Ron Fink - We find there are several really good reasons for doing musical plays with your classes. The first is that musicals seem to spark the learning process. When kids participate in a musical play, they really remember the material that you're trying to teach them.
Mary K&1 - Ron, that's why we sing so much in Kindergarten
Ron Fink - Another nice thing about musical plays is they build classroom camaraderie. Teachers sometimes say that doing a play sounds like a good end of the year project, and it can be...but consider doing a show at the beginning of the year as well. It really helps the kids bond.
alan - ron you are familiar with Gardner's Seven Intelligences?
Ron Fink - Sure, and the seven intelligences clearly show us that acting and singing and dancing are important.
alan - mary, i know that my daughter's teacher in K sang almost everything
Mary K&1 - That's a good idea - the beginning of the year musical - I like it
Ron Fink - I like this singing everything in K. You obviously can't do that when the kids get older. But you really can do songs with them. And plays, including musicals.
alan - right, ron, we teach to all seven, but boy is that muscial intelligence sometimes tough...especcially when teaching about civil rights or the Holocaust
Mary K&1 - Ron, what grade levels are your musical plays written for?
Ron Fink - An all-singing, all dancing musical about the civil war sounds pretty strange. We don't do that.
Mary K&1 - But there are many Civil War Songs
Ron Fink - I write musicals that work from grades K-8. It depends on the show, although all of them work with several different grades.
sea/2 - ron, older kids still need to link concepts to rhyme/music (think how well they remember commercials on tv)!
alan - civil war is easy...i said civil rights -- hehe
sea/2 - we shall over coooommmeeeee....
lorip123 - All original music? Or to familiar tunes?
Ron Fink - Oops, civil rights. I suppose you can get tired of singing "We Shall Overcome." Actually there were a million protest songs from the 1960's.
sea/2 - so true, ron!
sea/2 - ron, did you write the musicals at your site?
Mary K&1 - The 60's, Bob Dylan, yes - lots of stuff to sing about there
Ron Fink - The shows that I write have all original tunes. I think your kids will pick them up really quickly. Musicals always come with an audio coassette. The songs are one on side, and just the background music (minus the voices) is on the flip side.
alan - yes, and we are looking for some to use in class, but we never thought of a production muscial
Ron Fink - Yes, I composed the musicals on the Bad Wolf site. There's 14 of them right now, with another one due to come out soon.
alan - i can see my kids doing "Blowin' in the Wind" now
n2kids - Ron, do you have plays that teach character traits such as respect?
sea/2 - wow! that's great! (did you use to teach?)
alan - ron, are you in the classroom?
Ron Fink - Alan, when you say "production musical" I think it gives the wrong idea. This isn't about flashy costumes and sets and hundred dollar tickets.
sea/2 - the answer my friend... (i love it, alan!)
alan - character education is a hot topic here in Florida now
alan - ron, maybe you can clarify for us then
Ron Fink - I have never been a classroom teacher, although as a parent I've spent a lot of time there. We write the shows based on teacher imput. And no, we don't have anything about character education so far. Suddenly people have started to ask us about it.
Mary K&1 - For the record, Badwolf Press - http://www.badwolfpress.com
Ron Fink - Doing a musical might be as simple as passing out the script, listening to the songs a few times and singing along. For some teachers, that's all they'll feel ready to try. You don't really need an audience.
n2kids - Do you have plays that can be done for school-wide assemblies?
sea/2 - ron, sorta like "creative dramatics". more to benefit the kids than necessarily an audience... (?)
Ron Fink - Or maybe you could put a show on right in your classroom with no costumes or sets---okay maybe a hat or something. And maybe you could ask a kindergarten class in to watch. For a lot of classes and teachers, that'll feel about right.
Ron Fink - Oh I think our shows are great for the audiences. As a parent I sat through my children performing some pretty dull material. We really try to write stuff that will be wonderful for the audiences.
alan - ron, we do plays in the classroom, just not musicals
sea/2 - ron, what are some of your "themes"?
