As always at this time of the year, we are coming to the end of a very exciting half term at Cropthorne as we put the finishing touches to this year’s production, ‘One Night in Spooksville’. It is a lively creation that starts with Sophie who is having nightmares being whisked off to Spooksville the home town of Philip the Friendly Phantom. The show is full of music, dancing and singing and great fun to perform!

The half term started with auditions which were optional. On the day nerves were running high but everyone did beautifully. I can’t tell you how work children had put into them! Parts were given out and there weren’t too many disappointed faces.

You can’t have a play without rehearsals so now everyone started busily learning lines, practising dances and routines and making props. As the weeks move on so do the frequency of rehearsals which does mean a change from the usual timetable. Well worth it!

Of course when you are putting on a play no one works harder than the backstage crew, A.K.A, the staff! They work day and night to produce costumes, scenery and props. This year we have such a variety of ghosts; Big Mac, Hector the Spectre, Spooky Suky and the Village People to name just a few, not to mention the Ghostbusters and their 25 different back packs. Our support staff deserve all the credit they can get!!

Next on the list for a perfect musical play is to find a choreographer. Luckily for us we have the wonderful Wendy Young (who also happens to be my nan!) who makes up routines for the music she is given. This year she has got her work cut out as there is loads of music and dancing but I can safely tell you that all her routines are AMAZING!

Now to the music…we have a fantastic teacher who comes and teaches the children at Cropthorne to sing and play musical instruments – recorder, clarinet and piano. Now he has shown us another talent by adding backing tracks to the songs…is there anything this man can’t do?!

So we’re now gearing up to the final week and our performance on the No 8 stage. On the Tuesday morning the whole school get onto the stage for the first time, dressed in their costumes for the dreaded Dress Rehearsal. Usually things start to go very wrong and Mrs Martin gets very worried! But as the saying goes,” if you have a bad dress rehearsal an amazing show follows”. That has always happened in the past. Fingers crossed for this year…

Indie Driscoll (Year 5)