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I have a class of preschoolers who love putting on impromptu shows! They will jump on the stage at any given moment yelling, "let's do a show!" Soon they have assigned characters, decided a story line, and are costumed up ready for curtains to be drawn. This class happens to have a group of born actors and performers who are able to convince the more reluctant to join in Their enthusiasm is contagious. This interest has been fueled by one of our teachers who performed in Elf, The Musical which many of us went to see. Futher broadening their interest, they participated in a musical study of opera and ballet, learning the stories and watching performances. Given the interest I just knew we needed to put on our very own show. Where the Wild Things Are was my choosing. I picked it because it lends well to group work and acting. And with a professional actor in our midst, I knew we could easily have a "Max," while everyone else could have an equal role. However, I wanted the story to become our story. So instead of telling the children they were all going to be wild things like in the book, I asked them to imagine themselves as a wild thing. What would that wild thing look like and move like. What would be their characteristics. And from there, a story grew and grew until our class became a family of wild things and a show was made. The journey to Wild Thing Island with these preschoolers has been purely magical. From the beginning, they have been part of the process --from dreaming what it will be like, to constructing the set, designing their own characters and costumes, creating music and moves, making cue and stage decisions, and managing the event with tickets and program design. It has truly been a whole group effort. They have dug into this project and have learned so much not only about theater, music, and movement, but how to have an idea, explore that idea, and work together to turn an idea into reality. We learned from others (Mindy, Emily, Katelyn, Ana Maria, and Sara from the Englert), then took that knowledge and put it into practice. We needed to listen to each other, compromise, problem solve, invent, make-do, imagine, design, and create. I hope that the preschoolers leave this project feeling competent and capable, because indeed, that is what they are. Wild ThingsWe Turned ourselves into Wild Things! First the preschoolers imagined themselves as wild things and thought of words to describe themselves. They did not have to be like the wild things in the story--they could be whatever they imagined themselves to be. Then they dew what they would look like as a wild thing. From those drawings, Kirsten helped each pick fabric for their costumes. One by one, each preschooler spent time with Kirsten to design and create their costume. We named her "costume director." Wild Child, Wild ThingWe knew that wild things must move differently from human children, but how? And how would we be able to show if we are fast or flying wild things without actually being fast or flying (because you can't run on a stage and well, we don't have wings) We invited Iris' mom and University of Iowa Dance faculty member, Mindy, to help us with our wild thing movements. We workshopped different ways that different wild things might move. We tried out movements with different parts of our bodies and our whole bodies. We learned about moving in space and through space and how we can move to help our audience imagine fast, flying, rainbows, glittery, and more. Finally, we imagined what rumpusing through a forest would look and feel like. We practiced and refined our techniques, both moving in space and through space. You're SO dramatic!Katelyn, our teacher and also professional actor, helped us get dramtic. She showed us how our voices and faces can show emotions. We had a workshop with her during which we tried out different voices and facial expressions to express our wild things. Space and Placewe understood that we would not be in a real forest or even have a real stage. We needed to figure out how we could help the audience imagine our space, or our setting. We learned that's what a set and props do! We looked carefully at the story and decided as a group how we could make it look like we were on Wild Thing Island (there is no Wild Thing Island in the book, but this is what "the place where the wild things are" became known as in our class). The class decided to make a background of paintings to look like a forest where vines hang all around and to create cardboard trees. Music Makes it BetterWe learned from music class where we'd been studying ballets and operas that music makes a show more interesting. Our show must have music we decided! We had to make decisions and pick music for different parts of the show. Ana Maria has been talking to the preschoolers about how the music feels and what kinds of actions go with certain musical elements. We decided Max needed a slow sad song for when she is lonely. We wanted a fast song for the rumpus and an exciting and happy song for the crowning scene. We didn't know of songs to go with some of the parts, so we created our own with the help of professional songwriter, musician, and preschooler mom, Emily. Practice Makes Perfect--one more time!Meanwhile, we started rehearsing on a regular basis. I was named "director" (well, because, I was kind of bossy :) ) We learned the word scene--a small part of a story--and started acting out a couple of scenes at a time. We learned all kinds of theater vocabulary from Katelyn like spike and cue, and we learned what to do and say when the director calls "places" ("thank you places"). As directors often do, I was known for say "let's do it one more time." After each small rehearsal I gave director notes, pointing out what I liked and what I noticed could be worked on. All rehearsals ended with a rumpus! DetailsOne day, one of the preschoolers who recently went to a concert brought the concert program to school to show his friends. We realized that of course, we would need a program. We got busy making pictures for the program and deciding what would be included. Real-Life TheaterThe preschoolers were great about making do with the space and materials we have, but I wanted them to see a real theater and have the experience of rumpusing on a real stage. I wanted them to know what it felt like to be on stage, in front of all those audience seats. We arranged a visit to our local theater, The Englert. We were given the opportunity to tour the basement, backstage, green room, audience, and the real stage. We were even able to go through the curtain and have the curtain pulled up for us. The preschoolers thought I literally wanted them to know what a real stage feels like, so we spent some time touching it and feeling it with out feet. We ended with an applause and bow. Lights, Shadow, and SunOur visit made us wonder about colored lights and how we might use lights to help the audience imagine our location and feelings (green for the forest, red for angry wild things) A previous study with light and shadow lent to ideas for how to incorporate light and shadow into our scene/set as well. Other additions have been made--we added a whole new ending to the story (I think it didn't seem complete to the preschoolers) requiring another prop--a sun. Getting into CharacterWe were finally ready for the day of costume parade. That's the day we tried our costumes to see how they fit and what adjustments needed to be made. The preschoolers were so excited to try a rumpus in costume. Our costume director took careful notes and made the necessary adjustments. Tech WeekTech week--the week we add in the lights and sounds came. Sometimes the actors needed to wait patiently while the tech crew figured out what was needed for cords, lights, window light/curtains, etc. This week we also rehearsed from Top of Show all the way through. Wow, putting all 13 scenes together is a lot! Get Your Tickets Here!We asked our families for a ticket order, then got tickets ready for delivery. Let the Wild Rumpus Start!!!!Now all we need is an audience! The show is an absolute delight, portraying the magic of imagination, playfulness, childhood...a world of wonder with the reality of the wild unknown. Max and The Wild Things, unsure of each other at first, come together in a most epic rumpus. And while it's hard to say goodby, they will forever be joined in their magical world.
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