# Community theater: need suggestions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2003, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093 "2003-11-30T19:03:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/1 "2003-11-30T19:03:45Z")
Asking for a friend of mine, who’s looking for play that has been made into a movie. Looking for something light enough for a dinner theater-type crowd (That was her response when I suggested _A Streetcar Named Desire_. A bit too heavy for dinner theater, she said.) The crowd is mostly 40 and over, so plays that were made into films decades ago will be fine (anything that will draw a younger crowd will work too, though). Thanks in advance. --J ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/2 "2003-11-30T19:25:40Z")
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE comes to mind ---
**Author:** ![Dizzy\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dizzy\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dizzy_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/3 "2003-11-30T19:33:25Z")
“Red, White, and Blaine” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/4 "2003-11-30T19:35:52Z")
How about _The Rocky Horror Show_? ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/5 "2003-11-30T19:36:02Z")
“You Can’t Take It With You” came to mind immediately hasn’t been done as much as “Arsenic and Old Lace” Rights info can be found at [http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?index=0&key=1163](http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?index=0&key=1163) ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/6 "2003-11-30T19:39:05Z")
[http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?index=0&key=1163](http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?index=0&key=1163) try it again – something went wrong ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/7 "2003-11-30T19:41:34Z")
[http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?index=0&key=1163](http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?index=0&key=1163) There, something’s gone wacky with the coding scheme and for some reason, the close anchor tab is being included in the URL. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/8 "2003-12-01T01:35:02Z")
The plays suggested by \*\*C K Dexter Haven \*\*and **ddgryphon** are both quite good as choices, however, they both take relatively large casts which can be anti-community theater because often community theaters can be limited on space and adaquate actors (or at least those who can get to rehearsals). A good small cast play that always draws a good crowd is _Barefoot in the Park_. Actually, almost anything by Neil Simon will work well into your requirements. Things like _Come Blow Your Horn, The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, Biloxi Blues_ etc. always come off as successes. Of course, for a while there Simon was not letting any community theater groups do his plays, but that ban has been lifted. _Havey_ also always draws a good house, as do _Blythe Spirit and Noises Off_ although the latter is a killer on timing and once again, is a good-sized cast and the former requires some good English accents. Why the requirement about having been a movie, anyway? TV ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/9 "2003-12-01T04:17:52Z")
Among the not-so-obvious shows, you should consider _Room Service_ which got turned (somehow) into a Marx Brothers movie. Like most of the older plays mentioned so far, it does have a large predominately male cast, something I always try to avoid when I do shows. There is also _Luv_, a three person play from the 60s that might still be funny. And _The Importance of Being Earnest_, which has the added attraction of being out of copyright and therefore royalty free. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/10 "2003-12-01T04:24:16Z")
_Sexual Perversity in Chicago_ was made into the movie _About Last Night . . ._ in 1986, with Rob Lowe. The play’s title was a little risque (I haven’t seen it) but the movie, which I have seen, was a pretty straightforward relationships-between-men-and-women type thing. ---
**Author:** ![Bucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Bucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bucky)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/11 "2003-12-01T18:05:40Z")
I suspect the “made into a movie” requirement is to be able to watch the movie and get ideas. All I can say to that is DON’T! Don’t allow the actors to watch the movie, either. Do YOUR version of the play, not someone else’s. Besides, movies can do things which plays cannot. That being said, “You can’t take it with you” is a very good choice. “Noises off” requires Brit-speak (the crappy film version notwithstanding). “Love Letters” isn’t a film, but could be great in a dinner theatre: two actors, virtually no set, virtually no technical requirements, just a great script. “Lend me a tenor” is very funny. “Forever Plaid” is a good musical choice if you have four guys who can sing. “The Fantasticks” can certainly draw them in. How big a cast? How big a stage? Etc… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/12 "2003-12-01T18:57:22Z")
Waiting for Godot? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/13 "2003-12-01T19:05:23Z")
How about **Anything Goes** or **The Pajama Game**? Or even **My Fair Lady**? I’ve seen all three performed in community theater (or high-school theater). ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/14 "2003-12-02T00:03:51Z")
I’d like **Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead** , myself, but don’t think I’m a dinner theater crowd. ---
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/15 "2003-12-02T02:52:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Why the requirement about having been a movie, anyway? Actually, it doesn’t necessarily have to have been made into a movie, but she’s got other more “obscure” (by the standards of the general public) plays planned and she’s looking, I think, for something more “accessible.” Just my guess anyway, didn’t really ask her for specifics. Thanks for the suggestions. Feel free to add some more if you think of them. --J ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/16 "2003-12-02T03:06:25Z")
good evening are musicals out of the question? our local community theater has done nice versions of little shop of horrors, damn yankees, south pacific, stop the world i want to get off and west side story. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/17 "2003-12-02T14:58:03Z")
If musicals are a possibility, how about one of the “Princess shows” (named after the theater where they premiered) by P.G. Wodehouse, Jerome Kern and Guy Bolton? They have small cast and set requirements, and terrific songs. The scripts are easy to find: _Very Good Eddie; Oh, Boy!; Leave It to Jane; Oh! Lady! Lady!_ (_not_ a Jerry Lewis vehicle!) . . . ---
**Author:** ![Bucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Bucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bucky)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/18 "2003-12-02T20:35:37Z")
No, Eve, darling, not “Very Good Eddie!” On my only trip so far in life to London, my teachers chose that as our play. Not anything at the RSC, not a visiting show from Stratford, not any of the blockbusters. No, we saw “Very Good Eddie,” a show so awful that the ushers were forced to sing along to make it sound more festive. I may have to take the Lady Eve back to my spanking mansion for a bit of what-for! ---
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/19 "2003-12-02T20:55:38Z")
I’m afraid musicals are out of the question because of cost (royalties). She’s looking for something in the neighborhood of $70 per performance for five performances, and musicals, I’m told cost a lot more than that. Thanks for the suggestion though. Someone asked about the size of the stage. My guess is about 20’ wide by 10’ deep; perhaps a little bit smaller. Don’t know about the cast size (yeah, I’m a lot of help, I know). Thanks again; I’m passing on your suggestions. And yeah, Eve’s **long** overdue for a spanking:D . ---
**Author:** ![Mithril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mithril/32/3517_2.png) [@Mithril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithril)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093/20 "2003-12-03T00:24:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TV time \* > **Actually, almost anything by Neil Simon will work well into your requirements. Things like _Come Blow Your Horn, The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, Biloxi Blues_ etc. always come off as successes. Of course, for a while there Simon was not letting any community theater groups do his plays, but that ban has been lifted.** I second this. Neil Simon is one of the greats for lighthearted plays. Just pick one that’s not too dated. If you want one that has been made into a movie so people will recognize it, you could do the Odd Couple. Everybody knows that one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/community-theater-need-suggestions/216093.md?page=2)