To feel just a little bit sad that DD isn't Mary in her Nativity Play

[Bearwantsmore]

... I know, I know! But if you can't admit it on Mumsnet, where can you?!

[deste]

My DD told me a couple of years ago that when she didn't get to be Mary in the nativity she was devastated. I knew she was talented, (proud mother) she had an inkling that she was talented but was quite shy. And before anyone says anything she did go on to a drama school in London. She is now a teacher and works two days a week in a primary school and has to direct the nativity play. She did say, I hope they don't expect me to do it all as I only have them two hours a week for 4 weeks, but she did say she has been allowed to put her own spin on it. I'm hoping this makes up for the devastation she suffered.

[Fakebook]

Ours must be the only school who aren't making a big fuss about the christmas production. We don't even know what it is going to be or what the hell is going to happen.

DD came home the other day and told me she was going to dance to "All the single ladies" for her Christmas play. . I'm thinking they might put a new twist on the whole Mary being single and having a baby thing, or DD doesn't know what she's talking about. I'm hoping it's the former.

[Shakey1500]

Ds is 5 and, from what I can gather has been cast as a "citizen" in the nativity with one, solitary line.

Despite being an actor myself, I resisted the urge to storm into the class demanding he at least get the part of "Innkeeper" alongside a wail of "DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM???????"

So we've had intense conversations about how "the" line should be said. It's "We are going to Nazareth to write our names on a special list" (anyone??)

We've discussed whether he might be excited about going or whether he might be a bit anxious or whether he might be sad

Have settled on "excited" as audience may not hear other versions

Such FUN!!!

[KnittingChristmas]

at Facebook - a nativity play with All the Single Ladies would be hilarious!

I was a very good reader and always always always the narrator - so dull.

As a primary teacher I used to run the drama group and would never do nativities - I would do my own plays with various parts depending on who wanted to do what. It was great fun and stopped the whole bloody mary thing!

[deste]

My message was so long I forgot to add that I can tell her it wasn't her, it was the fact she was very very blonde and only dark haired girls were Mary.
BTW when your child is the cloud, blade of grass or a pupil then you know there will be about 100 in the cast.

[BoysAndGhouls]

Ooooh my DS is Joseph this year

So proud, was a musician last year though

[deste]

Shakey500 are you famous?

[grovel]

Innkeeper is a brilliant role. A boy at my DH's pre-Prep was demoted from Joseph to innkeeper for messing about in rehearsals. When the big night came he was still fuming. When Joseph and Mary approached him he said "Yep, we've got lots of rooms - take your pick". Brilliant. Plot fucked.
He is now a High Court judge.

[marriedinwhite]

My DD was chosen for nuffink. Nuffink in Reception, Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5. In Year 6 she was the star of the leavers' performance. It's still talked about. She's 14 now . =

[Dysgu]

I am not sure if DD1 is even doing any Nativity this year - we have heard nothing about it and questioning her just seems to confirm they have not mentioned anything.

In her last year at pre-school she was picked for the lead role with the blue dress and TURNED IT DOWN! She did not want to be the centre of attention and hated the idea of everyone looking at her. She begged the manager to let her be the DONKEY instead and LOVED it! The manager was rather apologetic when she explained this to me but DD1 has always thought the donkey was the best character and you get to hide inside a donkey mask!

Last year, in Reception, she was so happy - she got to be the DONKEY again! It was a grey one - as opposed to the brown costume in pre-school. Luckily they have provided all the costumes each time.

DD2 is in her final year at pre-school now. She tells us she is a snowflake!

[Backinthebox]

Last year DD was devastated that she wasn't an angel. She was a pig in the stable. She did a little dance with the other animals as the baybee Jebus was born. Let's stop to think about that one - pigs, Jews.......

This year she IS an angel, and is now annoyed she only gets to go on stage twice and there is only a song, no dancing. You just can't please her!

My brother was the King of Sugar in his school Christmas play once. They did a play about a Christmas pudding, and all the ingredients were played by pupils and had to jump into a giant bowl. He got to dance down the aisle of the school hall waving a silver trident, with all the spare girls in the class shaking sparkly cheerleader pompoms and singing 'Sugar oh honey, honey ' He was 10. I often wonder if the teacher who came up with the idea was aware of the creature she unleashed!

[TandB]

I was a shepherd twice, the back end of a donkey, a starving child (don't ask) and a cracker.

The highpoint of my nativity career was when I got to prance around in a net curtain and call myself a snowflake.

[MikeOxard]

These are hilarious. 'Baaa, Mary's done a wee' should be a line in every nativity play imo. As should 'oh shit'. Clip-clop boobs optional. Fantastic!

[dementedma]

Dd1 was miscast as the fairy once. A shy quiet child built like a brick shit house at the time, she was most unfairy like and hated every second. DS was a horse once.

[JudeFawley]

My ds has been Joseph three times. I think it's his black curly hair.

I could hear the disgruntled comments behind me in the audience the last time.

[DowntonTrout]

This year DD is a Huron Red Indian Squaw.

She recites a poem about Hiawatha.

No one else is a red Indian (proud) but there are some Russians, Mexicans, Canadians and I think some people from the Carribean ( not sure where exactly but they ask about limbo dancing.)

There is no sign of Mary, Joseph or any angels or shepherds in the script either. I have no idea what's going on.

I am tempted to point out that she should be called a Native American but that would just be picky wouldn't it?

[CaliforniaLeaving]

Two of my three were narrators, but not in the nativity as we can't do anything "religious" here in school so it was a normal play performed at the winter show.
Then they were both pigs in the three little pigs LOL. They were of course the best little pigs ever!

[CaliforniaLeaving]

Oh I forgot oldest Ds was in Reception in UK and played a Cowboy in the Christmas play (type casting anyone LOL)

[SugaricePlumFairy]

I was Mary until I threw a queeny fit and refused to wear the frock navy curtain.

I was never asked again.

Oh what could have been

[Plomino]

Dd1 was cast as an angel last year ( along with the rest of her class ) . As far as we knew , she had to bob up on stage , do her one line like all the others and that was it .

So imagine how gob smacked I was , when having seen her do her one line , she disappeared , only to pop up at the side of the stage , and sing 'Silent Night ' completely on her own , with as far as I could see , no words written anywhere . She was 6 at the time . It turned out that the child who was due to do it , had been taken ill , so she volunteered because no one else would .

She got a standing ovation , and this old Scrooge was in absolute floods .

[BalthierBunansa]

I remember when I was in Primary School doing plays, I desperately wanted a lead party (and trust me, the teachers' knew this!) and yet the same people were picked every single year for the leading roles. I am still not over it.

[Justforlaughs]

My DD is Mary and wants to dress up in a Batman costume for the part , now that WOULD be a different take on teh nativity!

[LaTrucha]

Ahhh well done babyplumino

I love the story about the sheep's revenge on Mary weeing on the stage.

Reception age DD is a star, as I always knew she was.

[madwomanintheattic]

In nursery, all the angels were lined up along the front of the stage with a dramatic silent moment waiting for the star to appear. At which point, dd1 yelled, in a really excited voice, splintering the peace (third angel from the left) 'Molly! There's my daddy!!!' to the angel next to her, in a tone of absolute disbelief.

They had to extend the moment's dramatic silence somewhat, until the audience stopped laughing.

We remind her of this periodically, now that she is 13.

I love a nativity, me.