Musicals for the Musically Timid! Deborah Jeter Programs!! Sometimes, it feels like they are back to back. Sometimes they ARE! This article will ease the pain for some of you wondering minstrels, as to where to go, what to look for, how to start. It just so happens, I have found a company that answers all of the categories in the "bold-type"! The company is Bad Wolf Press! Bad Wolf Press has got some great musicals that teach, as well as, entertain. Mr. Fink, contacted me in regard to a great give-away contest that they are having this month and in the course of setting up a partnership in this venture with him, he offered to send a couple of musicals for me to review. The first musical I reviewed was "Jack and the Beanstalk". The table of contents lists the teachers guide pages and the song lists. Each song in the list also gives reference as to whether it is a choral piece or a solo. The songs supplied in the review kit have wonderful pages that contain nothing but lyrics and cute pictures so as to make excellent transparencies for the whole choir to see when you are teaching the music. In the list of characters, the pages of the songs are listed next to the character's name. This is a handy way to have quick reference in a nice neat fashion. I generally have to scribble all over the pages of other musicals I have used to make note of the things for which this publisher has thought about ahead of time. This is a real time saver in my opinion. Throughout the musical, the direction for each character is suggested. In the back pages of the teacher's guide, there is some great information on how to get started. There is a suggested timeline in regard to how much time should be alloted for the preparation of the music, the sets, the costumes and props. There are also suggestions on how to integrate the musical into the curriculum. One of the things that I liked about the accompaniment tape is the simple instrumentation that is used. It's a full enough sound for the kids to sing along with but if you were to want to add your own instruments with it, the tape wouldn't over shadow your students' playing abilities. A few notes about the casting. The author says that "Jack and the Beanstalk" was originally written to be performed by a class of about thirty kids, but the show is very flexible. If they have two sheperds could be used, of course, you could double or triple that amount. This musical is easily modified and in fact, encouraged. Musicals for the Musically Timid! Deborah Jeter Page 2 To help you divide up your Narrator's lines, the folks at Bad Wolf Press have already thought about that for you. They have put together a handy reference page that lists the narrators lines telling you which page the line can be found. This is great! It has taken me so much time to find certain lines in a musical before and run off enough copies to cut up and send home for memorization. Bad Wolf Press even has a section that suggests easy costume ideas. Here's a thougt: "The fancier the costumes, the more self-conscious the performers and the quieter they will sing." Make sure what they wear is comfortable, especially the hats, which if they don't fit, seem to be very distracting. When in doubt simplify. An added feature in this publication is a sample "recipe" for paper mache if you'd like to have paper mache eggs for the musical. The Set and Staging of the performance can be set up in the classroom if rehearsing in a different location, such as the stage, is not convenient until show time. The Bad Wolf Press musical has images in their teachers guide books, showing various ways to set up the staging and sets. Tips and last minute advice are also offered, which include suggestions for the performance and your position and role during the show. There is a special offer on getting the complete score for piano and guitar accompaniment to purchases of the book and tape package. The folio contains all of the music for Jack and the Beanstalk in an easy piano style with complete guitar chords suggestions. Jack and the Beanstalk is suggested for grades 1 through 5. The second musical I reviewed is "Thirteen Colonies". This is an excellent way to bring history to life! One of the best ways to teach facts is for the student to sing them. This internalizes the information much more solidly than if simply learned by repetition or rote. In the musical, "Thirteen Colonies", which is suggested for grades 3 through 8, the script, teacher's guide and cassette with songs and accompaniment are all in the package. The characters in the play are as follows: George Washington Martha Washington Leif Erickson (and Vikings) Iroquois Seminole Ponce de Leon (and soldiers) Colonial Boy and Girl Game Show Host Contestant Benjamin Franklin British Soldiers Samuel Adams, John Adams, Abigail Adams Salesman Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Sibyl Ludington Colonists James Madison History Police (A and B) and a chorus made up of all students who are not playing roles at the time. Musicals for the Musically Timid! Deborah Jeter Page 3 The same special sections about sets, costumes suggestions, staging, and all of the helpful ideas in putting on a performance are offered in the back of the teachers guide just as they are in the "Jack and the Beanstalk" package. All of the musicals at Bad Wolf Press have these great idea sections in the back of the teachers guide. Some of the specific rehearsal and assessment ideas are as follows: * Don't panic. Rehearsals early on, and even up to the day of the performance, can be quite rough. The kids will pull through when it "counts". * Each day, ask the students to give suggestions on improvement: What can everyone do to make the show better? (You'll be amazed at the intelligent suggestions they make.) * Ask the students to self-evaluate as well: How did I do my job? How can I do better next time? (This can be done verbally or in writing) There are a lot more tips, but these tips above give you an idea of how valuable these program packages offered by Bad Wolf Press can be, especially for novices in putting together performances. To order from Bad Wolf Press: Contact: Bad Wolf Press 5391 Spindrift Court Camarillo, CA 93012 Toll Free: 1-888-827-8661 E-mail: ron@badwolfpress.com Go by Bad Wolf Press, order a musical and you'll be singing happy tunes!