By: Jay Michael Ferguson & Cristi Cary Miller
Link to Purchase: https://www.halleonard.com/product/266464/yee-haw
Run Time: 30 minutes (if all songs are performed….2024 update: I plan to omit “Til We Meet Again” from future shows. It’s oddly timed and weirdly received.)
Appropriate for:
___Kindergarten
___1st Gr.
✅ 2nd Gr.
✅ 3rd Gr.
✅ 4th Gr.
___5th Gr.
___6th Gr.
Number of songs: 7 + Reprise of the opening song (8 total) (2024 update: Get ride of “Til We Meet Again” from the song lineup. It’s odd timing and weirdly received.)
Number of Solos: 7 rhythmic and 2 or more singing (see suggestions below for incorporating MORE solo opportunities)
___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) (2024 update: When I had older students perform this show, the rhyming dialogue felt too “kid-ish.” To address this, I used AI to rewrite the dialogue, adding humor and a “cowboy flair” while keeping the original points intact.)
____Non-Rhyming Dialog (medium difficulty)
____Non-Rhyming Dialog (hard)
I have never directed a musical that has caused me the loss of soooo much sleep before and AFTER the show was over! I added 6 additional solos to replace the amount of verses the entire cast would need to memorize words and choreography for. Worked out GREAT…but was a bit stressful. Would I do it again?!?!….ABSOLUTELY! After the show was over, I woke up two nights in a row with my mind running through “Billy the Bad”!!!
Please note: The casting of BILLY is vital to this “Billy the Bad’s” success! He/she has to pantomime everything the narrators and chorus are saying….and they will be TIRED when the song is OVER! Plan on spending some time working through what he/she will be doing while the rest of the students are singing.
2024 Update: When I presented this show with older students, the rhyming dialogue felt a bit too juvenile for their age group. To give it a fresh twist, I used AI to reimagine the lines, transforming them into witty, engaging dialogue with a playful “cowboy flair” that still conveyed the original message. Additionally, I determined that “Til We Meet Again” should be removed from the song lineup. Its timing felt off, and it didn’t resonate well with the audience or performers, making the adjustment a better fit for the overall flow of the show.
Scenery: None required, but could easily incorporate ANY country/cowpoke aspects to jazz up your performance area.
Props:
You will need a LARGE mouse!…I struggled to find one, so opted to use a plastic rat from my Halloween decorations. It definitely made an impression! (Kindergarteners screamed when it was brought out by Billy the Bad!
(optional….but worth it) Stick horse ponies! I borrowed them…..from the students! They were happy to share their ponies with us! I even joked about making sure the ponies get put away in their corral after each class!
Costumes: The BEST part about this show! NONE…that YOU have to purchase or make! Simply send a note for students to wear country, cowboy(girl) or plaid clothing. Hats optional. The only one that I wanted specific attire was Billy the Bad. I had him wear all black…and luckily some kind classmate had a BLACK hat for him! Don’t let him convince you to let him wear a bandanna over his mouth (he’s actually a good guy and seeing his facial features really makes the show!)
Individual Song Information/Suggestions:
Yee-Haw!: This unison opener is the perfect song to set the tone for the whole show and has LOTS going on. I added three groups of “pony” riders to come galloping up the main aisle during the introduction (as if they were coming in from a LOOOONG ride) and the chorus members were turned around BACKWARDS on the risers! As the bouncing tune begins, the chorus turned around like they were dusting off their clothes from the LONG day of riding horses. Special characters are featured during the second verse. It’s a wonderful opportunity for kids who aren’t comfortable to speak into the microphone to shine! Also…what hoe-down wouldn’t be complete with a little square dancing with callers?!?!
Home on the Range in Montana: (features “Home on the Range” and “My Home’s in Montana”) Beautiful partner song in triple. Typical of partner song setups, it features each tune then combines them to be sung simultaneously. It was easy to separate the chorus members into two groups….”Kansas Kids” (FYI Home on the Range is the state song of Kansas) and “Montana Kids.”
Giddy-Up!: (features the “William Tell Overture”) It begins slow and progressively gets faster and faster! I utilized the “ponies” again and had one student from each class featured on the stage floor.
The Cowboy Code: To help the students learn this tune quickly, I only had them learn the chorus and featured two soloists per regular verse. The best part of this song is the jokes and patriotic lines that replace the third verse!
Billy, the Bad: Narrators tell the story of Billy. The chorus sings the refrain and serves as “back-up” singers during the 4th/5th verse….don’t freak about having that many verses. Just pick students who can RAP! After casting, I showed students some “clean” rapping examples to help them “sell” the story!
Under the Stars: I chose to create the setting for this song as a “campfire” setting. The song has opportunities for two beautiful solos…I split both those up so four voices were able to SHINE! NO choreography was provided, so I had students learn sign language for the words they were responsible for singing. (see https://soundslikefun.home.blog/2019/12/31/from-the-inside-out/ for tactfully incorporating sign language as choreography)
Until We Meet Again: SHORT! A benediction of blessings to send home with the audience…with a country twist! “May the skeeters never eat you…..”
(2024 Update: Consider removing “Til We Meet Again” from the song lineup. Its timing feels off, and it has been met with mixed reactions from the audience.)
Reprise: Yee-Haw!: A shorter version of the opener that simply sings the first verse twice! You can add in chorus bows between the singing and have the audience clap along during the second singing….WARNING: YOU WiLL WANT TO MODEL WHEN to clap throughout the song so they stay on the off-beat…and don’t rush!
If you’ve directed this musical, 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! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScNHxH3wAo98Hu4jFsKbBM2lUYgqnVXLRUo7HcgZTQz1U7-jQ/viewform
Sounds Like Fun 