For a fun party for middle school kids, or even senior high guests, try a Staging-a-Play party. The idea of the party is of course to rehearse and then present a play.

Locate an age and topic appropriate play at your library or online. Once a play is decided upon, check the guest list for how many people you have coming. It must be enough to act out the play. If you have lots of kids, someone can be director, another can be in props, etc. Otherwise the 'entire cast' will produce and place props, etc.

Send out announcements that look like marquee to announce the coming of a play. The invitation proposes that you dress accordingly since you have been selected to play a certain role. They can also bring their costumes in bags marked with their screen names. Give them enough details so they know what their role is and what the play is about. You can type this on an inserted piece of paper. Ask them to come dressed in character.

The first part of the party will be to distribute the script and let them practice it. Any kids too shy for parts could work behind the scenes painting scenery or getting props. The party host or hostess could also be the director if they choose that instead of acting. You will print out the script and give each child a copy with his role and part carefully highlighted in color so he can just read his part.

Fill the room with lots of lamps and lights to give a stage effect. You could set up a table for make-up where an assistant prepares the stars for stardom. Shiny material against the wall should reflect the light and make it very bright. Decorate with photos of cinema stars and star shapes of silver and gold. Add silver and gold, or glittery decorations such as streamer, balloons, megaphones, or any other thing that spells stardom to you.

Patience with the young stars will make the play a success. Get some help for this party since many kids will need help. But at this age, if they are not shy, they will really do well at this type of activity.

Give the director a beret to wear and fashion a megaphone from poster board for him to speak through. Sit him on a director's chair (probably a lawn chair). Explain his job is to tell the stars how to act. He must ask them for more emotion, to speak louder, or to move to one part of the stage.

Serve party food like pizza or sandwiches, dips and dippers, cupcakes, ice cream cones, pop etc. After your guests have eaten, the real play is presented. Round up an audience if possible. They will need to read the parts since the time is to short to memorize them, but still treat it like the real thing.

You can always add games and activities that have to do with famous actors and actresses or plays such as Shakespeare or much more modern ones. Everyone can be a star in a relatively safe environment that allows young guests to not bruise their self-esteem if they don't do well. You will definitely have lots of fun. Have a good time with this party.

Credits: Jo Ann Wentzel