BaileyKidsMusicals.com
Kid Tested and Parent Approved
  • Home
  • Betsy's Blog on Children's Theater |
  • Children's Musicals
  • Mini Classroom Musicals
  • Songs from Musicals
  • Featured Songs from Shows
  • Tips for Presenting Children's Musicals
  • Putting on a Show
  • Folktales and Superheroes
  • What People Are Saying...
  • Video from Musicals
    • Never Cry Wolf 2007 Video
    • A Successor to the Throne Provost 2013 Video
    • Parizade's Quest 2015 Video
    • Momotaro Summer Camp Video 2015
  • Photos from Productions
    • Photos from A Successor to the Throne 2006
    • Photos from Successor to the Throne 2013
    • Photos from Never Cry Wolf 2007
    • Photos of Never Cry Wolf 2014
    • Photos of Never Cry Wolf 2019 Summer Camp
    • Photos from Stone Soup 2012
    • Photos from Chicken Licken Summer 2014
    • Photos from Parizade's Quest 2015
    • Photos from The Ants and the Grasshopper 2014
    • Photos The Adventures of Dick Whittington 2016
    • Photos from Momotaro 2017
  • About Me
  • Contact Info
  • Never Cry Wolf Hair Style Ideas and Tutorials
  • Children's Picture Books
  • Christmas Nativity Script (short)

Off to the Races

6/10/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
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!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    My name is Betsy Bailey.  I have sung, written and taught music all of my life.  I enjoy writing and directing Children's Theater shows.  This blog will be directed to topics on creating the magic of Children's Theater.  I would love to hear your comments!

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    July 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Categories

    All
    Acting Games
    Aesop Fables
    Benefits Of Children's Theater
    Broadway And Movie Songs
    Character Values
    Chicken Licken
    Children's Chorus
    Children's Theater
    Choreography
    Christmas Nativity Pageant
    Common Core Objectives
    Costuming
    Dick Whittington And His Cat
    Drama Club
    Elementary School Music
    Elementary School Stages
    Flexible Casting
    Folk Songs
    Funny Stories
    Japanese Folktale
    Lessons Plans
    Matching Pitches
    Mini Musicals
    Mini-Musicals
    Momotaro
    Old English Pantomime
    Parizade's Quest
    Performance
    Resourcefulness
    Sets And Props
    Songwriting
    Stone Soup
    Storybooks
    Summer Theater Camp
    Tales Of The Arabian Nights
    Teaching Aids
    Teaching Singing
    The Boy Who Cried Wolf
    The Country Mouse And The City Mouse
    The Empty Pot
    The Musicians Of Bremen
    Writing And Directing Children's Musicals

    RSS Feed

Copyright: Bailey Kids Musicals, 2015