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?

[user1066]

Yes TeenAndTween we do. The role they played and whether it was a few lines, lots of lines or dancing. In our school every year group does a separate production and the programme of names with our annotation is part of the transition information we discuss with the new teacher in July before the children move up.

I would like to point out there is sometimes a mis-match between what the child asks to be and what the parent aspires for them to be within the play. I encourage everyone to have a speaking, acting or dancing part, but some children are adamant they want to be third sheep at the back with no lines or acting. For them its an almost invisible role or nothing and I'm not going to drag a child weeping on to the stage just to keep mum happy - the thing is supposed to be fun!

[TeenAndTween]

user1066 Our school I think also asks who wants what kind of role. I think that is all very well, but sometimes some shyer kids need a bit of a push, and to have the teacher sound confident in them, to give them the confidence to have a go.

When DD did her part in her leavers performance, a lot of people were surprised how well she did. I wasn't, she had been doing drama out of school for a few years. But she hadn't had the confidence to say she wanted a non-tiny part, and no one at school had encouraged her to try.

[user1066]

I agree Teen, and we do encourage. But there is a difference between a supportive push your child could benefit from and forcing a child into a role so far outside their comfort zone it is horrific for them and needs hours of additional teacher time to even stand a chance of actually happening.

[Feenie]

We've often had boy angels.

I had a class with 22 boys and 4 girls one year, Mrz - the boys were not a scrap of trouble but the girls fell out all year! Not enough of them.

[catkind]

Topically, DD mentioned this evening that they were asked to put their hands up if they wanted a part with lots of talking to the audience.

[Feenie]

I've just read on another teaching forum about a child in bits because he didn't get the part of the donkey.

There was no donkey.

[mrz]

You can imagine what it's like with three girls Feenie ... one constantly being left out! However I'm expecting new starters and one is a girl!

[Tiggles]

feenie that is usually my son. He is always desperate to be the donkey . We have a large age range of donkey costumes from years where there have been a donkey. Massive tears the year there was no donkey.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

My son is still upset he's not an angel. Poor thing.
After overhearing parents of girls I am glad DS isn't a girl and imagine that small amount of girls just add to the issues.

[Feenie]

Awww, Tiggles - bless him!

[soontobemrsmckeown]

My dd aged 4 was a sheep last year and that was a big role she had a dance that she had to do with two reception aged children. This year she's told me that she's a toy.

[AlwaysNeverOnTime]

My DD is Mary this year. Apparently she asked if she could be Mary and the teacher said yes. She's 5, so I don't know how true that is.

[JakeBallardswife]

In our class nativity all parts were given to those who want them. Some will just be the chorus and they seem happy with that. All apart from one parent who came into complain that Child A had more lines than his son and his son was distraught about this. There was a long speech from the parent about fairness etc.

I calmly explained that Child A didn't have any lines and all other children had 2 lines each. Parent grudgingly accepted that this was acceptable. Grrr.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

When DD1 was in year 6, her male friend was the angel Gabriel. He was the coolest angel ever and carried it off brilliantly.

[pastapestoparmesan]

I meant to say that my female Herod LOVED playing the part, was brilliant at it, and still remembers it fondly - she's now in Y6 and was in Y2 at the time.

[jamdonut]

Pilkopumpants

Mary doesn't usually have to say anything, so if she struggles with that, it's an ideal role.
Her more confident friends will probably be landed with narrator parts, just because they ARE confident.

Children that can speak loudly, and act sensibly, and take direction are usually given main speaking parts. There's no point in giving a main reason speaking part to a child who has a tiny voice and/or crumbles when it is their turn to speak.

[Lndnmummy]

First time school mum here, my ds who is 4 and in reception told me yesterday that he is going to be an angel or a snowflake and he has a little line too. He said they had been asked who wanted to join in and he said "he had put his hand up".

I cant wait to see all the little ones

[catkind]

Take the tissues lndnmummy!

[Feenie]

Mary doesn't usually have to say anything

True, but I was Mary in chapel on a Sunday when I was 4 and I had to hold a real baby and sing a solo.

No wonder I preferred playing Herod!

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

lol my best nativity as a child was the one where I was the angel Gabriel and the vicars son pulled the dolls head off!

[SansaClegane]

In our school it seems the main roles are given to children whose parents volunteer at school / are in the PTA... They have singing solos or long speeches and are afterwards praised heavily by the headmistress.
DS was angel Gabriel last year; as angels are male though it never occurred to me that this is weird/unusual?

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

No PTA here so that won't work here but was the same at my school when I was young. Girl became spoilt and bosy but left me alone after I put her in her place once .
I have to admit I had singing solos in even infant school and remember them clearly but I think that was more to do with the fact that I sang outside school.

[catkind]

Jeepers Feenie, what did the real baby think of that? Could see that causing some problems with "no crying he makes"!

[Feenie]

I remember the baby as not being particularly impressed and attempting to compete with my singing