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Five Reasons to Watch The Grinch Live! on NBC

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Five Reasons to Watch The Grinch Live!  on NBC

Happy Holidays (okay, it’s a little early, but covid….)

Pretty soon, all of the holidays special will begin and luckily, this year is no exception.

On December 9, there is going to be a live version on NBC of the Broadway musical, “The Grinch”!

How awesome is that?

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

(Yes, I know this photo is from the movie.)

Five Reasons to Watch The Grinch Live! on NBC

#1  THE PLOT

If you don’t know the musical, (because you’ve been living in a cave or something) the story goes like this:

The action of the musical happens in mysterious Whoville. Christmas is a wonderful holiday, which is adored by all the residents of the fantastic town. Who doesn’t love this time of the year, when everything around is covered with fluffy snow, when we feel a smell of a fir-tree, and people exchange with magnificent gifts? Therefore, on the eve of the holiday, the inhabitants are concerned about purchases of the gifts, decoration of the houses and, of course, preparation of dishes for the holiday table.

Once upon a time, a man lived in a town. His was called Grinch. His body was green and hairy. That’s why nobody in the Whoville loved him. The main hero took offense on the inhabitants and decided to live on the lonely mountain, which was blown by winds. A dog was an only being, who kept his company. On this mountain, he sat in a cave and was angry at the whole world.

Breakfast with the Grinch 11-2010

Breakfast with the Grinch from vastateparkstaff

Grinch hated Christmas most of all. While the population of a town had fun with all hearts, the indicator of already bad Grinch’s mood expressed something awful. Each Christmas appeared to be a terrible torture for the green hermit. One day, a spiteful inhabitant of the mountain decided to finish a holiday once and for all. While the carefree Whovilleans were sleeping in holiday night with pleasure, perfidious Grinch decided to steal Christmas from the citizens, to make nobody able to have fun anymore.

Now, as well as the residents of the town, Grinch is in cares: he needs to prepare an ideal crime, that nobody could follow his ways. Two teenagers and two girls got on the mountain, where Grinch lived, and it finally angered him. He left the cave, put on a fancy dress and went down to the city, where he began to frighten everyone, who occurred on his path. What to do, if the circumstance, which is hard to cope with, unexpectedly interferes into the plans of Grinch? To speak more precisely, it is the little girl, who even wants to make friends with the character.

Five Reasons to Watch The Grinch Live on NBC

The girl, who helped the father with mail, was frightened so much that she fell in the packing machine, but then, probably, Grinch felt sorry and pulled her out. Cindy thanked him. Being raged by the fact that someone can think that he is kind, Grinch wrapped her with the tinsel. Then the girl thought that, maybe, Grinch is not so bad as everyone speaks about him. She also absolutely cannot understand the sense of Christmas and wants to reconcile him with the residents. However, finally, Grinch realizes that sense of Christmas is not in gifts. The repentant villain decided to return the gifts to the inhabitants, and they accepted him to their society.

#2 MATTHEW MORRISON

Matthew James Morrison will portray Grinch! Morrison is an American actor, dancer, and singer-songwriter. Morrison is known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray  on Broadway, and for his role as Will Schuester on the television show Glee. He received a Tony Award nomination for his featured role as Fabrizio Nacarelli in the musical The Light in the Piazza.

#3 DENIS O’HARE

Denis O’Hare will play his dog, Max.  O’Hare is an American actor, singer, and author noted for his award-winning performances in the plays and musicals such as Sweet Charity,  as well as portraying vampire king Russell Eddington on HBO’s fantasy series True Blood. He has been nominated for an Primetime Emmy for Best Actor.

Five Reasons to Watch The Grinch Live on NBC

#4 THE COSTUMES

Personally, I think the costumes from the film version were exceptional.  I don’t know if they can reach that level of detail, but I’m interested in seeing if they do so.

#5 THE CHOREOGRAPHY

From viewing the snippet on NBC, I can tell the choreography is fun and playful.  That’s got to be a plus, huh? Here’s a trailer for the show:

https://www.today.com/popculture/nbc-bringing-grinch-life-new-musical-holiday-special-t198362

As you may know, several musicals have been performed live in recent years.  In my opinion, some were better than others.  I enjoyed NBC’s Hairspray and Jesus Christmas Super Star the most.  I would hope these production companies are learning how to produce a better product each time they attempt one.  Who knows?

