The student actors also wrote about the play characters, drew their own versions of Neverland and enjoyed listening to the original version of the story.

The original Peter Pan by J.M Barrie and the adapted script include language not found in Captain Underpants or Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  Nonetheless, it had to be understood, and the actors were motivated to seek understanding. Students strengthened their critical thinking skills by analyzing what information and emotion the playwright  was trying to convey through the language and interaction of the characters. When a line or entrance was missed, the students had to problem solve under pressure.

By the time our third graders graduate from Monica Ros, they have had an opportunity to perform on campus and in town almost 40 times.  That's a lot of preparation for the world of tomorrow.

In spring, our preschool classrooms with four-and five-year-olds invite their families and friends to a performance. 

This year,  the Red Room presented a traditional-style play which told the story of an unhappy garden with sweet but demanding flowers, some rough weeds and a fed-up farmer.  The Red Room actors all memorized lines and some knew where all the lines went and could gently urge their classmates when needed.  They danced, sang, appropriated attitudes and speech patterns to make their characters more "real" and more amusing. They had practiced hard and were thrilled with the result of their hard work. The experience increased their self-regard and confidence.