Pajama Party! Monday, January 18, 2016
Pajama Party!
A Musical Revue About How Bedtime Can Be a Blast!
by Cristi Cary Miller and Jay Michael Ferguson
recommended by Rachel Steele and Jen Sper, School Music Specialists
When we review the scores of new products we receive each year for elementary general music teachers, one of the key things we look for are products that have clearly been “teacher tested, teacher approved.” It is obvious from the very first page that “Pajama Party!“ falls into that category.
This musical for K-2 students is so adorable that you’ll want to start doing a musical with your early elementary students even if you’ve never attempted one before. Each of the songs is in a different musical style, and is about a different part of the bedtime routine. “Marching Orders” tells kids to pick up their toys and head for the bathtub in a fun march style. “Under My Bed” faces that scary monster that lurks in the shadows. Our personal favorite is the soft shoe-style partner dance “Cozy Special Friend,” where each student dances with their favorite teddy, blankie or doll. The cuteness knows no bounds!
Staging this musical is a breeze. Students play themselves and come in their favorite PJ’s, while a simple patchwork quilt-like backdrop can be made by hanging students’ old baby blankets. The rhyming script can be performed by as many or as few students as you like. There are no formal parts to cast!
This musical is an all-in-one package with a teacher book and a CD-ROM that includes performance and accompaniment tracks for each song as well as reproducible student songsheets, lyric pages and the script for just $49.99. Suggestions for choreography and staging are also included.
Have a great time with your younger students and throw a Pajama Party this spring!
For more recommendations for early elementary musicals, give us a call at 1-800-42-MUSIC ext. 1 or visit our Pinterest board, where we post our favorites for this age group.
About the authors:
Rachel Steele has been at Stanton’s since 2013. She previously taught middle school and high school band and choir for 13 years, and holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music education from The Ohio State University. Currently a member of the Heisey Wind Ensemble and a musician at Epiphany Lutheran Church (Pickerington OH), Rachel also enjoys reading, sewing, baking and the Pittsburgh Steelers!
A former middle school and high school choral director, Jen Sper holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, she also enjoys good food, running (to counteract the good food…) and the Muppets.