Teachers! Xmas show parts - how do you choose?

[feemcgee]

Just wondering how teachers decide which pupils get speaking parts or starring roles in their Christmas shows?

In our school (primary) it's usually the ones you know can be relied on to speak clearly and to turn up for evening performances. Although I appreciate the latter is usually down to parents, rather than the child. However, if a child wants a speaking part, we usually try to give them a line or two.

We hold 'auditions' at our school where any child that wants to can have a go at reading a line from one end of the hall to the 'audience' of the rest of the children at the other end. We can then see who can project their voice and speak clearly enough and we go from there. We will try and give all children that audition a speaking part of some kind though.

We get them to stand up and say a line or two in front of the other children. If they freeze on the spot or look like they will burst into tears, we don't pressure them to do it and give lines to others who come across more confidently.

The chose the child who had the starring role last time, and the time before that .....

We are secondary so it's an audition and then it's usually:

1. Strong audition
2. Proven they can be reliable (not just from previous shows) and will turn up regularly to rehearsals

E.g. someone who has repeatedly not turned up to things, is flaky etc is unlikely to get a lead part

We then match audition performances to parts.

Because we do a range of shows over the year different students get different parts (e.g. musical vs classic theatre vs comedy etc)

Not a teacher but from observation
At ours nearly all of them have a line or 2- DS is guest 2 and narrator 9 this year
Those who struggle to learn any lines get major roles that just walk on/ walk off ie Mary and Joseph

In Reception I got all the children to learn the lines together then picked the ones who could remember them and speak loudly enough, there were always plenty of non-speaking roles. I always asked them what they wanted to be and it usually worked out. Not every girl wanted to be Mary anyway and I had plenty of boy angels.

Well at dds school they tend to give the parts to those who “ need a little boost “ ( dds words not mine) . This means that as she lives / breathes singing and performing she doesn’t often get chosen to do much as she gets to do it out of school and they like to give others a chance !?!
I totally get where school are coming from but it does have a really negative effect on dd ( so hopefully not too many primary schools do this )

Looking forward to her going to high school where they audition and are chosen on merit and reliability!!

In Year 2 last year we asked the children who they'd like to be then worked from there.
Main speaking parts given to children who will learn the lines and be confident to deliver them.
Reception this year, not one boy wanted to be Joseph but every girl wanted to be Mary, non speaking part, name drawn out of a hat.

At our school we audition. We send home a line for the interested children to learn. Then we hear them act it out. We choose the children that perform best and learn the line by heart.

I normally choose the best child for the role. Those who enjoy being a comedian get the humorous roles, those who speak clearly get the most lines and those who want smaller roles will get a small role.

Only one have I ever made a decision based on something different that who was best suited.

I once made a small girl in Reception whose mum was not expected to last the year Mary, some people commented, most understood but I still to this day don't give a damn.

I’m in reception and we try to make sure everyone has at least one line to say. Our Mary and Joseph both have lines to say so they tend to be children who are good speakers and who are fairly sensible.

The other year groups tend to pick those that are good, clear speakers for the main parts but they do try to make sure everyone has something to say, even if it’s just a few words.

Eyfs and year 1: the teachers choose. They and the class TAs get together and sort out the roles. Main speaking roles go to those who are more likely to stand up and speak clearly and loud enough to be heard, and who will learn their lines. Narrator parts are given to those who are good speakers, and okay readers, in Year 1. Likewise - main acting roles are given to those most likely to perform on the day and e-learning their part. The parts are also shared out equally and fairly between three classes in each year.

We don't do a Christmas show in year 2, but a main show at the end of the year. We hold auditions for all in both speaking and singing, and we ask children to highlight their preferences in a form - sing, speak, act, dance, perform alone or only within a group, no speaking, etc. We take that into account before allocation. audition parts handed out a couple of weeks before to learn, teachers and TAs watch and make notes, audition in front of rest of year group. Teachers and TAs then allocate parts based on performance in auditions, preference forms and knowledge of the child (who will make the effort to learn, etc)

Criteria:
Good attendance, so we won't worry about them being off on the day.
Confident, clearly spoken, willing and able to learn lines.
Having somebody at home that will practise with them and get costume bit together is a bonus.
Good behaviour is also a bonus.... you can take a chance on a few "characters" but too many badly behaved children in the spotlight can spell disaster.
Other than that, we do tend to place a few "less obvious" children in good roles, so they can get a bit of positive attention.

Having sorted out all the casting, though, there is inevitably an outbreak of chicken pox or something and that is why I got everyone to learn all the words just in case. Reception plays tend not to have a great deal of dialogue.

Reception here- we choose those who we can rely on (fingers crossed) to not have stage fright. And we go with the parts that the children want. One of the girls we thought wanted to be an angel demanded to be a donkey and one of the kings is now an angel. The donkeys mother is not happy.

Not a teacher, but I was always the narrator. Every play! So by being the best reader I always got the crappy part!
Explain that!

I ask who wants a speaking part or a non speaking part. I give short speaking parts to those who are shy / so quiet they can't be heard. Even though parents might think it will help them along to be given a bigger part- it won't. All it will do is make them self conscious as teacher asks them to speak up and project their voice so they can be heard by at least the front row. The ones who have a good memory for lines and knowing where to stand and when to come on /off will get a bigger role. Some children might sing a "solo" with one or two others. We usually choose plays that have maybe 6 big roles and a couple of big roles with very few lines. Every child who wants a line will get one.

Every child has a similar length speaking part but the roles were allocated based on roles from last year (Mary and Joseph in year 1 means a less important role in year 2) and then which combinations would work well on stage together - for example 3 shy children in a scene doesn’t work well but 1 shy and 2 others would

Note how no one has said 'we look whose parent is in the PFA/a governor and give them the big parts' even though, if you listen to people on here, that seems to be the usual method in most schools!

Upsy

upsy
I've met a few parents who think their child should get preferential treatment because they are in the PTA.

Most staff have no time for such pushy nonsense (although I know it happens in some places).

I think the only PTA link is that it is great if a parent can be relied on to bring their child on tie every day, help learn their lines and send in bits of costume they need. It's not a deal breaker but means a bit less stress for staff. So maybe some teachers perceive that PTA members are more likely to fulfill this criteria?

When I was at school, popularity! I would also make sure that if I was stuck between 2 people to cast 1 role I wouldn't ask everyone to close their eyes and put their hand up to decide who THEY wanted to play the part. Absolute popularity contest!

(Because I peeked, no it was not very close indeed, and grow a spine and pick someone. I'm not bitter, oh no no no )