The last two weeks were quite a whirlwind.  Twenty one children ranging in age from 4 1/2 to 11 participated in my Neighborhood Summer Theater Camp held in my backyard.  It was truly a summer INTENSIVE!  We worked very hard to learn acting skills, songs and dances, and all of the lines and blocking to put on a production of my new Children's Musical "The Tale of Chicken Licken" all in just over 20 hours of teaching time.  Whew!  The children accomplished it and looked very cute in the process.  I am proud of their hard work.
          When I begin to write a new show, I generally use the formula that my cast will be made up of a few boys, but mostly girls.  So I keep that in mind when creating songs and populating the landscape.  But as the registrations came in for this camp, we had many more boys than originally expected.  This posed a bit of a challenge since I had already started making the costumes.  I thought that making little girls look like barnyard fowl would be a cinch -- just put them in a T-shirt and shorts with a tutu in whatever color most suited the bird.  Well, that idea had to be revamped with fully half of the cast being boys.  So, with the help of one of my talented daughters, we came up with designs that would work better for the boys in the cast.  Additionally, I quickly wrote a couple more songs that enhanced the storyline more because I was able to add lines and situations with these male characters in mind. 

         Testing out and proofing new material is a scary proposition.  You never know exactly how a new show or song will be received.  I am happy to report that what went well went very well and the few costume malfunctions and flubbed lines were forgiven.  It would have been nice to have a little more time to work with the mics and costumes before the performance, though.  But, when the kids remembered to speak and sing into the mics, they were heard very well.  In doing this camp, I learned just what appealed to the young cast, and what may have been a little too sophisticated for them.  Perhaps there are a few places in the script that I may rewrite for a younger, more homogenized cast, say K-3rd graders, and make many parts flexible enough to be cast as either male or female.  But all in all, I am pleased with this new creation and I think "The Tale of Chicken Licken" definitely has a future for other Children's Theater productions.

          When you write a new song for a Children's Theater Show, you really have no idea how it will be received by the children.  The little song I just finished for the Ducks in my new show "The Tale of Chicken Licken" is all about training for running a race.  The idea is very simple.  In the play, we meet the Duck family as they are trying to get down to the lake to get the best worms before the Goose family.  So what sounds more like running a foot race than a pianist practicing his scales all over the piano at lightning speed?  This song starts off with the Ducks in a huddle, tail feathers all a-wiggling.  Then they BREAK and start the chant:

          5K, 10K or training for the Big Relay. 
          Biath-a-lon, Triath-a-lon, or what the heck, a Marathon! 
          1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - Go_______Ducks!

After a bit of stretching, they sing:

          Off to the Races, we're off to the Races!
          We'll go through our paces.  Our Race is today!
          Off to the Races, we're off to the Races!
          We'll go through our paces.  Our Race is today!

          That is really all they sing, just repeated a few times.  Perhaps that is why the children seem to like it so much.  I had no idea that this little song that came about through a burst of inspiration in a time of desperation could possibly be a hit.  I just had to hurriedly finish it before the camp started a couple of days later.

          I am happy to report that the little Ducks, mostly 5 and 6 year old boys, love the song and more importantly, they love the idea of getting to run around the stage to the music.  I had planned on just having the Ducks sing the song by themselves, but now that all the children have heard it, they can't help singing along.  So, why not?  Everyone on stage will sing it and even join in the exercise routine in the middle of the number.  It is an awesome feeling to have created a fun song that the children tell me keeps going round and round in their heads.  Good!  Then I'm not alone!

       Just how do you take an average 5 - 7 year old and transform her into a cute little barnyard fowl?  Oh, yes, make that for under $10 per child please.  I have been researching and culling ideas from many sources.  The best ideas, of course, are very expensive.  My budget for this play is very limited, but I still want to create a great product. So, this is what I have so far for the little chicks.  I took a yellow Tee shirt, added a yellow tulle tutu, and few "feather" fluffs at the shoulders and a tuft at the neck, gave her some yellow shorts for modesty, made a little cap with a top not of "feathers" and will add a beak and eyes.  The yellow glove feet are an idea I'd like to try.  I wonder if the kids will be able to dance in those silly feet?

        The Duck family will be exercise enthusiasts, well, the papa and boys will be at least.  Their song is about training for the next big race.  The mama duck will try her best, but she is clutzy and just wants to look fashionable. Her dearest wish is to be as glamourous as Mrs. Goose. Here she is in her 1980's Jazzersize outfit with headband, leg warmers and tutu.  Obviously, the big ruffles will be tufted in the back to look like tail feathers.  This was made from a thrift store white hoodie, recycled ruffles from another costume, blue jersey fabric, and the quickly crocheted leg-warmers made from donated yarn.

      The other characters are coming along, as well.  Making a boy version for every girl version has been interesting.  I have not actually met the children of the cast yet, so, fitting these parts and pieces to real bodies will be the next challenge and will need to be flexible to fit a range of sizes.  The girl costumes are easier than the ones for the boys.  I have been able to suggest the idea of tail feathers by using lots of ruffles in the back of the tutus.  I don't think the boys would like to wear tutus, so I have had to come up with alternate plans for their tail feathers.  But making the enormous fluffy tail feathers for the rooster and the turkey I have just not figured out yet.  Wish me luck!