Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

Classic plays performed by elementary school students: recommended works roundup

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

Plays performed at elementary school arts festivals and graduation ceremonies are important events that leave lasting memories for children.

For a truly memorable stage, you’ll want to choose pieces that let each child’s individuality and growth shine.

Still, many teachers and parents may be worried that “the classics are too boring” or that “the scripts are too difficult.” In this article, we introduce enjoyable plays suitable for elementary school students.

By creating a wonderful production together with classmates, it’s sure to become a cherished memory.

Popular Anime Characters (11–20)

Spirited Away

How about performing this famous and popular Studio Ghibli work as a play? Since it has many characters, I think it’s perfect for classes with a larger number of students.

There are characters like No-Face as well, so turning it into a parody and adding things like No-Face’s inner thoughts could be interesting.

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Anpanman

2023 School Festival: 8th Grade - Go for it, Anpanman — No Limit, No Time. Move Forward! Ways to Have Fun: ∞

Anpanman

If you’re expecting young children from outside the school to attend, why not choose Anpanman—a big favorite among kids—as your play? It’s best to keep the story easy to understand, similar to the original “Soreike! Anpanman.” If there won’t be small children in the audience, you could instead create a story that includes inside jokes, which might make it more exciting.

Paying attention to the characters’ costumes and props like the Anpanman-go could also enhance the overall quality of the production.

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Detective Conan

Sanyo Nakamura Cultural Festival Class 3-3 Play [Conan]

Detective Conan

Detective Conan, created by Gosho Aoyama, is widely known since both the manga and the anime have been running for a long time.

Its story—solving the trick behind a case and identifying the culprit—is classic detective fare, so it should be relatively straightforward to develop a script.

The distinctive characters are a major draw as well, so let’s focus on that and let audiences enjoy the light, lively deduction.

Exaggerating the characters’ lines, behavior, and reactions tends to convey the mood more clearly to viewers, so it’s highly recommended.

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Heidi, Girl of the Alps

HD Heidi, Girl of the Alps OP

Heidi, Girl of the Alps

First broadcast in 1974, this animated series has also been staged in theaters such as Takarazuka, and more recently even parodied in cram school commercials.

It has long been beloved by children.

Clear and easy to understand, and giving people courage and hope, this anime is recommended for stage performances at cultural festivals, school festivals, and school plays up to about the junior high level.

Please consider featuring it.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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GeGeGe no Kitaro

Sumire Uesaka, who plays Neko-Musume, delivers a confident performance in her first-ever stage appearance with GeGeGe no Kitaro. A star-studded cast gathers, including Yoshihiko Aramaki as Kitaro and Takashi Fujii as Nezumi Otoko. Open dress rehearsal for the stage production GeGeGe no Kitaro.

GeGeGe no Kitaro

GeGeGe no Kitaro, based on Shigeru Mizuki’s manga, is a work that has been beloved for many years—not only as a TV anime and films, but even as a live-action drama! Featuring many characters with distinctive appearances—starting with the protagonist Kitaro and Medama-oyaji, and including the likes of Nezumi Otoko and Sunakake Baba—costume making can be creative and lots of fun.

Since it’s a series with broad popularity and recognition across generations, it’s sure to be enjoyed by many people.

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Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Legends (1–10)

Kasajizō

The Straw Hats and the Jizo Statues (Kasajizō) — with laughs and tears

Kasajizō

It’s a heartwarming story throughout, filled with the moral that “if you do good, that goodness will surely come back to you.” Since there are no mean old men or demons—no villains at all—it’s a story you can also use for moral education while practicing.

There aren’t many characters, so you could increase the number of Jizo statues or even create special roles for trees and rocks.

If you do, be sure to add a scene where the rocks and trees have a conversation.

The lines aren’t difficult, so it should be suitable even for lower-grade elementary school students.

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Taki no namida pin ku

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The Wizard of Oz

Elementary School Arts Appreciation Event: The Wizard of Oz (8-minute Digest)

The Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a work by the master of children’s literature, L.

Frank Baum, whose rich fantasy and distinctive characters capture children’s hearts.

Many people know the story, and it is also popular as a play and a musical.

If you combine it with instrumental performance and singing to give it a musical flair, you can create an even more enjoyable stage production.

In addition, making costumes for the unique characters gives children a sense of accomplishment when they are finished.

It is a recommended work when you want to take on various challenges—acting, using music, and preparing props and costumes.

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