About the Lower Elementary Version

No music teacher? No problem!

Putting on the LE Version of Maria Montessori: The Musical is approachable for any teacher, but especially for anyone experienced in music and drama productions of any caliber. The LE Version is not only for LE Students, but can be done by LE Students alone if necessary or desired. Mr. Woodward has used this show several times as part of his Winter Program at Montessori Academy, and this version would also work for other occasions such as Grandparents’ Day, etc, if you plan to have any assembly time.

Students will easily learn the songs by ear from the Guide Vocal CD, and line-by-line group narration is fun, historically accurate, and easy enough for whole sections to be learned in a single class period.

Also, the unique capabilities and independence of Montessori students make it possible for a teacher to oversee multiple, simultaneous, student-led rehearsals in the same classroom. The Director’s Guide comes with sample rehearsal plans and helpful suggestions regarding choreography, staging, and costumes.

LE Synopsis

Prologue: The full cast performs the show opener - “Children of the World” - which casts the broad vision of Montessori’s passion work, still carried on by Montessori teachers all over the world.

Scene 1 - The full cast remains onstage and sings “Sit Still” in which we hear the collective voice of the Italian school system, in which Maria was brought up.

Scene 2 - Young Maria decides against a teaching career, bringing her into direct conflict with her father Alessandro. Their clash of wills is played out in the song “Anything But That”.

Scene 3 - Having successfully enrolled in the University, Maria faces her greatest challenge in “The Anatomy Lab”. The various skeletons, organs, and anatomical parts come alive in Maria’s mind, attempting to intimidate her from her course of study.

Scene 4 - Having prevailed and graduated with flying colors, Maria encounters the special needs children in the asylum. They give voice to Maria’s keen observations as they sing “Power In My Hands”.

Scene 5 - A group of friends read about Maria’s astounding accomplishments with the special needs children in the newspaper.

Scene 6 - Maria is given her own school, the Casa Dei Bambini where the children discover a miraculous new life portrayed in the song “Love Of Learning.”

Prologue - The full cast reaffirms the grand theme and concludes with “Children Of The World (Reprise)”

LE Song List

  • Children of the World

  • Sit Still

  • Anything But That

  • The Anatomy Lab

  • Power In My Hands

  • Love of Learning

  • Children of the World (Reprise)

 

LE Cast List

  • Maria

  • Alessandro - Maria’s father

  • Nurse

  • Professor

  • Chorus: The chorus plays an important role in framing and musically narrating many scenes. A minimum of 10 students is recommended for chorus numbers, unless there are strong singers among them. Chorus members may also double as supporting roles, such as the Nurse or any of the friends in Scene 5.