MS drama production “Animal Farm”
Middle schoolers tackled George Orwell's intense social commentary and allegorical tale about the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union in their riveting stage production of Animal Farm. Since the novella Animal Farm is part of the eighth grade English curriculum…
...selecting it as the fall play offered our students a way to integrate different aspects of their Crystal experience. From reading the book to bringing the characters and emotions of the story to life, our students explored the subject matter through different lenses.
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” --Animal Farm
Students got to deepen their understanding of the book by either participating in or witnessing the live production. Acting in the play gave students the opportunity to feel the emotions that result from the issues the play explores rather than simply thinking about them in class. Similarly, watching the play gave students the experience of living through the animal, or Russian revolution themselves, deepening their understanding of history and this book. Our students engaged with enthusiasm and celebrated their scholarship to tell this complicated story with panache.