Arts

Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour

March 30, 2022 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour!

I’m worried about our teachers, and you should be too. In my blog post, “Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour,” I talk about how small, manageable strategies can help educators bring creativity into their classrooms without adding to their already overwhelming workload. Recently, I read an article from www.nea.org stating that approximately fifty-five percent of our teachers are seriously considering quitting teaching at the end of this year. That’s up from thirty-seven percent last year. Yikes

You can imagine the reasons they are considering leaving–exhaustion, demoralized, uninspired, understaff and underappreciated. Not to mention, the global pandemic! (That doesn’t even include underpaid which has been an ongoing problem for year and really a sad statement about the country, in my opinion.)

I can’t fix the schools, but I can help teachers.

Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour!

A Conversation in the Teacher’s Lounge

Let’s say you and I are eating lunch together in the teacher’s lounge.

I say to you, “How’s the day going?”

“Terrible!” you say.

“What seems to be the problem” I ask.

“The students are not engaged. They are rowdy, disrespectful and negative.”

At this point, that I nod and say, “I can help you.”

You look at me with an expression of disbelief. “How, Deb? You can’t be in there with me.”

I answer, “No, but I can give you some drama integration ideas which will help. In fact, my masters in education is focused on creative arts learning.”

Turning, I dive into my files and pull out several lessons which I tailored specifically for the classroom.

You take one look at them and say, “But I’m not a creative dramatics teacher. I can’t do this.”

“Oh yes, you can. Using creative dramatics to teach your class is nothing more than making a few changes in your perspective and teaching methods. Let me show you how.”

We talk for a few minutes, you smile and say “Okay, I’ll try it!”

As we leave the lounge, we hug. I watch you walk down the hallway with a little spring in your step because you know how to turn your unhappy class into a happy one in an afternoon.

Note: This is an actual conversation I had with a teacher on IG in the last week. Her students were being impossible. I suggested she try doing a lot of physical movement with them and it worked!

The Benefits of Creative Dramatics in the Classroom

I found this wonderful website, The Gaiety School of Acting, which explains the benefits of creative dramatics:

“Of all the arts, drama involves the participant the most fully: intellectually, emotionally, physically, verbally, and socially. As players, children assume the roles of others, and they learn about becoming more sensitive to the problems and values of persons different from themselves. At the same time, they are learning to work cooperatively, for drama is a communal art; each person is necessary to the whole.”

When integrating creative dramatics, we are not concerned with what an audience receives from a performance but what the child does. In fact, it would be best if you and your students are the only people in your classroom when you integrate drama.

This is Easier than You Think

These five lessons will engage them right from the beginning. It’s all in the approach you take to presenting them. (I can help you here. I include a teacher’s script with most of my lessons.)

Warm-ups–warm-up exercises can be adapted to the subject you are teaching or you can use them as they are.
Creative Movement–students need a lot of physical exercise.
Storytelling–if you are teaching a particular book, use Kamishibai storytelling as a way to check your students’ understanding of the plot
Tableau–a frozen stage picture is a fantastic way to demonstrate a math problem, moment in history, show something in science such as a volcano and its stage before errupting, etc.
Readers’ Theater–this is a powerful teaching method which can be adapted for a particular lesson about social studies, science or a story in reading.

Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour!

Want a FREE lesson you can use tomorrow? Click here: Creative Dramatics Lesson

Pick up a copy of this blog post at: FarrahHenleyEducation.

Do I need a lot of extra materials?

Most teachers probably have the materials they’d need to integrate drama in your classroom. But beware! Try to avoid being a purist about this–a scarf can work as a belt, a box can be a trunk or three students’ desk chairs can make a bridge. It’s all in how you look at it.

I suggest: construction paper, paper plates, glue, scissors, colored pencils, markers, aluminum foil, newspapers, masks (you can purchase them at S and S Art Supply )

Collect clothing such as hats, caps, scarves, capes, eye glasses, pillow cases, masks, etc. A large plastic bin can hold all of these pieces. A trip to a local thrift store will have a lot of these items for an inexpensive price.

How do I Assess my Students’ Learning?

Talk about outcome education! Using creative dramatics in your teaching gives you an opportunity to model for your students and them to demonstrate right back to you.

Here’s an example for you– your objective today is to teach Common Core Standard L4.1e “Form the use of prepositional phrases”.

Easy! Make up a bunch of cards with prepositional phrases on them with phrases such as “on the, over the, around the”. Hand out a card to each student to physically demonstrate the phrase.

Learn How to Teach Creative Dramatics in Your Lunch Hour

Maybe you are teaching Next Generation Science stanDard concerning gravitational force. Would it be so difficult as to have two students tell a story about gravitational force and how it affects us on earth? Maybe you’d give them particular facts to use in the story? This blog post might help too! How Do I Use Arts Integration in the Classroom?

