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Aperformancecantakeanumberofdifferentforms:
Extractfromamusical
Anextractofthecorrectdurationcanbetakenfromanexistingmusicalwithminormodificationsto
suitcastsize,age,genderandthegradeyouareenteringyourstudentsfor.Ifyouareusingthefull
scoreyoumayneedtosimplifythings(eg.removesomeharmonylines,orperhapstransposeintoa
moresuitablekey).Ifyouareworkingfromavocalselection(highlightsofthemusicalina
songbook)withascriptyoumayneedtoaddadditionalmusicandharmoniestorecreatethefeelof
theoriginal.
Fullvocalscoresarenotalwaysreadilyavailableormaycostasmuchas50formanyrecent
musicals.OlderclassicmusicalssuchasMyFairLadyarereadilyavailableinmanyformatsand
arefairlyinexpensive(usuallyaround15forafullvocalscore). Thesameistrueofthescriptsor
librettos.
Belowarejustafewexamplesofmusicalsthatsuitableextractscouldbetakenfrom.Amore
extensivelistofsongsuggestionscanbefoundlateron:
BugsyMaloneFatSamsgangsceneleadingintoBadguysGrades13
LittleShowofHorrorsProloguemovingintoopeningscenewithSkidRownumberGrades48
MyFairLadyFlowermarketsceneincorporatingthesongWouldntitbeloverlythisscene
offersachanceformultipleperformerstotakeonlinesGrades15
AnnieAct1,Scene1,OrphanagesceneincorporatingMaybeLittleGirlsandItsaHardKnock
LifeGrades13
OliverExcerptfromopeningWorkHousesceneincorporatingFoodGloriousFoodandOliver!
Grades13
JesusChristSuperstarAct2,Scene1,(Thelastsupperscene)wouldbeachallengeforGrade68
candidates.
Ashortenedversionofamusical
Itispossibletocreateashortenedorabridgedversionofyourchosenmusicalusingtheimportant
narrativemoments.
Asastartingpointyouwillneedtoknowthestoryand,usingthesongbook,identifythekeymusical
momentsyouwouldliketouse.Rememberyouwillneedtofeatureacting,movement/danceand
singingatanappropriatelevelforthegradebeingundertaken.
Dialogueforkeyscenescaneitherbescriptedordevelopedthroughimprovisation.Largesectionsof
actioncanbe(andwillneedtobe)entirelyomitted.Whenyouhavearrangedthematerialyoumay
needtoconnectittogetherwithsomeadditionalnarration,whichcanbesplitamongstanumberof
performers.
Keepthestructureassimpleaspossible!
Example
Thebriefistocreateashortperformancelastingbetween1012minutesforGradeOnebasedon
TheWizardofOz
Firstly,choosethesongsandmusicusingthevocalselectionbook.Agoodselectionwouldbe:
OvertheRainbowAslowballadthatshowsanabilitytosinglongheldphrasesintune.Youcould
perhapstransposethesongdowntobringthetopnotecomfortablywithintherangeofyounger
voices.Itsimportantthatitiswellsung.Withouttherepeatthesonglastslessthantwominutes.
DingDong!TheWitchisDeadUptemponumberwithlotsofscopeforsimplemovement.Youcan
cuttheverseandrepeatforashorterversion.Duration1minute.
TheJitterbugCouldbeafeatureddanceusingarecordingoftheoriginalfilmtrack.Cuttheverse
andanyrepeats.Duration2minutes.
WereofftoseetheWizardUptemposongwithwordylyricsandmovement.Thiscouldbe
reprisedinashortenedversiontoconnectscenes.Duration2minutes.
Themusic(includingfeatureddance)shouldlastforaroundtwothirdsofthetotalperformance
time.
Thenextstepistodevelopthescenesandlinkingdialogueasfollows:
Summarisethestoryinitsmostbasicformasasingleparagraph.Ifyoucantremembertheplot
anditcannotbefoundinthesongbookyoushouldbeabletofinditonline.Thereareanumberof
waysthatthestorycanbedeveloped.Forexample:
Condensethestoryintothesmallestnumberofimagesortableaux(uptoaroundadozenatmost).
Eachoftheseimageswillformthebasisofaveryshortscene.
Acoupleofexamples:
Tableau1TheTornado.WeseeDorothysuckedupandtransportedtotheLandofOz.
Tableau2DorothymeetstheTinMan,ScarecrowandLionforthefirsttime.
Theseimagescouldbedevelopedworkingwiththeperformersintheirdramasessionsintoavery
simplescene.
Finallyarunningordercanbeestablishedwithadditionallinkingnarration.Dependingonthe
numberofscenesyoumayneedtorepriseportionsofmusicandlinksomeofthescenestogether.
