To think a nativity play should include every child in some capacity?

[hattyyellow]

50 kids in top half of DD's primary school. Not a lot surely? As always, they are putting on a lengthy production with song after song. This takes up most of this half term.

DD came home to tell me that she had no part and that a third of the children weren't included but would sit at the front of the audience and sing along with the songs..so she will spend most of this half term sitting on the floor watching rehearsals.

She doesn't want a star part or even to speak. She just wants to dress up as a random stable animal or be one of a host of angels/stars and wander on stage and off again. Teacher said there is no "capacity" for extra children to be involved, within the restrictions of the script..

In the 80's, every kid got to stand on stage in some kind of costume. Surely? I'm convinced our school stretched the stable guest list to about 20 stable animals and a vast amount of angels - all in basic homemade costumes.

Now, it seems to have become a big extravaganza instead. Don't most parents only attend the nativity to see their kid up on stage, however small their contribution is - rather then to attend some imminently transferring to the west end lavish production, centring around a few main kids.

I can see that at secondary school you might attend a school production for its artistic merits. But at primary, surely it's about involving all the kids? Meh.

General villagers is a good catch all

YANBU. Although I've not confirmed it, my son's said they're doing a 'different' nativity with three camels, but no kings, three shepherds and three angels (he named the kids with those parts, plus Mary and Joseph). Everyone else is 'just a singer'. This was made all the more apparent by the small number of kids with parts waving around letters detailing their costume requirements and their lines.

I mean, he might be wrong, but he's described the process in great detail so far. It's a shame. Have trees and multiple innkeepers or, hey, just don't do the play with all 60 kids. Have two plays of 30 kids.

YANBU-I think every child should have some sort of part-whatever it is! Even if they are just allowed to dress up as an angel/farm animal/star and then sit facing the audience to sing along. It should be all inclusive.

There are 90 in R-Y2 at DS1's school. R and Y1 are chorus, "just" singing all the songs, but they still wear a costume and are visible from the audience. Every single child in Y2 has at least one line, with some having more than others, but all having an identifiable "part" and associated costume.

Obviously some children will be Second Peasant and some will be Angel Gabriel, but in their three years in Infants they will be visibly, identifiably in it three times and have at least a couple of lines.

Yanbu, I think every child should be included. What a shame.

I have written loads of Christmas plays from Nursery age to Y4, not only Nativity but other festive themes, and every child has had a part and dressed up. One year I made all the costumes for a class of 40 in a very deprived area. It was wonderful. As for excluding children with SEN - horrendous. We have had children in wheel chairs, some with oxygen cylinders, etc. I hope this was a long time ago and not recently.

And yes, of course the children with SEN are included. A chance for their 1-to-1 TAs to dress up as shepherds too

YANBU

So 30 kids that are deemed stage worthy get to enjoy the fun and excitement of rehearsals, costumes and being on stage and the other 15 or so are made to feel like rejects? What a waste of time for them, how boring for them, how boring for their parents.

How mean.

YADNBU that's made me really and . Everyone should be in it. It's always the sight of random small children wandering round the stage dressed as sheep and baa-ing that makes me sniffle. As well as the innkeeper, his wife, auntie and 7 guests all shouting NO!! I think the teacher needs a bit more imagination here.

Oh that's so sad, think the school has lost sight of why they do a Christmas show ... Hint - its not for the exclusion of some and favouritism of others.

AnnieJanuary, sorry to hear you're in same boat :(

Horatia your plays sound fab.

It really is about getting to dress up and wear a costume i think, even if you are right at the back of the stage behind all the other lobsters/angels/peasant locals.

Teacher also said 'Not everyone will be disappointed, some parents are horrified at the idea of providing a costume". Fair enough if they are, but I would happily fashion something out of tinsel/sheet/teatowel and I'm really not gifted in crafty-ness. Suspect that's a whole different thread though!

Same at our primary (not a nativity but a Christmas themed play). DD has been really excited over the past few weeks as they have been learning the songs. She had mentioned that she would like to be one of the dancers or a "tree".

