For the last two weeks, our primary school students have been exercising their dramatic muscles. The pre-kindergarten class presented a play written by Elisa Sidoli that was set in the jungle. It is a story about a lonely lion who was searching for happiness. He saw the other animals the zebras, the elephants, the cheetahs, the monkeys, and the tigers all having fun and was curious about what made them smile. Each animal grouping then took turns sharing all the things that made them happy.
The kindergarten class brought to life the famous Norwegian fairy tale of the “Three Billy Goat’s Gruff,” which was adapted for the stage by Elisa Sidoli. Instead of just three goats and a mean old troll, the story became the goats versus the trolls, as each group tried to make their way across the bridge to explore the land beyond their own. Given the different talents and characteristics of the goats, there was a lot of outsmarting going on!
Every year, each class at DCD, from pre-K to grade 8, puts on a play for parents and families and the whole school community. For the entire pre-kindergarten class and a number of kindergartners, this was the first opportunity to participate in a DCD play.
In the primary school, the focus of these dramatic productions is to help children learn how to become lively actors, using their voices, facial expressions, and movement to tell a story to the audience. They are responsible for learning their lines and following the narrator’s cues as well as knowing where their positioning on stage needs to be for all the different scenes. They are involved in painting scenery and creating the program as well. With each rehearsal, the children’s excitement and confidence to perform for an audience builds, and when it’s all done, the cast party is just the icing on the cake!
