Betsy's Blog on Children's Theater | BaileyKidsMusicals.com - BaileyKidsMusicals.com

Trying My Patience

6/11/2026

Don't get me wrong. I love what I do. I enjoy writing and directing Children's Theater Shows. Usually, holding the 2-week Summer Camp in my backyard is a good experience. But this year ------- AAAUUGH

Every morning between 9:00 and Noon, 37 kids between the ages of 5 and 11 have been coming to my backyard to learn dancing, singing, and acting to put on two little plays, "The Ants and the Grasshopper" and "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse." We have a schedule that we try to stick to, we have plenty of places to divide and conquer to do the teaching tasks, and allow the kids enough Breaks and Free Play.

What I did not foresee and could not plan for is the construction going on in my neighbor's yard. Every day this week heavy machinery like excavators, bulldozers and even a large crane for pumping concrete, as well as an assortment of smaller machines have made a dusty, exceedingly loud mess that spills over into my yard. So loud that the poor kids cannot possibly hope to compete. I can't even hear myself think, let alone sing or give directions.

Each morning I have to go out to sweep off the patio and wipe down the tables and chairs. As if I don't already have enough to do....

I am used to hearing the dogs bark, chickens cluck, and distant lawn mowing noises in the neighborhood. I am not even bothered by the occasional helicopter flying overhead. Those noises are fleeting. They sometimes happen even through our performance. But these big machinery noises going on constantly for hours? I sure hope I can convince the neighbor NOT to allow loud working noises to happen during our Saturday show. I hope they come back from vacation soon so I can talk to them...

So Many Little Ants and Mice

6/2/2026

Seven 5-yr-olds, six 6-yr-olds, three 7-yr-olds, and two 8-yr-olds. The first time I did the show "The Ants and the Grasshopper" I had seven 1st Graders and one 2nd Grader. This will be very different with so many very young "ants.

Finale of "The Ants and the Grasshopper"

Every time I think about starting rehearsals for such a young cast, I have to catch myself. I always have reservations about working with the very young --- who by the way seem younger every year to me. But what actually happens is that I am very impressed with their abilities.

With the right material and working in a very organized way, these "littles" do just fine. This is a short show. There are only three songs and two simple dance sequences. The hardest part is getting them to learn and deliver their lines in the right order. I am planning to have them work in pairs so they can help each other be loud enough and come in on time.

First Cast of "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse" at Provost Elementary School

The other show will have seven 8-yr-olds, four 9-yr-olds, five 10-yr-olds, and three 11-yr-olds. This certainly skews the show to a very young population. "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse" has more songs and a more sophisticated story line. The cast members also need to be able to dance. This may be lucky since there are twice as many girls as boys in this camp. Fortunately, the script is flexible enough to provide meaningful parts for everyone.

Maid Marie, Country Mouse, and City Mouse singing and dancing "As the French Say"

The last couple of times I mounted "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse," we had more older children. I can't help wondering how this will work with a much younger cast. We have just enough older kids to manage the roles that will take actors with more experience. Wish me luck...

Now to get back to work on organizing costumes and painting sets...

Who Do You Write For?

5/16/2026

At the Tabernacle Choir Emeritus Ladies Luncheon last week I got to talk with a former seat mate from the Soprano section. I remembered that we left the choir about the same time. I aged out and she left to take a job in another state.

We struck up a conversation about what we've been doing for the last ten years. She has come back to Utah to teach at UVU in the theater and movie department. She also does voice overs for commercials and reading books and things like that. She asked me what I did. I told her that I have been writing a lot for Children's Theater.

Dancers from "Momotaro"

Immediately she asked the million dollar question. "Do you write for adults to perform for an audience of children or write for young actors?" When I told her I write for young actors, she said, "Why didn't I know this about you?" Anyway, our conversation went on about projects and websites and such until the din in the room made it impossible for us to hear each other.

The Ducks exercising from "Chicken Licken"

The genre "Children's Theater" is problematic. So many shows that have become so popular for school productions were not written for young actors to perform at all. They were written for adults to perform for audiences of children. That means that the songs were tailored for triple-threat actors with voices to match --- NOT for elementary school child actors with limited experience and voices with limited ranges.

