Well, let me tell ya, putting on a play in middle school, that’s somethin’ else. It ain’t like them fancy shows you see on TV, no sir. It’s kids, ya know? Kids tryin’ their best, bless their hearts. So, first things first, gotta pick a show.
Pickin’ a Show
- Can’t be too long, these kids got short attention spans, just like my chickens.
- Gotta be somethin’ they kinda like, otherwise they’ll be draggin’ their feet.
- And for goodness sake, somethin’ with enough parts so everyone gets a chance, even little Jimmy who can’t remember his own name half the time.
Now, they say you gotta choose a show you love. Love, huh? Well, I love a good nap, but that ain’t gonna make a play. I guess it means somethin’ the kids can get excited about. Maybe somethin’ funny, kids like funny. Or somethin’ with animals, kids always like animals, though getting a real dog on stage… that’s a whole ‘nother mess.
Actin’ and Emotin’
Then comes the actin’. Lord have mercy, teachin’ these kids to act is like herding cats. They say you gotta use emotions. Emotions! Like little Susie knows how to act sad when her biggest problem is losin’ a hair tie. But you gotta try, right? Gotta tell ‘em, “Honey, pretend your ice cream fell on the ground, that’s sad!” Or, “Imagine your brother ate the last piece of pie, that’s angry!” Simple stuff, ya know? Nothin’ fancy.
And the talkin’, oh the talkin’. They gotta talk loud, so even old Mrs. Henderson in the back row can hear. And not too fast, like they’re runnin’ from a swarm of bees. Slow and steady, like a good ol’ tractor. And they gotta make it interestin’, gotta change it up, ya know? Like when you’re tellin’ a good story, you don’t just drone on and on, you gotta make it sing! Use your voice, I tell ‘em, like you’re callin’ the cows home.
Lookin’ the Part
Then there’s the costumes and the stage and all that stuff. Costumes, half the time they end up lookin’ like scarecrows, but hey, it’s the effort that counts. And the stage, well, it ain’t Broadway. It’s the school gym, or maybe the cafeteria if we’re lucky. But you make do. You hang up some sheets, maybe get some old furniture, and bam! You got a set. Kinda. It ain’t perfect, but it works.
Figurin’ it All Out
And the teachin’, oh the teachin’. They say there’s all these ways to analyze a scene. Verbin’ and subtext and all that fancy talk. I tell ya, most of these kids can barely read the script, let alone analyze it. But you gotta try. You break it down, bit by bit. “What’s this fella doin’ here?” I ask ‘em. “Why’s he sayin’ that?” Keep it simple, stupid. That’s my motto.
Makin’ It Work
They say there are six main things in a play: the story, the people, what they’re thinkin’, how they talk, the sounds, and what you see. Sounds complicated, huh? But it ain’t really. It’s just tellin’ a story, makin’ it come alive. And that’s what you gotta teach these kids. To tell a story, to make people laugh or cry or think. To make ‘em feel somethin’.
And mostly, you gotta make sure they feel good about it. Kids, they get scared easy. Scared of messin’ up, scared of lookin’ silly. But you gotta tell ‘em, “It’s okay to mess up! It’s okay to be silly! That’s what actin’ is all about!” You gotta build ‘em up, give ‘em a little confidence. Tell ‘em they’re doin’ great, even if they ain’t. A little white lie never hurt nobody, right?
So yeah, puttin’ on a play in middle school, it’s a whole lot of work, a whole lot of headaches, and a whole lot of laughin’. But in the end, when you see those kids up there, shinin’ like little stars, it’s all worth it. It really is. Even if the play ain’t perfect, even if little Jimmy forgets his lines, even if the costumes fall apart… it’s somethin’ special. It’s somethin’ they’ll remember, long after they’ve left that middle school behind.
And that, my friends, that’s what matters.
Tags: middle school, drama, acting, play, performance, students, emotions, stage, script, confidence