Another was good production was  A Christmas Story.  In case you don’t me, I am a retired drama teacher having taught and directed for thirty-eight years.  You can find my resume here:Teaching Resume

A Christmas Story Broadway Musical Lesson

Now I created drama education resources for my business, Dramamommaspeaks.  I have a lesson about A Christmas Story which would complement the Grinch Live! If you are in a hybrid learning classroom or distance learning, these musicals work well for teachers.

You can find it here: A Christmas Story Broadway Musical Lesson

Five Reasons to Watch The Grinch Live on NBC

Need a quick emergency lesson plan? Or one for a substitute? Everything is provided for the busy teacher.

This Product includes:

  • Letter to Teacher
  • Two Warm Ups–MY Version of Popular Exercises
  • Teacher’s Script–what I say and how I say it!
  • Photos of the Production
  • Separate File of Slides for Teacher to Use to Lecture
  • Plot of the Musical
  • History about the Origination of the Production
  • Information concerning the composer, Pasek and Paul (who also co-wrote Dear Evan Hansen)
  • History about the Film and Musical Helping One Another
  • A Shortened Lesson on : What are the Tony Awards?
  • Tony Awards it Received
  • What are the Tony Awards
  • New York City Map with Competing Theatres Labeled
  • Student Note Page
  • Teacher Note Page Key
  • Trivia
  • Quotes from the Musical–Good for Discussions and Assignments
  • Extension Activities–Five different activities, individual and group
  • Sources & Links to Film Clips from the Show

This lesson works well with any grade level, although it was created for secondary students.  Reading, Language Arts, Vocal Music and Drama classes have success with it!

Or pick up my holiday lesson bundle at: Drama Lessons Holiday Themed 

I hope you’ll check out Grinch on December 9 and think about purchasing my Broadway lesson on A Christmas Story.  If nothing else, both will put you in the holiday spirit!

Which Grinch character is your favorite?  Mine is Max.  I’d love to hear from you.  Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

Deborah Baldwin of DramaMommaSpeaks

 

 

Creative Dramatics Lessons from an Award Winning Drama Teacher

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Creative Dramatics Lessons from an Award Winning Drama Teacher

Deborah Baldwin, Dramamommaspeaks

Hello!

You may not know me or be familiar with my work.  I’m Deborah Baldwin (but my friends call me Deb.)  I am a recently retired award-winning drama teacher of thirty-eight years.  At that time, I directed over 250 plays and musicals with students and adults as well.  I taught every grade level, but the bulk of my time was spent with secondary students.

Here is my resume if you’d like to see it: DeborahBaldwin.net

My Teaching Style:

Drama is a hands-on class. To this end, I’m always on my feet, modeling for my students while teaching them a host of concepts. It is not unusual to hear my classroom in chortles of laughter because humor is an outstanding way to gain a student’s attention. I empower students at an early age. Although I am always mindful of my learning objectives, I think it’s vital for students to experiment within the confines of my instruction. I encourage students to be independent and creative thinkers. Many less confident or reluctant students benefit from my teaching methods as together we hit the challenges they encounter. I am creative, intense, driven and brave–these are qualities I nurture in all my students and generally receive outstanding results.

first rehearsal

If you are looking for creative dramatics lessons and plays for your students, I can help you.  These lessons are for grades third to fifth. So many of these lessons can be used in a reading or language arts classroom, too.  They jibe together easily.

Here are a few:

Given Circumstance Monologue Creative Writing Lesson

Got some creative writers?  This lesson fits in nicely with a creative writing unit and/or to study playwriting just a little.

OjiSan C. Dramatics Cover

This is fun to perform for younger children.  There are two versions of this product–one for younger students and one for older.

Ojisan and the Grateful Statues

COSTUME DESIGN WITH HALLOWEEN GRADE 3-5 SQUARE COVER 3

Oh my gosh!  Costume design is a wonderful way to celebrate Halloween.  Students love this because they can be very creative and learn at the same time.

Costume Design with Halloween Theme

COSTUME DESIGN WITH NUTCRACKER CHARACTERS SQUARE COVER.jpg

Do you ever show clips from The Nutcracker Ballet?  This lesson includes video clips, a lesson on costume design and gives the students an opportunity to design as well.

