Choosing the right show for your theatre can be a challenge, let alone selecting shows for an entire season. In these tough economic times, it’s especially important for theatres to maintain the balance between filling seats and taking an artistic leap with new works. Wondering just what it will take to get those seats filled? We here at MTI have come up with a list of shows with a proven success rate - as well as testimonials from customers whose productions have met with standing ovations and rave reviews. DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, THE WEDDING SINGER, THE FULL MONTY, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, THE FANTASTICKS, 13, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, and THE DROWSY CHAPERONE are some of the new and old classics that audiences and critics will love.
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Show: DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
Book: Jeffery Lane
Lyrics: David Yazbek
Music: David Yazbek
Genre: Comedy; pop score
Cast Size: Minimum 20; can be expanded
Dancing Requirement: Musical staging; some dance optional
Set Requirement: While the show was done on Broadway with lavish sets, a simple design suggesting the French Rivera - with well-chosen props to signify a change in location - can be just as effective. In fact, a sparse set can even emphasize the deception and smooth-talking the con artist protagonists use throughout the piece.
Success Stories:
Wade Willis and Leif Norby as the con men in the Broadway Rose Theatre Company's DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
“DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS attracted one of our youngest and most diverse audiences to date,” reveals Alan Anderson, Marketing Director of the Broadway Rose Theatre Company in Tigard, Oregon.
Click here for more information on the Broadway Rose Theatre Company.
The cast of Theatre Calgary's DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
Dennis Garnhum, the Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary, also found DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS worked well with audiences. “Scoundrels was a refreshing change for our audiences. They loved the slick…romp that it is. [We] had a standing ovation nearly every night. Word of mouth on the show was big, and the sales were great. The show left audiences with huge smiles on their faces and they are coming back for more. A great way to end a season.”
Click here for more information on Theatre Calgary.
To license DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, visit its MTI show page. Discuss the show and view production photos on its MTI ShowSpace page.
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Show: THE WEDDING SINGER
Book: Chad Bequelin & Tim Herlihy
Lyrics: Chad Bequelin
Music: Matthew Sklar
Genre: Comedy, ’80s pop/rock score
Cast size: Large; many featured ensemble roles
Dancing Requirement: Musical staging; some production numbers. Since the show is set in 1985 and the score is mostly upbeat, ’80s pastiche, there’s a lot of opportunities for a choreographer to really pull out the stops.
Set Requirement: The show takes place in 1985 New Jersey and features a few contemporary locations. Try using set pieces that are quick and easy to move for smooth transitions. Many scenes take place in wedding reception halls, which can be as straightforward or as elaborate as you’d like. Other locales include a mall, Glen’s Wall Street office, and Las Vegas.
Success stories: Nelson County High School in Virginia selected THE WEDDING SINGER for their school musical this past spring. Scott Belcher, the school’s band director, immediately fell in love with the sweetly optimistic ’80s pop score. “This year, I ordered probably 12 scripts to read and listen to the music and once I let Mr. Belcher listen to this soundtrack, he said this was the one,’” remembers director and theatre teacher Diana Driver.
To license THE WEDDING SINGER, visit its MTI show page. Visit its MTI ShowSpace page for production photos and to discuss the show.
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Show: THE FULL MONTY
Book: Terrence McNally
Lyrics: David Yazbek
Music: David Yazbek
Genre: Comedy, pop/rock score
Cast Size: Large; there are 11 male roles, 8 female roles, and one role for a child.
Dancing Requirement: There’s definitely dancing in the show, but the choreography doesn’t have to be elaborate, and cast members don’t have to be strong dancers. In fact, using less skilled dancers can be played for comedy.
Set Requirement: A simple, sparse set works well for this show, which takes place in Buffalo, NY during a recession. The would-be strippers rehearse at an abandoned steel factory, so the stage can be as bare and as gritty as you like. The steel factory set can even be a permanent fixture, framing the stage throughout the show to symbolize the huge importance the factory has in the characters’ lives.
Success Stories:
Theatre Latte Da goes THE FULL MONTY
“THE FULL MONTY was a huge hit for Theater Latte Da,” enthuses Artistic Director Peter Rothstein of the theatre’s production, which ran this fall. “Our audiences loved it! Not only is it incredibly funny, it is also moving, honest and profound.”
