1. Start Here (Read This First)

This musical is designed for real classrooms, not professional theaters. Your job is not perfection. Your job is:

• to move through the story,
• to help students feel safe and brave,
• to celebrate effort and growth.

Students will remember how it felt to learn, sing, and tell this story together— not whether every line was perfect.

2. Your Week-by-Week Plan (Roadmap)

Think of this as your “GPS” for the project. You can stretch or shrink the schedule, but for most classes, this simple 4-week map works well.

✅ Week 1 — Read & Listen (No Acting Yet)

Goal: Help students understand the story and characters.

• Read the script out loud together as a class.
• Play 2–3 songs from the show.
• Pause and ask:
  • “Who do you think Plymouth Rock is?”
  • “Why do the Wampanoag matter to this story?”
• Let students respond freely—there are no wrong answers at this stage.

Success looks like: Students can tell you what the story is about in their own words.

✅ Week 2 — Casting & Gentle Movement

Goal: Assign roles and begin simple stage movement.

• Assign parts using one of the approaches in the Casting section below.
• Practice:
  • Walking on stage and finding a “spot.”
  • Facing the audience while speaking.
  • Using a clear voice and “stage body” (standing tall, still).

Success looks like: Students know where they stand and feel comfortable stepping “onstage.”

✅ Week 3 — Lines & Songs Together

Goal: Combine speaking and singing with growing confidence.

• Rehearse one scene at a time (short chunks).
• Repeat lines in small groups; let students echo you.
• Practice songs focusing on:
  • clear words,
  • energy,
  • smiles—not volume alone.

Success looks like: Students are starting to remember lines and lyrics and are less shy.

✅ Week 4 — Run-Throughs

Goal: Focus on flow, not flawlessness.

• Run full scenes without stopping for every little mistake.
• Teach the class: “If someone forgets a line, we keep going.”
• Save notes for after the run-through, not during.

Success looks like: The show moves from beginning to end—even if it’s a little messy.

3. Casting Made Easy

Many teachers worry about casting being “fair” or “perfect.” Use one of these simple, classroom-friendly approaches:

Option A — Teacher Assigns Roles

You choose who plays each part, based on reading levels, comfort, and personalities. Great if you know your students well.

Option B — Student Choice (First & Second Choice)

Have each student write down:

• their first choice role, and
• their second choice or “happy to be in the chorus.”

Let them know in advance that they might not get their first choice, but that everyone is important to the show.

Option C — Group Roles

Use flexible groups such as:

• Narrators: several students share the storytelling.
• Chorus: the whole class sings together.
• Movement groups: students who like to move help with simple stage pictures.

Option D — Double-Casting

Two students share one role. They can split lines or alternate performances if you’re doing more than one.

4. Simple Staging: Where Do Students Stand?

You do not need fancy choreography. Use this basic layout as your guide:

Simple rules to share with students:

• Face the audience when you speak or sing.
• Use your “stage body”—stand tall and still when it’s not your turn.
• Big gestures, not fidgeting.
• Walk with purpose when entering or leaving the “stage” area.

5. What If Something Goes Wrong? (Rescue Sheet)

Live performances are living, breathing things. Little surprises are normal—and often charming. Here’s your quick problem-solving table:

6. Rehearsal Checklist (Print-Friendly)

Use this quick list to guide any rehearsal, even on a busy day:

✅ Daily Rehearsal Checklist

• ❏ Practice at least one scene (read or acted).
• ❏ Play or sing at least one song.
• ❏ Praise effort: name at least one specific thing students did well.
• ❏ Encourage quieter students with a small, safe moment to shine.
• ❏ End rehearsal on something fun (a favorite song or silly bow).
• ❏ Stop before everyone is exhausted—leave them wanting more.

Short, focused rehearsals (10–20 minutes) are better than long, exhausting ones. You can tuck mini-rehearsals into your school day.

7. Sample Parent Letter

Copy, paste, and adapt this letter into your school’s usual communication format:

8. Confidence Page for Teachers

On the hard days, come back to this:

You are doing this right if:

• Students are engaged (even if a little wiggly).
• They feel safe to try and make mistakes.
• They are slowly getting louder and clearer.
• You praise their progress and kindness.
• There is some laughter in the room.

Perfection is not the goal. Connection is. The real “win” is that your students stood up, used their voices, and told a story together.

9. Final Week Reminder

By the time you reach performance week, your students will have:

• Explored history through story and song,
• Practiced reading and speaking aloud,
• Learned to listen and respond to one another,
• Built courage by standing in front of others,
• Created something bigger than themselves.

That is the real performance, whether or not every cue and lyric is perfect.

10. Need Help? You’re Not Alone.

If you have questions about staging, pacing, or adapting this musical for your class, we’re happy to help.

📧 Email: support@plymouthrock.org
Subject suggestion: “First-Time Director Help”

No question is too small. You don’t have to figure it out alone.