A Successor to the Throne - Martial Arts dance

Then there are a lot of shows written for young actors that are pretty dumb and the songs are even worse. No wonder the teachers at the elementary schools want to use "name shows" that the kids have seen in movies to draw in the actors and audiences. Those shows are great quality, colorful, and already in the public awareness. They just don't always translate well for a cast of young actors.

The key to success with doing one of the "name shows" is knowing you have exceptionally talented students. Some schools and acting companies may have great pools of talent, but most schools don't. They have regular kids.

Cast of The Frog Prince 2024

So in answer to my friend's question, I write for regular kids hoping that they can rise to the challenge of acting, singing, and dancing to tell a good story. My hope is that they get some experience that they can remember and use as they move on through life. My shows always highlight some character value that I hope will enrich their lives.

Graceful dancers from "Never Cry Wolf"

All it takes is some creativity and determination. Oh, and of course: HONESTY, SINCERITY, BRAVERY, INTEGRITY, COOPERATION, KINDNESS, PLANNING AHEAD, APPRECIATION, RESPONSIBILITY, the importance of FAMILY, keeping PROMISES, some good hard WORK, and not letting FEARS get the best of you!

Here's a fun song from "The Tale of Chicken Licken" that the family of Ducks perform together. "Off to the Races"

It's Always the Last Place You Look

5/11/2026

The picture evidence was all there. I knew I had painted sets, collected props, made a lot of mouse ears and tails and ant feelers. I knew I had costumes for at least eight little ants and 10 little mice. But could I find those tubs out in my shed? Not within easy reach, anyway!

The shows I am choosing to do for my 2026 Summer Theater Camp are "The Ants and the Grasshopper" for the 5-7 year-olds and "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse" for the the 8-11 year-olds. As often happens, I assemble the list of interested young people and am surprised that so many of them are new to me. There will only be a few cast members this year that I already know.

And this year I will have quite a few more children than the scripts were written for. So once again, I will need to be creative. I have been working on adding a few more character names and giving them lines. So many new 5 and 6 year-olds! We'll see if they will be willing to deliver lines alone or if I will need to group them into "friends."

But in any case, I still had to find my tubs of costumes and props. My shed is completely full. Large tubs are stacked six high! I try to put the lighter ones on the top, but still, the stacks are much taller than I can reach. Fortunately, my tall son came to the rescue to move some of the highest tubs.

Unfortunately, as I looked through the painted flats, I found that I had allowed the artists last year to paint over the three big flats I had created for these two little shows. So, those will need to be repainted. (I have run out of room to store any more big flats.)

Once we moved all of the flats out of the shed, we looked seriously at all of the stacks of tubs. I had labeled them, but not with very detailed contents lists. Most just had the show title. Once again, my memory was jumbled and I knew I had made and used a lot of basic costume pieces for these two shows. Then I remembered that I have also used those same basic costume pieces like black pants and shirts and colorful skirts in other shows. Oh, dear!

Years go by quickly when you keep busy. And I must have kept busy over the years because, I couldn't believe that the last time i mounted these shows was before the Pandemic. So, of course, the tubs I needed were the lowest in the stacks at the very back of the shed. I ended up having to move practically every tub out of the way.

Together, the combined shows are called "You Can Learn a Lot." I'd better get crackin' to get everything ready in the next few weeks! I will still have to collect a few more basic black costumes and make some more mouse ears and tails, but I was lucky to find most of what I needed.

Funny, how it's always the last place you look!

April 24th, 2026

4/24/2026

When the Scenery Becomes a Distraction

4/16/2026

Some stage shows are mounted in large theaters with stages that are huge. Other shows seem perfect for small, intimate theaters with very small stage areas. Main Stage vs. Black Box. Well, it depends very much on how the show is written.

And then, what happens when a stage production is reimagined for the big screen?

When I was a young teenager, my mother was asked to accompany a small production of "The Fantasticks" (by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt) at a local college. The show only had six characters, so it was perfect for a Black Box Theater.

