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

Reviews and Comments

7/5/2026

Seeing people weeks later and still getting thoughtful comments and reviews after a Summer Camp is unusual. However, I'll take it. Two comments in particular were very welcome indeed.

The first was from a man who was grandpa to one of the youngest kids. I have known and admired him for years because of what he did in his professional life. He was world-renown in the choral music arena. Now we are neighbors and friends. But he had never seen any of my Children's Theater Musicals before. We hadn't had time for a chat immediately after the show, so this was extra special since he made a concerted effort to speak to me much later.

This man told me that he was so impressed that I seemed to know exactly what to write for these little people. He loved the music as well as how the show was written. He said that I definitely had a special gift. What could I answer but thank him and say that I have had many years of experience. Still, that comment meant so much coming from such a well respected musician as he is.

The other comment came from another grandfather of several young actors in the camp. This time the children were cousins from two families. He thanked me profusely for offering such wonderful opportunities for his grandchildren. He had been to many shows over the years and has been impressed that they were all so charming and meaningful.

He was also so grateful that we live in a country where we have the freedoms to do good without any interference from the government or other forces.

Wow! What a sobering thought. How I take for granted the freedoms we enjoy!

He said how he appreciated having good, wholesome activities that stretch the children to do things they may not ordinarily do. He was happy that the children proved that they could be responsible, learn their parts, and work well with others in the show. Then he said that by offering my time and energies to helping the kids do shows of this calibre has undoubtedly made my "calling and election" sure. (That's Biblical language for being assured that after my death I will go straight to my eternal reward.)

Well, that is a beautiful thought --- true or not. Still, it is nice to be thought of so highly.

Enjoy one of the fun production numbers "I Love the City Life" 2-Part Children's Chorus from "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse."

Bad Rehearsal, Good Show

6/21/2026

The Dress Rehearsal for our Summer Theater Camp was pretty crazy. The worst of it was that after taking a lot of time to build the set and arrange the audio equipment before everyone came at 9:00 am, a great wind came up and blew over our already compromised set pieces so that they split apart. Then we had some technical difficulties with the audio. I experienced so much stress trying to keep little fingers from exploring the equipment and altering the settings. I had an exceedingly hard time keeping calm amid the storm of smoky winds, 90 degree+ heat, and too many curious little kids.

The Country Mouse and her Country Siblings

Fortunately, my middle son Matthew came to the rescue and helped me fix the sets, check all the equipment, and calm me down. Our two short shows that share some of the flats could be saved! "The Ants and the Grasshopper" and "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse."

The next morning started out very ominously. The skies were thick with black smoke clouds from the fires in the south county. The sun was orange as it tried to shine through the clouds. The winds were not so forceful as the day before, but they were still present. The helpers that said they would come at 8:00 am, did not come until ten minutes to 9:00 am to set up for the show.

The City Mouse and her City Neighbors

I rarely sleep the night before a show, and this night I was particularly nervous. Boy, did I miss my husband and grown up, talented children yesterday morning. In the past we'd get up at 6:30 am and start setting up the shade canopies and chairs for our audience. They would also help me set up the sets on stage and carefully arrange the audio equipment and microphones. Then I could feel able to set out all of the costumes and props and other things that needed to be ready before the kids came. Yesterday, I tried to set up what I could before anybody came to help me, but there was plenty I could NOT do without help. (I am definitely getting too old for this!)

Fortunately, people did come to help. And they did set up the shade canopies and chairs for the audience. Then some people helped me set up the set pieces on the stage. One of the dads even offered to stand behind the most vulnerable set to support it during the entire show! That was so chivalrous of him. He missed his child's performance for the greater good. Bless him!

Half of the Ant Line with the Grasshopper

Well, about 150 people came to see the show in my backyard. And it turned out pretty good. The biggest problem was when a couple of "ants" kept getting their antennae (little black pipe cleaners) on their headbands entangled. Once I had to go up on stage and untangle them, the next time they got disentangled by themselves.

