theatre dance music ballet visual arts 2013-2014 Season Arts Access School Time Program Hansel and Gretel presented by: Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble October 18, 2013 11:00 a.m. Lesher Theatre at the Lesher Center for the Arts Field Trip Sponsor: Education Sponsor:
Welcome Dear Teachers, We have created the following study guide to help make your students theater experience as meaningful as possible. For many, it will be their first time viewing a live theatrical production. We have learned that when teachers discuss the upcoming arts performance with their students before and after the production, the experience is more significant and long-lasting. Our study guide provides pre and post performance discussion topics, as well as related activity sheets. These are just suggestions, so please feel free to create your own activities and areas for discussion. We hope you and your class enjoy the show! The Diablo Regional Arts Association (DRAA) enriches the lives of thousands of East Bay residents every year by supporting programs at Walnut Creek s Lesher Center for the Arts (LCA). Through well-established business and community partnerships, fundraising and marketing expertise, we help arts organizations present professional-level theater, music and dance performances, visual arts exhibitions, and family events. Over the years, the Arts Access School Time Program has offered students and children in the community the opportunity to experience high-quality live performances and visual arts exhibits. These programs engage students in the artistic process, cultivating an appreciation for the arts by combining education and entertainment which together help to make the arts a vital part of our schools and community. Many of these programs offer funding for low-income schools, making the arts programs accessible to as many students as possible. Together with corporate, foundation and individual partners, the DRAA is able to make these opportunities possible. This year s Arts Access School Time Program would not be possible without the generous support of Target - Field Trip Sponsor, Wells Fargo - Education Sponsor, along with our other season sponsors including The Hewlett Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, and The Thomas J. Long Foundation, and all the individual donors who support this program. Table of Contents Welcome & Program Overview...2 Preparing Your Students for a Field Trip to the Lesher Center for the Arts...3 Theatre Etiquette Guide...4 About the Producer...5 About the Performance...6 About the Art Form...7 Educational Activities...9 Study Guide Resources...20 Content Standards...21 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 2
Preparing Your Students for a Field Trip to the Lesher Center for the Arts Drop-off and Pick-Up: Buses should drop off at the Lesher Center for the Arts by pulling directly up to the curb in front of the theatre on Civic Drive or Locust Street in the designated loading zones, utilizing space efficiently so that the other buses can unload/ load at the same time. As soon as students and chaperones have off-loaded safely, buses need to depart and find parking near the LCA to wait until the end of the performance. NO bus parking is available at the Lesher Center for the Arts. Loading zones are ONLY for loading and unloading. Ticket Information: Tickets are held by the DRAA and distributed to your group on the day of performance by a DRAA staff member who will be positioned in the area outside the front of the entrance to the theatre. Look for the brightly colored balloons!! Tickets should be distributed to each student prior to entering the theatre. Every attendee must have a ticket in hand before entering the theatre. All tickets are GENERAL SEATING, with no reserved seating available. If you have any special seating needs, please notify the DRAA prior to your performance so we can make the necessary arrangements. The Auditorium and Seating: The Lesher Center for the Arts features three distinct theatres providing a space tailored for every show and audience. The Hofmann Theatre seats 785 patrons and is the largest of the three theatres in the Lesher Center for the Arts. It features a spacious main floor and a balcony featuring four sets of box seating areas. The theatre is used for largescale productions including musicals, operas, ballets, symphonies and larger corporate functions. The Lesher Theatre seats 297 patrons and provides a more intimate space for mid-sized productions including musicals and plays. The Knight Stage seats 133 patrons and is a black-box theatre featuring a space tailored for smaller, more intimate productions and events. Seats can be added or removed as necessary. Lighting and Music The amount of lighting and music in the theatre will vary from time to time as the play or performance progresses. There may be times where it is almost completely dark. We are aware that this can be an exciting experience for some children and the level of energy can increase along with their excitement. Music can also be used to create different impressions or communicate certain moods during the performance which encourages audience participation and spirit. 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 3
At the Performance The live theatre performance is not pre-recorded with mistakes edited out. This makes it more exciting for an audience. Student s thoughtful attention and responses have a real effect and contribute to the quality of the experience. The audience gives energy to the performers who use that energy to give life to the performance! Theatre Etiquette Guide Going to a play is a special experience, one that can be remembered for a long time. Everyone in the audience has been looking forward to seeing the performance. There is a big difference in going to a theatre and to a movie. The actors are performing for you live onstage, and they can see and hear what goes on in the audience just as you can see and hear them. So, one behaves a little differently than when you are at the movies or at home watching TV. Some things to remember: Stay with your group at all times. Lights will dim just before a performance, and then go dark. Show your knowledge by sitting calmly. No talking or whispering during the performance. Laughter at appropriate times only. Keep body movements to a minimum. You can t get up and move around during the performance. Please use the bathroom or get a drink before seating for performance or at intermission ONLY. Show appreciation by clapping. The actors love to hear applause. This shows how much you enjoyed the performance. Don t leave your seat until the performers have taken their curtain call at the end. When the performance ends, wait patiently to exit. Be polite and attentive. Everyone in the theater is sharing the same experience and space. No taking of pictures or video recording during performance is allowed. TURN OFF ALL cell phones, pagers, beepers, alarms, anything that can disturb the production, actors and the audience members during the performance. 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 4