Costume Design with Nutcracker Ballet Characters

COSTUME DESIGN WITH HOLIDAY PARADE CHARACTERS .jpg

Costume Design with Parade Characters

TABLEAU HOLIDAY THEME COVER

Tableau Exercises–Holiday Theme

ST. PATRICKS THEME COVER

Stage Properties–St. Patrick’s Day Theme

Drama Lesson:  St. Patrick’s Day Play Writing Monologue 

BUDDY AND THE EVERGREEN TREES READERS THEATER COVER.jpg

Buddy and the Evergreen Trees Reader’s Theater

Here’s my newest:  Chanting Lesson for Grades 3 to 5

Creative Dramatics Lessons from an Award Winning Drama Teacher

I hope you’ll check out my drama education products.  There are nearly 160 of them ready and waiting for you.  

Or maybe you were hoping for something free?  Check out this:  Free Teaching Resources Blog Hop

If you don’t find what you need, contact me.  Chances are I’d be interested in creating what you are needing.  That’s always fun!

Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

 

 

Top Seven Reasons Drama Education is Important to Your Child’s Life

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Top Seven Reasons Drama Education is Important to Your Child’s Life

This is a re-publish of an article I wrote for Litpick.com.  I hope it’s useful to you.

03ep-stndaln-wonka-fun-xl1

Willy Wonka, Jr.  Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies August 2012

When the Litpick staff and I discussed writing several articles concerning drama education, I was stymied.  I have been a drama teacher and director since 1979. We decided upon the top seven reasons drama education is important to your child’s life.  

Personally, theater and the creativity that stems from it is very second nature to me. I forget that other people may not be aware of its strengths in the same manner.

Today’s the day for bolstering creativity in your child!

In a typical school day I taught theater classes to approximately 100 students, ages eight to eighteen.  Whew!  This included classes in creative dramatics, introduction to musical theater, film making, technical theater and a production based musical theater class. Most of what I taught, I created myself for the students.

Since I worked for an enrichment program for home school students, I taught a different group of students each day.  Double whew! In another words, creating curriculum plus teaching plus directing productions for nearly forty years equals expert first-hand knowledge.  Oh, I forgot that!

 Your Creative Child

Top Seven Reasons Drama Education is Important to Your Child's Life

At the beginning of the school year, it was not uncommon for parents to stop me in the hallway and express delight that their child will be taking a drama class with me.

Many parents say, “My daughter is very imaginative and expressive.  She plays dress up all day if I let her, but other than dress up, I don’t know what to do with her imagination next.”

I think I know what the parent is trying to express to me.

They need some assurance that A. this is a normal part of the child’s development; B. it should not be squelched but promoted and C. there are many strengths to being a creative human being.  I smile and encourage the parent to allow the child to continue imagining. I take it from there and the magic begins.

I will admit I am very partial to theater arts.  Honestly, theatre saved my life when I was about ten years old, but that’s another story for some other time.  All arts classes will nurture your child’s creativity and every art form brings different gifts to the table.  Here are my top seven reasons for drama classes in your child’s life.

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Stage Make up Assignment in Technical Theater Class  May 2016

Drama Classes:

Strengthen literacy—We know that through reading, our reading becomes more fluid and comprehensive. Not everyone recognizes that in a drama class we READ a lot–plays, scenes, poems and stories to dramatize.  Of course, when we rehearse a piece we read the words over and over again—aha! Then we MEMORIZE them.

We practice a character’s lines using vocal inflection and variety.  Suddenly, the words come to life for the reader. Voila! We sneak in reading skills without any of us being aware of it.  It is that easy, but reading must be continued in order to have consistent success.

Build self-esteem and self-confidence—If a child has an opportunity to share his ideas through drama, he is immediately accepted. We applaud for the student and his attempt.  We encourage positive comments towards the student’s effort.  Over time, the child begins to see his worth within the classroom, within the school and consequently in the world as well. Self-actualization is realized. It is a known fact that many at-risk students attend school only because they can take an arts class.  That’s pretty powerful.

Build a team spirit—I compare a cast in a play to a football team. The only difference is that no one sits on the bench—everyone plays.  Everyone’s actions count to make the goal, the performance.  If a student knows that he is expected to help other members of the cast and crew, he takes on the responsibility.

