Unit 7 - Theatre in education

Tuesday 3^rd October

Today we spent the session discussing and planning some ideas for the performance. Now that we have the theme for the show as decided by Sarah Watkins from Lord Scudamore primary school, we are able to start brainstorming some ideas which we could use for the show.

I spent some time at the start of the session explaining the theme to the rest of the group and some discussion points that I had had with my lecturer Cara which included some ideas for the performance. The theme that has been decided is healthy eating.

Many different ideas were discussed during the session. Here are a few ideas of what we, as a group, have come up with:

·      At the end of the performance, give out fruit to the children to take away with them. Either a piece of fruit or a small cupcake case filled with smaller fruits such as different kinds of berries.

·      Including age appropriate music which will encourage the children. The songs should be catchy and short so that they are easy to sing along to so the children can join in.

·      Children could make a fruit shaped shaker before they come to watch the show so they can use it throughout the show.

·      A quiz about if foods are a fruit or a vegetable. Would include unusual fruit and vegetables.

·      Counting and spelling.

·      Character ideas – fruit fairy, baddy and fruit characters.

·      Making fruit salad and smoothies as part of the show.

·      Use of bright colours in the costumes and set design.

·      The whole show needs to be energetic so that the children stay engaged and focused throughout.

·      Sweetie day – children to eat sweets on only one day of the week and then not eat sweets for the rest of the week.

·      Each member of the cast decided on a character which they would play in the performance – me as Fiona the fruit fairy, Molly as Bettie the banana, Kelly as Annie the apple and Rob as Brucie the Brussel sprout

We then spent some time as a group brainstorming some lyrics for the songs. Here are some lyrics which we have come up with:

We like eating healthy

Lots of fruit and veg

5  a day is plenty but more is always best

If you’re feeling empty

Don’t fill up on sweets

Go and find the fruitbowl

Grab some tasty treats

There’s apples and bananas

Oranges and pears

Lots of fruit to choose from

And there’s lots to share

Don’t fill up on donuts

Don’t fill up on crisps,

don’t eat lots of sugary snacks

If you want to stay FIT!

I think this session was very productive as we got a lot done and have lots of material to work from. These ideas will set a base as to what we will be developing over the next few weeks. Over the next few sessions we will start to devise the piece and hopefully start to get a feel as to what the performance will include and entail.