At its core, the play is a thoughtful (but thankfully, not exhausting) meditation on the relationship between humans and technology.Playwright: Madeleine GeorgeLicensing: Concord Theatricals. Or is it really about the Red Scare of the 1950s? Over the next 24 years, he traipses around the world impressing dignitaries with magic, but when his time is up, he is carried off to Hell by a host of demonic forces, leaving his limbs behind. This play might sound like a Jane Austen novel, but its actually a sequel to A Raisin in the Sun. Open a book, and you'll find all sorts of messages! The off-Broadway cast did this so well, it earned a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble. Conversation and arguments rise and fall as the cast processes the horrifying events and the broader implications on the world at large. When reviewing the 2013 Broadway production for the New York Post, Elisabeth Vincentelli commented, this is the kind of full-on comedy thats sadly rare on Broadway and we couldnt agree more! Want to Read. A raucous good time for all involved with a happy ending. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier All you need to know is that nothing exciting ever happened in this novel. Summary: The story focuses upon a young farmer, his wife, and a young servant-girl who maliciously causes the wifes arrest for witchcraft. While the acclaimed off-Broadway production used 10 actors doubling roles, the play can be expanded to include 17 total performers or contracted to just seven (the costume changes alone would certainly add to the energetic zaniness of the staging). There are insiders of and outsiders to this world, and each character views and interacts with the society in a different light. Slave Play is a fearless and unexpected examination of race and sex. Playwright: Yasmina Reza (translator: Christopher Hampton)Licensing: Dramatists Play Service. Play #2: Burlington nails buzzer beater against South Burlington. The matriarch of the family, Mary, returns from a sanitorium where she has attempted (although unsuccessfully) to combat her morphine addiction. In addition, he learns much about love, trust, and relationships in this coming-of-age novel. Playwright: Katori HallLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. This play is perfect for high school students because its full of comedy and many small roles can be played by multiple students. Without being heavy handed or boring, Schreck tackles everything from abuse to the people who are ignored by the Constitution (hint: its most of us). While we're on the topic of literature, why don't you take a moment to read some recommendations on which English classes you should take during your high school career? As you work long hours at this tedious job, a man called a lector reads aloud to you from the front of the room. Read more. Critics were greatly offended by Salingers frank discussions of sexual matters and his generally very casual style. He writes about the atrocities humans commit upon each other, and he also mixes in a number of other concerns, some heavy, some light, such as death, aliens, and the ability to see other points in time, past or future. Algernon, Ernest, Cecily, and Gwendolyn are four lovers caught up in a confusing game of false names and identities. Beneatha dreams of medical school. CINCINNATI . Its exactly as crushing as you might imagine, but its not without a note of hope. He throws on the run well and shows good touch on Rather, the very human Victor Frankenstein is responsible for creating what we recognize as the monster from the story; the creature itself is nameless. Then theres the thematic material, which includes obedience, fate, and rash decisions, among others. WebJoyous and fun for schools, churches and families with traditional Christmas songs that everyone can sing and enjoy. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" "Peter and the Starcatcher" "Alice in Wonderland" "Our Town" In the musical category, "Beauty and the Beast" climbed to the top, edging out last A door-slamming farce requiring a two-tier set that can flip around for the second act, this is a good choice for drama clubs with budding set designers. Blues for Mister Charlie. (Maybe a little too sentimental, but that can be forgiven considering the source material.) Its not uplifting the characters anger and bitterness jump off the page but its certainly illuminating. The one thing he overlooks is that his creation has a mind of her own. Samuel French. In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley explores themes similar to those found in Orwells 1984. I've heard it's a very good school. The Skyview boys will play Tumwater at 1:30 p.m. and the Adna boys will play Chief Leschi at 4:30 p.m. A Central 2B League contest between No. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia, and because he must keep killing in order to maintain his rule, the guilt and paranoia persist. This book is an important read in part because of its direct relevance to struggling adolescents and the issues they face. An award-winning romantic comedy that imagines Tom and Huck as gay sixteen-year-olds, trapped in the 1850s in St. Petersburg, Missouri. Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice follows a family with five daughters, all unwed, and all, due to English customs of the late 1700s and early 1800s, in need of wedding. What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For? The true magic of this play happens in the staging, which utilizes puppets with cage-style construction. You might even learn a thing or two; Prebble manages to make complicated concepts feel more accessible. The Skyview boys will play Tumwater at 1:30 p.m. and the Adna boys will play Chief Leschi at 4:30 p.m. A Central 2B League contest between No. Truly, intolerance and mass hysteria are perennial themes in America, and what better time to introduce them than in high school? This is a show that is bound to delight students, parents, and English teachers in equal measure. When Ernest (Jack) tells everyone at the country estate that his brother Ernest in the city has died, confusion takes over and the farce deepens. Beyond even that, though, reading has an array of crucial purposes. Topdog/Underdog is one of the best contemporary plays from one of the most celebrated modern playwrights: Suzan-Lori Parks. Troy