Classic plays performed by elementary school students: recommended works roundup

Gongitsune

School Year Presentation: Gon, the Little Fox

Gongitsune is a work by Nankichi Niimi and a beloved staple in Japanese language textbooks.

I’m sure you read it in your textbooks, too.

I remember feeling very lonely as a child because the story doesn’t end happily.

It has a strong pull, so I think it would work well as a staged reading.

It also seems like it would make a lovely shadow play if you used the textbook illustrations as a reference.

If we were to create an original play inspired by Gongitsune, I’d love to see a happy-ending version!

The Little Prince

Record of the Barrier-Free Theatrical Performance of The Little Prince

I highly recommend The Little Prince, the novel written by the French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

It’s a work with a very mysterious atmosphere, depicting the story of “I,” who crash-lands a broken plane in the desert, and the prince he meets there.

With its poetic worldview, it’s perfect for those who want to try a play that’s a bit different from the usual or who prefer something that gently lingers in the heart.

Because the pacing is calm, the key to success may be whether you can deliver your lines clearly without rushing.

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Araki Jakkan

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Poupelle of Chimney Town

#PoupelleOfChimneyTown #AkihiroNishino #KingKong (comedy duo) #moving #dance #kids #4yearolds #5yearolds #daycare #recital #schoolPlay #nurseryTeacher #kindergartenTeacher #handmadeCostumes #cute #costumes

This is a smash-hit work written by Nishino from the comedy duo King Kong.

It was adapted into an animated film in 2020, with popular talents like Mana Ashida joining as voice actors, which became a hot topic.

It has also been staged in various forms—plays, musicals, recitation dramas, and even kabuki.

First, check out the story and look for a format that elementary school students could recreate.

It could be fun to reconstruct and perform this fairy-tale-like story yourselves.

Since it’s a bit on the long side, it might be better suited for upper-grade students.

Shadow play performance

Kakashi-za Hand Shadow Performance “The Ugly Duckling”

Do you remember being amazed by shadow puppets when you were little? How about putting on a play using shadow puppetry? Basically, you express the people and objects that appear using only your hands.

It often feels more convincing to watch the projected shadows than to watch the hands themselves.

Well-known stories don’t require explanations and let you focus on the performance, so fairy tales are a great choice.

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utatane

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Little Princess (A Little Princess Sara)

Nov 4 Takakura Drama Club – Aeon Mall Nagoya Dome-mae – Part 1

The original work is by the American novelist Frances Hodgson Burnett.

This story has been performed in various forms, including anime, drama, and musicals.

The plot follows a seven-year-old girl named Sara, who was born into a wealthy family but remains kind-hearted without being conceited.

However, after her father passes away, her life and the attitudes of those around her change drastically, and she perseveres through it all.

I think playing the lead role is quite challenging, but it’s a work from which audiences can certainly take away something by watching the performance, so I strongly encourage you to take it on.

Whale Cloud

School Activities in Tanegashima: Sumiyoshi Elementary School Learning Presentation — 1st Grade “Kujira-gumo (Whale Cloud)”, 2nd Grade “The Letter”, and Other Highlights (First Half) 2018

The picture book Kujira-gumo (The Whale Cloud) by Fumiko Ishikawa tells the story of a large cloud shaped like a whale floating in the sky and a group of elementary school children.

It portrays a whale-shaped cloud the children spot during PE class that lets them ride on its back and fly through the sky.

It’s a dream-filled tale, so not only will audiences enjoy the play, but the children performing it will have fun putting it on as well.

For the whale cloud, prepare a drawing and place it as a backdrop at the rear or upper part of the stage, or make it like a banner so it can be moved around freely—highly recommended.

Since the story takes place during class, everyday items like gym uniforms can be used for costumes and props!

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SAKI

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Nintama Rantarō

Another big commotion at the Nintama Cultural Festival! Public dress rehearsal for the rerun of Musical Nintama Rantarō, 13th installment | #EnstaStage

A popular NHK anime that has been on the air since 1993.

You could say it’s one of those national favorites that Japanese kids grew up with.

The biggest strength of Nintama Rantarō is its sheer number of characters—it absolutely won’t lose to any other anime in that regard.

It will surely make for a wonderful stage where everyone in the class can become a character.

From Isaku Hōzenji, whose unlucky nature always gets laughs, to Kihachirō Ayabe, who loves digging holes, to the universally beloved teacher Hansuke Doi, and the dependable Heisuke Kogyoku—each and every one is a charming character.

For those who know Nintama Rantarō, this might be an irresistible stage!