About the Producer Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble At a Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble performance many audience members are able to sit right on the stage and interact directly with the performers. Fantasy Forum produces four musicals at the Lesher Center for the Arts each year drawing up to 2,700 patrons to each production. The performances are scheduled throughout the day and early evenings on weekends to accommodate patrons bringing families for their first live theatre experience. Many of the shows are also scheduled on Fridays to accommodate school groups. Once upon a time... In May of 1978, Jack Haley, the original Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, came to visit and see the Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble s production of The Wizard of Oz. This was an honor and a privilege to learn from his experience and wisdom. This was the first stage production of The Wizard of Oz that he had ever seen, and his response was one of delight and excitement. He yelled out answers to questions along with the audience; he laughed, applauded and even stood up to become a haunted tree when Glinda, the good witch, asked the children to help create the forest. Many years of Fantasy Forum shows have been presented since 1978 and through lots of encouragement from their supporters and staff, Fantasy Forum has continued to grow. They have watched their audience members grow up, and fondly remember Jack Haley s words, When adults expose their children to quality theatre, such as Fantasy Forum, the children will develop a sense of worth for the arts and themselves. 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 5
About the Performance Guiding Questions: 1. What is the performance about? 2. What are some main ideas or themes in Hansel and Gretel? 3. What are the fairy tale story elements in Hansel and Gretel? What is the performance about? A young brother and sister are left in the forest after a witch casts a mean spell on their parents. Aided by their faithful friend, Dog, they outwit the cookie baking witch. Join in the fun as the cast of Fantasy Forum creates a story that will capture the attention of young audiences with silly capers and calamity, song and dance, finally ending with a message of the joy of friendship and family. What are some main ideas in Hansel and Gretel? Family Growing Up Adventure Being Brave Responsibility Respectfulness What are the fairy tale story elements in Hansel and Gretel? Overview-Fairytales have been told for hundreds of years. Most fairy tales share certain elements, or pieces. Element 1-The Characters: Characters are the people, animals, or other creatures in that story. They can be good or evil, silly or serious. Can you name the characters in Hansel and Gretel? They are Hansel, Gretel, their father, their stepmother, and the witch. Element 2-The Setting: The setting tells us when and where a story takes place. The when of the story could be a hundred years ago or a hundred years in the future. There may be more than one where in a story. You could go from a house to a school to a park. In Hansel and Gretel, the story says it happened once upon a time. Usually, this means that it takes place many years ago. And where does it take place? Their home, the forest, and the witch s house. Element 3-The Plot: Think about what happens in the story You are thinking about the plot, or the action of the story. In fairy tales, the action begins nearly right away. In Hansel and Gretel, the plot begins on the first page. The stepmother tells her husband that he must take the children into the woods and leave them there. Then, the story takes off from there. Element 4-Magic: All fairy tales have an element of magic. The magic is what makes a fairy tale different from other stories. Often, the magic comes in the form of a character that doesn t exist in real life, such as a giant, a talking animal, or in the case of Hansel and Gretel, a scary witch. Element 5-A Happy Ending: Years ago, fairy tales ended on a sad note, but today, most fairy tales have a happy ending. Readers like knowing that the hero of the story has beaten the villain. Did Hansel and Gretel have a happy ending? Of course! Not only did they escape the witch, they also returned to their father, who hugged and kissed them. And as the story says, the three of them went on to live rich and happy lives. 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 6
Guiding Questions: 1. What kind of performance will this be? 2. What elements of this performance will you experience? 3. What are some terms that are used in theater production that we use in everyday speech? About the Art Form What kind of performance will this be? Discuss with your students the differences and types of theater productions and performances (play, musical, ballet, etc.). Hansel and Gretel is a live theater musical production. Musical theatre is a form of theatre that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The story and emotional content of the piece humor, pathos, love, anger are communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole. Although musical theatre overlaps with other theatrical forms like opera and dance, it may be distinguished by the equal importance given to the music as compared with the dialogue, movement and other elements of the works. Since the early 20th century, musical theatre stage works have generally been called, simply, musicals. What elements of this performance will you experience? Explain to the students that a theater performance is different from any other multi-media outlet (concerts, movies, bands, video games, etc). Below are things to expect while experiencing a LIVE performance. 