The Thespian Society's 4,500 member schools and select unaffiliated schools participate in the annual survey that lists the most-produced full-length plays, short plays and musicals in U.S. high schools.
For the past six years, Disney's Beauty and the Beast has led the pack as the most-produced musical. It was surpassed this year by the 2008 Broadway musical adaptation of Shrek, which features a score by Jeanine Tesori and a book by David Lindsay-Abaire. The list incorporates both full-length and Broadway Junior productions of musicals to tabulate the results.
In addition, two plays by David Ives, Sure Thing and Words Words Words, found spots on the list of most-produced short plays.
The most-produced musicals follow:
1. Shrek
2. Disney's Beauty and the Beast
3. (tie) Godspell
3. (tie) Hairspray
3. (tie) Thoroughly Modern Millie
6. (tie) Into the Woods
6. (tie) Little Shop of Horrors
8. (tie) Grease
8. (tie) The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
8. (tie) The Wizard of OZ
8. (tie) You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Full-length plays follow:
1. A Midsummer Night's Dream
2. Almost, Maine
3. Our Town
4. (tie) Twelve Angry Men
4. (tie) You Can't Take It With You
6. Romeo and Juliet
7. The Crucible
8. (tie) Harvey
8. (tie) The Importance of Being Earnest
10. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged
Short plays follow:
1. (tie) 13 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview
1. (tie) Check Please
3. (tie) 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse
3. (tie) The Audition
5. (tie) Check Please: Take 2
5. (tie) It's Not You, It's Me
7. (tie) The Brothers Grimm
7. (tie) How to Succeed in High School Without Really Trying
7. (tie) The Least Offensive Play in the Whole Darn World
7. (tie) Sure Thing
7. (tie) Words, Words, Words