When Golden Ears Elementary puts on a musical production, every student in the school becomes part of the cast and crew.
For the recent intermediate (Grades 4-7) production of Pirates the Musical!, that meant nearly 250 students participating in every aspect of the show – from acting, singing and choreography, to costumes and makeup, sound and lighting.
During the Maple Ridge school’s winter performance, A Holiday Moosical, its primary students (Kindergarten to Grade 3) took centre stage.
“Fine arts is part of the curriculum here: dance, drama, choir, acting,” explained teacher-librarian Devika Chudy, who directs the school’s productions with music teacher Jenny Hansen.
“We have a pretty extensive program here. The kids really enjoy the fine arts experience.”
Of course, putting on a musical production means lots of rehearsal time as student memorize lines, songs and choreography.
“The students work very hard from January until April during music and dance/drama classes. We put a lot of effort into it,” she said.
Audience members who attended Pirates the Musical at the school last month appreciated all that effort, giving the cast and crew loud rounds of applause.
“The audiences were very impressed. The kids are so professional; they can run the show on their own. It was great seeing visiting schools enjoying the shows,” said Chudy.
Since 2013, Golden Ears has staged two musical productions each school year.
“From Kindergarten until Grade 7, the kids at Golden Ears perform. The shows are getting more intricate and their skill-sets are really developing,” she added.
