Ooh, am I jealous! Bryan Starchman has created the type of play I've often day-dreamed about writing. His farcical play spoofs (and celebrates) high school drama. This comedy has become one of Eldridge Plays best selling shows. It has been performed by over 80 schools since its release in May 2007 -- that's phenomenal for a brand new school play.
And perhaps the reason for its success is that Just Another High School Play lampoons all of those very serious dramas which students begrudgingly read and/or perform. The show spoofs Shakespeare, Edward Albee, and dozens of other playwrights. It moves fast -- and there's lot of slapstick comedy.
When asked to explain what he wanted to achieve, Bryan responded in an interview, "I wanted to write about my entire experience in high school theatre (both as a student and now as a director) and allow the audience in on all the little backstage jokes about melodramas, the fears and apprehensions all actors have to face."
I haven't seen the play yet, but Just Another High School Play sounds like lots of fun and far from ordinary.
Comments
We performed this play at our school in the fall and had an fantastic time doing so! Not only was it loads of fun to practice and perform, but the audience response was great. My favorite production that I’ve participated in to date.
This is the playwright. Thank you so much for the kind words. The musical version of this “Just Another High School Musical” will soon be released and was co-written with playwright Stephen Murray heading up the music side. Eldridge also just released my “High Schooler’s Guide to the Galaxy”, check it out at histage.com
A musical version? Excellent. And you’re in good hands with Stephen Murray. His music is energetic and fun.
My Theater 2/3 class is performing this in December. We are holding auditions within my class right now, and will all have scripts by tomorrow or Friday. I can’t wait to see people’s reactions to some of the show’s context. =]
my schoolis going to performe this play on dec 11,08 and i got to say this is just about the funest play ive ever been in.
This play is simply hilarious! The play sucessfully pokes fun of great works, theater games, directors, and teachers. (We named the theater teacher Mrs. Schmeigelwitz) After rehearsing it a lot, the humor wears old, but there are still some jokes or scenes that after watching 30+ times, I still laugh at. The Surrealism scene is amazing, and it’s a lot of fun, because it allows for improv. Probably the best scenes are the Theater Game, Romeo and Juliet, Our Town, and the surprise ending. The second act of the play is not quite as funny as the first, at times the humor is a bit desperate, but overall, I totally recommend it!!
This play is hysterical! I’m in the middle of performing it at my high school and everyone is having a blast. We even added in a dance break and a parody to “We Will Survive”. Favorite scenes are probably the improv scene, the surrealism scene, and the Shakespeare and Marlowe scene. Great play that is loads of fun!
Being in this play is an amazing experience. It feels great when the audience is laughing at the jokes, and you can really feed off of their energy. There are so many clever, funny touches, it’s impossible to mention them all; almost every line has a slight chuckle attached. A few of my favorites are “I’m breaking the fourth wall with my glabella (gasp). Look, I only said glabella because it sounds naughty. It’s just the space between your eyes.” And also, “Oh how I wish I had a beautiful man to share my life with. After all I am thirteen, and all of my other friends have been married for years. I feel like such an old hag!” The play allows for personalization. You can insert the name of your drama teacher (or a ridiculious made up name of your choosing) as well as your town. You also get to say the name of your rival school (“We apologize in advance to the people of BLANK is some of these jokes go over your heads.) The play is also great because it encourages audience interaction. The one scenes allows for plants in the audience, another has cops running out from the back of audiotorium. I love all of the clever lines like “you are being charged for ripping the tags off of matresses.” I can’t say enough good things about it-it’s really fun to be involved in, as well as to watch.
Okay So our School Is proforming This Play Coming In the spring I kinda Need some help though. This is my First Play And I’m Teena and Emily everything is fine with my teena half but i dont really know how to be with emily you know accent no accents attitude no attitude. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE!?!?!?!
i was cast as the AD and i love the role and to the girl above me just ask your director its up to them
This is the first time I’ve heard of ‘Just another High-School play’ but Right now my drama class is rehearsing for ‘The High-schoolers Guide To The Galaxy’ and it is funner then you would ever imagine!
I play #4,which is Beth,Gretel,Sarah,Nina, Nelle, Helen and Francine [AKA #4]
And this is the best play I’ve done in my entire life!
Trust me-it’ll rock your socks off!
we peformed this play at my high school, we had a hard time with all the props that are needed and a couple of students had trouble with the timing, the greatest part about this play was that it was a play about a play that has gone wrong, and therefore no one knew when we skipped a line or screwed up an act, which was wonderful.
The Play is sooooo amazing I am actually in it and were performing it January 29 and 30th at MAMS(Middletown area middle school).
PS
I play an extra in act 1 scene 6 (melodramas)
This play is hilarious and we perform it in about 1 week!
I play the extra in act1 scene 6! My favorite scenes are the improv scene,little women, and marlowe and shakespearscene
That’s great Fred! I’ve only read the play — but I can just visualize how hysterical it must be live on stage.
We perform this in April and i’m so excited! i play carrie, which means i get to do the improv scene… i think. im not quite sure because i dont have the script yet… anyway! im still extremely excited for this! can anyone tell me what my part entails, because im a little hazy.
Hey, my school is gonna be doing this play and I really want to get the AD part, but my drama teacher has said that they already have a vision of who’s going to do it before we’ve even had auditions, so is there anyone who could give me some tips for trying out to get the assistant director part. Please help.
It can be tough when a director pre-casts a show. But you may want to express interest anyway — scheduling conflicts and changes of heart are very common in theater.