They weren't kidding when they called that little theater a "black box." Not only was it shaped like a box, the walls, ceiling, floor, even the seats were painted black. The seats for the audience were raised on three sides of the little square space for a stage. The piano was located off to the side into one of the aisles. This was a very small Little Theater indeed.

But that didn't seem to affect the quality of the show. Though intimate, it was well done. And keeping with the Black Box idea, there was NO SCENERY, just black stage blocks to give a little variety to height and depth. The rest of the work was left to the acting abilities of the cast members and the imaginations of the audience. Costuming was simple but provided color. Inventive stage lighting managed the rest of the focus and ambience.

However, I lately watched a movie of this show. The sweeping vistas of the open prairie (it was supposed to be prairie, but clearly was filmed near mountains), were so vast that this intimate tale got lost. The natural background scenery became a distraction, especially since the story was acted as if the cast members were playing on a small stage set.

Comparing my experience watching the two different productions, I have to say that I enjoyed the little theater show much better. The songs and acting were the main attractions and I didn't worry about how bleak the characters lives were living such lonely lives out in that desolate location.

So many theatrical productions can be successfully mounted very SIMPLY. And perhaps they should always be, especially in Children's Theater. Small, inexperienced performers can be so easily overwhelmed by TOO MUCH --- too elaborate of sets, overproduced accompaniment tracks, too many extraneous details and moving parts that get in the way of allowing the kids themselves to shine.

As I have been planning my Summer Theater Camp shows for this summer, I have been imagining how best to set up the stage. I haven't looked in my shed yet, but I hope I saved the sets I used before.

For the "Ants and the Grasshopper," they really only need an ant hill. For the "Country Mouse and the City Mouse," They need a representation of the base of an old oak tree and then something to represent where a City Mouse who thinks she's elegant might live. It would certainly save a lot of work if I don't need to paint new sets this year.

Values But No Preaching

4/9/2026

Deshi, from "The Empty Pot" or "A Successor to the Throne"

"Shows like this are so great for our kids! The message is there but portrayed in such a way that it is not preachy. Just beautiful."

"I was so glad that this show had such a good message. So many kids shows these days seem pretty dumb and the music isn't very good. I loved how the songs were so singable. I think we'll go home singing them for sure."

"The show was lovely, and it had such a great message. So nice that it wasn't preachy."

"We have gone to so many school productions and dance recital shows and have come away so unimpressed. In fact, it was really hard for us to sit through them. The stories were pretty dumb, and the production quality was not great. This show had a meaningful storyline and even though it was done simply (outside on the patio), it was so engaging. We actually heard the kids singing, and talking, and acting. You even got the 10-year-old boys to attempt choreography. So fun!"

"You wrote this entire production, right? Do you have any idea how long it took you to write it? (My answer - No) The show was wonderful. We all have our mission in life, I think this must be yours. These kids will have something good that they will remember for their entire lives."

The above comments were all given to me after seeing one or several of my Children's Theater Shows.

That is my entire purpose, to give these children something good to remember their whole lives.

Each show is picked from a story or fable that already had a good message. I hoped that I could expand the original tales into shows that showcased one main character trait or value, but without obvious PREACHING. I just want the children to go away uplifted and inspired to do and act with newfound knowledge or experience.

Just as each show has a main VALUE represented, I try to include a song representing that value. For example, the story of Stone Soup is all about learning COOPERATION. So naturally, the main value song is "Cooperation."

The Emperor sings "Worthy to Admire"

The other shows have overarching character VALUES represented, too, but they are less obvious. The value in "The Empty Pot" or "A Successor to the Throne" is INTEGRITY.

"Worthy to Admire" is sung by the Emperor comparing the promise of a seed to the promise of a child.

So here is a list of VALUES, SHOWS, and SONGS from Musicals for your evaluation:

Songs That Move the Story Along

4/7/2026

While watching a Biopic about Rodgers and Hammerstein, the narrator commented how this duo was the first to break some hard fast rules of Broadway Theater. For years, the first rule on Broadway was that the show had to begin with a big chorus number. But when they mounted "Oklahoma," a big chorus number at the start did not serve the plot.

