:Keith HerrmannLyrics/Book:Barry Harman, Music/Lyrics:Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, Mary Rodgers, Richard Rodgers, Jule Styne, Musical Type:Pre-Contemporary/Song Cycle (1995), Musical Type:Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1987), Music:Steven M. AlperLyrics:Sarah KnappBook:Mark Harelik, Music:John KanderLyrics/Book:Greg Pierce, Music/Lyrics/Book:Kait Kerrigan, Bree Lowdermilk, Musical Type:Pre-Contemporary/Jukebox (1999), The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns, Musical Type:Contemporary/Jukebox (2013), Musical Type:Contemporary/Jukebox (2016), Music/Book:Eric RockwellLyrics/Book:Joanne Bogart, Music/Lyrics:Tom LehrerAdaptation:Cameron Mackintosh, Robin Ray, Music:Richard RodgersLyrics:Oscar Hammerstein IIConcept:Walter Bobbie, Musical Type:Pre-Contemporary/Revue (1993), Music:Joshua SchmidtLyrics:Jan Levy TranenBook:Austin Pendleton, Music/Lyrics/Book:Robert J. Sherman Music/Lyrics: Al Sherman, Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, Music:Robert RealeLyrics/Book:Willie Reale. The best part? High schools cant do Dear Evan Hansen because the musical is not yet available for licensing. These five archetypal film characters prove their mettle while singing over 30 vintage wartime classics. Cast: 7 female, 3 maleLicensing: Concord Theatricals. Thats where youll find musicals sorted by composer, theme, setting, and more! After all, when you only have two or five people onstage, theres nowhere to hide. Next to Normal. The tale of Danny, Sandy, and friends is fun and frothy, with a surprisingly deep undercurrent. The students are in the thick of it they have a unique and visceral understanding of the characters problems and intense emotions. The dancing might be a stumbling block, but as long as your actors can master a basic box step, youre golden. And if you like these types of lists, check out themusical database. Find and Buy All Female Plays | Stageplays.com Ever since The Wizard of Oz movie came out in 1939, this adorable musical has been an American classic. Should You Put Music on an iPad for a Musical Theater Audition? 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. | Image: First Date (Joan Marcus), Concord Theatricals 9. The first time you heard the audience applaud or laugh and thought, Oh, Im home? I believe it calls for a 9 person cast. If youre searching for a family-friendly, G-rated musical for your high school, Anne of Green Gables fits the bill. Set all across America in the 1920s and 30s, when vaudeville was dying and burlesque was born, Arthur Laurents' landmark show explores the world of two-bit show business with brass, humour, heart, and sophistication. Beheaded. Six is a modern retelling of the lives of Charles Schulzs beloved comic comes to life in Clark Gesners classic musical, Youre a Good Man, Anas Mitchell breathes fresh, new life into classic mythology with her folk musical Hadestown. Evita is based on the historical story of Mara Eva Duarte de Pern, a poor Argentinian girl who Falsettos is the story of a large, eccentric, and dysfunctional -- but loving -- Jewish family in Hedwig and the Angry Inch tells the tale of how a slip of a girlyboy from communist East Berlin, An American in Paris is a story of finding love, happiness, and a new lease on life. Not sure if I missed it, but how did you come up with the BAD and GOOD lists? Plays and Musicals with All-Female Casts from Pioneer Drama Service In this crowd-pleasing, large-cast musical, two strong women quite literally share the leading role. Chances are, youve never seen a production of I Love You, Youre Perfect, Now Change. And, if you cast a beloved teacher or coach as the Trunchbull, youre sure to draw a crowd. 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. Apr 13 Top 10 Smaller Musicals for Community Theaters Its a spectacular opportunity to show off your best singers and actors each daughter gets her own song. The following list is broken down into a few categories Musicals With a Female Lead, Musicals with Multiple Female Leads, and All-Female Musicals. Falsettos can be summed up in a line thats sung by the lone child in the cast: My fathers a homo; my mothers not thrilled at all. I love how the Leonide is constantly making things up, which I think is always fun for an audience (like NOISES OFF). Make sure you have a few talented singers in mind; the character of Olive Ostrovsky, in particular, has some demanding vocal lines. 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. Well always be bosom buddies, they sing in one of the greatest duets ever written for two women. Musicals with SMALL Casts (Message Board) - BroadwayWorld And when you need to sell tickets, its sure to be a hit. Featuring an original folk-pop score by Shaina Taub, this 90-minute musical features a dynamic female lead in Rosalind, guided by a female narrator, Jaques, who takes a compelling journey of her own. Here are five of our favorites: 1. Great Musicals That Have Slipped Through the Cracks - LiveAbout Check out the handy explanation at MTI. Can be expanded, but 4 works great. 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. She has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theatre, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters. As you might guess, the dance requirements are significant; its a fun opportunity to get your high schools cheerleading team involved. Watch the entire show on YouTube. The story unravels in a series of vignettes, each showing the perspective of a different type of worker. But when spunky transfer student Lysistrata Jones dares the squads fed-up girlfriends to stop giving it up to their boyfriends until they win a game, the team's legendary losing streak could finally come to an end. Spring Branch ISD field trip to play canceled due to 'age Michael Kooman, Christopher Dimond. Die-hard theater nerds have always been obsessed with Sondheims masterpiece, Into the Woods. Grease is one of the top high school musicals of all time. 