Grade 4: Celebrating Perseverance Throughout 101 Dalmatians Performance

One new opportunity was that for the first time ever, students were able to prepare for the show utilizing Graland's daily block schedule. Because of the new block schedule, students are now able to attend specials such as drama class daily for a six-week period. According to Grade 4 101 Dalmatians director Dan O'Neill, "Anything that benefits students will ultimately benefit every other goal, including the performance of the musical. Having students rehearse the play every day not only helped with repetition but increased the students' eagerness to show Ms. Phelan and me how they improved from the day before. The block schedule also mirrors what a professional theatrical production would look like in that you get about six weeks to put on a whole show."  

A few weeks into preparing for the show, however, the directors and cast of 101 Dalmatians were presented with several obstacles that made "business as usual" difficult, to say the least. Due to new COVID restrictions, the cast found out that a live audience would not be able to attend the show. They also learned that new set restrictions and other safety precautions would also have to be put into place to help the actors maintain a safe distance during the performance. However, with several adjustments, and a can-do spirit, the students worked together to make sure the show went on. "When it comes to this performance, I am most proud of the resilience that the students demonstrated," Mr. O'Neill said. "They showed up each day, taped a microphone over their masks, put on a costume, and were still brave and confident enough to tell the story out loud even though there was not an actual live audience in the theater." 

When it came time to perform the show via livestream on Thursday, January 20, the Grade 4 students did not miss a beat. Mr. O'Neill attributes this to Graland's guiding principle of "celebrate perseverance," which states that students truly learn best through their own success, failure, and hard work. "I love that at Graland, we encourage students to try something, and if it doesn't work out, they can try a new approach," Mr. O'Neill said. "Our students know that no one will judge them for trying because they understand that the way to innovation, the way to true creativity, is through experimentation. Because of this approach in the theater, the kids learn to not be afraid to sing because every time they sing, they are encouraged to do it again, to lift themselves up, and to find a way to get it done."