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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

School Play - Question for Teachers

62 replies

FuntoLearn · 17/10/2010 21:28

Hi to all the Teachers out there,

How do you choose pupils for parts in a school play = ie actor (speaking part), narration, percussion, non speaking part etc.

My DD had a background part recently (just did some chorus with the rest of the class)and was dissapointed she didnt get a chance to do something more, also the same pupils got the same "big" parts as last year.

Interested to know how they are selected (she is in YR2 btw)

She wants to do something more next time - but I dont want her to annoy the teacher by asking. It donesnt matter too much to me

Thanks all...

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cece · 18/10/2010 17:47

Last time I did a class assembly, the children wrote the play themselves. They therefore all gave themselves the amount of lines that they actually wanted. It went on for nearly an hour! LOL.

But it was entertaining!

A few years ago I had a particular boy in my class. His mother thought he was wonderful and wouldn't have a word said against him. He was the nephew of a famous actress on the TV. During the first term she was always coming in to complain about something or other. In fact she was notorious for it.

Then the xmas play came. He was by far the best actor in the class, so he got the lead role. His mother never complained about anything for the rest of the year!

mrz · 18/10/2010 18:59

emptyshell Mon 18-Oct-10 10:07:55 I choose kids who I know aren't likely to get panicked, forget their lines and cry on the day. I also choose ones who I know will actually learn their lines. Basically the kids who can cope with it.
In addition I ask them if they want to do it and may ask them to repeat a couple of lines to see if they can speak clearly/loudly without shouting.

cazzybabs · 18/10/2010 19:04

i once picked the nuaughtest boy to be an angel :)

Heliantha · 18/10/2010 19:40

I once suggested in a staff meeting that the best solution to the annual 'why hasn't my child got the best role?' tirade would be for each child to wear their best clothes & come to the microphone one after another to say, 'My name is XXXX: Merry Christmas!' A carol could be sung after every 20 children...

A TA, who was a parent, said, 'Ooh, that's a good idea...' & a number of the (always unhelpful) staff nodded vigorously. I think it was at that point that I realised I should move schools :)

Smithagain · 19/10/2010 11:18

PMSL Heliantha - my brain is turning to boredom-induced mush just thinking about that one!

crazygracieuk · 19/10/2010 12:24

One of my children is usually picked because she is confident, behaves well at school, doesn't get stage fright and wants to have a starring role.

Another one hates school plays and would be gutted if he had to have a major part. He will grudgingly talk or sing as a group. When I go to see his performances he will NOT make eye contact with me and will cover my face if he sees my holding a camcorder.

My third is not bothered either way.

RoadArt · 20/10/2010 19:34

When my DC was doing the play, I asked who had the main part, and she replied "No-one is the main person, everyone is equally important, we all have a role to play and we have to work together to make it work"

I thought this was great, and the teacher had done a good job in motivating all the kids.

kitty40 · 11/11/2010 18:47

I agree with lovecheese, it is the same in my child's school the same children getting the best parts year after year. It is very annoying when you child auditions for a part and hopes that he might get it,but his hopes are dashed when he doesn't get it leaving him feeling upset and angry that it is the same 'loudest' kids that get the part. Note to all teachers: why not try to give different children the parts, you never know they may be budding stars!! try to build their confidence, not knock it!!!

piscesmoon · 11/11/2010 19:08

I think that teachers do give it to the best DC. A lot of quiet DCs excel in a part. My nephew is very shy but he loses himself in a part and is excellent, he goes back to shy afterwards.
I first of all ask which part they want (getting them to choose several)and audition. If 17 DCs audition then 16 are going to be disappointed. As people have already said, you need to be sure they have the confidence, a loud enough voice, will learn the lines and are reliable. On top of that you need to know that they are not going to choose centre stage to do something that they consider funny on the night.
Many DCs don't want to be centre stage-I didn't and DH didn't -so it is unlikely (although not impossible) that we have produced DCs who want it either. I think there is many a parent who didn't care for it -but as parent wants their DC to shine in the limelight.
Heliantha has a good idea to save the anguish! Many parents have no interest in the play in general or watching the other DCs they only want to see their own DC. Someone made the point earlier that it is a team thing and everyone is important.

piscesmoon · 11/11/2010 19:14

The best play that I ever helped produce was 3 classes and they decided at the start whether they wanted to act, play the music or paint the scenery and props. The DCs spread naturally into 3 groups-so everyone got their first choice.
I took the art group and we had a wonderful time painting backcloths and making trees etc. They were not wasting lots of time sitting on a bench in the back row of the chorus.
The music group composed and practised the music.
The actors were able to really concentrate-all being actively involved.
Unfortunately we only did it the once because when it came to the production it wasn't quite the same to say 'mine was the second tree on the right'! The parents wanted their DC on the stage.
It was actually much better for the DCs who had a great few weeks, didn't get bored and didn't want a part anyway.

Goblinchild · 11/11/2010 19:20

So, we shouldn't have sports teams based on abilities? Or school orchestras and choirs composed of children with musical ability?
Everyone should be able to take part in everything?
OK

piscesmoon · 11/11/2010 19:24

No goblinchild-you are missing the point- their DC must shine and tough on the rest!

Goblinchild · 11/11/2010 19:27

So I can offer the best footballer in my class a lead part, if he trades his place on the team for a term with a child with two left feet who really, really wants to play?