This level of responsibility carries over into social situations, because by becoming a part of a team, a student can see himself as part of the whole instead of merely one piece. A P.E. teacher once remarked to me that she could tell which of my drama students took her classes.  When playing games, they were the ones who quickly pulled a group together, used their individual strengths and left out no one. How nice!

Aristocrats kids

Encourage tolerance—Through a scene or play, when one experiences first-hand what is like to be the down trodden character, the misunderstood, the shunned, the innocent accused, one’s framework of understanding broadens.

For example, when we dramatize the story of Anne Frank or Helen Keller, we begin to see life differently and the value of everyone.  Life’s issues become greyer in color to us and thereby we appreciate the many perspectives in a particular situation.

This is a remarkable attribute.

Provide a safe place to express one’s emotions—Society’s pressures have encouraged us to keep our emotions to ourselves, especially negative ones. I was one of those people.  In turn, some people are the opposite and show only negative emotions because they feel less vulnerable in so doing.

By creating a character and expressing the character’s emotions—happiness, sadness, fear, pride, curiosity, anger, joy, jealousy, etc. these feelings become an accepted part of one’s psyche. One’s acceptance of all one’s emotions, strengths and weaknesses is vital to our growth, no matter the age.

Lastly, there will come a day when your child will thank you for introducing theatre arts to them.  I have never known a student who didn’t flourish from a bit of drama education whether it was from taking a drama class or participating in a production.  There is something very special about the stage and I hope you’ll give it an opportunity to show you.

Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or check out my website at DeborahBaldwin.net

I’d love to hear from you!

If you are interested in a semester-long drama curriculum, check out: Bundle Drama Class and Units 

Here is an example of one of my popular lessons:  Costume Design with Fairy Tale Characters

Costume Design with Fairy Tales

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bumbling Bea’s Mantra

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Contact me at Dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

Purchase my book, Bumbling Bea on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Bumbling-Bea-Deborah-Baldwin/dp/1500390356/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Information on this website may be copied for personal use only. No part of this website may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the author. Requests to the author and publisher for permission should be addressed to the following email: dhcbaldwin@gmail.com

A Great Review of Bumbling Bea

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Sometimes life is so surprising. A review from Readingwritings.blogspot

FIVE STARS

“When it comes to books where children are the protagonists, I make it a point to share the story with my daughters. If they loved listening to it, then it means the story is really awesome.

Bumbling Bea is a story about a little girl and her trials and tribulations in the world of drama. The plot revolves around the emotions and thoughts that occupy a child. I wish I could elaborate further but that would lead to loads of spoilers and that would be like doing injustice to the author. You need to read it to actually experience it.

The writing style is simple and appealing. It is easily understood by children except for a few words that exposes them to a different culture like Kabuki. However, besides being a great read, Deborah ensures that her story constantly generates mental images and tugs at heartstrings. The choice of words used reflect the effort that she must have put in to make this story both child-friendly and adult-friendly.
There are no antagonists in this story. In fact, through this story, Deborah manages to portray human emotions through children. Children are both expressive and innocent. Hence, through their characters Deborah gives a peek into their world and how everything turns out just fine in the end. She brings out subtly that there is a Bumbling Bea in all of us irrespective of our ages. Yet, if the inner child is still alive and kicking, the negativity can be taken care of.

To sum up, this book is an absolute must read if your inner child loves to read. And if you have children, this is an awesome read for them as well. It helps connect you with the kid residing within you.

P.S – Deborah you have a wonderful narrative style and I chose to read your book because of this reason. My review is unbiased and I hope there are more adventures in the life of Bumbling Bea!!!”

Lakshmi Iyer

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/OneStopDestination

Blog: http://www.readingwritings.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BloggerLakshmi

IndiBlogger: http://www.indiblogger.com/ReadingWritings

Google Page: http://www.plus.google.com/OneStopDestinationBlogspotIndia

You can purchase my book, Bumbling Bea on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Bumbling-Bea-Deborah-Baldwin/dp/1500390356/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

MTI Junior Musicals– A Dream Come True!

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MTI junor musical
MTI junior Mulan, Jr.

MTI Junior Musicals– a Dream Come True!

Are you selecting an MTKI Junior or Kids Musical?  In my opinion, they are a dream come true!This year, my co-teacher and I are directing a musical that is NOT a MTI show. In case you aren’t familiar with the initials, MTI stands for Music Theatre International.   I knew MTI was good, but boy, I didn’t realize how excellent until now. I won’t go into detail, but suffice to say that I highly recommend sticking to MTI shows.

