Open Forum

 View Only

  • 1.  How do I make costume changes run smoothly with sixty 3rd through 5th graders?!?!

    Posted 03-20-2019 21:26
    Just had our first dress rehearsal and it went great on stage. Backstage it felt a tad out of control and I'm wondering if I'm missing some big secret to making costume changes with kids run smoothly.

    ------------------------------
    Carla
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: How do I make costume changes run smoothly with sixty 3rd through 5th graders?!?!

    Posted 03-21-2019 05:36
    I’ve never worked with that many little ones at one time but in our youth theatre program we assign one or two high school students to each dressing room to help with hanging things back up and making sure everything looks in order once they change. When I’ve done shows like The Sound of Music or Annie and I’ve added younger performers to a high school show I take parent volunteers and each night have a different parent back stage keeping an eye on them.

    Toni Thomas
    English & Theatre Teacher & Director
    Ogemaw Heights High School

    Sent from my iPhone


    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: How do I make costume changes run smoothly with sixty 3rd through 5th graders?!?!

    Posted 03-21-2019 22:38
    When I directed the middle school program, we tried to minimize the number of changes to make it easier for the kids. Perhaps give them a costume that doesn't need to change to make it easier for everyone.

    ------------------------------
    James Fry
    Director of Student Life and the Malvern Theatre Society
    Malvern, PA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: How do I make costume changes run smoothly with sixty 3rd through 5th graders?!?!

    Posted 03-22-2019 06:53
    I tape off a 'parking lot' for each actor and they must have all costume pieces set out in their space, ready to go before curtain. The quicker the change, the closer to stage they are. I also have them all wear a tank and shorts/leggings under everything so changes go quickly.

    ------------------------------
    Christine Izmirian
    Lakewood CO
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: How do I make costume changes run smoothly with sixty 3rd through 5th graders?!?!

    Posted 03-25-2019 10:54
    Thanks, everyone! We did a parking lot kind of set up with each student having a chair and bag with their costume pieces and also am keeping in mind simplifying everything for any future productions. Thank you!

    ------------------------------
    Carla
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: How do I make costume changes run smoothly with sixty 3rd through 5th graders?!?!

    Posted 03-25-2019 12:12
    I am not an elementary school teacher, but our arts magnet elementary school used to perform their annual musical in our facility, and my students handled tech for them.  That director used both parent volunteers and teacher volunteers to handle groups of students.  Each student was assigned to an adult.  I was surprised how many teachers were happy to help out backstage.  That teacher involvement really helped the show to be a source of pride for the whole school.

    ------------------------------
    C. J. Breland
    Asheville High School
    Asheville NC
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: How do I make costume changes run smoothly with sixty 3rd through 5th graders?!?!

    Posted 03-26-2019 09:22
    In our Young Rep Program we do several productions a year with 60 kids. We assign boxes (bankers style boxes) with 2 kids per box. All their costumes pieces go into those boxes. If something has to be hung then it goes on a labeled hanger (we try to minimize the amount of hung garments. Also, each kid wears a 'base costume' so that they are never fully 'naked', their costume pieces are put on over their base. At the end of the show, the dressing room must be straightened up and ready to go before they are released. We have teens backstage to help and monitor but no adults are back there.


    ------------------------------
    Donnie Frank
    Petaluma CA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


Related Content