Blog Musicals for Change

“Try your best to make goodness attractive. That's one of the toughest assignments you'll ever be given.” 
 
Fred Rogers
 
Goodness.  It’s a difficult word to define but we know it’s a quality we should strive for. Being “good” is a daily challenge.  As adults, we generally insist that our children “be good,” but we sometimes send the opposite message – that goodness isn’t fun. 
 
Mr. Roger’s quote seems to acknowledge that our natural inclination is NOT goodness.  None of us is truly good unless we make the effort to do good things.  And inspiring others to do the same is not an easy task.  In fact, Fred Rogers says it is “one of the toughest assignments you’ll ever be given.” But don’t we all want to live in a world that is good?  Where people are kind to each other and treat each other fairly?  
 
“Try your best…..” As music teachers and directors of children’s theater, we have a tremendous opportunity to promote kindness in our casts and empathy in the audiences who attend our shows. In your rehearsals, are cooperation and caring valued and encouraged in actionable ways? When you have completed a performance, does your audience leave feeling inspired to take positive action on a personal level or communally?
 
“Good” is contagious.  We continue to return to the example of Mr. Rogers because we know, deep down, that “good” is good for us!  And the best way to promote that message is not to lecture, but to entertain.  Why settle for mediocre stories, stereotypical characters, and “fluffy” music when you could make people laugh, cry, and come out on the other side feeling hopeful and inspired?  Goodness can be both meaningful and fun.
 
Try your best to make goodness attractive.  Our kids deserve it!

,Church is one of the rare places where people of all ages are welcomed and encouraged to form strong relationships.  However, many pews are filled with older adults and few young families, despite our best efforts to build kid’s ministry. Instead of trying to create new children’s programs, why not offer opportunities for intergenerational activity, such as a musical?
Multi-age drama intentionally gathers adults and children together to benefit both groups.* Christmas is a great time for an all-church production! Not only does this solve the problem of too few children, it also provides positive outcomes for everyone involved. 
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Benefits for kids:

• Build nurturing relationships with seniors, particularly for kids whose relatives live far away
• Gain empathy for adults and understanding of their needs
• Learn new skills and receive positive feedback

And for adults:

• Enjoyment of a creative endeavor
• Social involvement with children and other adults
• Opportunity for skill development and cognitive challenge

Merry Birthday?, a 25-minute Christmas musical from Musicals for Change, could easily be performed by a multigenerational cast.  The story is set in an unlikely place: a bus station on Christmas Eve. Eleven-year-old Elijah and his family are snowed in, jeopardizing their holiday AND Elijah's birthday, a celebration he shares with Jesus every December 25th. While he grumpily relates the many disadvantages of a Christmas birthday to Abby, a foster child on her way to a new home, fellow travelers quietly prepare a memorable surprise! 
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To perform the show intergenerationally:

• Ask church choir members (adults and/or children) to fill the role of carolers.
• Cast two kids, ages 10-14, to play the leads.
• Recruit adults (who probably know a thing or two about frustrating travel) to play fellow travelers.

*Translating Knowledge: Promoting Health Through Intergenerational Community Arts Programming
Sharon Anderson, MSc, MEd [email protected], Janet Fast, PhD, […], and David Barnet, BAHons, March 1, 2016
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1524839915625037
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​Want to produce a children’s musical but don’t have enough kids? Why not pull in a few adults and create an intergenerational production? 
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​THEATER CAMP FOR ELEMENTARY THROUGH COLLEGE

 This past July, I had the opportunity to attend a production of our newest show, Shhh! at the Sugar Cube Café, performed by the New Wilmington Theater Project, a summer collaboration between Westminster College and the New Wilmington School District. Being a new program, the numbers were small, but the college students stepped in to help these kids put on a heartwarming production.  The campers (and one high schooler) played the parts of child characters and street musicians. College students took on the role of grumpy business owners, joined in the ensemble songs, changed sets, and generally guided their young cast.  The result of this multi-age partnership was a sweet outdoor performance on a beautiful summer evening. 
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVS0dWLEVwI&t=403s) 

Said Tara Hackwelder, their director, “It was such a fun, delightful, and entertaining show, and our audience loved it! Most importantly, our cast members loved it!” 

It would have been difficult for these young actors to perform a 60-minute show had it not been for their college assistants.  Likewise, the college students gained valuable experience and directorial skill.   

Adult actors of any age can bring a new dimension to your production. Benefits of multi-age musical collaborations for kids:

• Build nurturing relationships 
• Gain empathy and understanding 
• Learn skills and receive positive feedback

The takeaway:  Don’t rule out a children’s production because you don’t have many children.   Create a positive experience for kids with a few willing adults and everybody wins!