As you can see, using drama integration in your class is a no brainer. Word to the wise–refrain from using it every day as it will lose its uniqueness. I know it takes many teaching methods to engage your students. This is just one method.

But it’s a good one. 😉

Want a free drama integration lesson? Check out: Hire Me for Your Classroom Tomorrow!

Have you used drama integration in the past? How did it go for you? Do you have any questions I can answer? Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or check out my website at DeborahBaldwin.net

The Reasons I Offer Customized Theatre Lesson Bundles

December 1, 2021 By dhcbaldwin 2 Comments

The Reasons I Offer Customized Theatre Lesson Bundles

Recently, I’ve helped several theatre teachers organize their curriculum. Some states have standards which they press upon their school systems and boy, can you feel it. Not so for two wonderful teachers I worked with last week. So, let’s talk about the reasons I offer customized theatre lessons bundles. (Ironically, this is the number one mistake people make with me–they don’t ask for customized bundles!)

There’s Amy

One teacher, we will call her Amy, emailed me desperate for help. Amy was hired (yes, it’s November) to take over for another theatre teacher who had been out most of the school year. The students survived many substitutes and now finally, they’d have a real theatre teacher. She didn’t really know what she was walking into when she arrived her first day.

Amy knew she’d be teaching middle school students and see them every day for the rest of the year. However, she didn’t know the demographics, number of students in each class (or at least didn’t mention them to me) or seem to know just about anything else you’d like to know when you begin teaching a class.

The Reasons I Offer Customized Theatre Lesson Bundles

To top it all off, she was given no curriculum or materials. Now, you would think this was unusual. It isn’t. You would not believe how many schools I’ve taught for and I began my classes with no school materials having to use only mine instead. (Pssst. That’s why I have so many prepared.)

I offer customized bundles in my teacherspayteachers.com store (DramaMommaSpeaks) and Amy knew that. We chatted several times about what she was needing and I put together a bundle specifically for her and I created a plan of teaching them.

Customized Bundles

Customized Bundles are the way to go, friend, irregardless of how many resources you want. You always receive some sort of discount-10 to 30%. With large bundles, I give you a free resource I pick especially for you, too.

(This is not Amy or Joan.)

Then there’s Joan

Another teacher, we will call her Joan, emailed at just about the same time as Amy. Her scenario was different. She was hired with a provisional license and agreed to take additional college hours to complete the license. Joan was a mother of two small children as well.

Joan asked to Zoom with me as soon as possible. That’s how much she needed the help. She used several of my lessons in her classes all ready and the students liked them.

Joan was a bit older, had previously worked as an actress and youth theatre teacher. She knew her stuff, but in this particular case her materials just weren’t working as well as she’d like them to. She thought of mine. Want a Creative Dramatics lesson for FREE?

Joan’s plight

Joan had the most ridiculously disjointed teaching load of which I’ve ever heard. The core teachers decided how much time their students would spend with the “specials” not the administration. Every teacher wanted a different amount of time. (Can you imagine?)

Her schedule was all over the place. For instance, at the second level one teacher wanted her once a week, another teacher wanted her twice a week and another three times a week. What is that?

I advised her to speak to her principal about this and request that if she stays next year her schedule needs to be be more uniform. Oh and I forgot to tell you–she starts with kindergarten and first next semester (but of course, only next semester.)

Let’s just make this even more difficult for Joan.

Joan needed materials for second through eighth and she really need my help in organizing the rest of the year for her. I organized a customized bundle for her with about twenty lessons. If she follows my plan I included, she can teach all of them the components of theatre before the end of the year and get everyone on the same page. It sounded like she’d been jumping around and trying different things which may have worked but weren’t very comprehensive. That’s okay. It’s not earth shattering.

The students still learn no matter what you teach them. That’s obvious but man, does that drive a teacher to distraction if they are usually an organized person.

I could write an entire blog post about how the arts are treated in schools, but I’m not going to do so today. I can say if you are in a similar situation to Joan, either go to your principal and complain about the teaching load or look for another job. The only way this situation will change is if you are the squeaky wheel. Also by doing so, you may help the other “specials” teachers in your building. Maybe you can meet with the principal as a group?

Some Sage Advice

Amy didn’t know how to begin her first classes. I could help her there, too. There are certain processes you should follow when you begin teaching. In this case, we are obviously teaching theatre so ours are a bit different.

Here are my suggestions for Amy to teach her students:

Write a teacher’s letter introducing yourself to the students and their parents
Quiz your students assessing how much the students all ready knew.
Begin with a week of theatre games to see how comfortable the students are in front of each other
Post your expectations around the room and discuss them with your class (involve them in writing them if you feel comfortable doing so)
Give time each day for the students to share about themselves. Do this while taking roll. I like to ask one question each day. Require a quick answer. For instance, possible questions–what is your favorite candy? your favorite movie?
Be consistent! If you begin the class with a warm-up and end with a cool down, do the same thing every day as much as possible. Students thrive with consistency.
Remember that you know more than the students do just by the fact that you have life experiences to bring to the lessons you teach.

