Composer/Arranger: Teresa Jennings
Link to Purchase: https://www.musick8.com/store/alphadetail.php?product_group=910
Run Time: 30 minutes
Appropriate for:
___Kindergarten
___1st Gr.
✅ 2nd Gr.
✅ 3rd Gr.
✅ 4th Gr.
✅ 5th Gr.
✅ 6th Gr.
Number of songs: 5
Number of Solos: 2-4 melodic
✅ Unison
✅ 2 Part (Independent)
✅ 2 Part (Harmonizing)
___3 Part (Independent)
✅ 3 Part (Harmonizing)
___4 Part (Independent)
✅ 4 Part (Harmonizing)
✅ Other: 5 Part (Harmonizing) and SAB
✅ 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: NONE
Costumes: NONE
Props: NONE
This musical about Character is probably the most adaptable show I’ve ever directed! Perform it in unison, 2-part, optional 3-part, optional 4-part, or optional 5 part, it doesn’t matter! The MESSAGE steals the show for this musical! Teresa Jennings is known for utilizing mini skits in her shows. These are great opportunities to let kids who have a little more pizzazz in their performance shine! There’s even a spot to showcase any other particular song you might want that falls into the realm of the theme…IF YOU WANT…completely optional.
Individual Song Information/Suggestions
From the Inside out: Energetic, rock-style opener. “My character matters from the inside out.”
I Promise: I added in some instrumentation here, because I didn’t use an accompaniment track, but was blessed with a live accompanist. I had one student from each class play an ostinato on one of four instruments: Cowbell, Tambourine, Claves and Guiro. This allowed each group to “hear” and practice how the song would be during each practice by individual class. Then when every class was together, we had a small little band to play along with the bass line on the piano….again, more opportunities to shine!
Responsible: Rock tune. It has a three beat long harmonic solo opportunity or opportunities (another soloist on the repeat).
My Personal Code: Introductory solo opportunity for this sweet tune. Shorter optional solo again at the end. Can give another student the second opportunity or just have the initial singer handle that one too. I added sign language choreography for some of the phrases.*
It Starts with Me: Powerful Closer! Begins in unison, but gradually adds more and more voices. There’s even a point where it’s 4-part harmonies stacked with an addition independent line…that’s 5-parts at once! There’s even a section of SAB with options for SSABB)! Of course, you could simple stay with unison, that’s why I think this musical is SOOO adaptable to any grade level from 2nd to 6th! Again, I incorporated a few key words in sign-language for choreography purposes!*
Sign Language a Choreography: Important to note!
*Using sign-language as choreography: Once upon a time, when I lived in Kansas, I took a workshop at the state conference where Greg Gilpin was the guest clinician. Living in a world with hearing impaired people, he emphasized that when someone incorporates sign language into choreography, that it should only focus on the MAIN words and should flow musically and visually, even if it doesn’t make literal sense. For example, in “My Personal Code,” the phrase “I decide my personal code and I follow it each day.”, the students signed: Decide personal code, follow day. Doing sign language as choreography is quite powerful. If you haven’t tried it, this would be the perfect musical to incorporate it!
If you’ve directed “From the Inside Out,” 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!
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