Musical Critique by the wonderful and talented Peggy Berls, Kansas!
Composer/Arranger: John Jacobson & John Higgins
Link to Purchase: https://www.halleonard.com/product-family/PC17135/squirm
Run Time: 20 min
Appropriate for: ✅
✅ Kindergarten
✅ 1st Gr.
✅ 2nd Gr.
✅ 3rd Gr.
___4th Gr.
___5th Gr.
___6th Gr.
Number of songs: Five songs with a Reprise of the first song
Number of Solos: 0-2
✅ Unison
___2 Part (Independent)
___2 Part (Harmonizing)
___3 Part (Independent)
___3 Part (Harmonizing)
___4 Part (Independent)
___4 Part (Harmonizing)
✅ Performance Track Available
✅ Accompaniment Track Available
✅ Singer Scores Available
✅ Choreography Included
Script:
✅ Rhyming Dialog
___Non-Rhyming Dialog (easy)
___Non-Rhyming Dialog (medium difficulty)
___Non-Rhyming Dialog (hard)
Scenery: As simple or elaborate as you like. You could decorate with hanging spiders, bats, pictures of worms, stuffed snakes, plants, trees, big sign that reads “Squirm!” I went to the simple route and added some stuffed snakes, a few fake plants and let the costumes do the rest.
Costumes: Costumes can be elaborate or as simple as different colors for each kind of creature. I asked the parents of the Itsy Bitsy Spider and Little Miss Muffett to help their students design a costume of their choosing. All of the other spiders were asked to wear a black or gray shirt and I made each of them a spider headband to wear. Students playing the part of a snake were asked to wear green or yellow shirts and I made a green headband for them to wear. Worms were asked to wear brown or gray shirts and students were encouraged to add some brown make up to their faces to look like dirt. I did have some make up to use if students did not get that applied at home. The teacher’s edition contains some great costume ideas.
Props: Since I didn’t do a lot for a background, I went crazy with the props (maybe even a little overboard :)) The teacher’s edition has some great suggestions for props. Here is a list of what I used:
- step stool for Itsy Bitsy Spider to climb
- bench for Little Miss Muffet to sit on and a teacup for her to hold
- for the song Squirm!
- wet socks in bucket, clipboard with pencil & paper, old shoe with gum on it, toy handcuffs, gummy worm
- maraca for A Snake In the Grass,
- Helmet, raincoat, umbrella for Itsy Bitsy Spider during Reprise
This musical is all about things that make us squirm and how they can be good. I spent time teaching students about each creature before we learned the song. The students were excited to learn about each new creature. They liked the gross things about them and they enjoyed learning about how those creatures can be helpful or good for our environment. The songs are catchy and fun. The students and I really had a good time with this musical.
This is a great musical that students can get excited about. They love the subject and the speaking parts and choreography make it interesting as well.
Individual Song Information/Suggestions
Squirm!: The students loved this song and asked to sing it often. They liked the choreography as well.
Cool to be a Worm: This song has a bossa nova style. The students really liked the pitch slides used in this song.
A Spider Song: The students recognized Bach’s Toccata and Fugue at the beginning as we had listened to it at Halloween. The minute they heard that music, they were hooked. They loved that we added a miniature piano for a student to pretend play during the song.
A Snake in the Grass: This was the most difficult song due to the big words used in it.
Give A Bat A Call: The jokes in this song are really cute and funny, but hard for students to do live during the performance. I wish I had recorded their lines with the music to make it more effective. This song would definitely be best for 2nd or 3rd grade students.
Reprise: Squirm
Thank you so much Peggy! This SOUNDS LIKE a FUN show!
If you’ve directed this musical, PLEASE feel free to share any thoughts and adaptations you did!
Sounds Like Fun 