The Wesley Practising School pupils in Salt River will perform an original play, Hello, Mr Elephant.
The play is written and directed by school teacher Davyn Fourie, who also composed the music.
“It started off as a song that follows animals and their emotions. The elephant is sad, the crocodile is mad and I wrote more songs and thought how can I showcase the music,” he said.
It took Mr Fourie about five months to adapt the songs into a story play.
The play tells of an elephant who is looking to make friends at a new school but all the animals that he wants to make friends with want to eat him.
“It is a story about how he fits into the new school,” he said.
Forty Grades 4 to 7 pupils will take part in the play and Mr Fourie has been rehearsing with them after school.
Grade 6 pupil Alvina Nwansoh Enoh,12, from Woodstock plays the tiger in her first ever school play. She will be dancing and rapping.
“I enjoy our rehearsal sessions, Mr Fourie makes everything work,” she said.
Grade 7 pupil Qiqa Makalaza, 13, from Khayelitsha, plays the teacher, Mrs Karen Smitty.
“The teacher is a strong person who sometimes gets irritated with the kids,” she said.
Grade 4 pupil, Luvolwethu Gwaza, 9, from Khayelitsha, plays the part of the monkey who does a lot of dancing, acrobatic flips and cartwheels.
“During rehearsals, I enjoyed dancing and having fun with my friends,” he said.
Principal Andre Engel praised the efforts of both staff and pupils.
“We want to create a school where every learner can find something worth celebrating and a place where pupils can shine,” he said.
“These pupils have shown a tremendous artistic ability,” said Mr Fourie. The pupils had added their own creative songs and dances to make the play more exciting.
Hello, Mr Elephant will be staged at St Agnes Primary School at 13 Dublin Street, Woodstock, on Wednesday August 14 and Thursday August 15, from 6pm. The play will be preceded by singing from the Grade R to Grade 3 pupils.
Tickets cost R50 and can be bought at the door. There will be refreshments on sale.
For more information, call Davyn Fourie on 071 946 8593 or email davynfourie@gmail.com .