Ron Fink - School-wide assemblies are a little tricky, because it's hard to be heard in a big room. You usually have to mess around with microphones. That's really the only limmiting factor. Classes do our shows for their schools all the time.
Ron Fink - Let me tell you about some of our shows. This will take a minute because there's a bunch of them. We do a version of "Anansi and the moss-covered rock." It's an african folk-tale, great for 1st through 4th grades. And we have a native american story: "Coyote Steals the Summer." Good for pretty much the same grades.
Ron Fink - Our "Emperor's new clothes" might work well for character education. Good for grades 2nd through 6th.
Ron Fink - Generally speaking, our shows are mostly singing, with bits of dialog or narration to connect them. Their length averages 25 minutes.
Ron Fink - I feel kind of stupid when I see the word "themes." Are you asking what are the lessons to be learned from the shows? Because we try not to have any obvious moral to any of them.
sea/2 - they sound good, ron! (love the emperor's new clothes) and there's a cute "modern" imitation book: The Principal's New Clothes"
Gala - have you had any success with plays involving pre-school ages 2-4
sea/2 - ron, "themes" are general topic (we basically have to stick to our curriculum guidelines)
Ron Fink - A lot of our musicals connect directly to the curriculum you teach. For example, we have an early American history show called "13 Colonies". We also have shows on ocean study, the California Gold Rush, American Tall Tales, Ancient Greece, and other topics.
Kathy/5/IA - Hello, Ron. I took a look at your site over the weekend. I was impressed. I was particularly intersted in the "ocean" play I saw (I forgot the title).
Ron Fink - Let me suggest a musical I didn't write for you who are teaching pre-school: Get a copy of "The Three Piggy OPera" by Kaplin and Becker. Published by Milikin.
Kathy/5/IA - How much time is need to produce a play with 5th graders?
Ron Fink - Most teachers take about 4 weeks to put on a show. But remember, for the first two weeks or so, all you'll do is play the tape for about 20 minutes a day.
Gala - Thanks for the suggestion for pre-schoolers--is it adaptable for a school-wide performance?
Ron Fink - Let's talk about casting. If you've ever been in a play you know the first thing that goes on is you get try out for parts. Please don't do that with a classroom musical.
Kathy/5/IA - When you purchase a play, does it come with scripts for the children - or do you run them off?
Ron Fink - The problem with early casting is some kids immeadiately get dissapointed because they didn't get a big part. And others get bored because they already have learned their big part to get the role. Have everybody learn everything!
Kathy/5/IA - What do you suggest other than auditions, Ron?
Gala - Do the teachers play parts as well as the kids?
Ron Fink - Different publishers handle scripts differently. With our plays, you get one script and one tape, and you're welcome to xerox copies for everyone. With little kids, though, I'd do everything by ear.
Ron Fink - I don't particularly suggest that the teacher play a part. Usually you have plenty of kids to fill all the roles.
Doug - Ron- I teach Kindergarten and quite often we change a poem into a readers theater script. do you have any suggestions for helping children be more involved in the process rather than teacher driven?
Kathy/5/IA - Does that cover all the costs (or does a teacher have to pay royalties, also)
Gala - Well. I was thinking with pre-schoolers, it might be easier to give direction if the directors were on stage with them! were
Ron Fink - You really do need auditions for parts, but do them maybe in the third week. So they'll only have parts for the last week or so. When some kids gets sick, lots of others can fill in and do it.
Ron Fink - Gala, sure you can be on stage with your pre-schoolers. But maybe you can eventually get off-stage. Remember, with really small kids like that you probably want to perform in the classroom. It just seems awfully young to put them in an auditorium.
Kathy/5/IA - Do the musicals come with blocking suggestions - or is that up to the teacher?
Ron Fink - Kathy, there are no other costs---no royalties or anything like that.
