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Our Staff Favorites
Another year down... and in the back of your mind, you’re already wondering what you’re going to do next year. Where do you even begin when Pioneer carries almost 1200 plays and musicals? Our website lists shows by popularity to help you see what others are doing. We thought you might also be interested in learning what some of our staff members’ favorite shows are.
As you read through our favorites, don’t forget to download your credits for three free E-views so you can read some of these for free during the summer. If you haven’t already, go to pioneerdrama.com/free_eviews and use the promo code TEACHER17. Hurry, you only have till June 15 to download these credits. Once you’ve added them to your account, you can use them at your leisure. With Pioneer’s E-views, neither the scripts in your library nor the unused credits ever expire!
So what do we love? Our customer service rep Sherri goes for full-length classics, like Little Women, which our graphic designer Mel also loves. Sherri and executive editor Debra like Skinflint of Shickshinny, a hysterical Western retelling of a Moliere comedy, or as Sherri describes it, “Gunsmoke meets Mayberry.” Editors Brian and Karen agree with Sherri about the classics, and they both go with Pride and Prejudice, finding it gorgeous and rich while still being easy to stage and not too stuffy. Mel also loves Antigone. Perfect for the more serious drama program or for competition, this wonderful adaptation is a real treasure, framing the Sophocles classic with a prologue and epilogue about current wars and conflicts to add meaning and relevance for today’s audiences.
Beyond the classics, we quickly spin into full-length comedies, like another of Karen and Mel’s favorites, Chateau La Roach. This silly comedy has tons of opportunities for larger-than-life characters, hilarious physical humor, and overblown accents. Brian picked a different wildly funny and fast-paced farce, The Capper Trap, delightful with mixed identities and one surprise after another.
Other lighthearted full-length comedies also made our lists, including Sherri’s favorite mystery, The Butler Did It. Just one of 60 mysteries we carry, you’re sure to hear the British accents as you read this fast-paced script ideal for featuring a strong actor as the butler. Karen appreciates the light touch in Unplugged, which provides commentary on our current society’s addiction to technology without getting bogged down or preachy. Sherri likes the family involvement in Inn-Cognito, a fun story about a single mom and her kids who run an inn with some wild and crazy guests who aren’t all who they claim to be!
Debra has selected one of our full-length dramas as a favorite, Salem’s Daughter. Starting at the time of the Salem witch trials then quickly moving to modern day, this play has several outstanding female roles and tells a gripping story.
Customer service rep Krista prefers the children’s shows, as does our editor Lori. For our youngest actors, Stone in the Road is an ideal opportunity for everyone to get their moment in the spotlight. It’s sweet, simple, and easy to stage with a little bit of a lesson thrown in for good measure. Comic Book Artist is a favorite for all ages, especially middle school. You can’t beat these character roles! Who wouldn’t want to be Star Guy, whose superpower is a Charisma Ray so when he smiles, all the girls swoon and fall down?! This show invites loads of creativity in sets and costumes. Krista also mentioned one of our more sophisticated award-winning shows for young audiences, The Bluebird Prince, ideal for a college or community theatre to produce for young children.
One of Debra and Lori’s all-time favorites is Haphazardly Ever After, about a king and queen’s efforts to “encourage” their now-grown children to finally leave the castle. The humor hits hysterically close to home for our staff members, who wish they could go to The Enchanted Depot or hire a fairy godmother! The magic of fractured fairy tale plays is that they appeal to ALL ages, which is why Pioneer carries 80 of them of all running times and cast sizes. Young actors and audience like the familiarity of the characters, and everyone else appreciates the tongue-in-cheek humor.
Lest we forget that Pioneer also carries over 100 Christmas plays and musicals, Brian named O Holy Knight as one of his favorites. The large cast Christmas allegory is set around a medieval feast and represents just one of a broad range of Christmas shows we carry. Lori enjoys Christmas Choir, a play that reminds her of her years with the church choir in Texas. From Christmas shows taking us back to biblical times to silly or sincere Santa stories to contemporary tales that emphasize the spirit of peace on Earth and good will to all, every group is sure to find a show to add sparkle to their holiday season.
We hope these recommendations give you some ideas where to start searching for next year’s shows. So download your E-view credits today and enjoy a summer of reading!