 The Power of Emojis 

Emojis can be exceptionally useful in rehearsals with young actors. Download the attached poster and use it to:

• Find out how your kids are feeling before rehearsal starts.  Ask each one which number is most like how they currently feel.  If everyone is a number 2, you know you've got to start with an energizer!
• Identify particular emotions.  Describe each numbered in emoji in words.  
• Practice facial expressions.  Call out numbers and ask students to mimic the corresponding expressions.
• Practice body language.  How would number 4 look, not just with facial expressions, but with body language as well?
• Ask one student to mimic an emoji on the chart.  Can the rest of the cast guess which number emoji is being acted out?
• Discuss how your character may be feeling in a particular scene.  Is it one of the numbered emojis? A combination of numbers? What would that emoji look like? Look for a more accurate emoji online or create your own.

As students get comfortable with emojis 1-10, make your own poster of new emojis numbered 11 - 20 for more challenging emotions. 

We all know auditions can be terrifying!  Fear of auditioning can deter kids who would like to participate in a show from joining your production.  Here's the process I use to make sure auditions for young actors are as nonthreatening as possible while providing the information I need to cast a show.
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STEPS:

1. As a group, read through the show's script or a few scenes.
2. Choose a short, expressive, easy-to-remember line and read it aloud, then ask the group to repeat it once or twice.
3. Ask, “Would anyone like to say that line by themselves?”
4. Listen as they volunteer, giving positive comments to each.
5. After a few students have said the line, begin asking volunteers, “Could you say that line differently?” (from the previous child)
6. Look for students who have not volunteered and ask reticent students directly, “Would you like to give it a try?”
7. ​Choose a new line by a different character and repeat the process

WHY THIS WORKS

• It is nonthreatening and communal.
• Students receive immediate feedback.
• Students learn from each other how to speak expressively.
• It lessens the pressure for students who don’t read well but can speak expressively.
• Students themselves can hear who performed well, so that when the cast list is posted, it will be clearer why the director made those choices.

ASSESS THE RISKS
I also recommend assessing each student's risk level.  For example, for our new show, Souper Hero Rescue in Hot Springs, students filled out the form below:

Once students know that auditions are actually FUN, you will have bigger casts and happier kids!  Everybody wins.

Nowhere is Mister Rogers more revered than here in Western Pennsylvania where he lived and broadcast his iconic children’s show, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.  Those of us who grew up watching him change into that red sweater and sneakers each episode associate Mr. Rogers with comfort, security, and a sense of goodness.  Seeing those episodes now, I’m struck by the humanity of his messages. Fred Rogers never spoke down to children - he spoke to and with children. Also, as a music educator, I’m impressed by his musical talent and the caliber of musicians he hosted on his show. Rogers allowed kids to experience music that many others would consider too sophisticated for an elementary audience.
 
When choosing musicals, I think Mr. Rogers is a great example to follow.  We miss a great opportunity to spread Fred Roger’s love of and respect for children if we choose a show only because of its popular appeal. Kids have the ability to experience deep emotions and recognize messages of goodness and hope, so why not give them characters who are like themselves? Also, regarding music, it’s a mistake to assume kids will only want to sing the newest, most recognizable songs. We don’t give our students, including the youngest of them, the credit they deserve for musical taste and sensibility.
 
Think about the last show you directed.  Hopefully, it was a big success!  Who doesn’t love to watch kids perform?  And I’m sure your kids loved their time on stage.  But also ask yourself – what message did the kids come away with?  What was the point of the story?  Is there a concept or principle they can apply to their own lives?  Did you discuss the importance of the message?  Did the music convey meaning and emotion in a way kids could grasp and perform?  
 
We all spend untold hours creating scenery, finding props, contacting parents, etc., but what is the point of all that activity if the experience doesn’t help your kids become better people?  Or give your audience something to think about?  Entertainment for entertainment’s sake is not a bad thing, but as children’s musical directors, I think our standards should be high.  We miss the entire point of a theater experience if we let kids think that entertainment is the only goal.  And if your show’s musical quality is lacking or exposes kids to only one style or genre, how will they appreciate other artistic experiences? 
 
I’m speaking to myself as well as you.  It’s so easy to get caught up in the supposed desires of your kids or community; giving them an unfamiliar show or one with a more challenging message seems risky. And taking the time to talk to your young cast about issues deeper than  blocking or costumes seems unnecessarily time-consuming or, possibly, not part of your job as director.  However, you can produce a wonderfully entertaining show AND promote a deeper understanding of theater and – even more – how to live our lives. 
 
