just another high school musical
A group of high school actors, abandoned by their drama teacher for good reason, have to fend for themselves opening night in front of a live audience. Their first song, “We Apologize in Advance,” shows just how unprepared they are! The student assistant director and the stage manager find a box of scripts which they pass out to the cast, and try to throw something together. What follows is a rollicking show full of physical comedy, gags, and satirical re-writings from Shakespeare (“Life Is Like a Snow Globe”) to Louisa May Alcott (“Dress Them Up in Drag”). Even melodrama gets a nod with a boisterous, under-a-minute-long song. But it doesn’t help. In desperation they sing the song “Intermission” with the lyrics, “This means our show is more than halfway done. Maybe Act Two will be better than Act One.” In Act Two (“Back Down to Business”), the actors put their own spin on Dickens (“A Christmas Carol Rap”) and Thornton Wilder (“Our Town, This Town”). Finally, they perform their “Gratuitous Number.” Will it be enough to rescue this disaster before their teacher returns—if he ever does? A final number, “A Spotlight Big Enough for All,” closes the show on a comically uplifting note!