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. The show has a bit of a West Side Story vibe its a coming-of-age story brimming with racial tension. The following list is broken down into a few categories - "Musicals With a Female Lead", "Musicals with Multiple Female Leads", and "All-Female Musicals". The rousing, sure-fire finale hits the mark every time in a testament to the power of female ingenuity. Beheaded. The story culminates with the victory of the Suffragettes and the disintegration of the Pankhurst family. With a tunefully evocative score by David Kirshenbaum (Summer of 42), the show captures a snapshot-sharp portrait of the lives, loves, disappointments and dreams of these young women growing up during the turbulent sixties and reconnecting in the late eighties. Block is available to watch at DailyMotion. Cy Coleman's celebrated jazz and pop-inflected score concludes with Sonja and Queen singing a powerful two-woman duet called My Friend.. Brilliant innovators with humble roots, both were masters of self-invention who sacrificed everything to become the countrys first major female entrepreneurs. 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 . It takes place in the south in 1795, but theres nothing overly historical about it the fun lies in mistaken identities, bumbling criminals, and even a wicked stepmother. This isnt your typical love story the woman, Cathy, tells the story from the end of the relationship, while Jamie, the man, tells it from the beginning. 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. We also have had many producers, directors, and educators who said they'd love to see showsbig, medium, smallfor mostly female casts. Dancing, singing, and ABBA whats not to love? Trans and nonbinary students have long had a place at women's - CNN 60-minute play scripts with all females about survivors of sexual abuse. Some shows, including Lucky Stiff and Weird Romance, are small cast musicals that provide a fun challenge for your most dedicated and passionate students between big productions. Has there ever been a better pairing of two triple-threat performers? We recommend that you watch high school drama teachers Marji Eldreths series on TikTok; she gives a little summary of each show, and her enthusiasm is contagious. If you have a bunch of theater kids who keep up with the latest Broadway shows, the Golden Age classics will only get you so far. Died. Side Show (2014 Broadway Revival) by Henry Krieger and Bill Russell (US/UK)(Full Length Musical, Drama /7f, 14m)Based on the true story of conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton, who became stars during the Depression,Side Showis a moving portrait of two women joined at the hip whose extraordinary bondage brings them fame but denies them love. . (Were hoping more musicals follow suit!). Review: BroadwaySF's 'Pretty Woman' is the musical no one asked for Plus, Millennial parents will get a kick out of seeing this classic high school story brought to the stage. Gift Guides (see video above). Putting on a musical requires many resources money, space, time, and of course available actors. Book, music, and lyrics: Jason Robert Brown. I Love You, Youre Perfect, Now Change is a GREAT small cast show, featuring 4 performers ( 2 M, 2 W). Nuncrackers by Dan Goggin (US/UK)(Comedy / 5f, 1m, 2 girls, 2 boys)The Little Sisters of Hoboken are here to make your holiday season merry and bright! To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images. Though it does reference adult activity (drinking, dot, dot, dot), Mamma Mia! The Light in the Piazza by Craig Lucas & Adam Guettel (US/UK)(Drama / 4f, 4m +Ensemble)Victoria Clark and Kelli OHara originated the leading roles in this tender yet powerful portrait of a mother and daughter vacationing in Italy. Its a true spectacle: big ensemble numbers, a soaring score, and even a little bit of dap dancing. is a classic high school musical and with 17 roles, its the perfect option for a large cast. Heres the first video in the series: What will Cabs musical be next year????? This jewel of Broadway's Golden Age features two of the greatest roles in musical theatre: the title character and her mother. Feel free to share in the comments! Once Upon a Mattress offers a comical, quirky take on the fairy tale musical. And once you do, you're likely to become a superfan! 2. 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. To learn more about these and other great shows for women, visit Concord Theatricals in the US or UK. Alternatively, its a fun way to bring in a choir and gym teacher. Small-Cast Comedies | Playscripts, Inc. Small Cast Musicals Guides for musicals with fewer than 8 characters. Four companies handle the majority of musical theater licensing: Another licensing company, Tams-Witmark, was acquired by Concord Theatricals in 2018. "Life is what you do while you're waiting to die" - Zorba, "Somethin's comin', I don't know what it is but it is gonna be great!". The Taming Lauren Gunderson . 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. Heres another all-female musical thats fun for high school. Feel free to share in the comments below! With the right actors and singers, you can put on an intimate musical that draws the audience in and wraps them in the story. Small cast musicals are also a great option for COVID-era streaming productions or experimental college theater. By saving money on licensing, costumes, and/or sets, you can give your kids a memorable musical theater experience without dealing with endless fundraisers! If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Are you looking for an easy musical that doesnt look easy? The trouble is, many musicals (especially from the Golden Age) have multiple male leads and one lone female principal role. Nick Hern Books. Is. See ourdisclosure for more info. Music:Michael RupertLyrics/Book:Jerry Colker. These musicals all have one thing in common at least one element makes your life easier. But Carrie's just discovered she's got a special power, and if pushed too far, she's not afraid to use it.