Showtime!
This can be done in a variety of ways – informally within your class, inviting a buddy class, or as a presentation at a schoolwide community meeting or assembly. The scripts are short so that the students can become deeply involved in the process without the daunting task of remembering more content than they are comfortable with or can comprehend. Again, the intent of these is to engage the student as an active, creative learner – not to win an Oscar!
Make the presentation doable for all involved – including yourself. Unless you have the time and resources for a full costume wardrobe keep costuming simple. A headband or piece of fabric can go a long way in representing a character and is much easier than getting into involved costuming. I speak from experience here and some day will write about how I made 150 costumes in my dining room in a three-month period when I first started doing plays with students. Five years later and I am still finding bits of lace I used for lions manes and felt from the dolphin noses!
Pick a presentation timeframe that is realistic, i.e., allowing enough preparation time for you and your students. If you are inviting family members of students inform them that the purpose of the presentation is as a creative and skill building experience for the students. This way you will not have anyone in the audience expecting a production on the scale of the Lion King!
And remember … Embrace, explore, and enjoy your own creative spirit as you spark the creative spirit of your students through this process!
