Nativity play begin

[t1n333]

As nativity plays begin just wondering how teachers cast. Dd reception is a narrator. Is there any rhyme or reason or just a lucky dip?

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

Cool. Lol I played Joseph in church nativity when i was a child as there were no boys in the choir old enough. Personally I think my bf's mother was pushing for her daughter to be mary.

[mrz]

We had a number of boy angels last year including Gabriel ...(angels are male in the Bible so is this roles based on gender?)

[mrz]

No it wasn't on purpose (unless the parents somehow preselected sex of babies ) single form entry

[TeacherBob]

I wonder if anyone ever casts Gabriel as a male....

Isn't the Angel Gabriel male anyway?

[TeacherBob]

23 girls and 5 boys ...not my class however

Ouch!

"Because I was under the impression most roles don't need to be based on gender these days" no based on choice

Aye hence my question because you made it sound like you just auto-gave the parts to the boys, and I couldn't work out whether you were serious

[mrz]

No the boys chose those parts rather than those of innkeepers or shepherds or Angels or Mary

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

I think DS is a sheep this year but equally he said he wanted to be an angel

[mrz]

Last year the role of camels was very popular

[pastapestoparmesan]

I had a female Herod and 3 female wise men (wise women?) one year. Another time the biggest part was a sheep.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

Does it sound bad that I would rather he have a non speaking part as I know he'd find it stressful to talk?

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

I'm guessing with camels you need most coordinated?

[spanieleyes]

Oh yes, the camel is a much coveted role!

Anyone know "We're the Guys with the camels"?

A nativity performance classic!

[mrz]

No costume isn't like a panto horse

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

oh ok

[Hulababy]

Depends on the school.

I dont do a nativity but do an end of year show for Y2. We have the children audition. plus say what kind of part they would prefer - talking, acting, reading, singing, dancing etc. Cant promise any but take it into account, as well as how well they manage to learn their audition line and 'perform' it in front of us teaching staff and the rest of their Y2 peers.

[user1066]

I've had 7 year old boys really please to be Angel Gabriel.

[TealGiraffe]

Ah spaniel we did that nativity before i liked that one. Though i was singing "off. We. Go. Lets dance to bethlehem!" For weeks after

We didn't have actual camels though... and mary dropped baby jesus but we dont mention that

[catkind]

Tomorrow, not at all bad. DS had the only non speaking part in reception in the nativity I think, he was ever so shy, he preferred to just sing along. They've won him over though, now he wants as many lines as he can get and delivers with gusto. Next steps to actually join in with actions and stop destroying costumes by constant fiddling... somehow I don't see a future on the stage!

[TeenAndTween]

Teachers: Mrz, Bob, etc. Is it standard for schools to keep a record of who did what and send it up to the next class teacher to avoid the oft-lamented situation where the same children get the star parts year after year?

(it took DD until y6 to get a medium part in anything at all (despite me being on the PTA for years ))

[TeacherBob]

Not ever done that. We really only ever do yr-yr2 so not a massive issue for wasting time on imo

[mrz]

We don't keep a list as such but I've got scripts with the names of the child who played the part but usually we just talk

[HorridHenrietta2]

One year I had a group of SEN children (8 boys 2 girls) and I told them they could choose their own parts, naively assuming they'd stick to gender stereotypes. Both girls wanted to be shepherds and one boy was desperate to be Mary...... A lot of discussion ensued plus a phone call to his mum (who was fine with it!) but in the end he was convinced to be a king instead...... Always thought that was a bit of a shame.