“At the center of the Universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and that wants the best for every person. Anything that we can do to help foster the intellect and spirit and emotional growth of our fellow human beings, that is our job. Those of us who have this particular vision must continue against all odds. Life is for service.” 
― Fred Rogers
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I once had a publisher tell me that kid’s musical directors want “light” stories and “staging that is simple.” Is this you?  What do you look for when choosing a musical?  The publisher’s business is to know what his customers want.  Are you looking for “light” and “simple”? Is this publisher’s presumption correct?  As a musical director myself, I’d like to push back against that idea.
 
Musical directors want stories that are "light.”  Meaning….what?  That drama is not suitable for children?  Kids don’t deal with complex ideas or issues?  If you work with children, you know for a fact that kids’ lives can be very complicated.  You also know that they are strongly affected by the situations they find themselves in.  As educators and directors, aren’t we obliged to help kids deal with life’s difficulties?  In my experience, children often welcome conversations about the hard things they face – unfairness, bullying, grief, rejection, and more.  And they also have profound insights into these topics.  
 
I once wrote a musical adaptation of Good Times on Grandfather Mountain, a beautiful story by Jacqueline Briggs-Martin about a man named Old Washburn, a “fine whittler” who faces hard times by whittling a drum from his lost cow’s milk bucket, drumsticks from the fenceposts of his runaway pig, and even a fiddle from the wood of his blown-down cabin.  While he can’t escape trouble, he is determined not to let that trouble define him or change his outlook on life.  I chose to adapt this story because the mother of several children in our school (also a personal friend of mine) was battling cancer. She was in the last stages and we all knew the inevitable was coming.  While I didn’t discuss cancer directly with our students, we did have conversations about how to confront the terrible events we sometimes face.  We sang ballads like Hard Times and This Too Shall Pass, but we also danced to bluegrass and honky tonk tunes called The Itch to Travel and Rompin’ and Stompin.’  That was a difficult school year, but our musical was one way in which we tried to support this struggling family. 
 
When we as directors look for material which avoids “heavy” topics, what we’re avoiding is real life.  Who benefits from light shows?  The director, because the director doesn’t need to have deep conversations or confront gray areas and difficult situations.  I completely understand why teachers, particularly those in public school settings, want to avoid any personal involvement in tangled family situations.  However, these topics don’t have to become intimate to help kids and make a positive impact. 
 
Also, stories with challenging topics don’t need to be sad or too adult for kids.  If approached in the right way, they can be fun, and even funny!  They can build empathy and a desire to help friends who are struggling.  Additionally, the conversations around adversity help build a cast who support one another.  We already know that theater has the power to change lives.  Often, theater gives kids a friend-group and a voice they didn’t previously have.  A powerful story simply adds to the impact of a positive theater experience.
 
If you are directing children’s drama in a church setting, you have an even greater reason to perform an impactful show.  As people of faith, we are called to help the hurting, and that includes the children in our congregations.  By relating stories which feature children like them facing tough situations, we can make scripture more relevant and meaningful. A great musical message can also launch mission projects such as clothing or shoe donations, foster care support, refugee resettlement, and more.
 
Regarding the publisher’s desire for shows with simple staging, this is certainly a reality for some directors.  Time and resources are often at a premium.  However, staging requirements shouldn’t rule out a show with an otherwise great story.  Creative directors can find easier ways to create an illusion onstage.  Most of us know that powerful drama will still happen even without a big expensive set or elaborate costumes.  While those things are great if you have the time, expertise, and money to provide them, they don’t define a show.  I would hate to rule out a wonderful story simply because the set may be tricky.  
 
While publishers may find that easy, light children’s shows sell, we aren’t required to buy them.  We, as directors, spend untold hours in rehearsal to produce musicals for kids.  Why spend all those hours on shows with shallow characters, silly situations, and fluff music?  You could spend the same amount of time and effort, have just as much fun, and make a real difference in the life of a child with a quality story, well-crafted kid-friendly music, and a life-changing message.  Which will you choose?
 
Diane Beckstead is an educator, composer, and founder of Musicals for Change, a company devoted to quality kid’s musicals with a greater purpose.  For each musical purchased, 10% will be donated to a partner charity. https://www.musicalsforchange.com

It was so exciting to have an actual, LIVE performance of If You Could Dance in My Shoes this summer.  We rehearsed with masks, took precautions, but performed the debut show with smiles visible!  Of course, now we're back to square one and wondering when we'll perform live again, but I'm so glad, for the kids' sakes that they had that opportunity.  

