Submitted by Sandy Elder, Michigan

Idea posted February 19, 2002

Basically, it's a pantomime-ballet with the original story and music by Stravinsky. You will narrate while the kids silently act out the story.

Materials:

  • CD of The Firebird ballet music and stereo
  • synopsis of ballet (adapted by YOU from the actual synopsis) written or memorized
  • costumes

Characters and Costumes:

  • Handsome Prince Ivan: crown (red) and toy bow/arrow
  • Evil King Kaschei: crown (black) and fake sword
  • various monsters: masks for all the other boys (Paper plates on popsicle sticks or attached with elastic work great! Or, raid the store at Halloween for cheap plastic ones.), optional fancier mask/Viking hat for the evil Ogre
  • Beautiful Princess Elaina: crown (a nice tiara-style one), Easter basket, yard of cheap lace, and fake flower bouquet for wedding scene
  • other princesses (Elaina's sisters): generic Easter baskets (from a dollar store) with a handful of confetti or paper bingo chips for all the other girls, Christmas garland halos for girls' heads (opt.)
  • Firebird: felt/poster board crown covered in flame-colored feathers (blue, orange, yellow, and red), red long-sleeved pull-on shirt (Goodwill) with long strips of flame-ish fabric sewn all over the sleeves (when arms are flapped the strips should wave)
  • optional but very cool characters: two or three Handsome Lords who've been turned to stone - each should have a crown, a fake weapon, and be frozen in a compelling position like they were frozen while defending themselves

Other Necessary Props:

  • A golden egg! Basically, this should be a giant, shiny gold-lame pillow shaped like an egg that can survive being raised in the air and smashed to the ground by 10 years worth of Handsome Prince Ivans!
  • Optional: If you can find or make a box into a treasure chest, all the better!

The Set:

  • sturdy chair in the middle of room = the silver tree in King Kaschei's garden
  • one wall = Kaschei's castle; one chair there for the Ogre
  • another wall (or behind the piano, etc.) = the King's magic forest; rows of chairs work great for this too, the girls can duck behind them
  • egg hidden in the "forest" somewhere (prince should know where it is)

Opening Scene (positions):

  • The Prince is out the door or far off to the side.
  • The Firebird is flying in patterns near the center chair and around the garden.
  • The King is standing and looking evil, the monsters are sitting cross-legged, Ogre is in the chair, and they are all together along the castle wall.
  • The Lords are frozen at each side of the castle wall.
  • The Princesses are hidden in the forest (sitting along the wall or hiding behind something).
  • The Teacher is manning the stereo.

Performance suggestions:

  • Castle: Cover a large table with white sheet paper and draw a castle covered in ivy. Tip this over and the monsters can hide behind it.
  • Forest: Cover a large table with paper and draw trees. Tip it over and the girls can hide behind it.
  • Position both tables at the back wall of the stage (as far up stage as you can go) with a wide gap between the tables.
  • Silver Tree: Make a large cardboard tree covered with foil and attach it to a step ladder turned sideways (this allows the bird to climb the steps still). Or, if you have just the chair with some tinsel or strips of silver-lame material attached, that works, too.

Xerox off some homemade tickets and invite the kindergartners (give a stack of tickets to the teachers) to a command performance. Invite parents of first graders. Have a couple of the performers collect tickets at the door. You could even charge the parents a dollar as a fund-raiser.