Composer/Arranger: John Jacobson & John Higgins
Link to Purchase: https://www.halleonard.com/product-family/PC15719/flakes
Run Time: 20 minutes
Appropriate for:
✅ Kindergarten
✅ 1st Gr.
✅ 2nd Gr.
___3rd Gr.
___4th Gr.
___5th Gr.
___6th Gr.
Number of songs: 5 to teach plus a Reprise: 6 total
Number of Solos: Melodic 1, Rhythmic 6-10
✅ 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: “One in a Million” I added more in than what was provided, there are times the students needed help remembering words….so I added in more actions.
Script:
✅ Rhyming Dialog
___Non-Rhyming Dialog (easy)
___Non-Rhyming Dialog (medium difficulty)
___Non-Rhyming Dialog (hard)
Flakes! is pretty entertaining, FUN annnnnnd FUNNY! This winter appropriate musical is pretty simple to direct as well. Add in a wonderful message about every person being special in their own way and BAM! You’ve got a great show!
Scenery: NONE required!
Costumes:
· Snowflakes: White and glittery, hanging around necks of every student. The “SNIRT” snowflakes can be “dirty”! You’ll want to rehearse WITH the snowflakes a few times before the dress rehearsal and real show. This helps alleviate the “novelty” of having them around their neck DURING the real performance. I had a local retired senior group (RSVP) cut them all out…THANK YOU!!! I sent them to be laminated, glittered them up and then added yarn to hang them around the student’s necks. MAKE SURE YOU PUT THEIR NAMES ON THEM…the kiddos can get QUITE possessive of “their” snowflake!
· Snowball: (optional, see adaptation to script at end) Big fluffy ball that was once an onion costume that I reused for a snowball! Cuz….everyone has an onion costume!..RIGHT?!?!?
Props: NONE!
Individual Song Information/Suggestions
Cold Snap: I incorporated students playing tambourines for the intro of this “retro rock shuffle” (choose kids who exhibit a GREAT sense of keeping beat ability!) The rest of the students SNAP on 1/3. We also had conversations about not “clucking” with tongues (whoever taught them this should be flogged!) and FAKING it if they can’t REALLY snap! Optional 2-part Harmony for last three bars. Two “grouchy” flake rhythmic solos.
We’re Flakes!: The composers term this a “show bizzy” quick tune. I like to think of it as “Broadway-esque.” Ends with Optional 2-part harmony.
If using a live accompanist, cut measure 96 (in the recording it’s a drum filled measure).
I also felt it wasn’t complete without a “Yeah!” at the end for the last pose! So I added it in! This is one of the joys of being a director! DO WHAT YOU WANT!
SNIRT!: Hip, Hop tune that will become the kid’s favorite to sing! They’ll be singing it as they leave music, don’t fight it! EMBRACE it! 4-8 “rapper” soloists (during the second verse, I had more rappers, rather than the SAME rappers. We really enjoyed the option of everyone saying words that were in ALL-CAPS. It really helped keep the student’s engaged with what was happening with the vocalists, so they were ready to sing the chorus.
-If using a live accompanist, cut measures 1 and 2, use measures 3 and 4 as the intro, it helps set up the kids to be able to sing in tune from the first note. This means adjusting the “Huh!” to fall during the second beat of measure 4 during the intro.
Nothing Special: Gentle song with optional melodic solo. It’s an opportunity for a kid to shine….DO IT! Just make sure you have a couple of back-ups!
One in a Million: This is the special message tune: Everyone is special in their own way….JUST like snowflakes! This “rock anthem” features 2-pt harmonic/independent singing. I’d say Kindergarten and 1st graders would struggle with this, so just have them sing the top line. 2nd graders might be able to pull it off both lines of singing, it would just be hard for the harmonic split, devote some time to it and you’ll be fine!
Reprise: We’re Flakes!: Optional: At rehearsal 13: incorporate some of the flake BOWS here. Do the same thing at rehearsal 30 and then finish the tune!
Adaptation to script:
During the lines on page 14, it says “a snowball whizzes by.” I actually had the line previous to that be spoken by a character I named “Snowball.” His joy was to say his line and run across the stage like a SNOWBALL! He was envied by every other student…I don’t know why, but 1st graders are funny like that sometimes! You just have to go with it! J
Casting Advice:
When casting the rapping soloists, I tend to choose the students who work soooo hard for me, but just can’t consistently hit the pitches vocally required for a melodic solo. Of course, we still have auditions for rapping soloists, because they HAVE to be able to quickly spit the words out too!
If you’ve directed “Flakes!,” 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
Would like a particular musical critiqued? Send me a message, I’ll see what I can do!
Sounds Like Fun 