Here are some other teaching tips: You Should Use These Effective Teaching Methods, Part One and Part Two

8. Find out if you have a budget and how much of it is for particular materials if it is allocated (such as textbooks, art supplies, etc.)

9. If you haven’t done so already, ask for any IEPs or 504 plans which are used in core classes with your students. You have a right to know about a student’s learning challenges and behavior modifications just as much as a core class teacher.

10. Locate the copier–find out if you can copy as much as you need or you have a limit

11.Locate the computer room incase you want to take the students there to do on line quizzes or lessons

12. Find a teacher friend–that takes a bit of time but there should be someone there who you can eat lunch with (not by yourself in your room) and vent to. Some of my best friends are my teacher friends even after all these year and now retired.

13. Take time for yourself every day when you arrive home. Take a walk around the block. Nap, read or paint. Do something every day which is just for yourself. Don’t be like my husband (also a teacher) and retire from your career and realize you have no hobbies or leisure skills because you wouldn’t take the time for yourself. That’s one of his biggest regrets I only recently found out.

I hope these two teacher scenarios and tips help you as you plan your class. Remember, you can do this–you just need a process, a procedure, to follow and know the steps to follow.

If you want to check out my customized bundles, go to: DramaMommaSpeaks

Or maybe you just want something pre-selected for you? In that case, pick up: Bundle Set Design and Choice Boards (Theater Around the World) or pick up my newest bundle of middle school drama lessons.

Please feel free to email me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com if you have any questions or you, too want a customized bundle.

The Pros and Cons of Producing Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr.

November 17, 2021 By dhcbaldwin 2 Comments

The Pros and Cons of Producing Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr.

Life has a way of making its mark on you. Don’t you agree?

When I was entering college, I really had no idea what career I wanted to pursue. Loving the arts as I did was a challenge, because I came from a family of business owners and teachers and studying something like the arts was considered frivolous and a waste of time. (I think that’s what they thought. I honestly don’t know.)

How would my arts interest sit with them? I know that doesn’t sound like an important thing to consider when you are starting out in your life as an adult, but I did care that my family approved of my future career pursuits.

Ironically, as things would have it, I ended up getting my teaching certification in English and later in Speech and Theater. I loved to perform. However, when I graduated from college in 1977 New York City was not somewhere I wanted to move and pound the pavements for a possible job. I was more practical than that. I admire anyone who makes it on Broadway. That has to be a tough road to go.

I had high hopes of ending up in a large high school. At the time, jobs teaching theater at the high school level were scarce. I taught English for three years then stayed home with our daughters for eleven. Instead of teaching theater in a high school, I developed and administrated several youth theater companies for community theaters. Once our daughters were in elementary school and I no longer needed to stay home with them, I went back to teaching.

For many years, I taught at the same time as I ran the youth programs (my last teaching position included teaching students in second through twelfth) with all of these other responsibilities. It was a crazy busy time, and grueling but it was necessary and I enjoyed it.

Thirty-eight plus years later, I see my talents and knowledge were best used with students of every grade level. Because I taught many classes over the years for several different school systems, I discovered where the holes were in the curriculum and took note of them.

The Pros and Cons of Producing Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr.

Part of my mission is to provide guidance and advice selecting a musical for a school or youth theater program. I’ve directed over 250 plays and musicals through the years.

I’ve recommended Willy Wonka, Jr. in another blog post. You can read about it HERE.

Another junior musical I recommend is Disney’s Alice in Wonderland.

A quick synopsis—

In the most perfect day of summer, children play in a park, Alice dreams of a world of her own while her sister Mathilda lectures her on the books she is reading until Alice falls asleep. She wakes and finds a White Rabbit talking about how late he is. Alice follows the White Rabbit down a rabbit hole where strange creatures offer her advice. Finally, at the end of her fall, Alice encounters a talking doorknob which tells her that a place called “Wonderland” is on the other side. If you are familiar with the Disney movie version, you’ll love this script! It follows the movie version completely.

Characters–

One of the most important reasons I recommend this musical to teachers and youth theater directors is the number of roles available. Whoever adapted this script, did a very clever thing–wrote it so there are three Alices (one of average size, one taller and another even larger) That’s great from the stand point of giving more students opportunities to perform. Some roles can be gender fluid such as the White Rabbit and the Catepillar.

I’ve even switched the genders of the Queen and King of Hearts and cast a male as the Queen and a female as the King. Audiences LOVED it!

Here is Marshall portraying the Queen of Hearts!

