y a PERFORM” acs Yoo ana Sane The Circus Drama4All Plan — Autumn 2018 Costume Pack (return by 21° December 2pm) Red Cape Black Top Hat Jumbo clown bow tie Red foam clown nose Please wear Perform uniform underneath the above NURSERY & RECEPTION Basic Introduction ~ MUSIC —Circus Fanfare (to introduce you and get attention) ‘+ Introduce yourself as Rosie/Robin Ringmaster and tel the children that you come from The Perform Circus.£.G ‘Roll up, roll up, my name is Rosie/Robin Ringmaster and I come from the Perform circus’. * Ask them ifanyone has ever been to a circus? E.G ‘Put your hand up if you have ever been to the Circus- ‘WOW’, now put your hand down’. This is a good technique for control. ‘+ Tell them that you're here at NAME OF SCHOOL today because you've heard that there are some very brave and helpful children here. * There's a Circus Show tonight but the Clown is too sad to do his tricks and you need some help cheering him up. ‘+ Askthem if they've ever felt sad? What sort of a face do you do when you're sad (demonstrate). And what cheersyou up? * Hear a few ideas from children with their hands up. + Say that everyone in the Circus has tried their best to cheer The Clown up, but nothing's working and you need some fresh new ideas and some new helpers. + Are there any brave and helpful children here? ‘+ Before you go to the Circus say. “I know. Let’s meet The Clown and listen to his song. T'lLjust go and get him". + Put on your Clown nose and bow and become the Clown. Clown with a Frown Song + Perform The Clown with a Frown Song (first 2 verses). * Inthe instrumental at the beginning, ask the children if they can join in with the actions with you, “Who can watch me really carefully and copy all my actions”?* Then say whois ready to come and cheer up The Clown? Control Command Clown + Ask the children to stand up. * Explain that when you're waiting to perform your actin the circus tent, you have to be very quiet. Say you are going to test them on how quiet they can be. * When you say CLOWN they have to freeze (stand stil) with a silly face. Practice this 2 few times and see if they can do it faster than you! Circus Warm up - MUSIC - Lion Tamer * Ask the children to find a space and put their hands on their head by the time you count down from 5. “You have 5 seconds to find a space in the room and put your hands on your head”. + Atthis age, finding a space is a new concept so be aware ofthat. + Doafun and energised Circus Themed physical warm up. Circus Character Command Game basic MUSIC ~Circus Band * Tell the children that you are going to introduce them to some of your friends in the Circus. * Teach them the following commands and get them to act them out. CIRCUS ACT COMMAND Ringmaster Roll up Roll up ina big loud voice Human Cannonball Crouch down and jump up after 3,2, 1! Rodeo Rider Galloping on horse either on spot or around room) Juggler Mime jugaling balls Unicyclist Lay on floor riding imaginary cycle with legs in the air + Next turn on the Circus Band Track and introduce the different acts and ask the children to.act them out by alternating with walking, skipping etc. Circus Folk (Copy Gesture) - MUSIC—Flying Trapeze + Next, standing in their space, tell the children that in the Circus everyone comes from different countries and it’s really cool because they al speak different languages. How amazing is that? + Asktthe children if they can say hello in any different languages? Hearexamples. + But. ..there is one language everyone in the circus that everyone speaks. It's called the language of MIME. So, ifyou want to say hello you do this. (Wave). Ifyou want to say no you do this. (Shake head). Ifyou want to say yes you do this. (Nod head). Play Copy Gesture, making sure that after you have played it for a minute, you ask for volunteers to come out and try gesturing themselves.After the track has finished, take them into a different area of the roomand tellthem that they are now ready to go to The Circus. Toy Shop -MUSIC-Toy Shop Lookat your watch! Oh no. you've got about halfan hour to cheer up The Clown before the show tonight. Tell the children that you have a plan and that you are all going to be funny clowns and tryand cheerthe clown up. Ask them to open their imaginary costume box in front of them, What do clowns wear? A red nose? Put on your red nose and big shoes etc. Maybe a flower that squirts water! Tryand get some suggestions from the children too. Now it’s time to creepinto the Big Top. but The Clown mustn’t knowyou're there. Explain that when theClownis in the room they have to be as stil as they can be, but when he leaves the room they can run around and practice their funniest and silliest faces and look for his smile. But when he comes back in, they have tofreeze and make the funniest and silliest face they can at him and maybe their funny statues will cheer him up? Become The Clown and play Toy shop. Your motivation as The Clown is as follows: You announce