Makesurethatyourfinalpiecedoesntoverrunontime(ifitstoolongyouwillneedtotrimitback,
ifitstooshortitmaybeanideatoreprisesomeofthemusic).
Aperformancearoundatheme
Findanumberofmusicalitems,poemsordramaticideasalllinkedbyacommontheme.Thetheme
canbeasabstractorasconcreteasyoulike.
AnabstractthememightbeTimeandamoreconcretethemecouldbetheBrothersGrimmFairy
Tales
OriginalIdea
Trytodeviseaverysimpleideaforaminimusical.Makesurethatthecontextandsettinglend
themselvestothecastmembersyouhaveavailable.Developthisideaintoanumberofveryshort
scenesinvolvingmultiplecharacters.Placesongsbetweenthescenesthatcreateopportunitiesfor
movementand/ordanceandsingingthatisappropriatetothegradeyouareenteringfor.
HeresanexampleofanideathatcouldworkatGrade8.
ThelocationandtimeThepresentday.
TheactiontakesplaceatthestudiosofafailingAmericanTVstation.
WeseethestationatworkThenews,theweather,abadAmericansoapopera,aJeremyKyletype
daytimechatshow.
ThebossfromtheNetworkturnsupandtellsthestationthatiftheyhaventdoubledtheirratingsin
oneweekthestationwillclose.
Someonecomesupwithabrilliantideatosavethestation.
Inthiscaseitisimportantthattheplotissimpleanddoesntrevolvearoundoneperson.
Allthatremainsistofindsongsthatwillworkwithinthecontextofthepiece.(Forexamplethe
abovemusicalwouldworkverywellwithDollyPartonsNinetoFiveastheopeningnumber).
BeingaGrade8piecethemusicalstandardwouldneedtobeveryhighwithharmonyworkand
plentyofmovementdemonstratingthecastsabilitytosingenergeticallyanddanceatthesame
time.
Onlytakeonthisoptionifyouarealreadyexperiencedatputtingtogetherpresentationsand
shortperformances.RememberitMUSTmeetthecriteriaforthegradeyouareentering.
Title
Show
Grade
Notes
Where to find?
Suggested format
Annie
Vocal selections
Wizard of
OZ
Annie
Vocal selections
Ensemble piece.
The King
and I
Vocal score
available
Ensemble.
Barnum
Vocal selections
from Barnum
Ensemble
Joseph
Vocal Selections
The Jungle
Book
Lots of versions
available
Hushaby Mountain
Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang
Vocal Selections
(Updated edition)
Oliver!
Vocal Selections
Annie
Vocal selections
Maybe
Annie
Vocal selections
Hakuna Matata
The Lion
King
A variety of
versions are
available
Toot Sweets
Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang
Vocal Selections
(Updated edition)
Vocal Selections
('Our Singing
School' backing CD
also available)
Ensemble.
Bugsy
Castle on a Cloud
Les
Miserables
Piano/Vocal
selections
Little People
Les
Miserables
The legendary
musicals of Boublil
and Schonberg
No one is Alone
Into the
Woods
Vocal selections
Sweeney
Todd
Vocal selections
The Jungle
Book
Lots of versions
available
Do Re Me
The Sound
of Music
Vocal Selections
Whistle
Whistle down the Wind down the
wind
Numerous versions
available
Into the
Woods
Vocal selections
Circle of Life
The Lion
King
A variety of
versions are
available
Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang
Vocal Selections
(Updated edition)
Half a
Sixpence
Vocal score
available
Ensemble.
The Sound
of Music
Vocal Selections
Mary
Poppins
Piano/Vocal
Selection
Mcavity
Cats
Cats: Vocal
Selections
Ensemble
Wizard of
OZ
Wouldn't it be lovely
My Fair
Lady
Consider Yourself
Oliver!
Vocal Selections
Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang
Vocal Selections
(Updated edition)
Ensemble number.
Tomorrow
Annie
Vocal selections
Ensemble.
Bad Guys
Bugsy
Vocal Selections
('Our Singing
School' backing CD
also available)
Pirates of
Penzance
The Lion
King
Dancing Queen
Mamma
Mia
I Have a Dream
Mamma
Mia
Mamma
Mia
A variety of
versions are
available
Abba Gold or
Ensemble number with opportunity for soloists.
Mamma Mia Try to incorparate elements of simple harmony
highlights from the
with more able groups.
movie (SSA)
Abba Gold or
Mamma Mia highlights from the
movie (SSA)
Abba Gold or
Emsemble with solos. Verses should be sung an
Mamma Mia octave lower than written! E or F major would
highlights from the
be better keys.
movie (SSA)
My Fair
Lady
A Chorus
line
Vocal selection
Barnum
Vocal selections
from Barnum
Sweeney
Todd
Vocal selections
Go Go Joseph
Joseph
Vocal Selections
Jesus Christ
Superstar
Vocal Selections
Oliver!
