Another Fine Teaching Tool Fro111 National Repertory Theater*

Transcription

1 ; Study Guide For Another Fine Teaching Tool Fro111 National Repertory Theater* Celebrating a 24 Year Tradition of Arts in the Curriculutn a division of American Theater Arts For Youth, Inc.

2 CELEBRATING A 24 YEAR TRADmON: THEATER ARTS IN EDUCATION Welcome to Great American Classics - ON STAGE! TM spotlighting the works of six superb American authors. The production, created for language arts, literature and drama students features full-scale dramatizations performed by a talented and experienced cast of professionals. ON STAGE! n~"has been developed to augment your classroom reading activities and further engage students in stories that are part of the literary tradition of the nation. From satire to tragedy, from humor to melodrama, the stories have been selected to spotlight the broad range of human emotion and vision for which their authors are best known. ON STAGE! 7Y incorporates state-of-the-art theatrical techniques including fine sets, sound and special effects - all designed to bring these dynamic stories to life and provide a unique experience at the theater.

3 Here are some excellent student projects and discussions that can augment your theater expenence. If possible, have your class read the ON STAGE! TM short stories before coming to the theater. Or, divide the class into six groups, assigning one of the stories to each group. 1. Be a critic. Write a review. 2. Which roie(s) would you enjoy playing? Why? 3. Which character( s) did you find most funny? intimidating? likable!? scary? silly? 4. Do any of the issues or relationships explored in the stories have relevancy to your own life? 5. Can you imagine any of the stories/plays being set in contemporary times? How would you change the costumes? the sets? the dialogue? 6. How did the props and sets and costumes help create the period? 7. How did the special effects and music enhance the story line? 8. Would you like to be an acto~? a director? a set or costume designer? a lighting or sound technician? What training and experience would you need for that work? Where would you find it? 9 What other stories and books have you read which you think would make a good stage play? Why would they?

4 The Authors. their stories "MRS. MCWilliAMS AND THE LIGHTNING" Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in 1835 in Florida, Missouri, grew up in Hannibal, Missouri. He spent time working as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi, a reporter in California and a newspaper editor in Buffalo, New York. Some of his classic tales include, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", "A Connecticut Yankee in IGng Arthur's Court", "The Prince and the Pauper", "Innocents Abroad" and "The Adventures ofhucklebeny Finn". Mark Twain also wrote many short stories, one of which is "Mrs. McWilliams and the Lightning". This is an excellent example of his homespun humor and acerbic wit. How many old wives' tales and superstitions can you find in the story? How many of them are based on fact? Why does Mortimer go along with the outrageous demands made by his wife? Do you think he finds it the easier path to take? Or did he believe her? How would you react in this situation? How does Mortimer feel when his neighbor appears? If you were Mortimer, what would you do next? "A ROSE FOR EMILY" William Faulkner wrote of the decline and decay of the aristocratic south, the part of the country in which he grew up. Born in Oxford, Mississippi, Faulkner never really wanted the limelight. He never reached commercial success until 1931, when he published his great masterpiece, "Sanctuary." "The Sound and the Fury," was published in The genius of Faulkner was honored when he received the prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature. How does Emily represent the women of the South at that period in time? Does the action of the play, moving back and forth between the past and present, add to the story?

5 Does looking through the eyes of the characters help you understand Emily better? Do you want to know more about Emily? More about Homer? What's in the mysterious room? Do you believe that Emily was crazy? Did you think she was before they opened the door? How about afterwards? What really happened? Why was Emily an easy target for Homer? Was she really that naive? Did Homer deserve his fate? "ANNABEL LEE" Edgar Allen Poe was a master of the macabre. His tales could have easily been expanded into novels similar to those of Stephen King, or shown on television in a series similar to the "Twilight Zone". Poe often made up stories about his own life to make himself seem more exotic. Some ofhis stories included, "The Pit and the Pendulum", "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Gold Bug". Poe also wrote poems including; "The Raven", "The Bells" and the tale of young love, "Annabel Lee". Does "Annabel Lee" remind you of "Romeo and Juliet"? What are the differences and similarities? How old do you think Annabel Lee was? What caused her death? Do you think there Poe was clear about this factor? Was the boy's father being unfait? Should he have been allowed to attend her funeral? In your opinion, was there really a ghost or was the boy hallucinating? Do you think he was feverish? Perhaps with the same illness that Annabel Lee had? Will he eventually get over his terrible sadness and live to see other happy days in the years ahead?

6 "A CERTAIN KINSHIP" 0. Henry is known for his stories with ironic twists. "The Ransom of Red Chief' is an example of an act of attempted larceny gone wrong. 0. Henry was born in 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. His real name was William Sydney Porter. In nearly all his 250 words of fiction, 0. Henry showed his mastery of mechanical plots, which build up to sharp, unexpected endings, as in "The Gift of the Magi". Most of his stories are sentimental, rather than psychologically deep. Yet his sympathy for human weaknesses and the naturalness of his characters made his stories appealing. Do you believe that it was rare for a young girl to be a burglar in 1904? How unusual was Mrs. Peabody's reaction to her? Was 0. Henry ahead of his time in recognizing the potential and independence of women? What does the story tell about courage, desperation and the need for friendship? What are the chances of a happy ending to the Tale in today's world? Would you have been afraid of Julia? What would you have done? "BERNICE BOBS HER HAIR" F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Pau~ Minnesota. His rp.ost famous novel, "The Great Gatsby" was set in the "roaring twenties", a time that Fitzgerald wrote about frequently. "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" is one of his many short stories that are set in this period. It emphasizes the underlying insecurity of young people using satire, wit, revenge and a surprise ending. Does the peer pressure in "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" accurately reflect the same kinds of pressure that young people are faced with today? Is Bernice shy or is she just different because she comes from a different environment? Is Maljorie really trying to help Bernice fit in or is she using Bernice to make herselflook better? How would you feel if you overheard a conversation about yourself? Angry? Pleased? Insulted? Do you like the way Bernice changes her personality to fit in? Would you have done that? Would you rather spend time with Warren or Otis? Why?

7 Would you do anything to be popular? Would you take a dare? Why do you think Bernice asked the barber to cut her hair? Would you have done it? How do you feel about Bernice's revenge? "THE KID NOBODY COULD HANDLE" Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in Kurt studied biochemistry at Cornell University, because his father wanted him to learn something "useful". Instead, Kurt became editor of the Cornell Daily Newspaper and went on to write novels, plays and short stories. "The Kid Nobody Could Handle" is part of his collection titled, "Welcome To The Monkey House". Do you see any similarities between Tun and some high school students today? Can you blame his family situation for Jim's attitude? Does being shunted from foster home to foster home explain some of his "don't care" behavior? Do you think Jim has any feelings of self-worth? Is he looking for attention, even negative attention? Why does George show an interest in fun? Do you think fun makes George remember what it was like when he was younger1 Why does Jim respond to George's outreach and enthusiasm? Can Jim really change? Would you try to help him? How?

8 We are very pleased to share our 24 year-old tradition of providing Theater Arts in Education with you and your classes. Join us again in the seasons ahead for more curriculum-related productions that celebrate the works of great authors... alive ON STAGE!n.t 1994 National Repertory Theoter, Inc.