that you aretoo sad to perform at The Perform Circus tonight. Because you've lost your smile and you can’t find it anywhere. You sneeze because a statue is dusty, so you leave the room to get your duster. You come back in and do abit of dusting, but notice that some ofthe statues have moved. Strange and they're making funny faces, Hmmm, you feel a bit cheered up? Youalso feel.a bit hungry, you leave to get a pizza. Come back in and the statues start to make you giggle a tiny bit. Leave the pizza and make a huge deal about knowing that it wil be safe because no one elses in your dressing room. (The pizza should get eaten). Return and the pizza has gone, but the statues are very funny now because their faces are covered in Pizza! Start to laugh and exit by saying that because you are very happy you are going to perform in the circus after all! Hurray. Cool Down MUSIC - Sparkly music Become The Ringmaster again and ask the children what happened? The Clown found his smile! Congratulate them and say that the circus can go ahead tonight now. Ask the children tomakea circle. Ask everyone to take out their Circus costume box and open the lid. Now we need to take our Clown Costumes off and get ready to go back to class. So everybody take off your red nose and place itin the box, take off your curly wig, take off your big shoes, squirty flower etc. Now close the box lid and shut it tight. Now take out your magic pen and on the top drawa picture of your clown's face.* Lockthe box with your magic key and pop it in your pocket for next time you'd like to. become a comedyclown!YEAR 1 Introduction Control Command —Tightrope * Explain that when you're waiting to perform your actin the circus tent, you have to be very quiet. Say you are going to test them on how quiet they can be. * When you say TIGHTROPE they have to stand up and balance like a tightrope walker and be very quiet. Practice this a few times and see if they can do it faster than you! Physical Warm up -Lion Tamer Dance Circus Character Command Game Advanced — Circus Band ‘+ Tellthe children that you are going to take them around the Circus Big Top. * Ineach commer ofthe room tell them about a different Circus Act and they haveto actit out. CORNER 1-RODEO RIDERS galloping on the spot saying ‘yee-ha’. CORNER 2-JUGGLERS - juggling. CORNER 3 TRAPEZE ARTIST -swing from trapeze and say 'wheee! CORNER 4 — CLOWNS — pulling faces etc. CENTRE STAGE - RINGMASTERS ~ Saying Roll up, Roll up in a big loud voice. + Tell them that when the music starts you are going to call out a different circus act and the children mustride their unicycle (to stop them running) to the correct corner and perform the correct act. + You can mix the acts up with general circus improvising and asking them to walk around the room with different emotions E.G sad, happy, cross etc. + Finish with Ringmaster positioning. + Be careful of children rushing around and make sure that you alternate with an action to bring them out of each corner before you do the next one. Circus Fotk (Copy Gesture) Vocal Warm up & The Ringmaster Rap Make a circle or sit down in front of teacher depending on how quick they are. Explain that all Circus Performers have a skill. What's a skill? The Ringmaster’s sillis running the Circus, but he/she use their big, loud, projected voice for this. Why is itimportant to be able to use a loud voice? Do Circus performers need to have one or do we all? When do you use a loud voice? * Doavery quick vocal warm up focusing on projection by demonstrating loud, medium and quiet voices. Volumehand might be a good exercise. ‘+ Ask them to imagine what it would be lke ifthe Ringmaster had a quiet voice? + Perform for them The Ringmaster Rap as below. Disaster, Disaster! ~Drama panic armsThe Circus Ringmaster — Flourish hands Lost his voice one day — Hands to chest He said 'Roll up, roll up—hands to mouth come and see the show! ~ small beckon hands But the people walked away - tiny walking fingers ‘Along came a flea~small flying hands As tiny as a pea - small shape Who said 'T'llhave a crack...~ confident hands on hips Roll up, roll up, - Hands to mouth confidently come and see the show!'- confident flourish hands ‘And the people all came back! ~ Hurray pose ‘* Repeat and teach them the sections in bold where the Ringmaster has a quiet voice and then the Flea who teaches him to be loud. * You could split the group so that one does the quiet and one does the loud. + Now, who is ready to cheer up the clown? Say you havea plan. + Tell everyone to meet you in the Clown comer because it’s time. Toy Shop Cool Down as Reception, except ask them to write their Clown's name on top of the box instead of draw a picture, Talk about PerformYEAR 2 ‘Advanced Introduction As children enter, ask them to sitin one/two lines. Once the music starts, make a huge entrance and introduce yourself as Rosie/Robin Ringmaster and tell the children that you come from The Perform Circus. Excitedly