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

Stuck in England

1/11/2022

My sister and her husband and daughter just spent the Christmas Holiday in the U.K. She sent me pictures of the various castles they toured in Scotland and Wales and texted me about the midnight mass they attended in an ancient cathedral on Christmas Eve. They enjoyed revisiting some people and places they had seen before in England. Then, because of COVID, they had to get tested before getting onto their flight back home. Her daughter tested positive, so, that changed their plans.

Barbara and Grace ended up staying at a Bed and Breakfast near the Heathrow Airport and David took the flight home to America. The protocols said they'd have to stay for two weeks, then test again before taking the new flight. So, they have been stuck in England.

One of the perks of being stuck in England is that no matter where you are some interesting place may be just outside your window. Their B&B overlooks a 900 year old Pub thought to be the fourth oldest pub in the entire country. It opened in 1106, when King Henry I was on the throne. It has some fascinating, yet grim history. The husband and wife owners of The Ostrich back in the 17th century committed 60 murders before slipping up and getting caught. (Think "Sweeny Todd" or "Arsenic and Old Lace.") Some people think the place is haunted. Outlaws through the centuries have used it as a hideout. Nowadays, it is a restaurant and hotel. You can get your fish and chips there and even spend the night. (Tempting, right?)

I love seeing this ancient Pub with the airplane just above it, and the satellite receiver.

This reminds me of a few years ago when I was doing the research to write "The Adventures of Dick Whittington." The setting was circa 1605. The vehicle was Old English Pantomime. The sets were half-timbered buildings. The costumes were Elizabethan. Even the songs were based on Nursery Rhymes and Sea Chanties from that time. All I can say is, I wish I had been stuck in England a few years back so I could have soaked up even more of that Old English atmosphere!

Primitive or Genius

8/31/2021

Over the years I have been quite aware that I haven't been as diligent in my study of Music Theory as I ought. Sure, I passed all of my classes in College, but I confess that my ear is faster than my brain. Where I have learned to write melodies and accompaniments that may use advanced devices, I have not had the patience to analyze these processes according to the formal language of Music Theory. For me, the music just has to sound right. I have been gratified however when I get flattering feedback that my music has genius. The approach may be a bit primitive, but the outcome sounds like I know what I'm doing. Hmm....that's a point to ponder.

Those of you who have studied the works of the Great Masters, do you also remember learning that they just wrote what they liked and many regularly broke the rules as they went along?

What a comforting notion. They wrote what they liked according to their understanding and sensibilities. Or in other words, they created music that sounded good to their ears regardless of what the academics said was correct.

Plenty of the great Masters surely had a wonderful command of the language of Music Theory. Still, some of the best music that has been passed down to us comes through musicians who couldn't personally even write it down. After all, music is a heavenly gift. Musicians have always made music throughout our long history. Music Theory developed along the way as a system to help musicians notate their music and let them communicate their ideas to others as well as preserve it for future generations. Music Theory is a language. It is not the music.

This holds true in the world of Musical Theater, too. Styles and fashions come and go. Composers are always looking for inspiration and who knows where that inspiration will take them.

Take the music of Alan Menken for example. In writing "Pocohantas," he clearly used influences from Native American instruments, motifs and tonalities. For "Beauty and the Beast," "The Little Mermaid," "Tangled," and others, he followed traditional American Musical Theater song forms such as the production number, soliloquy, love duet, novelty song, reprise, and finale to support plot development and resolution. For "Hercules," he used styles of American pop songs through the decades such as Gospel and 1960's rock and roll. That's just one prolific composer. There are so many other examples.

In writing my Children's Musicals, I have tried to hunt for musical inspiration that would best fit the stories. In "Stone Soup" I wanted music that sounded like the 1800's American Westward movement. Both "Momotaro" and "A Successor to the Throne" needed music using Oriental pentatonic tonality. For "Parizade's Quest," it had to have music that evoked ancient Persia. For "The Tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff" I borrowed melodic motifs from Edvard Grieg. I researched Old English Pantomime circa 1600 and typical styles of Renaissance music especially Nursery Rhymes for "The Adventures of Dick Whittington." And, I took a page out of Alan Menken's playbook for "Never Cry Wolf" by using some pop music of the decades for inspiration even though the story is set in ancient Greece.

Don't think I ever once worried about Music Theory when writing these songs. My training and study shows, I suppose, but the music just had to sound right. Guess I am more primitive than genius level.