Half of the Ant Line with the Queen Ant

The old adage that if you have a bad rehearsal, you are certain to have a good show actually came true. I was so proud of my young performers. They actually saved their "best" for the performance.

Now, maybe after a few days to wash, sort, and put away costumes and props, I might get some blessed sleep!

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:

You Can Learn a Lot from the Smallest of the Small

3/18/2026

Teaching nuggets of wisdom from very short fables was Aesop's style. Some of the translations available are literally just a few sentences long, and yet they are packed with power. He used animals, even the very tiny ones, in his stories to criticize and poke fun at the ridiculous circumstances he saw people getting themselves into all around him. He hoped that his stories would not only entertain, but teach valuable lessons.

For my Summer Theater Camp production this year, I am combining two Aesop Fables into one show. The younger children will be performing "The Ants and the Grasshopper" and the older children will present "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse." Because Aesop's original few lines are so short, it leaves a lot of room to fill out the population and activities with dialogue and songs. Still, these stories by themselves are not very long, so I've combined them into one show with an overarching theme: "You Can Learn a Lot."

You Can Learn a Lot

‘Way back in ancient Grecian time
When old Aesop told his fables fine,
He used animals in natures’ world
To entertain with stories ‘til a lesson emerged.

Aesop would use his skill and wit
To scoff and scold and criticize a bit
A deeper meaning hid beneath the fun
A prudent moral taught and by offending no one.

Plenty of fools live up above the ground
And won’t take notice of or even look down,
But if you would take a tiny little peak
You just might find the wisdom that you seek.

You can learn a lot from the smallest of the small
From the mice and ants and other things that crawl.
You can learn a lot from the creatures you’ve forgot.
You can learn a lot!

Using Musicals to Retell a Fable with a Moral

9/27/2025

My elementary classroom teacher friends have been kind enough to offer suggestions for Lesson Plans for my Mini-Musicals. In many states, so much of the curriculum is scripted to meet the Common Core Objectives. They find that it is exhausting to add anything beyond the well-stated goals. It is simply too hard to justify "fluff' and "fun." They are too busy trying to keep up with all of the mandated requirements. And many teachers are so overwhelmed, they rely solely on commercially prepared pre-made worksheets and packets.

This is such a shame! As I have read the National Common Core Objectives, there seems to be a lot of room for creativity and fun. For example, one of the ELA objectives for 1st-3rd grades is to retell a story or fable with a moral. What better way to meet this objective than to present a class play? And if the songs reinforce the concepts of the moral plus other Language Arts ideas, that is all for the better. For example, the opening song in "The Tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff," contains an idiom that is introduced along with many other puzzlements, "Why is Grass Always Greener on the Other Side?" This song is a good jumping off point for a discussion about asking questions to get information using the words "who, what, where, when and why."

In the Mini-Musical "The Tale of the Musicians of Bremen," the moral has to do with Age and Change. Children may not recognize how difficult it is for older people to grow old and feel useless. Older people often stubbornly resist change. The old farmer and his wife in the story have to face Age and Change in themselves and for their animals. This story shows the animals taking a proactive step to avoid their certain fate (death). The animals are likable and do silly things, but also allow for a discussion about important life lessons, particularly Age and Change.

The City Mouse and the Country Mouse discover that both of their homes have pros and cons. The Country Mouse visits the City with her cousin and is terrified at the noise and hustle-bustle and all of the hidden dangers of the City. She decides that the "cons" far outweigh the "pros" of City Life. She races home to the Country where she already knows what to expect. "The Tale of the City Mouse and the Country Mouse" begins Comparisons
of Likes and Dislikes discussion.
Through explorations in acting and singing, the students can draw comparisons from the story and their own experiences to become better at determining their own preferences.

Retelling a story or fable with a moral is what these Mini-Musicals are all about. According to the advice of my teacher friends, I have included ideas and worksheets to help meet some of the Common Core Objectives for ELA. The best accolade I ever got from mounting one of these shows came from two little boys. The confided to their dad that they did not know why I kept telling them how proud I was of their hard work. They did not feel like it was work at all. They were having so much fun!

