Theatre in 60

The history of theatre (or is it “theater”?) is as dramatic as any play or musical ever to take the stage. It’s epic in scope, full of twists and turns, and replete with fascinating characters. You’d think it would be impossible to cover it all in just one hour, wouldn’t you? Well, Melpo and Thalia—the masked Greek muses of comedy and tragedy—are willing to give it a go, joined by their new friend, Mediocrates, the muse of plays that are… all right, I guess.

Prepare to be whisked away on a 3,000-year adventure as our muses track theatre’s most seminal moments, including Ancient Greece’s original stage diva, the very first cast announcement (at an Elizabethan high school), and the unnerving reopening of Ford’s Theatre (for Lincoln’s successor, anyway). And some of these events may even be true! You know, if you don’t fact-check them too hard.

High in energy and extremely flexible (in gender, cast size, sets, and props), Theatre in 60 gives students the autonomy to make big choices, hone their physical performance skills, and find comedic gold in the chaos. And maybe—just maybe—they’ll learn a few things about the people and plays that, over millennia, paved the way for the theatre we know today (or “the theater we know today”… we’re still on the fence about the spelling, to be honest).

Duration: 60 Min
Roles: 10F, 5M (+ Expandable ensemble to 40+. Completely Gender flexible)
Performance Group: High School, Middle School
Setting: One set, Various Flash Locations