fun-for-all seussical

In the middle of March, my 2nd grade students performed the play "Seussical Musical Jr.". This is the 3rd year I've directed this play for the 2nd graders, and I continue to do it because the students just love the music in this play SO much!! We always perform the play in March, because that's when Dr. Seuss' birthday is. There were two very large 2nd grade classes this year, and each class performed the play separately.

 

 

The play is so fun and easy, and I really like having the opportunity to be a part of it since I get to perform onstage with the students as the narrator. It works out so well because as 2nd graders, this is the first time they perform a play instead of a program, and they get nervous and occasionally forget their blocking, so since I'm onstage with them, I can help them if/when needed. During the musical numbers, I walk off the stage, turn on the music, and change my hat (I wore 6 different hats throughout the production). Then when each song is through, I walk back onto the stage for the dialogue and interaction with the students.

 

I made a few changes in the show so that it was different from previous years'. One change was having different scenery. I asked the high school art teacher if she could have her students draw/paint/color pictures for our backdrop of scenes from some of the books that we sing songs about. Her students made fish, truffula trees, cows, Mr. Brown, clovers, and Horton. They also made a banner with the words "Seussical the Musical". The scenery added a fun touch to the stage, and I was so grateful for their help! Another of the changes was the addition of having the students walk up to the stage after the curtain opens while the song "Dr. Seuss, We Love You" was playing. This added two extra minutes to the show time, which ran about 15 minutes before it, and it helped the kids to not have to be standing and waiting on stage behind the curtain while I make announcements and introductions to the audience before the play began. I also added different hats to my wardrobe, more fishing props to one of their songs, and I did completely all new stage blocking from the previous years' shows. The blocking allowed for each child to be in the front row twice during the play, once to say each of their speaking parts, and once during a song.

 

This particular group of students are so much fun to work with, and are so smart and talented! I really enjoy teaching them! They learned the songs so quickly, so I read Dr. Seuss books to them after each rehearsal. I read them all the books that are mentioned and sung about in the play, and it was enjoyable to teach them the songs and read to them during our 2 months of practices.

I was so pleased with the students' performances this year; I think this was my favorite year yet producing the show! And since I've directed this play in prior years, I was a lot less stressed about doing the production, which really added to my enjoyment level of directing this show, too.