Who says learning can't be fun?

They Couldn't Help Themselves

6/29/2025

The premiere performance of my new children's theater musical "No Time for Monkey Business" happened yesterday. I count it a success when the audience goes home singing the songs. As well-wishers came up to me after the performance, that was practically all they would say, or sing rather. "What a beautiful day...the sun is shining..." or they'd say, "Those songs were so catchy!" Many literally said that they couldn't help themselves, they just kept singing the songs. They were stuck in their heads.

We tried to construct a jungle set with craft paper vines and tissue paper flowers made by the kids.

We were lucky. We only had one minor disaster during the show. Partway through the first big number a blast of wind came up and blew down the drapes in the back. They didn't fall far, fortunately, and my daughter jumped into action along with another tall friend to fix the problem. Apparently, they were so discreet that many in the audience were unaware of the situation. Another of my daughters who was the Stage Manager on that side of the stage found herself too busy calling cues and handing out props to do anything about the set problem. She was thankful that other people swiftly acted. So was I!

The flats were painted by Tiffany Lee and her two daughters Indie and London.

When you consider that the set was held together mainly by masking tape, cotton string, and safety pins, it is amazing that it held together at all. To think that a set built of styrofoam, bed sheets and construction paper had the hope of lasting through a day of wind, heat, and sun on an outdoor patio is actually pretty presumptuous, I admit. We knew we couldn't risk setting anything up the day before and leaving it over night, so we got up at the crack of dawn to build the stage with great hope that it could last until noon when the show would be over. And most of it did just fine.

These are the drapes that blew off the pipe that was holding them up.

With the real possibility that many things could go wrong, I am just glad that so many things went right and that the audience seemed to enjoy the show. They told me that the show was delightful and the songs were so catchy. They said that they appreciated how it had such a great message of learning to take responsibility. They were happy that the children would have such a wonderful memory to take with them through their lives.

Fluff and Hollow Promises

5/31/2025

During a part of my new show, "No Time for Monkey Business," several animals self-promote themselves to be the new ruler. The Zebra, the Fancy Bird, the Rhino, and the Hyena each sing songs that essentially say "Vote for Me" but they don't really explain their platforms or plans for ruling a kingdom. They just offer themselves because they want to fill the void left when the Old Lion King dies.

In the sequence, the animals of the audience get caught up in the excitement of these songs and dances. Basically, they are persuaded by how these candidates look and how well they dance and sing. Only the Fox is suspicious and wants to know more than just the fluff that is promised.

The Zebra is a comic. The Fancy Bird is beautiful. The Rhino is pushy. And the Hyena is into having dance parties. Each of their songs I wanted to be unique. The Zebra's song is a patter song modeled after a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. The Fancy Bird's song is very swirly and balletic. The Rhino's song plays up his strength and pushiness. But the Hyena's song is more like an island calypso.

This is a mythical jungle where all the animals live together amicably. It is all played for fun, except the poor Fox who has to keep the moral standards for everyone. Aesop's fable really states the obvious --- that a ruler should be able to manage himself before he can manage a kingdom.

According to the Fox, none of these candidates are suitable to be chosen to fill the shoes of the wise Old Lion King. However, their songs and showmanship are fun to listen to and watch. That's the whole point of having these numbers in the show. And then, the Monkey comes along and upstages all of them.

It should be fun watching these young actors create these characters with their entertaining songs.

Hyena       With a vote for me you'll find yourself dancin',
                  Singin' and a-laughin' all the day long.
                  With a vote for me you'll find your heart prancin'.
                  With a vote for me how could you go wrong?

Dance Break

All             With a vote for me you'll find yourself dancin',
                  Singin' and a-laughin' all the day long.
                  With a vote for me you'll find your heart prancin'.
                  With a vote for me how could you go wrong?

Hyena        (spoken over musical postlude) Remember! Vote for me and we'll have dance parties every day!