Ron Fink - Yes, and we have simple blocking suggestions. (For those of you who don't know, blocking is theater jargon for physical movement.)
Gala - Ron, thanks for the suggestion! Our pre-school has a program every year, usually very teacher-oriented. I was thinking it might be fun to turn it into a play with the various ages acting and singing the parts, with the teachers kinda holding the whole thing together!!
Ron Fink - Actually we suggest that all of your kids stay on stage the entire time. So a lot of the "blocking" is just deciding where they'll sit and stand. And then when they are featured they'll step forward and speak and sing. All the kids are involved frequentely. We usually have the entire class sing along on the chorus of each song. It gives everybody something to do so they stay focused.
Kathy/5/IA - Ron, does the ocean musical I saw at your site "teach" various concepts about oceans? Would it be good for 5th graders?
Ron Fink - Gala, I like your ideas about your pre-school program. It's important for everyone putting on a show to customize it for their own situation. As a writer, I just can't guess exactly what your specific class will be like. So change things around a little bit to make it work for your kids.
Ron Fink - Kathy, yes we wrote "
Gala - This sounds like it would work for pre-schoolers. Is there background music to be played?
Ron Fink - Oops...kathy, we wrote "TidePool Condos" originally for 5th graders. It goes over a lot of ocean concepts, such as the continental shelf, bioluminesence, and other things. Mainly it teaches that the ocean is interconnected and to destroy any one part causes damage to the rest.
Ron Fink - Gala, I think our ocean play isn't right for preschool. But you could use some of the songs. (The dialog is way too extensive for little people.)
Ron Fink - Want to talk about costumes. I'm against them.
Kathy/5/IA - It sounds neat. I use to direct shows with high schoolers (as well as act in community shows). I'm starting to MISS it.
Kathy/5/IA - Do you suggest that the kids basically wear their regular clothes?
Gala - Do you have any suggestions for alternative costumes? Something the kids could make in their classtime?
Ron Fink - As soon as you put a kid in a costume the volume coming out of their mouth is cut in half. Is it worth it? Try to use very very simple costumes. A decorated T shirt or baseball hat works wonders.
Kathy/5/IA - Keeps the cost down also!!!
Gala - What about props? Do they have that same dampening effect?
Kathy/5/IA - What about scenery?
Ron Fink - Baseball hats are really fun. They're comfortable and inexpensive. You can make any kind of animal by sticking ears, or teeth, or a rhino's horn off the cap. Sometimes just a coat or shirt that works with the sort of character that the child is playing can be very effective.
Ron Fink - If you happen to be artistic, put your efforts into props and settings. (You don't really need much of these either, but kids do like to build them.)
Gala - You are so right about the costumes! Our reheasals sound so much better than the performance when the kids are all dolled up! It's stunning--in more ways than one!
Ron Fink - If you can build a backdrop---like a lot of butcher paper with a collage or simple scene painted on it, it will make everyone in the audience feel they're attending a real show.
Gala - I saw some really creative baseball caps with masklike faces attached above the bills--so it was just like wearing a hat, but visually very effective. Made the characters much taller too.
Kathy/5/IA - I noticed you stated on your web page that these musicals are performed better if not done on a stage - right? Our stage is currently a store room anyway, so we'd have to use the gym floor.
Ron Fink - I do think it's really important the kids take part in designing the settings and costumes. Even with first graders you can use their suggestions on what people might wear. What I hope you'll avoid is sending a note home saying "Dear Mrs. Smith. Your daughter is playing a toaster-oven in a class play. Please provide a costume on Tuesday."
Kathy/5/IA - I like your ideas on the baseball hats, Ron and Gala!
Gala - How would an audience view this?
Gala - Sounds like theater in the round!
Ron Fink - Kathy, the gym is a tough place to perform because of the acoustics. You'll probably need microphones.
Kathy/5/IA - Any other suggestions?
