Musical with a band or very small pit?

[susan?]

We're doing Ragtime this year and the band is working their tails off. I don't think we're going to get the commitment from them for anything large scale next year, so I'm looking for something with a small band or limited pit.

I took some of my students to see Godspell at another local school and they loved it, but I don't want to "copy" a school and repeat something that's been done so recently.

We've done FAME while this group has been here, so that's out.

I'd also like to keep the cast small (10-15, 20 max).

Thanks is Advance!

[Starrys]

Well, for starters, I'd have to suggest Sweeny Todd, havening just seen it in Portland done with an very small orchestra. It also has a fairly small cast if you keep the chorus small. But it is a difficult (especially being Soundhiem) and R rated musical, but I know of a neighboring high school that is putting it on, so keep that in mind.

Another to consider would be Urinetown, which is a hilarious and wonderful show that was put on by my college. Small cast, simple pit. Sounds kinda like what you're looking for.

[KrabbyPatti]

My freshman year we did Grease. Our band was extremely small, I think it only had piano, drums, bass, and either a trumpet or saxophone (or both, I can't remember).

[actingislife]

Have you considered The Fantasticks or Little Shop of Horrors?

[TheaterMusician]

"You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" (1999 Revised Edition) is an excellent choice. The cast is small (six) and the pit consists of five musicians (piano, reeds, violin, bass, and percussion). If you have an excellent pianist, it can be done with piano only. I played this show last spring ('08) with a pianist and myself (covering the reeds and playing the string cues).

The show is licensed through Tams-Witmark. See: http://www.tams-witmark.com/musicals/cb ... avail_orch for details. I hope this info helps.

[testing123]

Don't forget Once Upon a Mattress or Godspell.

[SweeneyMatt]

What about Evita the band is mainly guitars, other strings and a piano. There are only 5 acctual characters and a fairly small ensemble also if you have an actor at you're school who can sing, act and play the guitar you could have a Che who also plays the quitar

[Rizzo]

You could also do a CD kinda thing. Several of my school musicals have been done that way. In this case you dont need either a pit or a band

[SteveMockSJM]

I think you can do just about anything Sondheim because alot of the revivals have stripped it down to barebone pit. I would suggest Into the Woods because it's tons of fun, you'd utilize everyone in the cast, and if you have some particularly talented students, you can have them double up on parts like in the original. The set could also be visually stunning because you won't have to work so much on pit music.

The Fantastics is awesome for a small pit, only a piano and a harp in most productions, but there are only 8 roles. If you're cool with that, go for it.

Maybe look for latin themed shows because alot of the pit is just drums and trumpets.

[jandanzer]

Don't forget Cabaret...