Costumes, Sets and Props–One of the most worrisome parts of directing in amateur theater is the technical aspects. I’ve had the incredible luck to find a school where I could rent the lead characters’ costumes. However, you can produce this show with a limited budget, too. If you can only afford tee shirts, then use different colored shirts for each character. For example, Alice could be in bright blue, King and Queen in red, her court in white, etc.

A set design can be as simple as perioktois painted with three different scenes to denote locations. Or use a unit set and merely change a few set pieces for each scene.

Here’s a secret–an audience will believe anything you believe first. Direct the show in your school cafetorium or library or outside on the playground. Now there’s a thought! Be creative and step out of the norm. I have and it’s worth it!

The Pros and Cons of Producing Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr.

Audience appeal–Lewis Carroll’s classic is still popular with children. Coupled with the availability of the Disney movie, it isn’t difficult to fill your theater with an enthusiastic audience. Whole families can attend without any worry about subject matter or language. The lines are quotable and well loved. Some of the best lines are delivered by minor characters and let me tell you, a young person feels so special when the audience laughs at his few lines.

Music–Oh my gosh, it’s so clever! It’s written in key signatures young voices can reach and sing strongly. No trying to reach notes which are completely out of their range. Students pick it up quickly, plus Music Theater International provides rehearsal CDs for your students to use. Personally, I think the rehearsal cd is worth its weight in gold. Students become very confident singing because they learn the music right along with the CD. If you’ve never used the MTI rehearsal CDs, you will not believe how much it helps the students.

If you are considering double casting, Alice in Wonderland works well double casted. Check out Double Casting a Show?

Having directed Alice in Wonderland, Jr. four times, I know it very well. It never grows old.

One complaint

Length–The show is a little long. The problem is the number of reprises. There are simply too many of them, although I understand the reasons for including them–it gives more students opportunities to perform. If you have students which can sustain their energy for ninety minutes, then great! It’s my experience that the length drains their energy. I mean, they are only kids, you know?

DramaMommaSpeaks Broadway Musical Units and Lessons

You may be unaware of it, but now that I’m retired I create theater ed. units and lessons for the classroom. Some of my most popular are my Broadway musical units.

Here are a few:

Cover of a unit about The Music Man musical

Each unit is different, although I include several of the same details in every unit:

letter to the teacher explaining the unit
teacher’s script to begin the lesson
a warm up
plot
synopsis
list of songs
creative staff biographies
Tony awards the production has won
Trivia
Student’s note and Teacher’s Key (yay!)
Lastly, an enrichment activity page which is customized for each musical.

Irregardless of the musical you select for your students, just know that if you consider the students first you will succeed. It’s really that simple.

What is your favorite musical to direct with your students? I’d love to hear about it. Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

How Boom Cards Can Make Learning Fun in Music Class

November 3, 2021 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

How Boom Cards can Make Learning Fun in Music Class

This blost post is by my husband, Tim. Tim is a retired an award-winning instrumental music teacher having taught for forty years in all grade levels. I asked him if he’d like to discuss this cool learning tool he is creating and he said, “sure!”

From Tim:

Hello Everybody. I’m not very familiar with this blogging thing, but I’m going to try to explain my reasons for my Boom cards and why they work so efficiently in the classroom. I hope it helps you.

When the pandemic closed our schools, teachers scrambled for digital lessons. Folks, they were amazing!

Did anyone even notice how quickly, smoothly and expertly the teachers pivoted to on-line learning? I even shifted gears in record time and I’m not in the classroom.

Check out Deb’s post: Drama Lessons for Home-Bound Students or During the Corona Virus Quarantine

Teachers are rock stars!

What are Boom Cards?

Boom cards are self-grading digital flash cards that are gamified and provide teachers and parents the data they want. A teacher can use them for remedial instruction, review for a test or direct instruction. They are awesome. If you haven’t seen Boom Cards, check them out here: Boomcards.com

What are their strengths?

Digital task cards (in this case Boom Cards) build a skill base for the twenty-first century learning tools.
Digital task cards are flexible.
They can be used on a wide variety of devices.
They are a paperless resource–save those trees and ink.
They are similar to all other digital task cards or digital apps.–they are easy to use and understand.
Digital task cards are easy to share, give feedback and grade.

The Origin of My Boom Cards

It was the summer of 2020. During a FaceTime call with Diana, a fellow music teacher and coworker of my wife, we were discussing the challenges of trying to teach music classes virtually during the COVID pandemic. One of her frustrations was trying to teach rhythms to her students.

When teaching in person she usually used flash cards to drill note values and a counting system. Trying to do this through a computer or iPad screen was more than difficult. Before this conversation my wife had been creating some interactive task cards on a site called Boom™ Learning and suggested I create something that would be helpful.

Since I had been a music teacher and band director since the invention of dirt I had a few ideas and methods I had used, usually using a chalk or white board. After some experimentation on the Boom™ site, making examples on a music writing software program and several hit and misses I eventually came up with a format that I thought might work.