Popular Folk Tale from a Distant Land

8/27/2021

While my daughter and her family were visiting me this week, we exchanged a lot of ideas. They are very good at finding unusual (at least to Grandma) books and videos. I happened to be talking about one of my shows they might produce as a summer camp next year, and they said how similar that story is to a story that was referenced in a Japanese video they watched. I had said the musical was based on a famous Japanese folktale that is known in Japan as "Momotaro, the Peach Pit Boy." All their ears perked up and they said, "That's in 'My Neighbors, the Yamadas!'"

So, we had go directly to spend the afternoon watching some of the episodes. The animation is quite unique. It is beautifully simple art, quite impressionistic, almost like a comic strip. Cute stories and interesting music. The reference to Momotaro, though, was very brief. It was in an episode explaining how the couple got their two children. It was not the full story of "Momotaro."

When my youngest son was in Kindergarten, he brought home a book from the school library. It was the retelling of a Japanese folktale about a hero. When we read it that night, I was surprised that my little 5-year-old wiggle-wart listened with great interest to the entire book that had very few pictures. Then it occurred to me that this story would make a great Children's Theater piece.

At the time I was preparing to direct a Summer Theater Camp for the 5-8 year old group. I was having a hard time finding a musical that seemed right for our little group. We had a bunch of boys (very unusual for Children's Theater) ages 5-8 and even more girls, most of them very young. I needed a musical theater piece that would keep the attention of the boys and still have something lyrical and beautiful for the girls to love.

The story of Momotaro was perfect. It had a lot of mythical creatures in it as well as the central character that becomes a hero. I introduced it to the children as a SUPERHERO story, kind of like Jackie Chan and Tom Thumb rolled into one.

Tom Thumb because the parents got him in a very unusual way. And Jackie Chan because he defended his village against the evil demons by using Martial Arts.

Jackie Chan was a popular movie actor at the time who was known for his impossible martial arts stunts.

That was all it took to hook the boys. They got on board right away.

Momotaro with his animal friends as they go on their Quest to fight the Oni Monsters.

The boys loved doing the Martial Arts moves and the girls enjoyed the dances with ribbon wands and the fabric river. They all liked the fantasy feel of this interesting story. I am always amazed at how well this little show is accepted by the audiences.

Enjoy "Momotaro, a Tale of Bravery."

New Character, New Song

8/12/2021

"I think my 3-year-old granddaughter has a crush on the Fox."

That's the kind of comment that is really appreciated in children's theater. I don't like to write scary stuff into my scripts. I don't want to scare the little children. So, this go around of Summer Theater Camp, I wrote an expanded part for the obvious "bad guy" where he actually becomes a sympathetic, and funny guy, and perhaps even a heart throb in the eyes of the audience. (After all, I modeled him after Elvis.)

Many years ago now, I was sitting in a darkened theater watching Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" with my 3-year-old sister. She was absolutely terrified by Maleficent and the Dragon. She hid her eyes and covered her ears and buried herself in my lap. I held her as tightly as I could to help her feel safe. To this day, I don't think she likes watching "Sleeping Beauty." Scary stuff, that.

Anyway, I wanted to make "The Tale of Chicken Licken" into a Family-Friendly comedy. So glad I did, and that the 12-year-old actor who played the Fox was so engaging and entertaining. One mom said, "That boy has LEADING MAN written all over him!"

Makes me happy to have delighted the audience with this revised show. Soon I will have this version with the new song available on the website.

Struggling with a "Bad Guy" Character

6/14/2021

The last time I did a Summer Camp production of "The Tale of Chicken Licken" most of the kids were under 10 years old. They were practically all unknown to me and most had no previous acting experience. This Summer's Theater Camp is different. There are a few kids who have grown up doing my summer theater camps and they have proven themselves. They have good stage presence, can sing well, and deserve a featured role with a good song. I can accommodate the girls, but I don't have a challenging enough role or song for one boy.

The trouble is that the only character that could be developed more is the bad guy, Foxy Loxy. In keeping with the light, comic nature of this show, I need to make him a cool dude, and minimize his evil intentions. I have decided to model him after Elvis Presley and the "Fonz" from "Happy Days" with the manic physical comedy of Danny Kaye. A tall order!

So, once again I find myself rewriting my own show and adding at least one new song. I want Foxy Loxy to do a rock 'n roll song, play a guitar solo and have the Bluebirds girl trio characters as back-up singers.

It can be done, right? Wish me well!

Avoiding Stereotypes

5/22/2021

Last night I watched the movie of Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Flower Drum Song" (1961) again. After the movie, the commentators really dug into deep subjects. They analyzed how this movie explored the themes of illegal immigration and fighting Asian stereotypes on screen. I had read that Oscar Hammerstein was very interested in dissolving racial bias wherever he could through his writing. These analysts compared the typical roles Asian people, particularly Asian women, played on screen and how those roles portrayed them as cooks, servants, call girls, evil gangsters, or running a Chinese laundry. They never portrayed Asian people as regular folks leading real and interesting lives.

