From the writer of the ever-popular Grumpy Sheep, comes this joyful, uplifting story about a little sheep who is so anxious that every little thing makes her jump in fright - even her own shadow. The other sheep in her flock try to be kind - but nothing really helps - that is, until the jumpy sheep finally reaches the stable in Bethlehem, and becomes the happiest sheep ever!
This endearing musical, based on the traditional nativity story, is guaranteed to bring joy to children, parents and (we hope!) teachers too, this Christmas. The story is utterly heart-warming and the songs, which you can hear excerpts of if you click here, are very catchy and really easy to learn too!
We, at Grumpy Sheep, all love our new little Jumpy Sheep. We're sure that you will too!
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We are delighted to introduce Poppy The Penguin, our new musical about climate change!
Poppy The Penguin is set in Antarctica. It features Poppy, a feisty little Adelie penguin, who really doesn't want to know that her beautiful home in the Antarctic is warming up. Then one day she sees what is happening all for herself... but is it too late to put things right?
With fabulous songs about Adelie penguins, Antarctic terns, Blue whales, Colossal squid, Leopard and Crabeater seals, Poppy The Penguin encourages us all to make changes to the way that we live in order to help save planet earth and all her wonderful creatures.
Poppy The Penguin launches on April 25th, World Penguin Day - but she's available to pre-order now! You can find out more about the musical here.
Spring is on it's way!
And there's no better way to celebrate the joys of springtime with younger children than with our joyful Simply Easter mini- musical!
There's lots of actions to go with the songs, too!
A perfectly happy springtime mini- musical for an Easter term assembly or quick and easy production!
When you're busily rehearsing your Christmas musical, it's easy to overlook buying your licence to perform it.
But if you're performing, recording or streaming one of our musicals this Christmas - even if your show is only being watched online - you need a licence from us in order to do so.
Quite simply, all of our musicals are copyright. And our performing licences protect your school from any copyright infringement.
The good news is that for Christmas 2020, our performance licences will allow you to record or stream your children's performance for family and friends FREE OF CHARGE!
To buy your performance licence just go to the product page of your chosen musical and click on the Instant Performance Licence option. It just takes a moment to do, and we can invoice your school too!
Please remember to buy your perfomance licence this Christmas. And please do remind other schools or churches performing our musicals to get theirs, too!
We're a small hard-working team and each year we rely on your honesty. This year, more than ever...
You open it and before your eyes, there they are; plain, patterned, and all carefully folded in a nice neat little flat pile or two, smoothly serene, and blissfully unaware that Christmas 2020 could be their year in the family home.
But it’s true. It really could be. The time to raid the family tea towel drawer has never become so urgent, with the sorry but unsurprising news that perhaps half of schools in England alone are cancelling nativity plays due to Covid19. The tea towel may be about to have its long-awaited moment of home glory.
Because, sad though it is that children, teachers, parents, grandparents, family and friends may well miss out on the inimitable traditional nativity, celebrated in the school hall, local church or community centre, all is not lost! The household tea towel drawer can rise to the occasion, and allow all those family members, who’ve ever wanted to don the occupants of its drawer, to do so – with a home-grown family production of a traditional school musical!
Just think of all the family bonding in the production process – and, rather more seriously, the joy you will give to absent loved ones on Christmas day through a recording or live-streaming of your very own nativity play. And you really don’t need to be family Von Trapp to succeed!
Tempted? Need convincing? Fancy having a go? Here are a few ideas to help you on your way.
Firstly, choose a musical that appeals. Here I can really only speak for Grumpy Sheep Music nativities, of which there are lots to choose from. Entwined with the traditional Christmas story, your nativity could encompass the wit of hopeless camels with no sense of direction, stroppy angels who need taking down a peg or two, or over-excitable snowmen with atendency to explode. If preferable, a simple traditional nativity play could be your production, too.
Then the exciting bit, the family fun (or free for all!) of choosing your character(s) to be in the now chosen nativity play. Draw lots, discuss democratically, even, around the tea towel drawer or kitchen table. This could be the chance of a lifetime to have the part you’ve always wished for – but which has never come your way; perhaps you’ve always had a burning desire to take the part of a sheep, or an angel, an innkeeper or a kitchen tea towel donning shepherd? Go for it! And don’t forget to choose your narrator(s). Who’s going to read the (very engaging) story? Mum, dad or older children? Wearing a tea towel of course!
Now with all those decisions made, get that CD out which accompanies the nativity, or play the download of all the (very catchy!) songs. You are about to pick them up very easily, I promise! Play the songs around the house; the whole family will absorb them in no time at all. And then, after a while, comes the great moment everyone has been waiting for - when you can safely be released to sing al fresco against backing tracks only. Drum roll, please!
