Do you remember our Christmas Concert and Special Evening Event before we closed for Christmas Vacation? You must be recalling one of the performances “Sit down you’re rocking the boat” from Guys and Dolls. It was a teaser from our upcoming End of Year Show.
We have entered the second semester and in no time we will be in the month of June to mark our End of Year Show. At MBIS, we, teachers, students and some parent volunteers have started working on our End of Year Show with great enthusiasm. This year we are working on a Musical Comedy ‘Guys and Dolls Jr.’. Originally written by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, with music by Frank Loesser, this musical has been adapted for schools to produce a more concise show while keeping all the essential elements of the original. The musical classic is based on the short story “The Idyll of Sarah Brown” by Damon Runyon that portrayed the everyday life of common folk in New York of the time.
We started working on this show since the beginning of the academic year. Auditions were held in November 2018 and the cast was finalised in January 2019. The performers are working on their roles, songs and dialogues. The songs in this performance are challenging and our students, the risk takers, are ready to dive in deep. Students are staying back until 5 pm in the evening on Mondays to practice. Additional rehearsals are being scheduled for small groups as required.
This show, although is meant for entertainment, is also a great way of learning. You will experience their musical journey at MBIS, reflecting in their performances. Our students not only demonstrate their musical skills but their leadership and management skills as well. Students of MBIS are now in the process of co-leading with staff the responsibilities of various departments such as Lighting and Sound, Stage Management, Props and Set pieces, Backdrops, Publications and Marketing. The staff members will be there to support and guide these students. This show is an epitome of collaboration, creativity and commitment.
This year the show is welcoming several PYP5 students, who are also in the cast. The PYP students are excited and keen to learn from MYP students. Working together helps them to improve their collaboration and communication skills. This joint venture will provide the secondary school with a well-prepared cohort of MYP 1 next year.
At this point, we request you to mark your calendar and keep Saturday, 8th June 2019 free to join us and appreciate our students’ effort. The Guys and Dolls Jr. team will keep you posted regularly on our progress.
Guys and Dolls Team