| Figure on about a month from first introduction to
final performance. This may sound like a lot of time, but remember that most of the days
you won't work for very long, perhaps just singing a few songs together. Play the
recording of the show for several days before you start singing songs. Then after the kids
get the hang of the songs, you can sing them whenever the class has a few extra minutes.
When you get around to casting and staging the show you'll need more time again. You'll
also want to schedule additional time for the creation of sets, props, and costumes (if
you decide to use them---see our advice below). Lately educators have been talking about
teaching "across the curriculum," that is, using large projects and themes to
connect the various skills and subjects to be studied. 13 Colonies is ideal
for this since you can easily connect reading, art, music and the study of United States
history under the guise of a fun show.
Now, relax and have some fun. We've written this show so you can get out of it what you
want. If you choose to work very hard, managing every detail---go ahead! Really! You'll
probably have a high quality performance. But make sure that's the level of activity and
stress you're comfortable with. Don't let the parents turn this into a Broadway
production. You can also choose to be low-key about it all. Tell yourself that these are
just kids, your audience isn't paying fifty dollars a ticket, and you won't have a perfect
show. You'll stay more relaxed and enjoy the experience. It just depends upon your own
personality and the students themselves. No matter how you approach 13 Colonies,
remember it's the process which is important for the students' education: the reading,
creating, singing, thinking, and developing self-esteem that go into learning the show are
the real point of the final performance anyway. There's no reason you shouldn't have as
much fun doing all this as your students!
Here's a bit of time-tested advice if you're new to this type of musical production:
get another teacher at your school to put on 13 Colonies at the same time. You can share
sets and costumes and bounce ideas off one another. Your classes can watch each other
rehearse and the students can give feedback to their peers. This process has proven to be
a great aid to novice directors, and students learn a lot by participating in the
assessment and development of the show (more on this later).
Some teachers like to have as much parental help in the classroom as possible; others
prefer to work with the kids without interference. Wherever you fall on this continuum,
you'll probably find it useful to ask for a certain amount of help. Be sure you send a
parents' letter at the onset of the project. Include performance dates, and tell exactly
what sort of assistance you'll be looking for. If putting on plays is new to your school,
you may want to outline some of the educational advantages as well. |