At age 8 when I first saw the movie, it never really occurred to me to consider the plight of Asian people trying to survive and assimilate into a new culture.

Hearing such deep analysis always makes me feel so shallow. Mostly, I grew up enjoying "The Flower Drum Song" because I liked the music. My mother bought the folio of songs and I had fun playing and singing them as a young teenager. We even went to see a touring production in Houston starring Jack Soo (who was also in the movie). After the show, we met him and got his autograph. Back then, I just accepted the show as an entertaining story about Chinese people in China town. I never even questioned how unique it was to see a live theater performance featuring a cast made up of just Asian actors.

When adapting a story or folk tale from another culture for Children's Theater, I have often wondered whether I would cause offense. Knowing that these shows would most likely be performed by kids NOT of the culture represented, I wondered if the meat of the story could carry the show.

I ultimately decided that since the actors and the audiences were already prepared to "suspend their disbelief," they could accept kids portraying Persian Princesses, Chinese Emperors, mythical Greek Muses, tiny Insects, or assorted Barnyard Animals whatever they looked like in real life.

So, here's to hoping that a cast of many skin tones and hair colors can pull off a convincing production of "A Successor to the Throne" in this summer's Musical Theater Camp.

Finally, a School Performance without MASKS

5/4/2021

When I joined my son's family last night to go see their daughter's high school musical, we didn't know if we would need MASKS or not. Our state has withdrawn the mask mandate, but not for all situations, especially not for indoor gatherings of more than 50. We fully expected the students in the show to be wearing masks as well. When we entered the auditorium, everyone was wearing their masks. But when the show started, lo and behold, the actors were mask-less! YAY! We had the hope of hearing their voices and watching their facial expressions! We could pick out my granddaughter in the crowd, too!

The students gave wonderful, high energy performances. The sets and costumes were whimsical and so colorful, right out of the Dr. Seuss books. I was blown away by the calibre of the voices. The director, Mr. Brown, told the audience that "Seussical" had never been a show that he intended to ever do at the high school. But, he had seen a performance last year at a local community theater that changed his mind. After his hard work of studying to find the deeper concepts and cultures represented in the show, he was able to direct the kids in a very entertaining, meaningful show.

The first time I saw "Seussical" was many years ago at a community college. It was presented by a cast of adults. I had always thought that this show was written for adult actors to perform for young audiences --- NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND! Unfortunately through the years, I have gone to see way too many elementary and middle school versions of this show and have been completely underwhelmed. And no wonder, the show is comprised almost entirely of singing and dancing. The young actors (10-13 year olds) just did not have the experience, stage presence, and maturity to carry off such demanding roles.

Fortunately, the vocal and dancing talent of the Skyridge High School in Lehi, Utah was up to the challenge of these demanding roles. I was so glad not to have to just endure another trying performance. I was pleasantly surprised and so happy to ACTUALLY SEE THE KIDS FACES. That alone was worth the price of admission!

Just How Simple is Age Appropriate?

4/17/2021

Before the Disney machine began offering Junior versions of their Broadway plays taken from their mega-hit movies with all of their marketing hype and merchandizing, the choices for Children's Theater productions were pretty lean.

Back then, little plays in the 10-20 minute time frame for 6-10 year-olds were usually not very exciting. It seemed that what was offered for schools and small time community theater groups came in two varieties:

1. Stories told by a Narrator with a handful of lead characters (who could share the one stand up microphone in the center of the stage) and a chorus of extras (who helped sing songs but did not say lines) OR 2. Stories that could be acted out by a very small cast in a small space without being aided by microphones and sound engineers.

The songs tended to be VERY short, unsophisticated and frankly uninteresting. Many of the songs had forgettable tunes written for children with limited ranges (and pianists with limited skills).

Elementary school teachers who wanted their students to have some sort of theatrical experience appreciated not having complicated productions. Many teachers did the same little play year after year as part of their curriculum. These chosen materials were deemed AGE-APPROPRIATE.

I remember doing some of these kinds of productions in my youth and hating them. The songs and lines were dumbed down so much it made us kids feel like we were still babies. But, does that mean that a show will automatically be more successful if it uses plots, lines and songs that were clearly written for adult actors?

Nowadays, most school and community children's theater directors go straight for the big name shows that are popular. But they are NOT always the best options for young casts. These shows tend to be pricey to mount, need lots of technical support, and have songs that usually call for actors who have wide, developed vocal ranges. (Not necessarily AGE-APPROPRIATE) Unless the groups have really talented kids, these shows can fall flat.