Instead, the show opens with Aunt Eller sitting alone on stage churning butter. As the lights come up slowly, the voice of the cowboy Curly is heard singing "O What a Beautiful Mornin'." It's a quiet, but appropriate beginning to a ground breaking Broadway Musical.

Another rule Rodgers and Hammerstein broke was by staying true to the setting of the story. There were no tap dancing songs with the chorus girls showing a lot of "leg." The play was about simple frontier folk, farmers and cowhands, out on the Oklahoma prairie. A high kicking chorus line would have been 'way out of the realm of believability.

In fact, each song grew out of the situation or dialogue in a seamless fashion that moved the plot along and developed the characters or their relationships. None of the songs in that show were included just to give the ensemble something to do.

Succeeding shows on Broadway took clues from this "new' way of writing shows. The best shows, even Children's Theater shows, follow this format. While there is nothing wrong with beginning a show with a big chorus number, theatrical shows are best when the songs all have a purpose --- to develop characters, or their relationships, or move the plot along.

In Children's Theater, long "tour de force' solo songs for the lead characters are not common. For good reason. Rarely are such young children developed enough to be able to put over a showstopper solo song. So, most songs in a Children's Theater show written for young actors may have a few sections for a solo or two, but will necessarily be sung by the ensemble.

While writing "The Frog Prince," I knew the children who would be in the show several months before the Camp started.

Because I knew their talents and abilities, I felt confident that I could write a few solo songs that they could pull off rather well. (And they did!)

"To Be a Princess" and "A Promise Is a Promise" are two of those songs.

While writing "No Time for Monkey Business," I also had the luxury of knowing a few of the actors who would be in the show before camp started. So I felt confident I could write songs tailored for them, too.

That's why the Fox, the Zebra, the Hyena, the Fancy Bird, the Rhino, and the Monkey all got their own solo songs with support from the ensemble.

Probably the closest to a tour de force song I ever wrote for a Children's Theater show is "As the French Say" from The Country Mouse and the City Mouse.

This song is for the two lead character girls plus the City Mouse's French Maid.

Not only do these young actors need to sing well, they should be also able to do the Can Can! Wow!

Showcasing Young Actors Appropriately

3/31/2026

Broadway Junior Productions. I can't help wondering what age group are they really designed for? They must be defining "juniors" as those young actors who are under age 18 but old enough to perform the songs in the original keys. I get it that directors want to introduce their young actors to Broadway, but why choose shows that do little to showcase the students themselves?

This weekend I saw two Broadway Jr productions, one done by a Middle School (7th and 8th graders) and one done by an upper Elementary School (5th and 6th graders). The Middle School production was pretty good. (Love scenes are always awkward for young actors...) The kids were young, but as singers they could at least manage the songs in the original keys. The Elementary School show was very difficult to watch and listen to because the singers, especially the boys, could not sing the songs in the original keys.

The music in both shows was extremely sophisticated. Even though the material was shortened, the songs and dances still needed a lot of skill to pull off successfully. Both shows had beautifully produced backing tracks that would have worked great for mature enough voices that could really sing the tunes. Where the 7th and 8th graders had boys whose voices had mostly dropped, the 5th and 6th graders were still very much all in treble clef. For the audiences, hearing (or not hearing because the singers were forced to try to sing out of their ranges) the poorly performed songs was rather painful, indeed.

The trouble seems to be that the Broadway shows, great as they are, may not be the best material for Elementary Schoolers.

Problem #1 is that most boys ages 11-13 have very limited vocal ranges --- sometimes only about 5 notes right around Middle C. Having them try to sing songs that have ranges of an octave and a 5th or more is ludicrous.

Problem #2 --- most Broadway shows have love scenes and songs. Kids these ages shouldn't have to deal with sustained singing while looking longingly at someone and then kissing. (The Middle School show tried to hide the kisses by blocking the couple behind a small tree, but it was still awkward.)

Problem #3 --- "tour de force" songs are great for actors with stage presence and the right vocal chops, but attempted by light immature voices that cannot hit the notes, that is right painful for an audience.

