The Visitors: A Play about the Planets
Teacher's Directions

Stage One
 
1. Introduce the play as a singsong poem. Play the CD for the students, asking them to pay attention to how the lines are said.
 
2. Make the signs of the planets.
 
Using large cardboard (from a discarded box), draw and cut out 18 circles, 12 inches in diameter. Allow the children to paint the shapes using tempura paints.

There will need to be two identical versions of each planet:

  • Mercury-gray
  • Venus-red
  • Earth-blue
  • Mars-orange
  • Jupiter- yellow, orange, and red swirls
  • Saturn-yellow and gray swirls
  • Uranus-light blue
  • Neptune-dark blue
  • Pluto-grayish brown

For planets with rings, create a separate cardboard ring, and attach with staples or tape.
 
Punch holes into the tops of the signs, four inches apart, and using 14" piece of yarn, create a necklace for each piece.
 
3. Make/assemble the props: a bed, night stand, lamp, bed covers, etc. Suggestions: place four chairs alongside each other for the bed and cover the whole thing with a blanket. Place a pillow upon it to make it look like a bed. A child's desk can be covered with a piece of material or tablecloth. A lamp can be made out of cardboard.
 
Stage Two
 
Make six copies of the play. Allow the students to take turns reading along with the CD. Invite different children to volunteer to be Johnny. In other words, three or four different boys might share the part of Johnny. Two children can share the part of each planet, as there are two signs for each. Allow students to pick which character they want to be.
(If four different boys share the role of Johnny, determine that each boy has the exact same outfit. For example: black sweatpants and a black tee-shirt.)
 
Stage Three
 
Make one copy of the play using a larger font. Cut out the various parts (in four line passages) and assign a student's name on each section in pencil. Glue these onto 3" x 5" index cards. Number these cards in bold red. Create a master script that you write in (pencil) each child who will be delivering a certain passage. Keep your script on a clipboard that is marked "Teacher's Copy."
 
Stage Four
 
Allow students to practice reading their lines over and over again. Play the CD for them to practice using fluency and proper vocal influctuations.
 
Stage Five
 
Allow all the students to sing the songs in the play. Read the lyrics one line at a time, having the students repeat the lines. Practice singing the songs daily for memorization.
 
Stage Six
 
Invite the students to create the background set. Suggestions: a child's room that has a bookshelf of varying items: books, globe, baseball glove and bat, stuffed animals, etc. The background should have a picture window with pictures on the wall: a planet poster, a poster of action figures, etc. These stages should take about two-three weeks preparation, utilizing about two hours a day. Next, all you have to do is practice having the children read their lines without the CD, and practice allowing children who share characters to take one another's places on stage.
 
Keep the index cards on a table near the stage. Instruct the students to remember which number he/she is reading. Also, seat the children on the floor near the stage in order of how they are reading their lines.
 
After four days of rehearsal of running through the play, your class should be ready to perform! Break a leg!