Next, if you so desire, it’s time to check out those costumes. You don’t have to dress up, of course. Your home-grown nativity will be equally appealing performed in jeans. But if you do dip into the dressing-up box, get creative - and enjoy the fun. (Please note, if you don’t, dress up, those tea towels just can’t be let down. Remember, this is their Christmas. Just think of their disappointment. Someone in the family absolutely has to be adorned with one.)
And finally, you’ve reached that most fulfilling point in time, when your family nativity is as polished as you want it to be. It’s time for lights, camera, action – and tea towels of course! All you have to do now, is gather together all family members - dressed up or otherwise attired - press that record button on your phone or camera, and go! This can be done in advance of Christmas or live-streamed on Christmas day itself, or at any time over the Christmas period. Read, sing, and dance if you will. But most importantly of all, share your home-grown family nativity with all those you love and who sadly can’t be with you this Christmas. Your personal family production, however simple or professional, will give so much joy over Christmas time to grandparents, friends or family members. Your family will have had laughter and fun along the way (and quite possibly a few other emotions too!) and will have created memories, never to be forgotten. True bonding.
And then there’s the tea towels. We can’t forget the tea towels. This is their year, after all!
]]>Copies of the Hoity-Toity Angel Christmas story are available online and in all good bookshops.
Why not pop into your local bookshop now, and make sure that you have a Hoity-Toity Christmas?!
We love our lovable Very Hopeless Camel!
But did you know that The Very Hopeless Camel was our first ever Christmas musical published by Grumpy Sheep Music?
That was way back in 2000 - and it's still one of our best selling musicals today.
Not such a hopeless camel after all, we think!
If you're looking for songs to sing in your school or community for World Oceans Day (June 8th) or World Environment Day (5th June) we have a lovely little instantly downloadable list that we'd like to recommend.
(The songs are, of course, suitable to sing all year round, too!)
Here they are...
Say No To Plastic! ~ our unashamedly anti-plastic song, encouraging children (and their audiences) to take action and refuse single-use plastic! It's ideal for World Oceans Day (8th June) and World Environment Day (5th June)
A Healthy Ocean ~ raising awareness about the need for healthy oceans, encouraging recycling, reusing and picking up of litter before it reaches the sea. Perfect for World Oceans Day (8th June) and World Environment Day (5th June)
Bottlenose Dolphins ~ a characterful song about ever-playful bottlenose dolphins, and wonderful to sing for World Oceans Day (8th June)
Great Humpback Whales ~ our hauntingly beautiful song about these magnificent creatures. Again it's and ideal song to sing for World Oceans Day (8th June)
Leatherback Turtles ~ a humorous, jazzy song which children love to dance to! It's great for World Oceans Day (8th June) too!
The Wandering Albatross ~ a poignant song about these amazing birds. Magical to sing for World Oceans Day (8th June)
The Cod Fish ~ a perfectly fishy song which children seem to love! Ideal for World Oceans Day (8th June)
These songs are taken from our eco-musical Mr Toby's Dolphin, applauded by Sir David Attenborough. (There are more songs and, of course the dramatic storyline in the musical.)
Why not download the whole musical now - and have a fabulous performance to end the school year?
Beautifully designed from our very own Hoity-Toity Angel musical, each A5 Christmas card is individually packaged in cellophane and comes with a dazzlingly white envelope.
Cards are blank inside and bear the message 'Have a Hoity-Toity Christmas!' on the front.
Envelope Size 15.2cm x 21.6cm with card to fit. Free UK Postage.
Buy them here and have a wonderfully Hoity-Toity Christmas!
On October 19th over 100 primary school children form three east end schools in Newcastle are coming together to give a world premiere performance of brand new children's musical, written and composed by Caroline Hoile.
'As Free As A Bird' has been especially written for children to raise awareness about people seeking sanctuary.
And its message of caring, sharing and the power of love couldn't be more appropirate for today's world.
Partnering with the Platforma festival, which celebrates arts and refugees, and takes place in the North East from 19th-31st October, 'As Free As A Bird' links in perfectly with Newcastle's Freedom City celebrations, too.
The children have all been rehearsing in their individual primary schools, and are coming altogether for the first time to rehearse and perform the musical at the magnificent Tyne Theatre & Opera House in Newcastle. It's going to be an exciting event!
The performance of 'As Free As A Bird' will take place at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle on 19th October at 1.30pm.
Please come along! The event is free - but pre-booking is essential.
For more information please contact us on 0191 2399229.