Any way she came home and said she has not got a part and is in the choir. They were not asked if they wanted to take part. The teachers told the children what they would be doing in the play.

I have decided not to go and watch. Cant afford to take time off work to watch other children perform. DD understands. My other DD went to same school and I wasted years going to watch the same children time and time again perform in the plays. Not doing it this time around.

Robbierotten :(

I was also tempted not to go and I think a number of parents whose kids aren't in won't go. Which is so sad when everyone should be able to see their kid up on stage even if they have to peer through crowds of other children :(

DD would be even more upset though I think if I didn't go. Tricky.

Is there no chorus?
YANBU

Teacher also said 'Not everyone will be disappointed, some parents are horrified at the idea of providing a costume". Fair enough if they are, but I would happily fashion something out of tinsel/sheet/teatowel and I'm really not gifted in crafty-ness. Suspect that's a whole different thread though!

That's why all the TAs and crafty parents are dragged in to help!

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas...etc

Yanbu

Do go in and say something, for your dd.

I have tried. Spoke to teacher and classroom assistant. No joy, the script only includes x number of parts :(.

Will try campaigning for the kids singing to be facing the audience/costumed in some simple way..fingers crossed..

How mean Of course there's a part for everyone, how can there possibly be a limit to the number of angels, shepherds or just general crowd fillers that they need.

Every child should be on the stage, looking out excitedly for mummy/daddy/grandma/the neighbour. How can sitting in front of the audience possibly compare?

My neighbour's son was delighted to be "the donkey's bum" one year - a fab part to play. My niece was once a sprout - a dancing sprout to be accurate (I think it was more about the modern Christmas than a traditional nativity that year!).

Yanbu.
Our primary didn't even do a nativity, last year they did three billy goats gruff. So four kids with speaking parts and 26 singing.

Bypass the teacher, speak to the Head

This is about the community of the school, and what the teacher is doing is divisive (shades of Nativity?) as well as thoughtless.

Every single one of the 200 kids in my children's primary school gets to be on stage at some point in each of their Christmas and Summer plays. All it takes is a few sheets and a bit of tinsel and a bit of thinking through the logistics.

A choir of heavenly angels could be portrayed by having white clothes and a golden tinsel 'halo' perhaps?

They could have lots of simple actions too - even just standing/kneeling/sitting in a simple formation or swaying from side to side all together. Or they could hold up large letters on cards at relevant times eg F-R-A-N-C-K-I-N-C-E-N-S-E, G-O-L-D etc. They could make the cards during some of the rehearsals perhaps.

If the stage is too small they could stand or sit on benches at the bottom of it or stand around the edges of the perfoming area if there isn't an actual stage.

Other suggestions, a couple of children could go out to the donkey and stroke him. A farmer could shoo naughty mice away. Another child could feed pecking chickens and find eggs - they must have had chickens. Chickens are everywhere as far as I know.

Perhaps the singers could design programmes/tickets/ and help with props. Or provide percussion eg chime bars/glockenspiel/maracas/tambourine?

YANBU. Has the school not heard of a "chorus"?

YANBU. They do nativity play with reception children at our school, then carol services with other years (is a big primary).

In DS's year they had 90 children, all had a costume, all got to shuffle to the front of the stage in groups to do their bit and sing a song. Throngs of angels, shepherds, flocks of sheep and other animals. I was mightily impressed with the staff, must have taken an age to organise.

Now DD is in reception and they have 120 in the year, so they have 2 separate nativity plays with 60 in each.

I'd talk to the Head too, I'm so surprised any primary school would think this this is a good idea. Maybe they need a drama teacher with a bit more imagination!

YANBU, maybe they should consider a different play next year if they cannot work with the restrictions of the script.

DS's school do two plays, one KS1 and one for KS2. KS1 has 90 children and everyone gets a costume and to stay up on the stage. Each King has two helpers - more like a retinue really and endless angels, shepherds and animals.