Vocal Selection/Full
Piano Score
Eidelweiss
The Sound
of Music
Vocal Selections
Many version
available include
download.
Comedy tonight
A Funny
Thing
Happened
on the Way
to the
Forum
Timewarp
Rocky
Horror
Vocal Selections
Razzle Dazzle
Chicago
Chicago: The
Musical (Vocal
Selections)
We Go Together
Grease
Vocal Selections
(Updated edition)
Les
Miserables
Piano/Vocal
selections
Luck be a Lady
Guys and
Dolls
Summer Nights
Grease
Mamma Mia
Mamma
Mia
Cabaret
Cabaret
Somebody to Love
We will
Rock You
(Queen)
Seasons of Love
Rent
Vocal Selections:
Rent
Glee version
Ensemble with solo rappers. Simplify harmonies
available as sheet
as required.
music or downlaod
Glee
Mary
Poppins
The
Threepenny
Opera
Try to recreate the 'menace' of the original version rather Kurt Weill: Berlin to
than the better known Frank Sinatra cover.
Broadway
Anything Goes
Anything
Goes
Cole Porter
Songbook
Ensemble.
Blood
Brothers
Blood Brothers:
Vocal Selections
Mr Mistoffelees
Cats
Cats: Vocal
Selections
Hairspray: Vocal
Selections
Piano/Vocal
Selection
Good Morning
Baltimore
Hairspray
Hairspray: Vocal
Selections
Les
Miserables
Piano/Vocal
selections
Blood
Brothers
Blood Brothers:
Vocal Selections
Mamma
Mia
Prologue
Little Shop
of Horrors
Benjamin Capypso
Joseph
Pirates of
Penzance
Greased Lightnin'
Grease
America
West Side
Story
Bohemian Rhapsody
We will
Rock You
(Queen)
(showtrax backing
available) Arranged
by Mark Brymer
Oliver!
Vocal
Selection/Choral
Selections (SSA)
Supercalifragilisticexpia
lidocious
Mary
Poppins
Lady in the
Dark
Abba Gold or
Ensemble number with opportunity for soloists.
Mamma Mia Try to incorparate elements of simple harmony
highlights from the
with more able groups.
movie (SSA)
Perform as an ensemble or keep the orginal
Vocal selections
three part motown style (the harmonies can be
recreated from the piano part).
Full vocal score (not Ensemble with optional solos. Add harmonies in
in vocal selections)
chorus as required.
Original score and
Junior Versions
readily available
Many versions
available including
school version
Piano/Vocal
Find a version appropirate to your group - from
Selection - (full
a simple two part arrangement to published
harmonies available
version with full production harmonies.
here)
Kurt Weill: Berlin to
Broadway
Jeckyl and
Hyde
Vocal Selections
Me and my Baby
Chicago
Chicago: The
Musical (Vocal
Selections)
Guys and
Dolls
Officer Krupke
West Side
Story
Pirates of
Penzance
Hairspray
Hairspray: Vocal
Selections
Freddie my Love
Grease
Wicked
Many versions
available including
Try staging with a number of girls all writing
school version
letters to their boyfriends. Ensemble with solos.
(stageplays.com)
Piano/Vocal
Ensemble number (if using basic vocal selections
selection available
try introducing some simple harmonies in 3rds
and Chorul
or 6ths on the higher sections).
highlights (SSA)
Piano/Vocal
Accuarate singing of syncopations required. Aim for good selection available
tone on long sustained phrases in chorus.
and Chorul
highlights (SSA)
Defying Gravity
Wicked
Step in time
Mary
Poppins
Piano/Vocal
Selection
Easy Terms
Blood
Brothers
Narrative song.
Blood Brothers:
Vocal Selections
Cats
Cats: Vocal
Selections
One
A Chorus
line
Vocal selection
Skid Row
Little Shop
of Horrors
Vocal selections
Avenue Q
Avenue Q: Vocal
Selections
Glee
Glee version
Ensemble with solo rappers. Simplify harmonies
available as sheet
as required.
music or download
Pirates of
Penzance
Chicago
Chicago: The
Musical (Vocal
Selections)
Les
Miserables
A musically challenging number featuring muliptle melody CM Schonberg lines and narratives.
One Day More (SSA)
Piano/Vocal
selection available
An advanced song, but in a good key for older candidates.
and Chorul
highlights (SSA)
For Good
Wicked
Everything's Alright
Jesus Christ
Superstar
Vocal Selections
Les
Miserables
Piano/Vocal
selections