FFS - Christmas Play - should'nt all DC have a role?

[DecrepidOldHag]

DS (SN) and DD are in Yr5&6 respectively. Every year Yr5&6 put on a Christmas 'production'. The very arrogant Head teacher comes from a family that owns a theatre school that runs at weekends (too expensive for me) and as such in the past been known to give the leading roles to DC that attend this school as she only wants 'the best actors' in the her productions .

The DCs have to 'audition' for the roles and my DCs auditioned but were not given any roles. DS told me that he was'nt good enough. They are both 'production crew' and will be helping with the lights and props. They have to attend a drama club after school where they are supposed to practise but as my DC do not have a role, they are sat there for an hour and half watching the others. They are bored and no longer want to go. A letter was sent out before the auditions started, as this has been a bone of contention with parents in past years, stating that decisions on the roles will be final and no discussion will be entered into!

I am considering boycotting the production as I have no desire to waste an hour watching someone else's DC prancing about whilst perhaps catching a glimpse of mine moving a prop when the lights are down!

AIBU in thinking that a primary school play should be just that and not a 'professional production'. All the DC even if they are crap and forget their lines should have a role however minor and the teachers or younger DCs should do the props. As a state school I believe that they should be including everyone to foster confidence not just consign the quieter DC to be stagehands.

AIBU to be very pissed off at this?

Well we've got 60 kids in each year group so not everyone can have a role but singing the chorus etc I'd have thought quite important

Yes but they're not even doing that!

YABabitU. Someone has to be part of the production crew. I was never in a nativity play at school, and it never bothered me...

I was however in the sunday school drama production of Mary Poppins, and my "co star" was a 5yr old, who now plays Christian in Eastenders...

YANBU. Our school does a year 1&2 production- that's 180 children and they each play a part. Year 2 do the three nights and year ones do one night each so they all get a role.

If our large school can do it, so can smaller ones. Don't force your children into it, its not obligatory and if it will knock their confidence the school can fuck the fuck off.

At primary school age children should get the choice if they dont get a main part if they want to be in the choir or help backstage.

Crew was actually a rather prestigious job when my DS was in year5 and 6. More cachet than being third munchkin from the left, or whatever.

Younger than that, they all got a part.

And auditions from year 4 up.

YANBU - i think at that age they should give all children some part - even if just in chorus or extra: can the dissapointment that they are not destined for a career on the stage be put off untill secondary school?

Wrt boycotting the production - you prob want to be carefull not to alienate your DC: are they happy with their role? If so it may be fairer on them to play along??

YABU. I've been to some nativity plays which were cast using a 'everyone gets a role' ethos, and it was very awkward, because it was clearly done to please the parents. Some of the children were visibly upset with the stage fright. If the headteacher wants to give the main roles to children with the experience and will to act, then good for her.

I have the unlucky task of staging our school Christmas production each year and whilst I do arrange mini auditions, I ensure that every child has a speaking role and keep a list of all children who have had main parts in order to ensure that the following year, main parts are given to those children who had not previously been given them. I still remember the feeling as a child when every year the same children always received the most wanted parts and I was stuck at the back in the chorus (bitter? Me?)

YANBU
Production crew? Y5/Y6 plays have, at least a chorus role for everyone, who wants one.

(We've had one boy do music once, but would have been totally his choice. He'd done it in assembly all year and took great pride in finding the right tracks especially as the teachers couldn't).

No way should DCs be expected to stay after school to do almost nothing.

I think it is a bit daft to have a whole school production at that age tbh, because lots of kids just won't be interested.

My juniors didn't do anything at Christmas, and then in the summer they did a huge production (drama teacher ran an Am-Dram thing and rather fancied himself as a director..). It wasn't compulsory, and you auditioned if you wanted to be involved.