Need input Choosing musicals

Never heard of Bark.

I have never seen Floyd Collins, so that would be my pick...

I don't think you can go wrong with South Pacific or Big River. Both "family friendly" and certainly South Pacific is about as well known as they come. Both have fairly big casts, so you get lots of family and friends buying tickets.

Urinetown is fun, but can be brilliant depending on how it is done.

I have seen Sweeney Todd 3 times and that is enough for awhile for me.
If have seen South Pacific 10 times, and don't mind seeing it again if the right group is doing it. I have seen Urinetown 3 times and enjoy seeing the very different takes each director brings to it. I have seen Big River twice, it can fall flat if not done right, but I guess that is true of any show.

I'm only here for the cookies

I just looked up FLOYD COLLINS and it sounds like a cool story - of course I haven't heard the music. You might choose this if you thing the community would go for something "new" - otherwise..... SWEENEY might be the one that provokes the most attendance - unless they are mostly older... then I guess they might want to see SOUTH PACIFIC for the 900th time.






Just a guy in Texas who loves movies. 

Thanks for the input, Fellas. The 6 musicals are the ones from the 19 left that we narrowed down that I would personally be interested in directing
I had also never heard of Bark the musical either, but after researching, it looks like a really funny show and crowd pleaser.
I have also not seen Floyd Collins, but it does have an interesting story and just gorgeous music by same guy that wrote Light in the Piazza.
South Pacific (seen once) would be a safe choice, but there is little for the chorus to do as the songs are centered around the 3 or 4 leads.
Big River would be my #1 choice. Love the show and have seen it over 6 times (I think). I know what you mean by tricky and falling flat. I feel that way with West Side Story. I will have to recruit African American players early for their parts.
I have seen Urinetown only once, and it is a very clever show. Along with Floyd Collins, probably not as well known to the community.
If we do Sweeney Todd, it will get many people out to audition. Depending on our other musical we pick, we may do the scaled down version of Sweeney. We are an outdoor theatre and perform behind the backdrop of a historic barn. One large cast musical is done each summer and then one smaller cast. For the small cast shows, we take the show into the barn where there is an Alternate set in case of rain... Larger casts, the barn cannot accommodate, so we have to "eat" the royalties if it gets rained out. Hence we cannot put on 2 large cast musicals each year... One must be adaptable in order to perform at a smaller scale indoors in case of inclement weather.

The only show that I have knowedlge is on is Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and while you have to come up with razors for the title character to use in the show, but I bet you can make it work. I don't know if there is any licensing rights that you would need for this or any of the other shows that you are considering. Are you going to have time enough to plan and get the show running? I know you said it is a community theater, that would be the show that I would go to see Urinetown not familiar with at all, and I don't know of anybody that would want to see a musical with that title.

Yes, you have to pay royalties for almost all musicals unless it is something like Gilbert and Sullivan or the Beggar's Opera in the public domain... And I could be wrong on that. Our Community theatre already has the summer season for 2017 selected. We will finalized the season for 2018 by October... So yes, there is plenty of time to procure a director, creative team, and mount a production.

Look up Urinetown on you tube and at least listen to the soundtrack. Type "Urinetown the musical soundtrack" in the search field (I know... Technically it is a cast recording, but soundtrack will allow you to locate it.) Once there you can listen to the entire cast recording. It played on Braodway for 2 and half years, 965 performances, and won Tony awards for Best Book, Best Direction, and Best Original score... So, yep.... They even poke fun at their own title and it was a hit in NYC and now throughout The US.

I have also not seen Floyd Collins, but it does have an interesting story and just gorgeous music by same guy that wrote Light in the Piazza.

Oh! Well that is certainly a plus! 





Just a guy in Texas who loves movies. 

Urinetown was a hit on broadway and very well attended in the 3 productions I have seen.



I'm only here for the cookies

Not really a show I have seen or heard of before, and I would think that a show with Urine in the title, would not be a popular show, but I can promise you this you have seen 3 performances of it more then I have, or may even want to.