We visited Diana that following October and I showed her the few examples. After her enthusiastic response I then went to work and created several rhythm units for her specific needs. I shared these with her so she could try them with her students virtually and they seemed to work.

Recently Diana used these with her “in person” class by projecting the rhythms on a white board and working with her students on counting and clapping rhythms. To quote her after using my Boom™ Cards during a recent class, “…. It was magic….. It was truly amazing….they all stayed focused ……” I’m thinking I might be on to something.

Teaching with Games

While I was researching this post, I found this rationale for teaching with games from ACD.org a website for administrators, principals and teachers says:

In classrooms showing the greatest gains, teachers did specific things. To get similar results, teachers should games for these reasons.

Use inconsequential competition. In general, students like to compete as long as the stakes are not high. During a two-week unit of instruction, a teacher might organize students into teams of four students each. Teams might play games four or five times during that unit. Each time they play, the first three teams to complete the game receive points (for example, 3 points for the first team to finish, 2 points for the second team, and 1 point for the third team).

At the end of the unit, the teacher adds up the points for each team, and the three teams with the highest number of points get some inconsequential but fun reward, such as coupons to buy juice from the vending machines in the cafeteria.
Throughout the year, the teacher should reorganize the teams so all students have the experience of winning and losing. However, teachers must not factor game points into students’ grades for the unit. The points and rewards are simply for fun.

Target essential academic content. If games do not focus on important academic content, they will have little or no effect on student achievement and waste valuable classroom time. The most efficient way to maintain an academic focus is to organize games around important terms and phrases. For example, during a unit on dance moves, a dance teacher might identify terms and phrases such as axial movement, line of gravity, movement phrase, and nonlocomotor movement. Questions and answers would involve information important to these terms and phrases.

How Do I Use Boom Cards in My Music Class

Debrief the game. The most common error teachers make when using games is to add up team points and move on. The whole point of playing academic games in the classroom is to provide opportunities for students to examine important content in a lively and enjoyable venue. To stimulate analysis of important terms and phrases, a teacher can ask students which questions were difficult to answer and why.
For example, suppose that during a game of Pictionary in a mathematics class, students had difficulty drawing an image to represent the Fibonacci sequence. At the conclusion of the game, the teacher would ask students about their difficulties with this item. The discussion would serve as a brief review of the defining characteristics of a Fibonacci sequence.

Have students revise their notes. One generalization that applies to learning all types of content is that students must have opportunities to revise their understanding of the content as time goes by. When a game has ended and the class has discussed difficult terms and concepts related to the content, the teacher should give students time to revise their notes. A teacher might ask students to look over what they have previously written about this content in their notes and make any necessary changes. This might involve correcting misconceptions or adding new information that the students were unaware of.

Pretty wonderful, huh? Here is another post about using games in the classroom: Games + Teaching Method= Our Students Win!

HOW DO I USE BOOM CARDS IN MY MUSIC CLASSROOM? If I were you, I’d assign Boom Cards for distance learning or use them as differentiated instruction in the classroom. You could introduce a unit with the Boom Cards, assign them as homework for those with WiFi access or make them part of the lesson for the day.

As of this writing, I have 50 decks of Boom Cards.

My Boom deck contains:

Twenty–five digital flash cards
Colorful and easy to read

I have created rhythm boom cards in just about as many ways to learn as possible–rhythm question/counting answer, counting question/rhythm answer, audio question/rhythm answer, rhythm question/audio answer, audio question/counting answers. Whew!

A teacher can:

use them in group instruction or individual student drill/ assessment
use at home or in the classroom
view student’s progress
Use in elementary music theory, ear training and ensemble performance techniques

My Boom cards are true outcome based learning–if an incorrect answer is selected, the student is able to select from the remaining answers

I hope you’ll take a look at my Boom Cards at: TBMusic

or in my teacherspayteachers.com store at TBMusic

Tim

This is Deb again. I hope you enjoyed learning about Tim’s Boom cards. He has a bunch of music ideas up his sleeve which he’ll unveil in time. Come back and see what’s new soon!

Deb

Doing Broadway Musicals the Right Way

September 29, 2021 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

Doing Musicals the Right Way

Doing Broadway Musicals the Right Way — The musical Hamilton

Let’s talk about doing musicals the right way. I watched the Tony awards last night. Although it was shortened version on CBS, it was a lovely tribute to Broadway and theater. So exciting to know Broadway is back in business again.

But I have to say…as always they did musicals the right way.

What do I mean by that remark? Often, I’ve thought about what makes a musical a classic. Who makes the decisions whether a theatrical piece is or is not a classic?

According to one website, any musical written between 1920 and 1959 is considered a classic. When I think about classic musicals, certain ones come to mind–South Pacific, Sound of Music, Oliver!, Peter Pan, The Music Man, Hello Dolly! My Fair Lady and Oklahoma! to name a few.