Click here for more information on Theatre Latte Da.
The cast of the Paper Mill Playhouse's THE FULL MONTY strut their stuff
New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse delighted audiences this summer with its production of THE FULL MONTY. “FULL MONTY met its projected goal during a tough economy,” states Mark Hoebee, Paper Mill’s artistic director, “but more importantly, it reached that ‘hard to attract’ audience (couples in their 40’s and 50’s) looking for a good night out of fun!”
For more information on The Paper Mill Playhouse, visit its official website.
To license THE FULL MONTY, check out its MTI show page. Discuss THE FULL MONTY and view production photos on its MTI ShowSpace page.
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Show: THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
Book: Rachel Sheinkin
Lyrics: William Finn
Music: William Finn
Genre: Comedy; traditional Broadway score with a quirky, modern twist
Cast size: The cast is fairly small (can be done with 9 actors), and no one part has more material or is more important than another, making this purely ensemble show a great opportunity to let a group of strong comedic actors shine. One character, Vice-Principal Panch, doesn’t sing but has a number of hilarious lines, including plenty of chances for improvisation. This role would be perfect for an actor who typically stays away from musicals and is more of a comic. Some minor parts, such as the students’ parents, may be doubled; you can also cast additional actors in those roles if you’d like to expand your cast. There are also a few guest spellers, selected from audience members before the show.
Dancing Requirement: Musical staging with some large production numbers. Since the majority of the characters are children, the choreography can be rather simple. “Magic Foot,” which centers on Barfee, can be a particularly fun and creative number to choreograph.
Set Requirement: The show can take place in a school gym, auditorium, or even cafeteria - and there are no set changes. On Broadway, the set consisted of a small set of bleachers, a microphone, and many school banners and signs.
Success Stories:
The cast of Theatre Three's THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE charmed audiences
Theatre Three in Dallas, TX, had a fantastic experience with THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. Executive Producer-Director Jac Alder applauds the show:
“With its deserved Tony Award for its brilliantly comic book and with the great score [it] provides its small cast with really terrific roles that let everybody shine. The audience participation …is worked into the show with sure-fire cleverness and gangbuster appeal. First of all the director and the company loved it, then the critics and then the audiences. Many people returned during the run bringing friends but ready to see it again because of the audience participation I had initially doubted. I hate to be crass about it, but one way you spell the success of …SPELLING BEE… is ‘m’ ‘o’ ‘n’ ‘e’ ‘y’. The other way is artistic satisfactions. How absolutely lovely to have both in one show!”
He adds:
“A lot of times we producers in more regional theatres are wary about doing shows that have recently toured through our home towns because they’ve already been exposed to the market… Several critics mentioned how the show gained in this more intimate Theatre Three space…But I also believe it’s the audience participation ‘gimmick’ that assured audiences they could see the show again and have not simply a renewed experience but a NEW experience. And, of course, the book gives latitude for picking different words and different wisecracks about participants or even ad libs to suit ‘the chosen’ that spring with genuine organic humor from the show but are added to the show. And this show is not going to ‘time out’ - I think it’s going to play and play and play and play and play and play and play.”
Click here for more information on Theatre Three.
To license THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, visit its MTI show page. View production photos and discuss this show on its MTI ShowSpace page.
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Show: THE FANTASTICKS
Book: Tom Jones
Lyrics: Tom Jones
Music: Harvey Schmidt
Genre: charmingly romantic, traditional Broadway score
Cast Size: small; can be done with 8 actors
Dance Requirement: None/minimal. This is a very small, character-driven show with no cast-wide dance numbers; a light choreographic touch would work very well.
Set Requirement: THE FANTASTICKS is almost always done with not much more than a curtain and a few benches. You should, however, feel free to use set design to put your own interpretation on the show. The material is simple and universal enough for the characters not to be tied to any one time period or location.
Success Stories:
Arena Stage's THE FANTASTICKS is set in an abandoned amusement park.
