13 Colonies was originally written to be
performed by a class of about thirty kids, but the show is very flexible. How many
Iroquois are there? How many Colonists? Three? Five? (One teacher we know insists that odd
numbers work best, and who are we to argue?) Experiment a bit, keeping at least one strong
singer in each group. We recommend that you don't create groups with more than seven
students, or the stage begins to look and sound like a rugby scrum.
Blending Genders
There is quite a bit of dialogue in this show for George Washington;
you can always split up the role among several students. Do not feel bound by gender in
your casting of these or any parts. With only very minor changes in the dialogue (mostly a
few pronouns), all the parts in this show can be played by boys or girls or any
combination. |
We suggest waiting until the last week or two before you pick specific
children for each part. We don't recommend a formal audition. Instead, let various
children experiment with different roles and try out different combinations. Perhaps a few
friends will discover they enjoy singing "The French Have Got to Go" together.
Or perhaps several children will express interest in the Iroquois. And what budding actor
doesn't dreams of doing the Bill of Rights Boogie? Our one recommendations is that if you
choose to have soloists, be sure to pick actors who can sing loudly enough to be heard
over a possibly noisy audience.
As you know, some children are a little shy about performing and especially about
singing in public. (The lyricist intentionally swallowed his history book in the third
grade in order to be excused from singing "If I Had a Hammer" in front of the
class.) You might want to ask if there are any children who would prefer a speaking part
instead of a singing one. Respect their fears, but if you provide regular opportunities
for performance you'll be pleased to see your students gain confidence.
Eventually, of course, you'll need to make a choice and probably a student or two will
feel hurt by the selection. We have attempted to write in as many parts as possible and to
spread the singing roles evenly throughout the cast, but somebody is still bound to be
disappointed. Try to help them understand that the selection in no way reflects poorly on
them. If you put on more than one show each year you will be able to give different
children the opportunity to have a "starring" role. |