However, there are recent musicals which should be added to this category of Tony award winners.

I believe they become classics when they are endowed with strong plots, well defined characters, spectacle, universal themes and tremendous scores. Consequently, one could argue that most musicals which make it to Broadway should become classics, right? Maybe and maybe not.

However to me, the brilliance of the musical transcends all other productions and that is what sets is apart from others.

Doing Musicals the Right Way: The Phantom of the Opera

Let’s consider The Phantom of the Opera for example.

Phantom of the Opera

First, the plot: Based on the 1910 horror novel by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera is a thrilling and romantic account of the legendary Phantom, a musical genius who dwells deep beneath a majestic opera house in Paris.

Shunned by society for his horrible facial deformity, he takes a promising young soprano, Christine, under his wing and grooms her for operatic fame, all the while falling deeply in love with her.

As Christine grows ever more successful, and a handsome young man from her past begins to successfully court her, the Phantom descends into a jealous rage and terrorizes the opera company with increasingly dangerous threats.

The plot takes twists and turns. That’s a clear cut identifier of a classic.

Secondly, let’s consider the spectacle of the production. A person could watch this one scene from Phantom of the Opera (in photo above) and have a good idea of the plot. Have you wondered about how to direct a musical? Check out: So You Are Directing a Musical…Now What?

In addition, the characters are well rounded with moments of which we can relate. Another quality of a good musical. One moment we hate the Phantom and another we pity him. That tug at our heart strings makes him all the more compelling. Although Phantom of the Opera has less dialogue that most musicals, what dialogue it does have is well crafted.

The mere fact that Phantom of the Opera recently closed after a run of 35 years should tell us something, yes? Staying power.

Doing Broadway Musicals the Right Way

Andrew Lloyd Weber’s music score is magnificent. Perusing the internet researching this blog topic, I ran on to The Guardian’s review of Phantom of the Opera:

“Andrew Lloyd Webber has a true pop sensibility, ladling on the hooks. There are reprises and motifs everywhere, and even similar melodies in two of the big songs. Essentially, never take the unexpected route when the note you want to hear is right there.

That famous descending organ riff and its synth-rock bass may scream 1980s camp, but this is a show committed to bombast, the grisly gothic tale of the murderous phantom menacing a 19th-century Paris theatre unashamedly embraces high drama, backed by a wall of sound when Lloyd Webber’s more dense writing contrasts with the hit melodies.”

Doing Musical the Right Way: Les Miserables

Les Miserables should be included the list of modern classic musicals.

First, let’s talk about the plot: After 19 years as a prisoner, Jean Valjean is freed by Javert, the officer in charge of the prison workforce. Valjean promptly breaks parole but later uses money from stolen silver to reinvent himself as a mayor and factory owner. Javert vows to bring Valjean back to prison. Eight years later, Valjean becomes the guardian of a child named Cosette after her mother’s death, but Javert’s relentless pursuit means that peace will be a long time coming.

Staging of Les Miserables

Secondly, the staging is magnificent! When I taught students about set design, I described the spectacle of the production. The revolving stage, the use of lighting and simple set pieces gives the production a feeling of fluidity and pace. In particular, the scene when when Javert ends his life is powerful and raw.

Additionally, the use of fog and a simple bridge hoisted right at the moment Javert jumps to his death is breath taking. This moment of spectacle is tremendously engaging. Consequently, we are transported to the moment of impact as if we were jumping with him. The revolving stage turns as Javert sinks to the floor of the river, rolls in the current and slowly dies as the stage stops its revolve. That’s powerful theater!

Like Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables has a long life on Broadway and London where it originated. Forty-two countries have enjoyed the touring company shows. If that isn’t enough, it has been translated into 21 languages: English, Japanese, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, German, Polish, Swedish, Dutch, Danish, French, Czech, Castillian, Mauritian Creole, Flemish, Finnish, Argentinian, Portuguese, Estonian and Mexican Spanish. Pick up a copy of my Broadway musical unit of Les Miserables here.

What’s a Sung Thru Opera?

Les Miserables is considered a “sung-thru” opera. Because particular moments are sung rather than spoken and vice versa it demands our attention at all times. I can’t say that about every production.

The Music Man

A third “should-be” classic, is The Music Man.

Again, let’s look at the plot: The Music Man is concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys’ band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naïve Iowa townsfolk, promising to train the members of the new band. Harold is no musician, however, and plans to skip town without giving any music lessons. Prim librarian and piano teacher Marian sees through him, but when Harold helps her younger brother overcome his lisp and social awkwardness, Marian begins to fall in love. Harold risks being caught to win her.

Every classic musical contains universal themes. In this case, The Music Man demonstrates that music heals, redemption, risk romance and authenticity.

