Feeling Sad Assembly or Class Play

Feeling Sad Assembly or Class Play
This script was largely ‘prompted by’ Time to Talk Day Thursday February 4th - a joint initiative run by MIND and Rethink - addressing the taboo around mental health - people still tend to feel uncomfortable talking about it.
Its Children’s Mental Health Week 3 - 9 February. So I am reducing a number of my ‘mental health related’ scripts to mark the occasion
As this was written for primary schools, the language is of course simple as is the message - emphasizing that sadness is part of life, something we should all talk about and not feel embarrassed about.
I have followed this script up with one for secondary schools/adults - Good to Talk - a conversation between two people. (In 2 Speaker Scripts section of website)
Cast of 30 - easily adaptable up or down
Duration - around 5 - 10 minutes
Sample Text:
Music 1 Everybody Hurts - REM
(Children file into assembly, taking seats in order of speaking, along two rows of 15 seats, facing audience)
Narrator: Good morning and welcome to our assembly on Feeling Sad.
(Enter Clown)
Clown: Hey! What’s up, people?
(Nobody smiling)
Hey! Time to turn those frowns, upside down!
Narrator: Actually, I’m going to ask you to take your seat again.
(Narrator leads Clown back to seat)
Narrator: Fooling around, making people laugh – there’s a time and place for that. But not now.
(Clown jumps up again)
Clown: But these are children! They need to be laughing and smiling!
(Narrator patiently leads Clown back to seat again)
Narrator: No, they don’t. You see, being happy and jolly is fine. But so too is being sad.
(Clown jumps up)
Clown: But nobody wants to be sad! (Spluttering) That’s …. That’s just wrong!
(Loud sigh from Child 1)
Child 1: Oh do please sit down and perhaps we can explain.
(Clown reluctantly returns to seat)
Child 1: We are all sad from time to time.
Child 2: It’s part of life.
Child 3: It’s part of the human condition.
Child 4: And you know what? It’s actually OK to feel sad.
Child 5: Sometimes, however, we feel we have to hide our emotions.
Child 6: Pretend we’re OK – when we’re not.
Child 7: It’s much better if you’re feeling sad to share it with someone.