Most Kindergarten groups explore play production at some point(s) during the school year.  The inspiration most often comes from seeing the Younger Group (YG) or Older Group (OG) put on plays, which can happen spontaneously anytime, but reliably happen at the end of October with the YG Halloween play and the OG Enchanted Forest skits and with the OG spring musical each year. 

     This year's Kindergartners were already thinking about doing a play--several of them had been in the group the previous year and remembered the play that group put on near the end of the school year.  After seeing the YG and OG October performances, they were determined they would do a play, too.

     November and December brought both set backs and progress in their plans.  The group was rarely all present together.  I had an extended absence in November, and December brought a cascade of illnesses for the children.  By winter break, though, the children had a play mostly dictated with just one character and an ending needing to be written in still.

     Their preparation for performing a play had been happening all fall on the stage during many art/science times.  Completely independently the children led themselves through attempts of play performances through a combination of negotiation and improv.  Not one was fully completed, though, as negotiations, attention, or both, broke down.

     Our first day back from winter break was a Tuesday--an art/science day for Kindergarten.  Something in their time away from each other had allowed them to shift--they completed several spontaneous performances on the stage in art/science that afternoon.  In the process they developed their own form for introducing their plays--the cast sitting along the edge of the stage saying their character names and pertinent information one by one, until all had been introduced, and the action would begin.

     Elaina and I noted this leap to each other.  I said nothing to the children about their almost finished play from December.  Would they return to it, or would they move on to something else? Would they create a new play later in the year, or would their success that day in art/science be enough for this year?  Any of those outcomes would be excellent for a group of five and six year old children.  If a play is performed in Kindergarten, it's important that the desire for that comes intrinsically from the children to preserve their budding self-image as "independent, strong, capable individuals, . . . learners, and teachers", as well as to give them opportunities to develop as a group the ability to "listen to each each other. . . , include many ideas. . ., and to show respect for each other" (Antioch School Kindergarten goals).

     At the end of the next day a child asked, "Aren't we going to do our play?", and it flowed from there.  On Thursday morning the last Kindergartner wrote in her part and helped create the ending.  She also created a program with me taking dictation.  That afternoon they did a run through and determined that the afternoon Nursery group would be an audience everyone was comfortable with, and we would ask Elaina to video tape it for anyone who wasn't in the audience.  The children collected props, made scenery, and planned to bring any desired costumes to school the next day for the dress rehearsal and performance following a bit later the very same day!

    At snack time Thursday afternoon there was some discussion about stage fright.  An experienced Kindergarten performer suggested bringing a favorite stuffed animal to carry on stage.  Several children agreed that this would help.  The next day the children dictated a note to the Nursery children to invite them to the performance.  The Kindergartners made it through their dress rehearsal with just a few stops.  As the performance time neared, they sat on the edge of the stage, prepared for their introductions, waiting for their audience to arrive.  Several children expressed feeling nervous. 

     A Kindergartner, who had announced to their parent on the way to school, "I'm going to rock this play!" earnestly addressed the group, "Look guys, we can do this.  Just listen for your cues.  We know this!"  The Nursery schoolers came at just that moment, and the show went on without a hitch!  The children were full of smiles during and after the performance with one child musing, "I wonder if we'll do another."

     I sure hope so.  Please enjoy the Antioch School Kindergarten Winter Play below:)

Summer Play

Characters:  Ballerina unicorn princess, Super princess, fairy angel, magical neon purple unicorn cat, Spidercat's son, Magic queen, Princess unicorn fairy, a Wolf, and a Mermaid

     Once upon a time at the magical zoo there was a princess unicorn fairy.  The magic wolf gets its power from the Fairy angel.  Next to the wolf was a mermaid.  Next to the mermaid is the Ballerina unicorn princess. 

     Spidercat's son lit the zoo on fire, and the animals ran away to the National Park.  The unicorn turns into a firefighter and saves the zoo.  The neon cat was at the park and trying to find a place to hide out.  The magic queen and super princess go to the magic zoo to look at the animals.  They didn't see any of the animals. 

     The magic queen and the super princess find the animals at the park and bring them back to the palace to be the palace pets.  Spidercat's son steals the emerald gem.  Super princess and the wolf chase him.  They get the emerald back and put it in its place after midnight and before morning dawn--otherwise it will lose all of its powers and will have to go back to being just an emerald not a gem. 

     The neon cat and the ballerina unicorn princess give Spidercat's son a potion that makes him eat a poisonous marker.

The End