A Crowd Pleaser

When teachers ask for my recommendation of a crowd pleaser musical which has opportunities for a large cast, first on my list is The Music Man. The characters are charming, fun to portray and there’s room for many ages and grade levels. The dialogue is humorous when it needs to be and poignant in other moments. My favorite line is, “He’s been the raspberry seed in my wisdom tooth long enough.”

With a blend of music indicative of the setting of the story, many of a plot takes twists and turns which is an identifier of a classic, too. For instance, The Music Man has such captivating music it’s used in other genres such as by marching bands (Seventy-six Trombones) and barbershop quartets (Lida Rose.)

Having directed it four times, I can say without a doubt it is one I can depend upon to be successful every time I direct it. Want some advice about directing? Check out: So You Are Directing a Musical…Now What?

Broadway Musical Units

As you may be aware, I create drama education resources for teachers through my store, DramaMommaSpeaks also on MadebyTeachers and my personal store on Payhip.

I have a new bundle of “Classic Musicals”.

It includes: Les Miserable, The Music Man, Peter Pan, Phantom of the Opera and West Side Story, South Pacific (new)

Each musical can be purchased separately, but if you buy them in a bundle you save up to 20%. And guess what? This is a growing bundle so as I create more Classic Musicals I’ll include include more productions. (Get it at the beginning of the growing bundle and you get all of the rest of the musicals for FREE)

These products include:

Letter to Teacher
Two Warm Ups–My Own Version of this Popular Exercise–
Teacher’s Script–What I Say and How I Say it!
Photos of the production
Synopsis of the Musical
Plot of the Musical–comprehensive and detailed
Short Biography about the creative team–composer, lyricist, playwright, producer or director
Biography focused on the author of the novel if it inspired the production
Why is this musical considered an opera and not a musical?
Separate File of Photos for Teacher’s Use in Lecture
History about the Origination of the Production
AND a Mini-Lesson on What are the Tony Awards?
List of Tony Awards
New York City Map with Competing Theaters Labeled
Student Note Page
Teacher Note Page Key
Fascinating Trivia about Broadway
Equally fascinating trivia about the particular musical
Songs List
Extension Activities–Ten Terrific Assignment Suggestions to Secure the Learning and Enrich the Experience either Individual or Group
Sources & Links to Film Clips from the Show
And More!

There are many musicals, too numerous to mention, which your students will appreciate exploring. Have you considered Come From Away? Still so timely. It’s an excellent production!

Here’s another Broadway musical, West Side Story

Today, I added Oklahoma!

And Here’s South Pacific

And now The Sound of Music

What other musicals do you think should be labeled as classics? I’d love to know. Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

August 18, 2021 By dhcbaldwin Leave a Comment

How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

Every teacher wants to be popular. Personally, I think it’s an unfulfilled desire from our high school days when maybe we weren’t the coolest and our pick of friends, though loyal, wasn’t exactly a large number.

Today, I’m going to talk about how to be the cool teacher….at least for a day or two.

People ask what is my favorite musical. This is a difficult question to answer, because I love many.

If I have to pick one for today, I’ll say Hadestown. (Tomorrow it will probably be something else.)

This is a glorious show filled with everything which makes a great one– memorable music, tremendous lyrics, terrific plot and unique message.

All About Hadestown

If you don’t know much about Hadestown, here is a quick synopsis from Broadway.com:

Hadestown intertwines two mythic tales—that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone—as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers and singers, Hadestown is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.

Hadestown is a 2016 stage musical adaptation of the 2010 folk opera concept album by Anais Mitchell. As in the 2010 album, Hadestown adapts the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to a Great Depression-era inspired post-apocalyptic setting.

One of the production’s messages defends beauty and the importance of music and love to the soul, even in an increasingly commercialized world.

I can’t count how many times someone has suggested a song which makes them feel better (especially in light of the pandemic.) Music speaks to people. I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t live without music in my life. See what I mean in my post, How Enriched is Life Without Music?

How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

What is the origin of Hadestown?

Scrolling around the internet, I found this post from Vulture, “To use the appropriate organic metaphors, Hadestown started as a seed with a community-theater project that Mitchell, a songwriter, first performed in Vermont in 2006. That grew into a concept album in 2010, which she recorded along with folk musicians like Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. By 2013, Mitchell started working with Chavkin — who had been directing The Great Comet Off Broadway — to plant Hadestown back onstage.

They took it to New York Theatre Workshop in 2016 and then to Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre and London’s National Theatre before returning to Broadway, where the show began performances on March 22. Along the way they experimented with everything from the set design, to the size of the cast, to their way of thinking about the main characters’ roles in the story.”

How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

Hades and Persephone

Two mythological tales were combined to create the plot of Hadestown. It’s important to understand the two myths separately in order to appreciate them being woven together for this musical.

Hades is the Ancient Greek god of the Underworld, the place where human souls go after death. In time, his name became synonymous with his realm. It has to be said unsurprisingly – since he barely left it. Appropriately, the most significant myth related to Hades concerns one of the very few times he did – to abduct Demeter’s daughter, Persephone.

