School Shows
Putting on a school show or production is a challenge, whether it is an end of term or end of year performance or a fundraising event. First you have to plan in a date and venue, make sure that it doesnt already clash with a hectic timetable, then find the right school play and playscript that will work for your year group. You may be thinking of a talent show for the children, or a fashion show, or maybe even a full-blown musical production. Start with the resources on this page and you can at check out some of the ideas for plays, musicals, productions and scripts that could work for you and your students, including some great free previews.
5 Key Free Teaching Resources
Music Line Direct
Free samples of musical scripts, scores and songs
Find out more about Music Line Direct
Limelight School Musicals
School Musical Productions and Plays from Limelight
Find out more about Limelight Schools Musicals
School Show Ideas for Primary and Secondary Productions
Top Tips for Putting on a School Show
Whether you are a primary or secondary teacher, putting on a school production can be daunting. Here are our top tips for a successful Christmas show or end of term play.
1. Plan it, plan it some more, then plan again. Date, venue, resources, kids, costumes, lighting, publicity, stage hands, all need putting in place before you start.
2. Get your team together. People you can rely on to help out with the process, whether that is other teachers or just helpful parents.
3. Get the kids involved with the choice of production. They could draw up a shortlist of school plays from suggestions, do a survey or get the school council involved.
4. Make sure your choice of play is appropriate for the ages and abilities of the kids, otherwise they wont get the most from the experience.
5. Dont push yourself. Try to enjoy the experience. If you are turning into a megalomaniac nightmare to work with no-one will want to be around you when you need them the most.
6. Get as much help as possible from parents and staff when it comes to making costumes and sourcing props. Get the children involved with painting the stage set and scenery.
7. Promote your school play or musical production (or talent or fashion show) so that everyone knows about it well in advance. If you are selling tickets make sure that parents have already blocked the evening or day of the performance out in their diaries so you dont get accused of it being too short notice.
8. Plan your rehearsal times well in advance and make sure the kids and the rehearsal space is available with everything you might need (piano for musical numbers, CD player etc)
9. Remind the students and the school as a whole about the event at every opportunity, so that you create a buzz. Let the children perform a song or two in assembly as a preview, or get them selling tickets to parents at drop off or pick up time.
10. Focus on the outcome, rather than on how you are feeling about the process. When it is all over, celebrate!