Problem #4 --- not having the budget to appropriately costume the actors or provide believable sets and props. For example, a show that is set in the Renaissance should not have girls wearing miniskirts. The look of the show, even if done simply, should at least attempt to have costumes that reflect the time and cultural setting of the story.

Problem #5 --- If the songs and libretto are chocked full of historic references and jokes that depend on the audience understanding those references, the charm of the show is lost on the kids. And if the kids can't understand and deliver the nuances, the audience doesn't get the references either.

Perhaps, if the teachers wish to introduce their students to Broadway, they should do a Revue of selected songs and scenes that match the talents and abilities of their students.

For Elementary School Musicals, try using material specifically written for Elementary School-aged children. They work a lot better and showcase the kids' talents instead of making the audiences cringe.

To the list of age-appropriate material out there, may I add some of my own:
The Adventures of Dick Whittington, Never Cry Wolf, Parizade's Quest, A Successor to the Throne, Momotaro, The Frog Prince, and No Time for Monkey Business.

"Over the Briny Sea" was specifically written for a 6th grade boy who could sing well, but whose voice was teetering on dropping. He really only had a few notes he could count on. The sailor ensemble behind him was made up of younger boys and a few disguised girls who all still sang in treble clef. Together they had a rollicking good time singing and dancing this number and the audience loved it!

Comic Relief and Cute Factor

3/30/2026

Kid Cute Factor from "The Empty Pot"

Audience enjoyment. That's what theater is all about. Having a live audience is so important for a good live show. The "vibes" from the audience actually feed the performers. Sometimes a singer or actor will comment in an interview how the room was just electric. What they meant was that the exertion by the performers was matched by the reactions of the audience, in good ways.

Sometimes the audience simply applauds at the end of the performance. But when they show how engaged they are by leaning forward, giving audible chuckles or surprise breath intakes, or they react with laughter in all its forms, that's magic. It really helps give the performer the energy to make the show better.

Monkey HiJinx from "Momotaro"

Most of time, I like to prepare the audiences we get for my children's theater shows. I go out before the show to welcome the audience and explain to them how they can get the best performances out of their young cast members. We actually practice laughing, ALL DIFFERENT WAYS OF LAUGHING. A small giggle, a short guffaw, a low rumble that grows with the developing humor in the scene, to full belly laughs with loud applause and whistles.

My dad was the perfect audience member. I am not sure if he actually enjoyed my shows as much as he let on, but having him and his signature laughs and whistles in the audience had such a catalyst-ic effect. I really never knew if the other people in the audience were genuinely laughing at the funny stuff on stage or just reacting to the stimulus of his laughter. Either way, it made our shows a lot better.

Silly Politicians from "Never Cry Wolf"

Writers of children's theater do try to put comic relief elements into their scripts. But try as we might, the author or director, can't always guarantee that young actors will be able to deliver comedic material so that the audience will comprehend and react appropriately. However, there is something magical about "cute factor." Little kids can come off charming and even funny just by being themselves.

There is something so enjoyable about being in a small show performed in front of a relatively small audience. When the audience is close enough to see the whites of the performers' eyes, true connection can be established. That can boost the young actor's confidence in so many ways. The actors are not technically supposed to break the "4th Wall," but with kids, it's inevitable. So, as directors, we celebrate "cute factor."

Cute Mice from "The Adventures of Dick Whittington"

By preparing the audience for a show comprised of young actors, a director can help them know what to expect, give them permission to react audibly, and practice helping them to adjust their reactions to whatever is happening on stage. For example, kids don't know how to hold for long bouts of laughter, so the audience needs to be flexible enough to stop on a dime.

Live, spontaneous, and intelligent audiences are so important to a good children's theater show. I love when they do their part to applaud and laugh. But I love them best when they start singing along during the Finale song, and even more when they go home singing the songs!

A few of the songs audiences have gone home singing from our shows:

"A Promise Is a Promise After All" from The Frog Prince
"Good Mornin' Sunshine" from The Tale of Chicken Licken
"Pay Now and Play Later" from The Ants and the Grasshopper
"Over Yonder" from Stone Soup
"What a Wonderful Day" from No Time for Monkey Business

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