Creating a Catchy Title

3/8/2025

Some authors I admire are so good with words! They have a knack for coming up with memorable phrases or pithy puns. I especially admire the power of catchy Titles. Take for instance the Disney movie "Tangled" that is the story of Rapunzel. Now the girl's name is the normal title of the fairy tale, but "Tangled" gives it an added comedic flair. Those of us who have daughters that we try to keep their hair managed know immediately how descriptive the title "Tangled" is. We all have our own memories of fighting with our daughters over the fuss of combing out the tangled knots of "bed head" hair in the mornings.

(Straightening out granddaughter CJ's hair in the mornings is not usually a smiling, happy affair!)

"The Monkey and the Fox" is a very short Aesop Fable that I am attempting to fill out to become a new show for this year's Summer Theater Camp. My first inclination is to use "Monkey Business" somewhere in the title. Truly, there are a lot of silly shenanigans with the Monkey and his pals in the script. However, the Monkey is not the hero of the Tale. In fact, the moral of the story is that "someone who cannot control himself should not be the one leading a kingdom."

The real hero of this Fable is the Fox who displays wisdom and selfless leadership skills. Near the beginning of the story, the old Lion King dies, and because the Monkey parades himself around draped in the royal robes of the old King, the jungle animals mistakenly view him as kingly, and elect him their King. Then, as the story plays out, the Fox thinks it is his duty to watch out for and even save the silly Monkey from his un-kingly ways.

The Fox continually warns the Monkey that he should take better care of himself. Finally, even the Fox gets tired of always rescuing the Monkey. Eventually, he lets the headstrong, unthinking, silly Monkey fall into the trap set by the trio of Tricky Trappers.

The last the jungle animals see of their King is when the Trappers haul off the Monkey from their trap. Only then do the animals realize that the Fox should be their ruler. They have a quick meeting and soon crown the Fox as the rightful King of the Jungle.

So, do I use "Monkey Business" in the title or keep searching for something that honors the wisdom of the Fox?

It's a problem.

In the meantime, I am finding fun costume ideas.

* * * * * * * * * * *

This just in --- My daughter Cami suggested a title: "No Time for Monkey Business." I think that's just right. I'm going with that.

Mini Musicals with a Moral

2/6/2024

One of the ELA (English Language Arts) objectives for 1st-3rd grades is to retell a story or fable with a moral. What better way to meet this objective than to present a class play?

In the Mini-Musical "The Tale of the Musicians of Bremen," the moral has to do with Age and Change. Children may not recognize how difficult it is for people to grow old and feel useless. Older people often stubbornly resist change. The old farmer and his wife in the story have to face Age and Change in themselves and for their animals. This story shows the animals taking a proactive step to avoid their certain fate (death). The animals are likable and do silly things, but also allow for a discussion about important life lessons, particularly Age and Change.

In the story of the City Mouse and the Country Mouse they each discover that both of their homes have pros and cons. The Country Mouse visits the city with her cousin and is terrified at the noise and hustle-bustle, and all of the hidden dangers there. She decides that the "cons" far outweigh the "pros" to life in the city. She races home to the Country where she already knows what to expect. For the class, "The Tale of the City Mouse and the Country Mouse" musical begins a discussion about Comparisons such as Likes and Dislikes. Through explorations in acting and singing, the students can draw examples from the story and their own experiences to become better at determining their own preferences.

And if the songs reinforce the concepts of the moral plus other Language Arts ideas, that is all for the better. For example, the opening song in "The Tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff," contains an idiom that is introduced along with many other puzzlements, "Why is Grass Always Greener on the Other Side?"

This song is a good jumping off point for a discussion about asking questions to get information using the words "who, what, where, when and why."

Retelling a story or fable with a moral is what these Mini-Musicals are all about. According to the advice of my teacher friends, I have included ideas and worksheets to help meet some of the Common Core Objectives for ELA. The best accolade I ever got from mounting one of these shows came from two little boys. The confided to their dad that they did not know why I kept telling them how proud I was of their hard work. They did not feel like it was work at all. They were having so much fun!

Who says learning can't be fun?

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