Christmas play angst

[manchestermummy]

Yes, yes, I am that parent .

This year, yr2 (that's infants) had to audition for parts in the school play. Parts were given out today (they rehearse intensively in the two weeks before the play). Dc didn't get the part she wanted and auditioned for or any other part because she had a - non-speaking - part in reception. Fine. It's not nice for anyone when the same children get picked all the time.

Parts have been given to entirely different children. So as well as learning about disappointment, dd is learning that auditioning is pointless. If the already had children in mind, why not either get them to audition, or just give out the parts?

I think it is a little unfair, but such is life and I won't say anything, but how can I help dd? She's upset.

She is very bright and has additional work accordingly, but misses out on stuff like this: in her reception year she never once got a good behaviour award (her classmates did multiple times, and yet her behaviour at school is "exemplary").

[LegoAdventCalendar]

Our spoken parts are always given to the kids whose parents are in the PTA or the wee pets.

I don't bother to go to the performances.

[manchestermummy]

She's in the choir and can sing confidently so I have told her how important it is.

I will be there cheering her on regardless

[LegoAdventCalendar]

Good for you. I've been doing this for 11years it's wearing thin.

[manchestermummy]

Oh dear, yes I can imagine it would!

[MidniteScribbler]

She's only in yr2. She'll have number of years ahead of her to still have a chance at being picked.

Teachers can't win. If you get them to audition and genuinely pick the best child, then the same ones would get picked every year and parents complain. If they make sure everyone gets a chance over their time at school to take part, then parents complain. Might as well cancel the whole thing and not have to listen to people whinging.

[manchestermummy]

My question was how can I help dd, not best ways to teacher bash.

An audition process is only fair if the parts go to auditionees. So dd auditions for the part of sheep. There are four sheep and seven audition. dd understands that she may not get a part. The part of sheep gets given to children who didn't want to stand up in class and audition.

Clearly the teacher had children in mind and should have just given out the parts to who they felt would be best.

It's a bit like being interviewed for q job and finding out that someone who didn't apply got it.

[AmazonGrace]

At Ds old school he never got to perform on the stage. It was only a small school so no excuse there, every other child from his class except DS & another boy went on stage. It's the bit kids love isn't it!
DS was quite upset that he didn't get a 'turn' Ah well.

At his new school they have different assemblies throughout the year where all the dc have at least one line and work to share. The nativity this year is only going to be performed by Reception/Y1 (large school, but hall isn't large) DS year 3 will be singing outside in front of the parents. I prefer this tbh.

[AmazonGrace]

Sorry, meant larger intake but hall isn't large.

[BackforGood]

That does seem a bit odd, and a waste of everybody's time and also confusing for the dc.
I've never encountered auditioning in Infant school before - just hours of angst in the staffroom trying to a) create enough parts, then b) match up all the children to parts they will be able to do.

However, I'd just say to mine "Oh, that does seem a bit odd doesn't it? Never mind, we don't always know everything that has gone on, there's probably a good reason, anyway, the choir is a really important part of the production and I'm looking forward to coming to see you" then distract with asking about learning words or whatever.

[UniS]

Oh well, sorry you didn't get to be a sheep. Maybe Mr X thought you would be a better choir singer than J would.

[Unexpected]

What form exactly does an audition for a 6 year old to play the part of a sheep take? Do they have to recite a monologue from Animal Farm?

[clam]

"Our spoken parts are always given to the kids whose parents are in the PTA"

Not that old lazy cliche again. Nonsense.

[greeneggsandjam]

How does she know that the parts were all given to children who didn't audition? Perhaps the teachers have also been watching the children over the last 2 weeks and given the parts out to the children they thought would be able to deal with the lines the best?

[ChristmasJumperWearer]

I wish schools would cancel the frigging nativity play and just have a quick Christmassy singsong or something.

All of this angst, stress and lost learning time for both children, teachers and parents is utter nonsense. Not to mention the money spent on costumes for parents who have neither time nor talent inclination to make the costumes.

Who really enjoys these plays anyway?!

(I'm talking as a parent but with friends who are teachers.)

[kilmuir]

No traditional nativity here. Small school and most children get a line or 2 to say. Never heard of auditioning for christmas play.
I would have thought teachers would know which children to pick. My DD would be mortified if she got a bigger part.
Tell her she will shine next year.

[DeWee]

I'm assuming that she was disappointed and was told "you had a part last year", Well other than, actually I do think that is a reasonable way of allocating parts, it probably was a way of letting her down lightly. Surely it's nicer if she can think that "actually I did as well in the audition, but it is fair if they get a chance," than "I was rubbish at the audition".

I walways say to mine that at school auditions are done with the "knowing the children", so they probably have a very good idea who will get which part simply because they know them well. And it's not just necessarily who auditioned best. There will be:
A who will struggle to remember the lines
B who will be silly when they sword fight
C who has burst into tears before the last three plays
D whose parents have taken them out for the last fortnight of the winter term for the last two years with no notice
E who will moan non stop about the costumes, how many lines they have and half a dozen other things, meaning mum comes in every other day with a new complaint...

We auditioned in year 2. Basically the teacher said "anyone who wants to be Prince stand against the wall and say 'You are beautiful, Cinderella'," etc.
I have no idea whether the people who got the parts had auditioned for them. However I do remember the Queen Bee who'd told us all that she was Cinderella (and we all believed her) was an ugly sister.

[GamoraStarlord]

We had real problems with this in the last couple of years at my DD's school too. The school has implemented a new process now, yr1 and yr2 perform a pantomime together ( only a small one form entry village school) in which yr1 sing the songs and play non speaking roles and all the yr2's get a couple of lines each playing a real ensemble cast. We watched it this week and it was amazing, everyone was really happy. Maybe you could suggest something like that ?

[GamoraStarlord]

I meant to say they follow that through in 3/4 and 5/6- reception still get the traditional nativity!