Ron Fink - I'm not talking about theater in the round. If you can move some of the desks or tables out of your room, you can make space for your audience. Have all the kids perform on one side of the room. With little kids you can actually make a stage out of their tables. Just put them against the back wall so nobody can fall down and get hurt.
Gala - Sorry I haven't had a chance to visit your website--would a narrator be effective for a pre-school play?
Kathy/5/IA - How many parts are in a show like the ocean one I asked about? I teach 2 sections of 5th grade science - a total of 50 kids. Would it be possible to include all these kids - or am I biting off more than I can chew!!!!!
Ron Fink - You want to talk about dancing? This scares a lot of teachers.
Gala - Do you recommend choreography? or just let the kids improvise?
Kathy/5/IA - I hope you have the shows cheorgraphed (SP) already!!! LOL!!
Ron Fink - Kathy, yes you can do a show with 50 kids. But consider doing two versions of the show---one with each section. It'll be less work for you because big groups of kids are hard to make look and sound good in a performance. And each kid will really be featured.
Ron Fink - Actually we don't have any choreography in the playbooks. We think your kids are the best ones to figure it out. Remember, you don't need formal "dance." You're just looking for some sort of movement so the show is visually interesting.
Kathy/5/IA - Good idea - so, possibly each section could put it on for their family (and half the school) and then the other section could do a show for their family and the other half???
Gala - Anything besides standing in a line and doing a repetitive motion would be interesting!
Ron Fink - Some of the songs have everyone dancing. It works better if not every kids is doing the exact same thing---because then you notice the ones that aren't very graceful. It's okay to have a variety of movements and they can do whatever they wish.
Gala - I'm excited about the prospect of playing a production instead of merely singing it!
Gala - Any experience with stage fright in youngsters?
Ron Fink - Kathy, yes you're right about performing for half the school. And each of the casts can watch the other and send them letters on how to make it better. That reminds me. It's really really useful to video a rehearsal. Let the kids see and hear exactly what they sound like. It's a revelation to most kids.
Ron Fink - Stagefright isn't a problem if you start small. You're asking for trouble if you go from just doing it without an audience to suddenly performing in front of hundreds. Bring in another class and let them watch a dress rehesrsal. Tell the audience that this is a rehesral and you have to stop things that need working on. The kids will understand.
Ron Fink - Give kids lots of chances to perform in small ways. And then gradually build up. The trick is that the rehearsals and performances should feel the same. If you invite people to watch your final rehearsals, then your performancees will feel good.
Gala - If we incorporate these plays into our regular curriculum, then a full blown performance should just be a step up. I like that idea!
Ron Fink - If you have any students that are really terrified of performing, just have them in the chorus. Don't force anyone to take a solo!
Kathy/5/IA - Is the music hard to teach the kids? That's my downfall = I'm musically challenged!
Ron Fink - Gala, I like what you said about incorporating plays into the regular curriculum. That's exactly what I'm hoping for.
Ron Fink - I don't think the music is hard to teach. Just play the tape and the kids will learn the songs. All you have to do is move your lips.
Gala - Children usually love to dramatize a story in class--or even role play situations--we could just start adding more movement and music!
Gala - Now I'm wondering about opera....
Ron Fink - Gala, of course you can add movement and music. And with your little kids, it should be easy to make up plays for yourselves frequently. You don't need to always go buy a script.
Ron Fink - Kathy, are you still concerned about teaching the music?
Gala - Believe me, Ron, some teachers will need the script.
Kathy/5/IA - No, Ron - I think I could handle it. When I did musicals with the highschool kids - I always had a music director! :0)
Ron Fink - Opera is really interesting for a lot of kids if you sell it right. If you like opera, you can make it wonderful. Thanks for being here Kathy. Goodnight.
Ron Fink - This was a fun session. Maybe we can do it again sometime. Let teachers.net know if your interested. Thank you very much and good night!
