<p>missypie (re: #34)…there are some traditional shows that would work for those two girls such as Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma, etc. But there are some contemporary musicals that also would work for those particular two girls such as Jekyll and Hyde, Urinetown, Grease, or City of Angels. </p>
<p>While I love Funny Girl (and that role is a good fit for my own kid, who recently performed one of the numbers from that musical), the drawback is that there is only one female lead, compared to the shows I just mentioned.</p>
<p>With the popularity of the show “The Office”, why not try “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”? I wonder when signing a contract to do a show how much liberty you would have to make some of the situations more modern…</p>
<p>My all-time favorite was “Finian’s Rainbow” - but no school would do that one anymore, too politically incorrect…</p>
<p>A recent one I went to that was absolutely hilarious was “The Musical of Musicals - the Musical”, five musicals in one, each with the same plot but done in the style of a different famous Broadway composer, wonder if any schools have done it…</p>
<p>Rachacha, schools don’t really have “liberty” in making changes to a show without obtaining permission. A license to do a show has fairly strict parameters about how that show is to be done. It’s possible to get permission for certain types of changes but not always guaranteed.</p>
<p>Missypie - with your 2 girls in mind… (some have already been mentioned)</p>
<p>Oklahoma
Once Upon A Mattress
The Boy Friend
Grease
Guys and Dolls
Wicked (is that available for schools yet?)
Mame (actually need 3 strong females)</p>
<p>I agree that Beauty and the Beast really brings 'em in. When our school did it is was mostly a sell out every night because of all of the families coming in. I think the students liked it and is has a huge cast so lots of kids can participate. It is expensive to do though because you just about have to rent the costumes.</p>
<p>Another Little Mary Sunshine alum here! I was Nancy Twinkle about a hundred years ago. I sang “Mata Hari” wearing old-fashioned undies under a black cape–very racy in those days.</p>
<p>Once Upon a Mattress is really a fun musical for the OP’s request.</p>
<p>I doubt some of these would be appropriate for a high school, but it doesn’t hurt to look into them:</p>
<p>Urinetown (my personal vote!)
Cabaret
Chicago
Into the Woods
Reefer Madness
RENT
Hair
How to Succeed…
Assassins
Kiss Me Kate
[title of show]
City of Angels
Grease
Pippin
Sweet Charity
Bare
A Chorus Line
1776</p>
<p>OP here…YES…S was very excited about Once Upon a Mattress…until he found out that the next town over was doing it next year. And, found out that Bye Bye Birdie was 4 shows ago (before Joseph, after Charlie Brown)</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! Keep them coming…</p>
<p>One advantage to doing a show that another high school did recently, is that sometimes you can get either props or scenery from the other school. A few years ago when my D was in high school all three high schools in our district did Seussical, and shared scenery. All of our shows sold out, so having it done by other schools nearby didn’t seem to hurt attendance.</p>
<p>I think the funnest show my D did when in high school (and she did many) was Zombie Prom. It uses a large cast- so lots of kids can be involved. It is very campy- think Bye Bye Birdie on steroids. And kids like things like zombies a lot these days. And it has such memorable songs as “Jonny, don’t go to the Nuclear Plant!”.</p>
<p>Alas, we did Oklahoma few years ago (and the sister of one of our strong girls was Laurie.)</p>
<p>As someone mentioned, another thing that makes it diffucult to pick a good show is that all the other schools in the area do musicals, too…the other school in our district has done Charlie Brown, Les Miz, Into the Woods and Beauty and the Beast in recent years, so those are out…Lots of Sound of Musics and Boyfriends in the area, too.</p>
<p>Can’t believe some of you know Little Mary Sunshine.</p>
<p>Missypie, some of the musicals I mentioned for those two girls are less likely to have been done by your neighboring schools: Urinetown, City of Angels and Jekyll and Hyde.</p>
<p>I liked Zombie Prom only slightly more than Little Shop of Horrors. It think the problem was that the school did them in consecutive years, so it was like doing the same show two years in a row.</p>
<p>My D has been in both Zombie Prom and Little Shop of Horrors (but not in high school) and they are very similar in nature and I think it would be odd for a school to do them in consecutive years.</p>
<p>Oklahoma is a classic. It is fun to do some classic musicals (though that is not what the OP asked about). My D’s last year of HS, the musical was Oklahoma and she was Ado Annie, except she was severely injured during the rehearsal process and out of school and also out of the musical and her best friend took over her role. When younger, she played Gertie Cummings in Oklahoma elsewhere.</p>
<p>Sons school did Aida (rock musical) last year. Many people attended the production twice and kids who typically do not enjoy the theater raved about it.</p>