shake some children’s handsin the front row and welcome them. Ask them if anyone has ever been toa circus? What sort of acts are there? Can they name any? Ask them ifthey know why Circus s called a Circus? ‘Circus’ comes from the Latin word ‘circus’, which means ‘ring’ or from the Greek ‘kirkos’~ circle. Tell them that you're here today at NAME OF SCHOOL because you've got a problem that you need help with. There's a Circus Show tonight but the Clown i too sad to do his tricks and you need some help cheering him up. Ask them ifthey've ever felt sad? What sort ofa face do you do when you're sad (demonstrate). And what cheers them up? Hear a few ideas. Say that everyone in the Circus has tried their best to cheerThe Clown up, but nothing's working and you need some fresh new ideas and some new helpers. Are there any brave and helpful children here? Control Command —Tightrope Circus Character Command Game Advanced MUSIC: Circus Band Circus Acts - MUSIC: ircus Parade Ask the children what sort of skills circus performers need? Talk about teamwork and what that means. Split the children into 4 groups and set up each corner as a number and then and send each group toa different cornerand rehearse moving as the circus act that corresponds with that corner. E.G Group 1 - Rodeo Riders etc. Group 2~ Jugglers. Group 3—Trapeze Artists. Group 4 ~ Clowns. They havea few minutes to rehearse their circus act together as a group and perform for the other groups. Once they/re ready tell each group to sit down in their corner. Start the music and you introduce each act as the Ringmaster centre stage. When you announce each act, the relevant group must enter centre stage and perform what they've rehearsed. Announce each act by saying "Roll Up, roll up! Welcome to the Perform Circus! Please welcome act number 1, the.....Human Cannonballs!" Encourage lots of clapping and cheering from the other acts and teachers and you as a performer must realy go for it with your Ringmaster character and performance, Vocal Warm up & Ringmaster Rap - advanced version* Teach as with Year 1—but teach them the whole thing as opposed to just the last bit so that they can perform it at the end all together. Toy Shop ‘+ Ask them to meet you in the Clown Corner and play Toy shop. Recap on Ringmaster Rap if time Cool Down as Reception, except ask them to write their Clown's name on top of the box instead of draw a picture.Letters and End Speech & Stickers * Dotthe following speech - please learn this exactly as written, Well done everybody, give yourselfa huge round applause. am going to give you a special invitation (show them the letter). This invites all of you to come back and play some more games with me every single week ina place just down the road from your school. Allyou need to do, is take your invitation home to Mummy or Daddy or whoever looks after you, tell them all about our exciting adventure and if you ask them really nicely and say ‘please can I go again’ then maybe, just maybe they might say ‘yes’ and you can come back and play some more games with me! Would you tike that? (Lots of cheering and shouts of ‘YES’! Fantastic, Iwill give these to your teacher until its time for you to go home (give to teacher and say to them ‘s that ok? If you can please make sure these go hhome today, that would be fantastic, thank you’). In fact, maybe I can choose one very clever person who thinks that they can remind your teacher at the end of the day to give one to everyone in the class, as teachers have so much to remember already.(They usually al put their hand up!) Choose a child and ask their name and hand them the letters, making sure that they know exactly what their responsibility is. ‘And now let’s see who's ready for theirsticker? This is a special Circus sticker and if you put the link into your grown up’s computer or iPad then it can show you all the Circus songs and dances and there's even a free app you can download. Maybe your teacher can do that too? Once you've got your sticker, you can creep tothe door and line up quietly for your teacher.10 Nursery & Reception Synopsis EXERCISE MUSIC BASIC INTRODUCTION CIRCUS FANFARE CLOWN WITH A FROWN CLOWN WITH A FROWN NO VOX CONTROL COMMAND ~ CLOWN CURCUS WARM UP TION TAMER CIRCUS CHARACTER COMMAND BASIC CIRCUS BAND CIRCUS FOLK COPY GESTURE FLYING TRAPEZE TOY SHOP TOY SHOP COOL DOWN SPARKLY SPEECH ABOUT PERFORM Year 1 Synopsis EXERCISE MUSIC INTRODUCTION CIRCUS FANFARE CONTROL COMMAND - TIGHTROPE CURCUS WARM UP TION TAMER CIRCUS CHARACTER COMMAND ADVANCED CIRCUS BAND CIRCUS FOLK COPY GESTURE COPY GESTURE ‘VOCAL WARM UP & RINGMASTER RAP. TOY SHOP TOY SHOP COOL DOWN SPARKLY SPEECH ABOUT PERFORM Year 2 Synopsis EXERCISE MUSIC ADVANCED INTRODUCTION CIRCUS PARADE CONTROL COMMAND ~ TIGHTROPE CIRCUS CHARACTER COMMAND ADVANCED | CIRCUS BAND CARCUS ACTS CIRCUS PARADE VOCAL WARM UP & RINGHASTER RAP TOY SHOP TOYSHOP RECAP RINGMASTER RAP COOLDOWN SPARKLY MUSIC SPEECH ABOUT PERFORM