Our Musicals for Change Theatre Arts Camp was the first time I've produced a new summer camp show with kids.  Generally, I've rehearsed musicals over a 10-week period during the school year.  However, as a former camp director, I've always believed in the power of the camp experience.  There is something about that daily, intense interaction that creates a special bond.  This is exactly what happened during theatre arts camp, and I have to say that the closeness our students developed created moments I never could have anticipated.

First of all, if you haven't looked at the preview scripts, video highlights, and listened to the music of If You Could Dance in My Shoes, you should!  This show was several years in the making and only got better with extra pandemic editing time.  Secondly, the message of the show - empathy and understanding - was not simply acted but powerfully lived out during camp in ways I didn't expect.  Our students, ages 10-15, came from several different schools.  Some knew each other, others had never met.  We did team building activities in the morning and had a policy of "no one eats alone" at lunch.  Our choreography included a lot of partner dances, and the students had time to talk during scenery painting and shoe decorating.  They also played some wild games of 4-square after lunch each day! Several times I used the Conversation Starters in the Director's Guide to talk about the message of the show:  Have you ever worn shoes that hurt your feet?  Did you have to wear them?  Have you ever been without a home?  Where did you live? Do you have someone you could talk to if you were worried? We had some very thoughtful discussions..

The last morning of camp we ran our dress rehearsal in preparation for the evening's show.  The kids did well but we had a few tech issues which slowed us down.  It was important that we run the show again after lunch; however, we all needed a break and went outside to eat in the sunshine.  Before returning to the stage I decided we should gather as a group one more time.  I wanted to be sure that, in the craziness of our 2-week drive to the performance, the message of the show had not been lost.  The refrain of the song Kick It Up! says "Together, we're better.  Have you ever judged or been misjudged?  Everyone needs love! Love, love, love, love..."  I wondered if the kids had actually absorbed these words. Or did they just perform them?

So, we sat as a group in the shade of the school playground and I asked each student to share one thing about themselves. It could be small (number of pets?) or big.  I started, briefly telling them about my time living in another country where I didn't speak the language.  Many people there were kind to me, but it was difficult to fit in. This wasn't a very deep story, but it was an opening to what turned out to be a flood gate of the kids' deepest difficulties and challenges.   I was completely floored by their honesty, the depth of their feelings, and the empathy and care they showed for each other.  There were tears and hugs, but we had to nix the group hug (Covid, after all) and instead circled up with our hands in the middle for a loud "Let's shine!" before heading back to the stage.  

The performance was wonderful! The kids really knocked it out of the park, but the highlight of Theatre Arts Camp for me was that afternoon in a circle under the trees, listening to each others' stories.  I know it was powerful for the kids too, and a little overwhelming.  However, I thanked them for their honesty and reminded them that "what happens at theatre camp, stays at theatre camp."  It was a very personal time that I hope they treasure like I do.  

What I am finding as I write these musicals is that kids have a lot to share.  That seems obvious, but when you allow them to confront difficult subjects - grief, loss, judgment, self-worth - they grow.  I grow.  It would be easier to write fluff and never have to deal with  hard topics, but what is the gain?  Kids want fun shows but they also need honesty and a greater purpose, just as we all do.  The reward is so worth it!  I am grateful to my students for affirming this belief and hope I can continue to write shows that speak to their deepest emotions, whether it be grief, or the joy of being onstage, singing and dancing with friends.

Today was the first day of the 6th Cribs for Kids National Conference in Pittsburgh, and it was a great reminder of why I do what I do.  Scientists, health professionals and policy makers concerned with the wellbeing of infants were all saying primarily the same thing - the goal of SIDS research is to gather evidence that will ultimately change behavior and create safe environments for newborns.  There also seemed to be a consensus that more pamphlets and information delivered as it's always been delivered are not necessarily the answer.  But that's where the arts come in.  What moves people to incredible emotional highs and lows, spurs empathy and creates understanding better than stories?  And drama?  And music?  Behavior doesn't change just because we have more knowledge.  Behavior changes because we've heard someone else's story and we relate to it on a profound level.  The story of how one couple, Maura and Sam Hanke, lost their son Charlie to SIDS is gut-wrenching.  That tragic story told onstage through music sung by Charlie's sister can be life-changing for others.  I say that's where we start.  We communicate, we develop empathy, we change behavior.  And we use the arts to do it.