A positively uplifting take on the nativity story!
Get to know this joyful nativity for 5-9 year olds – full of hope and resilience, and of course the essential nativity characters – fluffy sheep, wise kings, stressed innkeepers and funny shepherds – plus, some new narrator characters who pose all sorts of challenges on the way. With seven ‘fresh and relevant songs’ to keep you singing all the way home, and a script to keep you smiling all the way through, this nativity is one to watch.
An Annual Performance Licence is required to perform this title. For more information, please click here.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT
It’s fresh, it’s endearing, it’s positive!
About Don't Be Afraid!
From the writing team that brought you I’m Gonna Shine! comes this anthemic nativity.
THE SONGS
They’re catchy little things! If you’re looking for a song for the most endearing, persevering donkey, an ‘Opening Night’ theatrical number for the nervous new innkeepers, or a modern, hooky wise-men-on-their-way song (AND more, that we reckon you should go and listen to across in the ‘listen tab’), then you’ve found the show for you.
THE STORY
Don’t Be Afraid! is full of joy and a feel-good message, all wrapped up in the nativity story. Although there was a lot that had to go right for the story to come together – the timing, the travelling, the miracles – this is a story of triumph and hope. You can expect all of the classic nativity characters here, all with their own worries and reasons to be unsure about what’s ahead. You’ll also meet some new narrator-type characters – Fear, Doubt and Panic – who of course are in the way, doubting or worrying about any of it going right! Thankfully, their anxieties are overcome and the nativity story is beautifuly wrapped up.
THE VERDICT
‘One parent, who is also a teacher, said it was the best she’d seen in 18 years.’
‘Wow! :-) I must tell you that we have been singing these songs over Christmas and they have been the soundtrack to our Christmas holidays this year.’
‘For a school looking for a slightly different angle on the Christmas story, I would strongly recommend you this nativity.’ I loved the songs instantly.’
An editable script is available for this product when you purchase a Premium package that includes an eSongbook.
View cast list
View staging suggestions
There are speaking parts for 47. To reduce this to 38, the animals Daisy, Plucky, Eugene and Daphne could double up as Angels 1–4 or Shepherds 1–4. Frank and Pigeon could each play another role such as the Chief and No. 2. Gabriel could also play another role, e.g. Customer or a wise man. You could have four shepherds rather than six, reallocating their lines accordingly. To increase the cast size, there is the opportunity for many others to be additional (non-speaking) soldiers, visitors, innkeepers, traders, neighbours, travellers, sheep or angels.
Total performance: 42 minutes approx
Total length of music: 19 minutes approx.
Licence Information
Annual Performance Licence Information - What You Need To Know
- A current Annual Performance Licence is required to perform a musical or nativity to an audience (other than to pupils & staff), including an online audience, and irrespective of whether admission charges are made.
- It is more cost effective to purchase an Annual Performance Licence as part of a complete product pack.
- An Annual Performance Licence covers any number of performances of a particular musical or nativity within 12 months of the date of ordering. A separate Annual Performance Licence is required for each product title.
- To renew your Annual Peformance Licence, log into your account if you have one and go to your My Licences section.
Find out more about what your Annual Performance Licence will legally cover you to do.
All of our eSongbooks come with a Single User Licence
- This means you can install our Words on Screen™ software onto ONE computer only, or it can be streamed by a single user.
- If you would like to install this software onto your network server and/or two or more computers, or allow multiple users to stream Words on Screen™ songs, this will be covered by your Annual Performance Licence which includes extended digital rights. For more information, click here.
The following items are available for this product:
Teacher's Book
- Character list
- Characters by scene
- Costume ideas
- Staging ideas
- Character and Staging prop suggestions
- Script
- Song lyrics and music score for 7 songs (Piano music score, melody and chords)
- Licence and copyright details
Audio CD
- Vocal tracks sung by children
- Professional backing tracks
- Sound Effects: Crockery smash, back in time
Words on Screen™ eSongbook
- An online Words on Screen™ product to stream or download
- Extractable MP3s, printable lyrics, scores, scripts (including editable script*) & additional resources
- Words on Screen™ versions of songs so that you can display song lyrics on any whiteboard, computer screen, television or interactive touchscreen. The lyrics synchronize with the music as it plays making them easy to teach and easy to learn
- Flexibility to create an expandable library of Words on Screen™ song collections, nativities and musicals in your Out of the Ark online account
- Enhanced operation features including ‘double-click’ to hear and teach a single line
- Words on Screen™ user guide
- Single-User licence (Please note a Performance Licence is still required to perform this musical)
- Licence & copyright details
Annual Performance Licence
An Annual Performance Licence covers any number of performances of a particular musical or nativity within 12 months of the date of ordering. A separate Annual Performance Licence is required for each product title.
Find out more about what your Annual Performance Licence will legally cover you to do.
Rehearsal CDs
- Vocal tracks sung by children
- Professional backing tracks
- Sound effects: Crockery smash, back in time/li>
- Available in packs of 5, 10 or 20
Sparkle and Shine!
Having been given the responsibility to choose our school performance this year, I really did make the right choice, the children absolutely loved the songs and all of the acting, and lots of great reviews from the audience! Don’t be afraid to do this for your school performance!
Best show in 18 years!
Dear Team, We just wanted to say how much everyone enjoyed performing 'Don't Be Afraid'. We had a cast of 83 and made a part for everyone who wanted one. One parent, who is also a teacher, said it was the best she'd seen in 18 years. The songs were easy to learn and our soloists melted everyone's hearts. I thought 'Shine' was our favourite, but now it has a rival. Many thanks and happy Christmas.
Wow!
Wow! :-) I must tell you that we have been singing these songs over Christmas and they have been the soundtrack to our Christmas holidays this year. My son sings them when he wakes up in the morning, when he’s bouncing round the house and when he’s outside playing, complete with doing the actions from his nativity. They really are fantastic and you must be very proud to have created such wonderful songs for the production.
I loved the songs instantly
‘For a school looking for a slightly different angle on the Christmas story, I would strongly recommend you this nativity.’ ‘I loved the songs instantly. They feel fresh and relevant to the age groups we teach. Perhaps it is my ageing brain, but some Christmas repertoire seems to meld into one and stick to a similar formula, but these songs are new and exciting.’ ‘”All of Heaven” sung well, with harmonies, will definitely draw a tear or two from even the most exhausted, busy parent, and I adored the rocking final song, “God is with us”.’
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