Synopsis
This is a wild, free-flowing comedy that's easy to stage. M*A*S*H stands for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and joining it are two unpredictable madcaps, Hawkeye and Duke. They can't be dealt with casually, however, because they are also two of the best chest surgeons in South Korea. They decide to wage a campaign to get a young Korean to the United States and entered in a good school. The thread of this effort helps tie together the pileup of comic adventures that pyramid right before the eyes of your astonished and hysterical audience! Hawkeye has a scene with a woman psychiatrist who believes he's been trying to lobster-trap mermaids in a rice paddy! There's a jolly encounter with the baby-talking Bonwit sisters, the worst tap-dancing act the U.S.O. ever sent overseas, and a sergeant is selling dumb GIs fishing rights in the Bay of Phum. Radar O'Reilly, a soldier with incredible hearing, anticipates things before they happen. The proprietor of a painless dental clinic is cured of dark moods by the recreation of an old monster movie—and a monster! It's all here, including a little romance mixed in with dramatic moments and a genuine love of life.
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Details
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Status
In stock
- Type of Show Full-length Play
- Product Code M21000
- Cast Size 30
- Min. Royalty Rate $110/perf
- Cost $11.95
- Approx. Run Time 140 min
Categories
- Target Audience High School | College and Adult
- Performing Group High School | College Theatre | Community Theatre | Touring Group
- Genre Comedy | Drama
- ISBN(13) 9780871294289
Customer Reviews
- "Our show was a big hit! We involved parents, teachers, students and alumni in our summer production of M*A*S*H and it made for a stronger school community!"
- Review by Martin J. Blue-Norton, Academy of Charter Schools, Denver, CO
- "It was a great production. Rated G so the entire family could attend, lots of funny moments. Great opportunity for showcasing a lot of students AND some good minor roles as well. I highly recommend this play!!!"
- Review by Kerry Butitta, Delavan-Darien High School, Delavan, Wis.
- "M*A*S*H is a beautifully-written piece about the importance of saving lives. Not just soldiers who were wounded, but everyone who suffers from the insanity (or sanity) of war."
- Review by Matt Mazur, Hononegah Community High School, Rockton, Ill.
- "Tim Kelly's adaptation is superÑmuch better than the TV show and follows the book closely. The flow from scene to scene and within scenes was natural and easy to stage."
- Review by Julie Michel, Hartland High School, Howell, Mich.
- "M*A*S*H was perhaps our best show ever. We had record-breaking attendance. Fun, diverse scenes. Opportunity for many students to have stage time."
- Review by Bob Frankenberg, Little Chute High School, Little Chute, Wis.
- "My cast and crew were excited to put on a show that their parents and neighbors were eager to see. Adapting the set to fit our accommodations was a challenge, but the show flowed spectacularly. We had one of our Korean students sing a lullaby to my adopted daughter from China in a spotlight. It was a show stealer."
- Review by Sheila Thompson, Yorkville High School, Yorkville Ill.
- "This was the most successful show in the history of our high school."
- Review by Shannon Mashburn, Palo Duro High School, Amarillo, Texas
- "This show brought back many memories for the audience, and the cast had a great time bringing it to life. The play gave us the freedom to ad lib a little which added to the fun."
- Review by Rev. Jay E. Shaffer, Shanksville High School, Shanksville, Pa.
- "M*A*S*H is a delightful and fun show. It is good, wholesome, entertaining theatre that the whole family can enjoy. It gives you a small taste of what our men and women of the armed forces go through overseas. We hope they are able to find some times of humor as the M*A*S*H 4077 did. By the end of the production, we were all one happy and pleased company."
- Review by Lisa Christopher, Smoky Valley High School, Lindsborg, Kan.
- "M*A*S*H was one of the most successful shows we have done in years and is in the top three in attendance in the last 15 to 20 years."
- Review by Jared Hansberry, Longmont High School, Longmont, Colo.
- "M*A*S*H allowed for a large cast with many inexperienced actors to present a wonderful play. The audience enjoyed the G-rated humor as well as the recognizable characters from the long-running TV series. The students learned to respect military protocol with rank and salutes. It was a highly successful show from box office to newspaper review."
- Review by Linda Nielsen, Neosho High School, Neosho, Mo.
- "M*A*S*H was a great success. Many members of the audience claimed it was the best production they've seen in a long time. The students had a blast with the script and enjoyed the roles. Wish we could do this one again and again."
- Review by Dominic Mazella, Springville Griffith Institute High School, Springville, N.Y.
- "My students loved the lighthearted comedy of M*A*S*H. The show also gave us the perfect opportunity to research the Korean War and integrate our international students from Korea and China into the cast."
- Review by Emily Stam, Lee's Summit Community Christian Church, Lee's Summit, Mo.
- "M*A*S*H is a wonderful and lively romp through the 4077th. The pace is lively, the cast can accommodate a number of extras, and it is a fun show to direct.. The only challenge is keeping the M*A*S*H unit alive and vibrant throughout!"
- Review by Betsy Ballard, Unionville Drama Guild, Kennett Square, Pa.
- "The play affords a wonderful opportunity for students of all ages to participate. It brings back a long-forgotten era exquisitely."
- Review by Robert Orr, George Waters Middle School, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Hints, Tips, and Tricks
- "Establish a good relationship with Army/Navy surplus stores early on. Tie in local VFW/Veterans groups. Ask cast members to bring in memorabilia from family members who servedÑfor great lobby display. We had veterans in full uniform lead the pledge at the end of each showÑand community recognition was tremendous."
- Tip by Julie Michel, Hartland High School, Howell, Mich.
- "The biggest challenge of M*A*S*H is to have smooth scene transitions. Also, I allowed students to interpret characters their own way, rather than mimic the TV/movie actors."
- Tip by Bob Frankenberg, Little Chute High School, Little Chute, Wis.
- "Many scenes can be presented on Avenue B without the traveler curtain."
- Tip by Rev. Jay E. Shaffer, Shanksville High School, Shanksville, Pa.
- "Costumes: check your local military surplus. You can usually buy what you need at the same price as rental."
- Tip by Kevin Marler, Farmington High School, Farmington, Mo.
Productions
| Location | City | State | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vrsovicke Theatre MANA | Vrsovice | 1/1/2024 | 12/31/2024 | |
| Janesville Performing Arts Center | Janesville | Wisconsin | 4/10/2025 | 4/20/2025 |
| The Charles B. Goddard Center | Ardmore | Oklahoma | 5/1/2025 | 5/4/2025 |
| Portsmouth Little Theatre | Portsmouth | Ohio | 6/13/2025 | 6/21/2025 |
Downloads
Poster Suggestions
- Each poster includes a text box which allows you to customize it with your production information. Once a poster has been opened, position your mouse over the lower third portion until you see a label with instructions on entering your production information. Use the Text Select Tool to customize your poster.
- You can print the poster in its original format and hand write your information.
- Your local copy shop should be able to create prints from a file saved to disk. They might even be able to increase the size of the poster for you (although some loss of resolution will occur).
Gallery
Grove Players, Downers Grove, IL
Port Arthur Collegiate Institute Players, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Smoky Valley High School, Lindsborg, KS
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