Five great musicals… for small casts
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Each issue of D&T, we bring you five suggested productions for studying or mounting with your students. This issue we look at small cast musicals. All are published by Broadway Licensing and are available for licensing by Broadway Licensing UK
Brooklyn the Musical by Mark Schoenfeld & Barri McPherson
Cast: 3f, 2m, ensemble
Synopsis: Brooklyn the Musical is a story within a story. On the outside you have a troupe of street performers who are sharing a story from their lives, using it to help you see them as people too. Then there is the story they tell – the story of a young girl who comes to the U.S. to find the father she never knew. Together these stories create a show that is both touching and inspiring, drawing the audience into a live theatre experience to remember.
Why it's great for small casts: This fast-paced play within a play highlights five actors with room for a small ensemble. Brooklyn provides opportunities for powerful vocalists to shine through complex harmonies and solos. This musical is especially popular in universities.
Hundred Days by Shaun Bengson & Abigail Nessen-Bengson
Cast: 6 any
Synopsis: Based on a book by Sarah Gancher, Hundred Days is an uncensored, exhilarating and heartrending true story about embracing uncertainty, taking a leap, and loving as if you only had 100 days to live. With magnetic chemistry and anthemic folk-punk music, this play explores a fundamental question: how do we make the most of the time that we have?
Why it's great for small casts: A quartet of singing musicians accompanies the two main characters in this eclectic musical memoir of Shaun and Abigail Bengson. With a 90-minute run time, this play allows 6 actors to show off folk-rock vocals.
From Up Here by Aaron Lee Lambert
Cast: 3m, 2f
Synopsis: Developed by Perfect Pitch, this is a one-act musical drama with an eclectic contemporary score. High above the bustle of the city, five strangers find solace on the Brooklyn Bridge, suspended between who they were and what they might become. From Up Here explores time, change, and the choices that shape the lives of five very different people whose paths cross in the most unlikely of ways.
Why it's great for small casts: From Up Here provides a contemporary score and likeable characters for five actors to explore. With themes like courage, kindness, and hope, this small cast will need to collaborate and connect with each other to tell the story. An orchestra of only four musicians and minimal set requirements makes From Up Here a great fit for small theatres.
Peace, Love, and Cupcakes by Rick Hip-Flores
Cast: 5f, 1m, ensemble
Synopsis: Based on the bestselling children's book series by Sheryl Berk and Carrie Berk, Kylie Carson has a big problem: she's different. And different isn't necessarily a good thing in 7th grade. She loves vampires, zombies, and all things pertaining to monster movies – one of the many reasons why kids at her new school avoid her like the creature from the Black Lagoon. To sweeten up her image – and find a place where she belongs – Kylie starts a cupcake club (Peace, Love & Cupcakes), attended by three other socially invisible girls. Together, they forge a powerful friendship, figure out how to create crowd-pleasing cupcakes, and become a booming baking business. But when the resident queen bee tries to sabotage their efforts, will Kylie have the courage to stand up to the bully and bring the school together? This is a musical that celebrates kid power, friendship, and standing up for who you are and what you believe in.
Why it's great for small casts: For younger students ages 8-14 and educational theatres, Peace, Love, and Cupcakes advances the important conversation around school bullying and its harmful consequences. This high-energy musical provides leading roles for girls and opportunities for ensembles of any size.
The House of Mirrors & Hearts by Eamonn O’Dwyer
Based on a book by Robert Gilber, developed by Perfect Pitch in association with Sell A Door.
Cast: 3-5f, 2m
Synopsis: When Anna's husband is killed in a tragic accident at their home, her family's life is changed forever. Seven years pass, and, torn apart by grief, Anna has drunk herself numb. Her daughters, Lily and Laura, exist in a world of secrets and lies. They spend their days in bitter silence and suspicion until Nathan, a new lodger studying the works of a forgotten poet, forces them to confront their past. Tensions within the family build, threatening to shatter this already broken household once and for all. A timeless, atmospheric and intoxicating musical, The House of Mirrors and Hearts is a contemporary British story about a dysfunctional family haunted by their past.
Why it's great for small casts: This intense family drama supports an ensemble of mature actors who can dive deep into trauma and addiction. The House of Mirrors & Hearts is a gripping story suited for a tight-knit group of actors.