Washington D.C.’s Arena Stage’s take on THE FANTASTICKS is running until January 10. Edgar Dobie, Arena Stage’s Managing Director, has nothing but praise for the show:
“Arena Stage is having the best time with THE FANTASTICKS. This 40 year young musical theater gem paired with an imaginative production concept and first class magic…sits perfectly in our subscription season and has been an outstanding source of single ticket sales. We will not have to try hard at all to remember our success with THE FANTASTICKS.”
Click here for more information on Arena Stage’s production of THE FANTASTICKS.
To license THE FANTASTICKS, visit its MTI show page. Check out its MTI ShowSpace page to discuss THE FANTASTICKS and view production photos.
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Show: 13
Book: Dan Elish and Robert Horn
Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown
Music: Jason Robert Brown
Genre: Coming-of-age comedy; pop/rock, modern Broadway score
Cast Size: Medium; can be done with 13 actors minimum. All the roles are meant to be played by teenagers who are in their early teens. There’s a good mix of boys and girls.
Dance Requirement: None/minimal; largely musical staging. There are some ensemble numbers, but they don’t need to be complex if your cast isn’t made up of dancers.
Set Requirement: Almost all the scenes take place in Evan’s new middle school, so don’t worry too much about making the set highly mobile. A simple set of lockers can work just fine.
Success Stories:
The cast of French Woods' 13 were thrilled to perform a show that related to them directly.
Performing arts camp French Woods performed 13 this past summer, to the excitement of its campers. Staff Director Beth Schaefer-Knauf explains, “Our campers have always been huge fans of Jason’s work, but he now has given them material that they can personally relate to that does not compromise artistry for accessibility.”
Click here to read more about the recent release of 13, as well as the French Woods production, and visit the French Woods official website to learn more about the camp.
Teenagers in Houston, TX, also had a fantastic time performing 13. Roy Hamlin, Associate Artistic Director of Theatre Under The Stars, describes 13 as “a terrific draw from the get-go, with our students downloading samples of the OBCR and falling in love with the music. Their commitment translated to excited sold-out audiences for us, and it remains a highlight of our school’s production history.”
Learn more about 13 at Theatre Under the Stars by clicking here.
To license 13, visit its MTI show page. Discuss 13 and view production photos on its MTI ShowSpace page.
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Show: A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM
Book: Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart
Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Music: Stephen Sondheim
Genre: Comedy; based on the plays of Plautus and with a vaudevillian feel; traditional musical comedy score
Cast Size: Medium; 10 leads with a small female ensemble and a small male ensemble
Dance Requirement: minimal; mostly in the style of vaudeville
Set Requirement: The whole show takes place in front of the three houses, so it’s possible to do the show with one simple backdrop. A clearly low budget set can even go well with the show’s wacky farcical and highly presentational nature.
Success Stories:
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival's A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM recieved exceptional reviews.
Des McAnuff, Artistic Director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, directed its recent production of A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM. He calls the show “a true musical comedy, with equal emphasis on both those words: the brilliant music of Stephen Sondheim is happily married to non-stop comic action. It’s been wildly popular with audiences and critics each time I’ve directed it.”
To license A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, visit its MTI show page. View production photos and discuss A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM on its MTI ShowSpace page.
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Show: ONCE ON THIS ISLAND
Book: Lynn Ahrens
Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens
Music: Stephen Flahrety
Genre: Caribbean adaptation of “The Little Mermaid;” Caribbean-influenced score
Cast Size: Medium; the show was done with 11 actors on Broadway, but it can be done with additional actors. The show can be cast interracially. The cast is largely ensemble, but there’s strong leading role in the character of Ti Moune. There are also roles for children and for older actors.
Dance Requirement: None/minimal; mostly musical staging. There is a fair amount of ensemble numbers, but this isn’t a dance-driven show. The choreography should be in keeping with the Caribbean score and setting, however, and can be informed by the act of storytelling.
Set Requirement: Since one of the show’s main themes is the importance of storytelling, the set can be simple and tend towards the abstract, so long as the Caribbean setting is clear. The set can also emphasize the contrast between the poorer side of the island and the richer side of the grand hommes.
