Every Child Has a Place
Music, drama, handbells, and art — onstage and behind it, using the gifts God has given.
At Martin Luther School, the fine arts are not an add-on for the handful of children who are already talented. They are part of how every student here learns. Students do audition for the spring musical — and in a school our size, no child is turned away. Some carry leading roles, some sing in the ensemble, some assist the director backstage, some design and decorate the set, and some run the lights, the sound, and the media. There is a real job for every pair of hands, and every child leaves with something they have actually gotten better at.
Fine Arts in Every Grade
- Music instruction for every grade, from Early Childhood through eighth grade — including recorders in grades 3–4, and sometimes as enrichment for grades 3–8.
- Student choir and handbell choir in the upper grades, with performance opportunities across the school year.
- Acting enrichment class — one quarter each year, ending in short plays performed for classmates and parents.
- Stage design and set decoration — students help design, build, and dress the set the audience sees.
- Art in the elementary classrooms, developing creativity and self-expression.
- Drama through the annual spring musical — a full production with sets, costumes, lights, and a cast drawn from the whole school.
- Instrumental music — students who take private lessons play for the school and in worship at Immanuel Lutheran Church.
- Weekly chapel singing every Wednesday morning in the church sanctuary.
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
Psalm 100:1–2 (ESV)
The Spring Musical — Our Biggest Stage
Every May, Martin Luther School stages a full musical in the gym. Students in kindergarten through eighth grade take part together — older students carry the lead roles, the youngest join the ensemble numbers, and a student crew designs and dresses the set, then runs lights, sound, and media from the wings. Parents, grandparents, and members of Immanuel Lutheran Church fill the room. For many MLS families it is the highlight of the school year.
2026 — Out of the Woods
A fractured fairy tale with a twist of faith. Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Red Riding Hood, the Tin Man, and one Big Bad Wolf all discover that the happily-ever-after they are chasing is shaped like a God-sized space in the heart. More than sixty students performed, directed and choreographed by Mrs. Lyla Glaskey with music direction by Principal Mrs. Mollie Ramstad. Written by Sharon and Don Turney.
👉 See the full recap of Out of the Woods — complete cast list, scene-by-scene synopsis, 35 photos, and the full performance video.
2025 — Order in the Court (an original MLS musical)
In 2025 our students premiered a musical written for them and no one else. Order in the Court puts a courtroom on stage to tell the story of Law and Gospel — the charges are real, the verdict is guilty, and the pardon comes from somewhere the defendant never earned. The play was written by MLS faculty member Mrs. Lyla Glaskey, with the music, lyrics, and score by school parents Caleb and Erin Paxton. Our students recorded the vocals for it themselves, in the school library. Not many schools of any size can say they have staged a world premiere.
👉 Read the story behind Order in the Court — the character allegory, the full song list, photos, and the complete performance video.
2027 — coming in May
The next spring musical is set for Thursday, May 21, 2027, with doors at 6:30 p.m. and curtain at 7:00 p.m. The title is announced in the spring. See the event listing or check the school calendar for the full year.
Students audition — and no child is turned away. Every child who wants a part finds one, onstage or behind it, and every child gets a name in the playbill.
Acting Enrichment Class
One quarter each year, Mrs. Lyla Glaskey teaches an acting enrichment class. Students learn basic acting technique, practice improv, and rehearse short one-act plays and skits — then perform them for classmates and parents when the quarter wraps up. It is a shorter, smaller-scale introduction to acting than the full spring production, and a good place for a student to find out whether the stage suits them.
Christmas Programs
Every December our students lead two evening programs in the church sanctuary. The Early Childhood and Kindergarten program comes first — small children in their best clothes singing “Away in a Manger” to a packed room — followed about a week later by the Grades 1–8 program, where older students read the Christmas Gospel from Luke 2 and the choir and handbells take their turn.
For the 2026–27 school year: Early Childhood Christmas Program, Wednesday, December 9, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. and Grades 1–8 Christmas Program, Wednesday, December 16, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. Read about how MLS keeps Advent and Christmas.
Early Childhood Spring Performance
Our preschool three- and four-year-olds get a stage of their own each spring. They practice their songs for weeks, and families pack the room for a short evening program that is, by unanimous agreement, the sweetest twenty minutes on the school calendar. The 2027 performance is set for Tuesday, May 4. Learn more about our Early Childhood program.
Singing in Church and Chapel
Music at MLS is not only for the stage. Students sing every Wednesday at 8:15 a.m. chapel, and twice each year the whole school — Early Childhood through eighth grade — sings in the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service at Immanuel Lutheran Church. For the 2026–27 year those Sundays are September 20, 2026 and January 24, 2027. It is one of the clearest places you can see what we mean by a Christ-centered education, and it connects naturally to what we believe.
Who Leads the Fine Arts at MLS
Mrs. Lyla Glaskey directs and choreographs the spring musical, and wrote the book for Order in the Court. Mrs. Mollie Ramstad, our principal, serves as music director, drawing on a background in piano, choir, and band. Behind them every year is a volunteer crew of teachers and parents building sets, sewing costumes, running lights and sound, and doing makeup — see the full faculty and staff.
Come See a Show — Then Come See the School
Our programs are open to the public, and visitors are always welcome. Enrollment for the 2026–2027 school year is open now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child have to audition to be in the musical?
Yes — students audition, and the audition itself is good practice for them. But auditions decide which part a student plays, not whether they are in the show. No child is turned away. Every child who wants to take part finds a place: a leading role, the ensemble, assisting the stage director, designing and decorating the set, or running lights, sound, and media.
Do you offer band?
Not at this time, though Martin Luther School has offered band in the past. Our music program currently centers on vocal music, choir, and handbell choir, with classroom music instruction at every grade level. Several of our students take private instrument lessons, and they have real opportunities to play — in front of the school and in worship services at Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Is there a cost to attend a program or musical?
Our Christmas programs and Early Childhood performance are free. The spring musical carries a suggested donation, which helps cover scripts, costumes, and set materials. No one is turned away.
Do you have to be Lutheran for your child to participate?
Not at all. Martin Luther School welcomes families from every background, and every enrolled student takes part in the fine arts here. Read more on our Faith & Values page.
Can we come watch before we enroll?
Yes, and we would love that. All of our programs are open to the public. Check the school calendar for dates, or schedule a tour to visit during the school day.
Martin Luther School is a ministry of Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2616 S Connecticut Ave, Joplin, MO 64804. Martin Luther School is affiliated with the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and accredited through National Lutheran School Accreditation.