Leap Years bring up all kinds of associations. Take, for example, the notion that traditional roles in marriage proposals can be reversed, with the woman asking the man for his hand. (This is hardly something that Shakespeare’s King Henry could have imagined!) Or how about the idea that leap year babies are lucky ― after all, only one in thousands is born on this rare day.
This leap year, we propose that you ― as parents and / or teachers ― ask your young actors to try their luck by taking on a part, monologue, or scene that they would not have thought of before. We’ve written before about how to make reserved children feel more confident in taking on challenging roles; we’ve also talked about expanding our understanding of what makes a stage. Now, you can bring these approaches together to awaken your students’ enthusiasm for the unexpected: If you have a “class clown” who might usually play comic roles, suggest that they try a more dramatic speech. Or if you have a student who craves the spotlight all the time, ask them to help out behind-the-scenes. And since Spring is just around the corner, why not leave the classroom or drama studio behind to perform in a garden or park. It may be that you, as a teacher / parent, also have to break out of some ingrained habits. Remember, there is a part for everyone in every kind of production.
The most important thing is that your young actors feel safe and confident. Don’t push anyone too hard ― but do remind them of the adventure and excitement of trying new things. Leap year brings an extra day, and with it, the gift of even more possibilities. Above all, show how a new responsibility or challenge is really about the students taking a leap of faith ― in themselves!