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
    • Spin Around Dresses and Click Shoes
    • The Wonderful, Marvelous, Magic Bunk Bed
    • Too Many Sisters
    • Who Will Be My Friend?
    • Is This Cowboy Food?
  • Christmas Nativity Script (short)

The Country Mouse and the City Mouse 2020

7/15/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Cousins Theater Camp for our 2020 Family Reunion went very well. Nineteen of my 24 grandchildren, ages 3-16, participated on stage. 

Picture
The mothers and teenagers helped behind the scenes teaching songs and choreography, making snacks and lunches, wrangling children, taking pictures, and applying bandaids when necessary.  The fathers and other family members were in the audience.  Youngest grandchild Camilla was our honorary baby mouse mascot.

Picture
Whereas, I don't recommend doing a Children's Musical in just a few hours of rehearsal, this worked because we did it just for fun.  I rewrote the script to feature only a few characters who had actual lines and solo songs, with an experienced Narrator who could keep the plot moving along.  This was clearly a time when precasting was imperative.  Makayla is the oldest granddaughter and has had her share of lead parts in other shows.  She really helped to keep the play on track and displayed why she has had so many lead roles.

The three main characters needed to come with their parts memorized, which they did.  Melanie was the Country Mouse.  She was in every scene.  Heidi was the City Mouse who came to visit the Country Mouse and invited her to come back with her to the City.  Megan was the City Mouse's French maid who explained how get some "Joie de Vivre" during the song "As the French Say."  Those 10-12 year old girls each had a solo song and a bunch of lines.  They even learned to do a bit of the Can-Can.
Picture
Picture
The other children learned as much as they could the day of the play.  As expected, coordinating singing and dancing at the same time was a bit elusive.  We have five 5-6 year olds who made up the bulk of the Mouse Ensemble.  None of them had any dance training before, but they were good sports trying to learn some steps and even pulled off a conga line in "I Love the City Life!"

Probably the most fun the kids had was being chased by the Hawk at the Country Mouse picnic and then trying to sneak past the Cat on the way to the City Mouse pantry.
Picture
Picture
Two characters unexpectedly stole the show: Five year old Zak who played the Hawk and the Cat, and little 3 year old Avery who decided to be on stage after all even though she never once practiced with the cast!  (Is she destined to be a dancer, or what?)
Picture
Picture
Everyone came on stage to dance the Finale song "A Country Mouse."  All in all, despite the 98 degree weather, unruly winds, scorching sun, and very little rehearsal, the show was a resounding success!  And more importantly, we accomplished our goal which was to have fun making a shared memory!
Picture
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

    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