I have been to some really bad Children's Theater productions over the years. I felt terrible that the direction and technical support failed the kids so miserably. I came away wishing that the directors had chosen material that would suit the developing talents of their kids better and allow them to really shine.

There needs to be a balance between POPULAR and AGE APPROPRIATE.
(Can be done, but it takes good research to find those vehicles!)

I don't care how popular the show is or how talented the costumers and set designers are, if the singing and dancing and acting cannot be delivered well, you will just have a big flop. I always feel sorry for the poor audiences of grandparents that dutifully come and have to endure such awful performances!

Writing for a Male or a Female Protagonist?

3/24/2021

Writing Children's Theater (for ages 5-12) from classic fairy tales, folk tales or fables AND keeping recognizable characters and plot lines, can be challenging. Many of these traditional tales involve having male protagonists. In other words, the story revolves around a male main character who goes out on a QUEST or a hero's journey, or has bad things happen to him that he must overcome --- Sinbad, Hercules, Aladdin, Pinocchio, The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Some stories are generic enough that a female can be substituted in the protagonist role, but then the title has to change because it carries a male name. Unfortunately, with that change, the production loses the valuable advantage of NAME RECOGNITION.

When a female is the protagonist in Children's Theater and has famous name recognition --- Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Rapunzel -- as a director, you have a hard time getting boys to join the cast. Young boys usually stay far away from any play that even hints of a love story.

So, what does a writer/director of Children's Theater do?

Well, first I look for stories that have a recognizable title with NO gender name in it --- The Country Mouse and the City Mouse, The Empty Pot, (A Successor to the Throne), The Musicians of Bremen, Stone Soup, The Tale of Chicken Licken, and The Ants and the Grasshopper.

These stories are the easiest to reimagine with a FLEXIBLE CAST. That means that the protagonist and other characters do not necessarily need to be a particular gender.

(These are good for the casts that have many more girls than boys, which seems to be the norm in Children's Theater.)

Since I ALWAYS want to attract boys as well as girls to my shows, I may use a story with a male name in the title, but make sure it has NO LOVE STORY and plenty of good roles for BOTH GENDERS. I have found that creating good female roles for a show that has a male protagonist is easier to sell to boy participants than the other way around --- Momotaro, The Adventures of Dick Whittington, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, (Never Cry Wolf), The Three Billy Goats Gruff

An exception, has been Parizade's Quest - a tale from the Arabian Nights. This show has a definite female protagonist in the title, but also has four other strong lead roles for girls, as well as many important secondary female roles. (In fact, Parizade is not the actual main female lead.) It also has five strong male lead roles, and many strong secondary roles for boys. It has NO ROMANTIC LOVE STORY but does have a REUNITING of a FAMILY LOVE STORY. (The boys were okay with that.)

I actually wrote this show for a group of kids I knew pretty well at a local elementary school. Of the 45 kids in the cast, we had about equal numbers of boys and girls --- VERY UNUSUAL FOR CHILDREN'S THEATER!

Isolated as if in a Jane Austen Novel

8/4/2020

According to the research presented in Lucy Worsley's "Jane Austen Behind Closed Doors," the famed British author spent her life mostly living in other people's houses --- her parent's house in Steventon, several of her many brothers' houses, rented rooms in (her least favorite place) Bath, and other even less appealing accommodations. Sometimes the houses were small and uncomfortable, sometimes large but populated with many people, and occasionally they were very grand indeed. Each place gave her fodder for creating the settings in her novels.

For a time she lived at the grand estate belonging to one of her brothers who had been adopted out to a wealthy family. This mansion had many luxuries (for the time) but was rather secluded from society. I can't help but wonder if Jane herself might have pondered which was better, a situation secluded but with many comforts or a situation less comfortable but with the stimulation of more social interactions?

Apparently, holding amateur theatricals with the people you are "quarantined" with is not such a new concept. Jane wrote several scripts for home theatricals even in her youth. A few have survived from that period and document that home theatricals were held while she lived in that grand estate. In her novel Mansfield Park, the residents and guests at the manor house had to come up with their own amusements. One such activity was putting on an amateur theatrical. They held rehearsals, created costumes, rearranged furniture, and mounted an event for the household to enjoy. (Of course, in the novel, these activities were also peppered with intrigues.)

I can't help comparing our little production of "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse" presented by the grandchildren to what we might have done if we were staying together at a remote estate and needed some homemade amusement. We indeed mounted an event that the people we were quarantined with could enjoy.

But I really will be happy when this quarantine (because of the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020) is over and we can get back to more social events!