July is here, and so is the next play on your reading list: The Summer I Howled, available through YouthPLAYS! The Summer I Howled is a full-length comedy about growing up, monsters, and summer camp. Very strange things are happening at Camp Gray Pine, and bunk 13 is smack-dab in the middle of all of it. Want to give your students and audience a fun new adventure to laugh their way through? Then look no further! Here are some more reasons you should give The Summer I Howled a read:
Looking for another hilarious comedic option?
Like I've stated, I love jokes, and I don't hold back on the jokes in The Summer I Howled. This play will allow student actors to hone both their comedic chops and timing. Plus, what audience doesn't like a good chuckle? Really, it's a win-win.
Looking for a full-length with a large and flexible cast? (Yes, another one!)
The Summer I Howled has a part for everyone in your department. The play has a cast size of 16, with the option to add in more campers! And, unlike Cheerleaders VS. Aliens, these don't have to be non-speaking roles. You'll have to read the full play to see how it works, but these added in roles could be a great way to have a less-experienced student dip their toes into acting without much pressure. Of the 16 parts, 6 use she/her pronouns, 1 uses he/him, and 9 can use whatever pronouns the performer would like.
Looking for another treat for your student designers?
The Summer I Howled, like Blood & Sequins, has a ton of exciting possibilities for student designers. There's not one, but TWO werewolves! They transform on stage! There are journeys through the woods, campfires, an ancient witch, and lots and lots of magic! All of this to say that prop, set, sound, lighting, and costume designers will be busy and have the opportunity to make a lot of stage magic happen.
Looking for a play to work on stage combat with your students?
Learning and developing the ability to perform stage combat is important for all level of actors. The Summer I Howled has multiple scenes with stage combat, some of which are full on magic fights! Help your students develop their combat and imagination skills all at once.
Here's the synopsis for The Summer I Howled:
Welcome to Camp Gray Pine, where campers spend the summer soaking up nature, making friends and, as of this year, fighting the supernatural. When Woolf is bit under the light of the full moon, mayhem ensues. Is she faking it? Or are things actually getting hairier by the day? And what’s more, something strange and more than a little sinister is afoot with a growing number of the other campers… As the plot thickens, pull up a log and lean close to the campfire—this story is better with s'mores.
To recap: The Summer I Howled is a full-length play, with 16+ roles (6 she/her, 1 he/his, and 9+ any). Find The Summer I Howled with YouthPLAYS.
Happy first week of July!