News & Views Monday, March 18, 2024

Elementary Musicals: ON SAFARI Friday, December 16, 2016

recommended by Jen Sper, School Choral and Classroom Music Specialist

Ready to start planning your elementary spring musical? This year, we have something for everyone! Check out these new musicals that will motivate and excite both you and your students!

Wright! (Celebrate the Beginning of Flight) by John Jacobson & Roger Emerson
Suggested for Grades 4-8
Performance time: about 35 minutes
The epic story of the Wright Brothers and their flying machine comes to life in modern day rap, song and narration. Your cast and crew are going to love the cutting edge feel to this hip-hop style musical about two of America’s true heroic figures that will speak to cast and audience for today. Told by a group of intrepid reporters who are tailing the inventors, we discover that, as incredible as Orville and Wilbur’s feat of inventing the first successful airplane was, the real lesson may well be the example they demonstrated by building their future and dreams on higher ground, and setting their sights up and not down. Right? Wright!

Jukebox Time Machine by Andy Beck & Brian Fisher
Suggested for Grades 3-8
Performance time: about 40 minutes
You’ve never seen anything like our amazing jukebox time machine! Just insert a quarter to travel to a past decade where Roxie, the time machine tour guide, will share a few nostalgic fun facts before dropping the needle on some of the greatest pop hits of all time. Feature up to 32 speakers on the minimal-rehearsal required script, while all the kids sing and dance along to iconic songs from the 1930s to the 2000s! Complete choreography included.

On Safari by Lynn Zettlemoyer
Suggested for Grades 2-5
Performance time: about 35 minutes
Let’s go on a safari with Ward and Lilly, Didi, Daniel, Melissa, Wally and a host of safari guides! Through song and dialogue, we’ll learn about the exciting African Savannah wildlife of lions, giraffes, geckos, bushbabies, servals, weaverbirds, crocodiles and elephants! Either as a staged performance with characters or simplified speaker parts for a revue-style presentation, this well crafted mini-musical will create a smart and fun-filled learning experience for students and audiences.

Johnny Appleseed by Jill & Michael Gallina
Suggested for Grades 3-8
Performance time: about 35 minutes
Johnny Appleseed, one of American folklore’s most colorful characters, comes to life in this lively, six song mini-musical. Johnny’s extraordinary life and love for all living things is told as a modern day Grandpa reads a bedtime story to his grandchildren. The action moves from present to past and the audience learns of Johnny’s boyhood dream to cross the wilderness and then follow him as he plants apple seeds throughout the land. Johnny Appleseed’s sincere appreciation of nature and his thoughtful consideration of others serve as the underlying theme for this musical play and a wonderful teaching tool and example for young people as well as audiences of all ages.

Panda and the Moon by Erik Whitehill
Suggested for Grades K-2
Performance time: about 25 minutes
Flexible enough to incorporate one class or an entire grade, Erik Whitehill’s brilliantly orchestrated original musical offers a one-of-a-kind experience for elementary students. Join Panda and his good friend Moon as they explore the Happy Valley Zoo and learn valuable life lessons along the way. Demonstration recordings, accompaniment tracks, and reproducible resources, including lyric sheets, scripts, PowerPoints, and instrumental parts, can be found on the included CD.

You can find more options on our website, or contact us for more personalized recommendations. Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Author:
Jen Sper has been with Stanton’s since 2006. A former middle school and high school choral director, she 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.


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