You ask the reason why we ventured out of MTI? We weren’t unhappy with their quality or professionalism. A lot of it had to do with the students who enrolled in our class this year and their level of talent. MTI has a plethora of musicals with new ones coming out all the time. Their website is: http://www.mtishows.com.

MTI junior Into the Woods
MTI junior Into the Woods

Several years ago, my artistic director at Presser Hall Performing Arts Center and I ventured to Atlanta to attend the MTI junior theater festival. What a treat it was! It was wonderful to be around other educators that spent most of their school year in the “trenches” teaching middle school students. One of the most exciting parts of the festival us the announcement of new musicals ready to produce!

As you may know, I have a very extensive resume directing numerous plays and musicals. It is just what I do. But a quick list for you: Fiddler on the Roof (4), Aladdin (2), Suessical (4), Willy Wonka (3), Music Man (4), Alice in Wonderland (4), Aristocats (3), Annie (1), Sleeping Beauty (1) Lil Mermaid (2), Honk (2), Mulan (1) and School House Rock (2). Whew!

 MTI Junior Musical–A Dream Come True!

I could speak about the festival in length, however as I mentioned above, this is my endorsement for the MTI Junior and Kids musicals. No one asked me to write this blog post. But I know that many teachers and directors are considering their next musical and maybe this list will be helpful.
So, why these particular musicals?

First of all, this company does an excellent job of considering their consumers. Not only are their junior versions, but also kid ones. Juniors run aroun 70 to 90 minutes in length, with Kids around 45 minutes. I use both types every year depending upon the length of time I have and where I am directing at the time. If MTI could receive a grade, I would definitely give them an “A”.

MTI junior Alice in Wonderland
MTI junior Alice in Wonderland

The kit includes the materials mentioned below:

Director’s prompt book–I’ve directed productions for nearly forty years, so I can definitely label myself as an expert. And even with all these experiences, I still need help from time to time. Their prompt book is excellent! The sound and light cues are listed, props, costumes and set suggestions as well as suggestions in the directing of the show.

The MTI junior book’s page numbers are the same as the casts’ so that alleviates confusion. Measure numbers are listed, generally the cast libretto is exactly the same as the director’s. There’s a page that one could copy for auditions, and even guidance for novice directors.

Piano score–It includes cues as well.

Cross Curricular Lessons--Oh yeay! It is always good to have some other department involved in your production. Although I haven’t had the chance to use them because I teach in a very nontraditional school, the lessons are great.

Chorus books–I believe ten copies are part of the kit.

Individual scripts–Trust me when I say, the MTI junior scripts are the best in the market. The student’s script includes several pages concerning the particular production, a page about stage directions and how to write in one’s script, a page for autographs and several blank pages at the back of the script for cast notes.

CD’s–These are a Godsend for youth theatrer. There is usually one CD that is labeled for performance and one for rehearsals. Or both might be included on one CD. Oh my gosh, I don’t know how much time it has saved us having these CD’s. Because music cues are included, students can learn their cues right along with their songs.

Plus, you are guaranteed of a well paced production because there is no inconsistency in the meter of the songs–no cast member can slow down the show by singing their song too slowly. Lastly, there is even an “orchestra warm up” at the beginning of the show! Sometimes I use that to signify to the audience that the production is about to begin.

Family Matters booklet: If one’s child has never been involved in a production, its a pretty heady experience. This little gem of a book answers questions about what to expect during the rehearsal and performance process. This would have been a lot of help to me when my own children were performing in productions. How does one deal with your child once the production is over? That’s a toughie, but this book addresses it perfectly.

Choreography DVD--Who does this? This is an excellent idea.  Usually, the DVd includes major numbers in the show as well as a step by step rehearsal aide, too. Tremendous help.

So there you have it! I hope you’ll consider an MTI junior or kid musical in the future. I can guarantee you your show will be successful.

Have you produced any MTI junior musicals?  What were your experiences?  I’d love to hear about them.  Contact me at Dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net

Needing some help with set construction and have questions? Check out:

Selecting a Play or Musical Set Design and Set Construction

Critical Steps in Producing a Play or Musical:  Costume Design

Deb