Musical Theater in the time of COVID-19: Introducing POD Plays

February 2021 – In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the arts worldwide have been forced to adjust, and at Pardes, it is no exception. The traditional Lower School fall and spring shows have taken a back seat this school year to our creative, new adventure – The Pardes Pod Plays.  

Mrs. Jennifer Adams, our musical theater teacher, has adapted 13 short plays – one for each pod to learn, rehearse and perform. Students have the opportunity to hone acting skills and learn theater terms while preparing their plays. Stage directions, character development, teamwork, reading comprehension and creativity are being developed and sharpened.  

The students have had such fun pretending to be animals or other characters very different from themselves, creating more than one character and even adding in some fun accents. In creating and developing their character(s), they helped decide what props and/or costume pieces could best represent their characters. Their input has created an excitement and anticipation that Mrs. Adams sees and hears in each class. Their commitment and enthusiasm to learning dialogue (their lines) and blocking (where they move on stage), using their props/costume pieces and recording their plays has made each rehearsal so enjoyable! Stay tuned for the big release this spring!

Our Pod Plays are in their final week of rehearsals! We will begin filming next week! I am so proud of our students and their hard work learning lines, listening for their cues and collaborating as a cast (pod) to accomplish these more challenging performances. It’s so much fun to see the excitement in their eyes as they see their work come together!

-Jennifer Adams, Musical Theater Teacher