By: John Jacboson and John Higgins
Link to Purchase: https://www.halleonard.com/product-family/PC15353/bugz-musical
Run Time: 20 minutes
Appropriate for:
✅ Kindergarten
✅ 1st Gr.
✅ 2nd Gr.
___3rd Gr.
___4th Gr.
___5th Gr.
___6th Gr.
Number of songs: 5 songs to teach with an additional reprise. Another purely instrumental (optional, in my opinion)
Number of Solos: 4-11 singing 1-2 rhythmic
✅ 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)
This musical for young voices is ADORABLE and CUTE, but takes a little bit more time to prep than the average musical. HOWEVER, it is TOTALLY WORTH IT! My superintendent was so impressed that she asked my students to perform for one of her BIG state-wide meetings!
Suggestions:
- If you have multiple classes performing together, have the same class say the lines on the SAME page. It speeds up group rehearsals, because students can rehearse in the music classroom the sequence and pacing of their class’ page of dialogue.
- The Maggot part steals the show! Every single production I directed, casting that minor character was a HUGE decision!
- Assigning the “extra bug parts:” Just make them a bug that is EASY to make for YOU!
- Assigning the extra costumes for non-speaking bugs: split them up between the big number songs: ladybugs, fireflies, ants, caterpillars/butterflies (opt.). This gives them a time to shine too!
Scenery: None or a park back drop that features a HUGE wicker lunch basket (I made it floor to ceiling height to emphasize that the students are tiny bugs!
Costumes: I went crazy….EVERY. SINGLE. PRODUCTION. You don’t have to!!! I had wings made for every character. (see below for my craziness) You can just use simple crowns with individual colors of shirts for each group of insects instead. Below are the costumes you MUST account for due to their specific line(s).
REQUIRED INSECTS:
- Lady Bugs,
- Fireflies: White wings.
- Ants: Army colored clothing: red headband with red antennas.
- Caterpillars/Butterflies: The caterpillar costume was basically fabric wings with green on the outside with colors on the inside. When the caterpillar is…well, a caterpillar, the wings are wrapped around their body. During their transformation, the wings are untied and then tied back on the arms to create the butterfly wings….or the strings are just held by the new “butterfly.”
- Honey Bee
- Bumble Bee—or JUST use the Honey Bee twice
- Yellow Jacket
- Gypsy Moth
- Horsefly
- Monarch Butterfly
- Maggot
- Beetle
- Grub Worm: I actually just made them a generic bug costume. Their line doesn’t necessitate a “Grub” worm costume.
- Stink Bug: I had them wear brown, and I purchased some “fake” garlic on a string from Hobby Lobby, that I transformed into a long necklace.
- Praying Mantis: Could actually be generic too.
***to make most of the ridgid “wings:” I created each wing shape with a wire coat hanger. Each wing side got its own hanger. Connect them together with lightweight wire. THEN Dip colored tissue paper in starch and cover the coat hanger base with a few layers .Let dry completely. You can then add paint details. I attached a felt rectangle that wrapped completely around the wings. Finally each set of wings was attached to the student with safety pins through the felt rectangle. Super light and durable. If you don’t have the correct color of tissue paper, just paint what you have! I ALWAYS sent these home, because I didn’t have enough storage space for 75 pairs of wings…the wings that I sewed, I kept for the next show….much easier to store! There are many, many ways to create wings and make them work for YOU. This is just how I did it!
Props: One artificial flower for each student.
Individual Song Information/Suggestions:
Bugz Entrance Music: This an overture of sorts. The intent is that all the bugz “enter” the stage for this one. I’m telling you, I’d rather just open the curtain and BAM, start the show. The score also indicates it can be used as an exit at the end of the show. The first time I directed this one, we used it, but didn’t have the kids “enter” per the score suggestion. The second and third time, I just cut it out. It wasn’t missed at all!
Goin’ on a Picnic: This opening sing number as two solos, but could be split into two more for a total of four! This song is a driving country rock hillbilly style tune. It’s super catchy and the kids will take to it immediately!
Be a Lady: This is MY favorite of the whole show! It features the lady bugs and includes one short speaking solo and two singing solos. Country rock in style, this is the song you want to assign to all your SASSY girls!
Firefly: We shut the lights off and had the fireflies hold flash lights that they turned on and off and circled around the auditorium. To make your life easier, have the kids NOT sing the second verse, just repeat the first verse again.
March of the Army Ants: One rhythmic solo that could be changed into an additional solo during the second verse, enhances the feel of this military tune with a soldiers in-training “battle chant.” So FUN! Timing the 4 pt turns is a challenge….so practice, practice, PRACTICE!
Things Change: This song is beautiful and reveals the “message” of this musical. The caterpillars send the message to the Stink Bug who’s had a bad day due to some “mean” bugs. During the second chorus, I had my caterpillars turn into butterflies! For my show, we had to work the timing shere bug “helpers” helped unwrap the wings from around the caterpillar and tie them on their wrists, so they could flap their beautifully colored wings for the ending of the song….see above in costuming for more specifics.
Goin’ on a Picnic (Reprise): 2-4 solos…again. This is where I incorporated my bows for the curtain call!
Extension: Read Charlie the Caterpillar by: Dom Deluise. Or Watch it! https://youtu.be/Xx8VY2b2ZQc
FYI: There happens to be a Christmas version to this musical! I’ve not tried it, but if YOU have, I’d love to include your critique! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScNHxH3wAo98Hu4jFsKbBM2lUYgqnVXLRUo7HcgZTQz1U7-jQ/viewform
Link to Purchase “A Bugz Christmas: https://www.halleonard.com/product-family/PC15354/a-bugz-christmas
If you’ve directed “BUGZ,” PLEASE feel free to share any thoughts and adaptations you did. We’d all love to hear how you made it your own!
I’d also love to include YOUR CRITIQUE of any musical that you found to be successful or NOT successful! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScNHxH3wAo98Hu4jFsKbBM2lUYgqnVXLRUo7HcgZTQz1U7-jQ/viewform
Sounds Like Fun 