Lougle · 11/11/2010 20:37

This thread is one that I always thought I would join in with because my children never got picked.

But I have been surprised that my two older girls (now 4.11 and 3.4) have both been given 'lead' roles at their preschool nativities.

DD1 now 4.11, has quite severe special needs, and has global development delay, and attends a special school. She has a severe speech and language delay also. HOWEVER, she has no fear of performing, because she hasn't developed that natural apprehension yet, and she loves attention. She was picked to sing 'Christmas Pudding' dressed as .... a Christmas pudding... and was the only child who did their part without getting shy and drifting off.

DD2 is 3.4, and I have been told that she will be this year's Christmas Star, and will sing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' solo, then the other children will join in for the second rendition. She will either do really well, change words to sing 'don't get poo-poos in your eyes (please no!) or get stage-fright and do nothing. We shall see.

magicmummy1 · 11/11/2010 20:49

Well done to dd1 and dd2, Lougle - good for both of them! Bet dd1 will make a super-cute Christmas pudding!

My dd has always been very confident about speaking in public, and isn't remotely shy. She also has a very good memory and is good at doing what she's told, so inevitably, she is one of those kids who seems to get picked for everything. I hope that other parents don't hate us for it! :(

Lougle · 11/11/2010 21:00

Thanks, she did make a lovely Christmas pudding (it was last year) and insisted on giving a few bows afterwards! It was lovely for her, because she genuinely can't do many things. She is behind developmentally everywhere. But she shone.

magicmummy1 · 11/11/2010 21:04

Ah, bless her. Bet you were bursting with pride when she did all her little bows! :)

I always remember my mum telling me over and over again as a child that everyone was good at something. Some kids, like my sister and me, were academic, some were good at sport, music, art etc. She always believed that every child would shine at something. Looks like your little dd found her niche on stage! :)

piscesmoon · 11/11/2010 21:43

Well done to your DD Lougle-and the really nice thing was that they picked her because she was good at it-not to be kind.
You have to bear in mind that if there is one play a year, and 7, yrs not all DCs could be picked-even if you were being fair and a lot of people who are complaining still have DCs in the infants.
I know one DS who finally got a star part in Yr 6 but the school had worked with him from the beginning-he wasn't ready earlier. I also don't think it fair that a DC who is naturally good has to be overlooked each time because he had 'his go' in year 1.
Much better IMO to treat each year as new and audition-pick the best for the role.

kitty40 · 11/11/2010 22:17

If they can't pick children fairly for parts then they should just do away with the 'parts/roles' bit and do something that they can all join in as a class together.

piscesmoon · 11/11/2010 22:27

Have Heliantha's idea kitty! All the parents get to see their DC equally but the whole thing is deadly boring!
Can't you see it as a team effort and be pleased that the DCs are having an enjoyable time? Mine are not good centre stage-they are too self conscious-does this mean that those who are really good can't do it because 'it isn't fair'?
Now they are older some of their roles really give them something to laugh about!
DS2 always got a dancing part-for a boy he was good at dancing was this unfair-should he have not been chosen to dance because he had done it before but be chosen as star actor-despite the fact his voice was too quiet?
I really don't know why teachers bother! If they put all the names in a hat and pulled them out at random people would still say it was unfair!

deaddei · 11/11/2010 22:32

They should just ban the damn things or just do a carol concert.

piscesmoon · 11/11/2010 22:35

I don't know why they don't deaddei! I really can't understand the attitude -if my DC isn't a main part they shouldn't do it and they don't want to watch it!! I love watching them when I haven't even got any DCs in it.

pozzled · 11/11/2010 22:46

For the big Yr6 production- start by asking who wants what, and then get them to audition. If they want a starring role and don't get it I try to ensure they get one of the next biggest roles. If they want a minor role and don't get it I will try to find them something similiar. Most children who want to take part end up with at least a couple of lines and a cool costume.

For the Xmas production, only 3 or 4 children in each class will get a speaking role- I tend to choose those who try hard and will enjoy/benefit from it the most, rather than those who will necessarily perform best. They do need the ability to be quite loud though.

Often for me it's down to who suits the part. I remember one child who shone as King Herod- he found school difficult, was in trouble fairly often etc but it gave him so much confidence to stand up and do his solo, and his whole class enjoyed it as much as he did.

piscesmoon · 12/11/2010 08:01

If they are really keen on acting they can join things out of school! My nephew did that, he belonged to some Junior Players from a young age and they put on plays. He then took part on competitions and was accepted into the National Youth Theatre. He is very quiet but great at acting-his talents were picked up at school. If the school only does one production a year they are looking at it to be good and if lots of DCs want a go it is only fair to audition and choose the best for the part-usually if they had a start part one year someone else would get a turn. It hardly seEms fair to me that a DC who is really good can't get a look in because 'he had his 'turn' in year 1!
My DCs never had main parts-they hadn't the confidence-but they loved taking part and I loved watching. I had a neighbour whose 2 DCs often had a main part but they were really good and able to ad lib and hold everything together if it went wrong-very reliable. It never occurred to me to be jealous.
I love seeing the whole year group doing the play-I am positive that a lot of parents have no interest whatsoever- they just want to see their little Johnny centre stage!
I'm sure that when I was young parents didn't have all this angst! At any rate when I was happy to be at the back of the chorus I was very thankful not to have a mother who thought I deserved to be in the front centre in the interests of fairness!

piscesmoon · 12/11/2010 08:02

Sorry star part .

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