As the ruler of the dead, Hades was a grim and ghastly figure, inspiring awe and terror in everybody. Consequently, he was rarely depicted in art. When he was, he was most commonly portrayed with a beard, and a solemn, mournful look. He frequently wears a helmet, named the Helm of Darkness or the Cap of Invisibility. Cerberus, the three-headed dog which guarded the entrance to the Underworld, is usually beside him. Every so often he carries a scepter or holds the key to his kingdom. At a later stage, he became associated with his weapon of choice, the bident, a two-pronged fork modeled after Poseidon’s trident.

How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

Persephone, the daughter of Demeter and Zeus, became the wife of Hades and the Queen of the Underworld. She was a dual deity, since, in addition to presiding over the dead with intriguing autonomy, as the daughter of Demeter, she was also a goddess of fertility. The myth of her abduction by Hades was frequently used to explain the cycle of the seasons.

Who Wrote Hadestown?

Anaïs Mitchell is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and playwright. Mitchell has released seven albums, including Hadestown (2010), Young Man in America (2012), and Child Ballads (2013). She developed Hadestown (together with director Rachel Chavkin) into a stage show which received its US debut at New York Theatre Workshop in summer 2016, and its Canadian debut at the Citadel Theatre, Edmonton the following year. In 2018 it was announced that the show would open at London’s National Theatre later in the year before transferring to Broadway.

Hadestown began as a DIY community theater project in Vermont in 2006. In 2013 Anais began the process of expanding and adapting the work into a full-length professional theatrical production. She worked closely with director Rachel Chavkin.

Who directed Hadestown?

Director Rachel Chavkin (has a BFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and an MFA from Columbia University School of the Arts (2008). Chavkin directed Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, which ran Off-Broadway in 2013-2014. Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 received the 2013 Obie Award, Special Citation. Under her direction, the musical opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on November 14, 2016.

At the 71st Tony Awards, the musical received twelve nominations, the highest number for the 2016-17 season, including a nomination for Chavkin for Best Director of a Musical.

How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

In an article in American Theatre, it was noted that she has a “diverse slate of work” united with “a distinctively multisensory sensibility…. When she staged Meg Miroshnik’s The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls at Yale Repertory Theatre, she included a live female punk band; her work with the TEAM routinely blends text, video, and pervasive sound design. ‘She can squeeze a lot into a small space, and yet it feels epic and sprawling,’ said Ars Nova artistic director Jason Eagan.

I’m Here to Help You!

In case you aren’t aware, I create drama education and resources. I have a unit for Hadestown which you might appreciate.

This Product includes:

Letter to Teacher
Warm Up–MY Version of a Popular Physical Warm Up
Teacher’s Script–What I Say and How I Say it! (No need to worry about what to say)
Photos of the Statues of Greek Gods or Persephone & Hades
Paintings of the Statues of Greek Gods of Eurydice & Orpheus
Plot of the Musical
Synopsis of the Musical
A Brief Description of the Four Mythological Characters to Help Your Students Understand the Musical More Fully
Separate File of Photos for Teacher’s Use in Lecture
History about the Origination of the Production
Information on the Director, Rachel Chavkin
Information on the composer, Anais Mitchell
Information about the music arranger and orchestrator, Michael Chorney
A Shortened Lesson on: What are the Tony Awards?
List of Tony Awards
New York City Map Link with Competing Theaters Labeled
Student Note Page
Teacher Note Page Key
Trivia about Broadway Musicals with Some Surprising Facts!
Partial lyrics from “Why We Build a Wall”–Good for Class Discussions or as a Jumping Off Point
Extension Activities–Terrific Suggestions of Ways to Secure the Learning and Enrich the Experience, Individual and Group
Sources & Hot Links to Video Clips from the Show!

Hadestown Preview

If this sounds interesting to you, check out my store at Dramamommaspeaks to learn more about the unit.

How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

I’ve found most students are familiar with the music from a musical and the plot. However they never have an opportunity to learn about its origin, trivia and creative team. I create units the way I would use them.

Want to impress your students? Hadestown reopens on Broadway on September 2. Your students will be impressed that you keep up with the hubbub of Broadway by teaching Hadestown.

When Broadway reopens its doors, there is going to be so much excitement we will hear the cheers in every theater classroom in the country, much less the world. What a fabulous image and sound that will be!

What musical is your favorite (at least today)? I’d love to hear about it. Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net.

Want some free lessons? Check out: Free Stuff! (Check this often because I add lessons as I have time to do so.)

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How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

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How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

What is the origin of Hadestown?

How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

Hades and Persephone

How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

Who Wrote Hadestown?

Who directed Hadestown?

How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

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How to Be the Cool Theater Teacher When Broadway Re-opens

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