Musicals

Musicals are part of our voluntary English education. It is seamlessly connected to the content and teaching methods in the compulsory lessons. Preparation for the musicals take place in the afternoons. Both the English teachers and the teachers from the art school teach the musicals.  Together, teachers and children bring an interesting story to life with creativity and drama by becoming part of the story.  Students easily pick up the vocabulary of the musical, and eventually they are able to communicate as the character in English.  Musical lessons also include singing and dancing, as well as some simple set building.  After managing the period of two months they are ready to rehearse the musical in English, which they will present in front of parents and friends.

From second grade, students involved in the English musicals become artists, representing both themselves and the school.  Students perform the musical at school and, with parental approval, in other locations around town.

Passages of Script from The Letterland
(A second grade musical.)

Speaker:

Once upon a time there was a special country. It was special because there were no people or animals in this country.  But on the hill above the country there was a very beautiful house.  It was just like ordinary houses for people, but this house belonged to a very clever and good man –  the maker of the whole country – Eli the Woodcarver.

———————————
Song of Letters

Once upon a time there was
a beautiful country.
There were no girls and no boys
in this special country.
There were no animals,
no trees and no flowers,
there were only beautiful
letters made of wood.

Once upon a time there was
a beautiful country.
It was called the Letterland
our special country.
There were as, bs and cs,
ds and other ones like these,
all of them were beautiful
letters made of wood.

———————————
Two letters -h,e – run onto the stage.

H: Hi, E. How are you?
E: I’m fine, thank you.
H: You know what? I have an idea!
E: Really? What idea do you have?
H: Do you remember the children who came to Letterland last week?
E: Yes I do.
H: They can sing and dance.
E: Yes, I remember. They are very clever.
H: Everybody admired them. People and letters shouted Hurray. I would like to sing and dance too.
E: Oh yeah?
H: Listen, we can make a band – we can sing and dance and all children and letters will admire us.