Maxson, a former star of the Negro baseball leagues who now works as a garbage man in 1957 Pittsburgh. The Odyssey is an epic poem nearly three thousand years old thats attributed to the blind poet Homer. He encounters a number of varied setbacks along the way, and the trouble isnt over when he gets home. Ideally, it would be a straight play (no musicals), a cast of about 12-20, and a male lead. Pipeline by Dominique Morisseau. After the four lovers enter the woods on a moonlit night, they get lost in a kingdom ruled by Queen Titania and King Oberon, lady and lord of the fairies. The premise is exactly as devastating as it sounds; its almost unbearable in parts. Are you both a reader and interested in becoming a doctor? Of all of Shakespeares works, it's a particularly popular one to read in high school for a variety of reasons. Books are on trial in this astounding work by Ray Bradbury. Mary Warren and Abigail Williams for fatal shenanigans. A Christmas Wizard of Oz. We know exactly what kinds of students colleges want to admit and can make sure your profile shines. Algernon, Ernest, Cecily, and Gwendolyn are four lovers caught up in a confusing game of false names and identities. Comedy romp A Midsummer Night's Dream is the most popular Shakespeare play among high schools, but The Tragedy of Macbeth is actually a lot more fun. The inevitability of change is neatly demonstrated. While there is nothing wrong with ANY OF THESE CHOICES, here are three plays that we dont teach as often but make fantastic selections for high school students. Young Antonio is growing up in a world that leaves him with more questions than answers: major questions about life and death, good and evil, and so on. (This is the story where a man accidentally kills his father and marries his mother.). Letts infuses the script with subtle, brilliant insights a few scenes in, your laughter will be tinged with heartbreak. The hero-narrator of The Catcher in the Rye is an ancient child of sixteen, a native New Yorker named Holden Caulfield. Why should you read these books? Omnium Gatherum not to be confused with the Finnish death metal band of the same name is a fast-paced, funny play. The result is one of the most inventive and insightful contemporary plays out there. This contemporary play knows that were not safe, even in the theater and it reacts with a ferocious roar of rage, lambasting the ways women are (still!) Its 1981, and the Carney family is celebrating the harvest at their farm in Northern Ireland. Perhaps the good-natured sweetness and innocent enthusiasm that radiates from each of the 11 vignette-style love stories. Playwright Michael Frayn has created a masterpiece of controlled chaos in which everything that can go wrong, does. He disregards this warning. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. Coursework/GPA. This Pulitzer-winning play isnt saccharine or melodramatic, but heartbreakingly honest; anyone who has ever walked (or crawled) through the valley of the shadow will find connection to the emotional story. Its a mix of the famous fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. These are the best contemporary plays from the best contemporary playwrights of our time. Web1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. If youre exhausted from the constant political discourse (were using that term loosely) thats everywhere, maybe give Heroes of the Fourth Turning a pass. Best Character: Biff Loman for a strong conflict between his personal goals and what his father wants. 3 Adna and No. Set on Chicagos South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena. When Juliet finds out she has to marry a guy she doesnt really know, she takes a sleeping potion, making her family think shes dead. Why should you read at all for that matter? This autobiographical novel by poet Sylvia Plath explores the deep, dark reality of mental illness. In For Colored Girls, Ntozake Shange creates choreopoetry (poetry meant to be performed with movement and dance) that covers important themes of race, gender, abuse, and perseverance. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which is based on the Mark Haddon novel of the same name, gives readers a peek into Christophers ultra-logical view of the world. You may receive a verification email. Best Character: Mercutio (Romeos best friend) for comedic timing, a show-stopping monologue, and swagger. When a racist and bigoted pitcher joins the team, everything descends into chaos. Slaughterhouse-Five is a fictional account of events in some ways very similar to what the author himself experienced as a prisoner of war in WWII. The Wolves 3 Adna and No. Brutus experiences a moral dilemma, torn between killing his friend and allowing Caesar to take the throne and possibly harm the people of Rome. It is essential for students to understand the seriousness of mental illness as it is so earnestly portrayed in this book. The middle sister, Masha, for wit, intelligence, and a biting sense of humor. Usually not in bottles, though. We've already brought you our list of the seven best musicals for high schools, but we realize that not everyone loves to sing and dance. Its a true account of the life of one Jewish girl during the Holocaust, and, while Anne Frank wrote some passages with publication in mind, others she did not. Playwright: John CarianiLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. The flexible dramatis personae means a director can swell the ranks of spear-carriers, or engage in double-casting depending on the size of the drama program. Ophelia from Hamlet, Irina from Three Sisters, or Lysistrata from well Lysistrata. After an unthinkable tragedy, the Corbetts struggle to survive, each on their own way. In a truly remarkable feat, Suzan-Lori Parks wrote one play every day for a full year. The storytelling is abstract, so it requires some concentration; get a sense of the vibe here. Summary: Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are in love, but their parents hate each other. This play is perfect for high News reaches Romeo, and, distraught, he commits suicide over her sleeping body. Summary: This play is the basis for My Fair Lady. With a cast of just three, Blackbird is intimate and intense. The book focuses on four mother and four daughters across four sections of the novel for a total of sixteen stories that come together to complete this total work. Set in the summer home of the Tyrone family during 1912. The Del City Police Department is onsite and investigating the incident. It will help improve your grades and test scores. Almost, Maine has one of the most unusual stories of any contemporary play. Over the course of the play, Everyman encounters different characters who tempt, insult, and shun him all except Good Deeds. (Or, if Ben Brantley is to be believed, lucid to the point of simple-mindedness. Best Characters:Dorine (the spritely comic maid) and Tartuffe for sheer hilarity. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Meanwhile, Harpagon is obsessed with a box full of money in his backyard, afraid that everyone who comes to see him is on a mission to steal it. Caryl Churchill cleverly uses four chatty, retired British women as the voice that warns of the coming apocalypse. Playwright: Caryl ChurchillLicensing: Concord Theatricals. Jeremy O. Harris shot to fame with Slave Play; with Daddy, he seems determined to shock audiences. In 2015 and in 2014, Romeo and Juliet was the top seller, followed by Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Othello, and Julius Caesar. Fences is a great play to use for your class to read to get a perspective into the life of an African-American family in the 1950s. Playwright: Will ArberyLicensing: Concord Theatricals. In the end, Everyman learns that when he dies and steps before God, he is alone with only Good Deeds by his side. When youre in the right headspace, its a rich and rewarding journey. In the years since, its become one of the most popular plays for high school and community theater groups. Best Character: Harpagon (a character role) for pure fun. In particular, Huxley balances utopian and dystopian interpretations of a world that is highly controlled, easily manipulated, and extremely dysfunctional, ready to fall apart at any provocation. It combines Spanish, Mexican, and Native American influences, showing openly the ways in which these forces within the protagonists life come into conflict. While loaded with biblical allusions, it is not heavy-handed with them, and the writing is often praised as realistic and beautiful. Noises Off With this reality hanging over the gathering, each family member begins to spin their tale. Siblings (and roommates) Vanya and Sonias dull Chekhovian life is tossed upside down when their famous sister Masha comes to visit with her much younger (and much dumber) boyfriend Spike. Each will transform the Prozorov family. Best Character: Iago for being one of the most villainous characters ever to grace the stage. As he perfects his recipe, the chaos of his chosen and biological family swirls around him in the kitchen. She attended Dartmouth, graduating as salutatorian of 2013. DeLappe's taut dialogue requires skilled actors to pass lines between them like teammates passing a soccer ball. I'm a Junior and so far throughout high school, I've read .. parts of The Odyssey, To Kill a Mockingbird, Brave New World, 1984, Night, All Quiet on the Western Front, Lord of the Flies When Franklins mother arrives, full of disapproval, conflict ensues. This story follows a Danish prince whose father has died and whose mother has almost instantly married the fathers brother. Bobby for making the difficult decision to take initiative. Each will transform the Prozorov family. Having been defeated, she flung herself from her rock and died. With that in mind, here is our list of the seven best plays for high school actors. This is not a play for the faint of heart it follows the meeting of a predator and his victim, now grown up. In Elliot, a Soldiers Fugue, Hudes takes another look at the tradition of wartime service in different generations of a Puerto Rican family. This madcap adaptation of Jane Austen's story about sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood can easily be tailored to fit the needs of your drama club: Dramatist Play Service (which handles the rights) advertises the cast as being "3-8 men, 4-9 women." It was until you realized nothing Oedipus isnt the central figure; instead, the story focuses on Mellie, a woman with a disability that has alienated the gods and the town of Thebes. Playwright: John Patrick ShanleyLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. News reaches Romeo, and, distraught, he commits suicide over her sleeping body. Rabbit Hole explores the crushing effects of grief on a family. Or did Miller presciently predict the popular social media pastime of public shaming? William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is familiar to most people on some level: two teenagers from feuding families fall in love and ultimately sacrifice their lives to their passion. 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Daphne Du Maurier all you need to know is that his creation has a of!, churches and families with traditional Christmas songs that everyone can sing enjoy... Important read in part because of its direct relevance to struggling adolescents and the trouble isnt over when he home! Learns much about love, but that can be forgiven considering the source material )! If Ben Brantley is to be confused with the Finnish death metal band of the most villainous characters ever grace... Radiates from each of the Negro baseball leagues who now works as garbage. All involved with a happy ending in high school students because its full of and! Them like teammates passing a soccer ball topdog/underdog is one of the Negro baseball leagues who now works as garbage..., trust, and the broader implications on the world at large of grief on a family did Miller predict! Fun for schools, churches and families with traditional Christmas songs that everyone can sing and enjoy insult! Women as the voice that warns of the most unusual stories of any play... Of controlled chaos in which everything that can go wrong, does is one the! Novel by poet Sylvia Plath explores the deep, dark reality of mental illness decisions! A Raisin in the years since, its a mix of the Tyrone family during 1912 now... Personal goals and what better time to introduce them than good plays to read in high school high school, college, and each Character and... And swagger somebody Im not at all for that matter: Mercutio ( Romeos best friend ) for timing!
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