Success Stories:
Teenage Katrina survivors performed ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at the revived St. Mark's Community Center
When actor and writer James Lecesne saw the destruction that remained in New Orleans a full year after Hurricane Katrina, he knew he had to act. “I’m not a carpenter; I can’t build a house, but I know about the theatre,” he admits in After the Storm, the recent documentary on the production of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND he helped stage. Given the parallels between the the events in the story and the experiences of those in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND was a natural choice, and one the young cast responded to wholeheartedly. Documentary filmmaker Hilla Medalia attributes the show’s success to its ability to help the students heal:
“[K]ids, especially adolescents, haven’t fully developed the ability to create a narrative about their own lives. And that ability is stifled in people who have survived trauma. By offering them the vehicle of the play, and watching them tell their own stories, we got to see them create a narrative.”
Click here for an interview with Hilla Medalia about After the Storm. Visit the After the Storm Foundation to learn more about the documentary and this production of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND.
To license ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, check out its MTI show page. View production photos and discuss ONCE ON THIS ISLAND on its MTI ShowSpace page.
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Show: SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
Book: Lawrence Kasha and David Landay
Lyrics: Johnny Mercer, Al Kasha, and Joel Hirschhorn
Music: Gene de Paul and Joel Hirschhorn
Genre: Romantic Comedy; Traditional Broadway score
Cast Size: Large; the show is usually done with over 20 actors. The show includes roles for older actors and is a great way to showcase strong singers, due to its strong chorus and star roles for both men and women.
Dance Requirement: Heavy; there are extended dance sequences and dance solos.
Set Requirement: Most of the show takes place in the Pontipees’ home and in the town, so don’t worry about quick scene changes. It’s a very standard, traditional musical comedy, so while the sets don’t have to be elaborate, they certainly can be.
Success Stories:
The Paper Mill Playhouse put on a delightful production of SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse’s scored a hit with SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS. “SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS is the show that helped save Paper Mill,” Artistic Director Mark Hoebee, explains. “It had broad family appeal, incredible choreography, and an American spirit that helped sell tickets to multi-generational family groups!”
For more information on The Paper Mill Playhouse, visit its official website
Chanhassen Dinner Theatre struck audience gold with SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
Chanhassen Dinner Theatre also had a great experience with SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, according to President and Producer Thomas K. Scallen:
“It was the first time in our 40 year history we’d produced SEVEN BRIDES. It was a barn-burner for us and sold like hotcakes. So many people loved the original film and couldn’t wait to see our staged rendition. We ran it for nineteen weeks and it consistently filled. The audiences thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Learn more about Chanhassen Dinnner Theatre’s production of SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS here.
To license SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, visit its MTI show page. Discuss this show on its MTI ShowSpace page.
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Show: THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
Book:Bob Martin and Don McKellar
Lyrics:Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
Music:Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
Genre:Comedy; 1920s pastiche score
Cast Size:This is a purely ensemble show with 13 characters and an ensemble of house staff, party guests, and reporters. Man In Chair is the only real lead, and he doesn’t sing.
Dance Requirement: Minimal/mostly musical staging. There are only two real dance numbers; one’s a tap number for two people, and the other involves the whole cast, but is very vaudevillian in nature. Dance is not a big part of the show. Man In Chair doesn’t need to be a dancer in any way; in fact, it might be better if he’s not.
Set Requirement: The entire show takes place in Man In Chair’s apartment, so that set can remain onstage. The actors portraying the show-within-a-show will need props, but feel free to let your audiences use their imaginations.
Success Stories:
Stages St. Louis enchanted audiences with THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
Ron Gibbs, Managing Director of Stages St. Louis, calls THE DROWSY CHAPERONE “the sleeper of sleepers for us. Because it was an unknown title in the Midwest we expected modest business in a bad economy, but because it is truly ‘the musical for people who love musicals’, word of mouth created business like we have never seen – starting after the opening weekend! It broke all box office records!”
Click here for more information on Stages St. Louis’ production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE.
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE delighted Citadel Theatre audiences
Joshua Semchuk of Citadel Theatre in Alberta, Canada, had similar success with THE DROWSY CHAPERONE:
“Citadel Theatre and Edmonton audiences loved THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. There were standing ovations every night and every comment was positive about the songs, the characters, the acting, and the music.”
To learn more about Citadel Theatre’s production of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, visit their official website.
To license THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, check out its MTI show page. View photos from the original Broadway production and discuss THE DROWSY CHAPERONE on its MTI ShowSpace page.
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