1. Theater is a live performance with actors performed before a live audience. It can take place in a setting as simple as your school auditorium, or in a space large enough to seat thousands of people. 2. Theater has many purposes to entertain, to educate, to affect social change. Elements of producing any kind of performance can include live actors, dialogue/language, characters, music, dance, singing, lighting, setting, costumes, sound effects, and many different career opportunities for theatrical production. Some examples include: Choreographer: the person who designs or plans the movements, the development, or details of a dance. Composer: a musician who writes the music for performance. Designers: the artists who create and plan the designs for a production. Director: the person responsible for the interpretive aspects of a stage production; the person who supervises the integration of all the elements, as acting, staging, and lighting. Musical director: the person who is responsible for rehearsal and performance of all music in the play. 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 7
Playwright: the person who creates (writes) the script for a play or stage production. Producer: the person who provides the general supervision of a production and is responsible for raising money, hiring technicians and artists, etc. Stage manager: an assistant to the director of a play, in overall charge backstage during the actual performances. Public relations/business director: the people who advertise and publicize the production and have oversight for royalties, press releases, photos, public service announcements, ticket sales, box office management, house management and even ushering. Technicians: skilled theater artists, working prior to the production to create the sets, costumes, props, special effects, lights, sound, and make up for a production. Stage Crew: skilled theater technicians who work during the performance to ensure that all elements of the production appear on stage as planned by the director and designers (lights, sound, costumes, make up, props, and special effects). What are some basic terms that are used in theater production? The following is a list of theatrical terms to introduce your students to some basic parts of a theatre performance. Act: a major division of a play. Acts may be further divided into scenes; may be used to indicate a change in time or place. Auditorium: the part of the theatre in which the audience sits. Also known as the House. Curtain Call: taking a bow in front of the audience at the end of a show. Usually abbreviated to curtain. Fade: sound and lighting term: to increase (fade up), decrease (fade down) or eliminate (fade out) gradually the brightness of a lantern or the volume of a sound. House: the place where the audience sits to enjoy the performance on stage. Improvisation: the act of composing and performing during the play without previous preparation. Scene: a part of a play that constitutes a unit of development or action, as a passage between certain characters. Seating: orchestra, mezzanine, balcony, box seating, loge. Wings: In the Wings is an expression from the theater, referring to the areas on the sides of the stage hidden from the audience. 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 8
Educational Activities Before the Performance Ideas Discussion Question: Have you ever seen live theatre before? What do you think makes a good performance? Discuss with your class the idea of life lessons. How do you define a life lesson? What sort of life lessons have they already experienced this year? (Keeping promises, being responsible, respecting guidelines and rules set for us) Explore with your class the theme of brave. What makes you brave? Ask at the beginning, how do you know? (Then compare responses after seeing the musical as well) Introduce the book and tell the children a little bit about it. Follow that with a comment or question that is related to the story such as, What would you do if you found a house made of candy? Discuss fairy tales. What are they and which other ones do you know? Which one is your favorite? Read aloud several well-known fairy tales. Identify the main elements of fairy tales (as mentioned above). Make a chart with these elements and guide students to fill it in for the fairy tales that you read aloud. Encourage children to look and listen for these elements as they view the performance. Introduce problem solving to the students. Review and discuss the Hansel and Gretel Vocabulary list below. Shrek Vocabulary: anxious: worried or afraid, especially about something that is going to happen brat: a very troublesome child cauldron: large iron pot used or cooking cinders: ashes crafty look: deceitful, untrustworthy, dishonest look daybreak: the time when light first appears in the sky devouring: eat something quickly downcast: disheartened; dejected; sad; directed downward gleamed: to shine brightly and continuously glimpse: a quick look glistened: to shine brightly or reflect light from a wet surface gnarled: knotted or twisted gnaws: chew at something grimly: in a cruel and pitiless manner; sternly; harshly harp on: talk repeatedly about something kneading: work dough until smooth, to make bread miserable: very unhappy, very unpleasant morsel: small piece of food, small amount mumble: to speak in a low voice that is not clear nagging: continually complaining, constantly asking to do something they are unwilling to do pebbles: small round stones 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 9
pluck up: courage to do something reconcile: put people back on friendly terms scarcely: hardly any smear: cover (a surface) by smearing (a substance) over it spongy: open-textured, having holes or cavities stifling: suppressing unwary: not alert to danger or deception After the Performance Ideas Have the students discuss (or write) their favorite part of the performance and what they learned. Inform and discuss how the main ideas and themes relate to everyday life (and the importance of using life-skills). Discuss the importance of acceptance. Could Hansel and Gretel have solved their problems in other ways? How? Write the following quote on the board: ( Be curious, not judgmental. - Walt Whitman) Talk about it (and/or write about it depending on grade level). Then have the students be curious about someone they don t know well and in the process, make a new friend. (give a personal example) Compare/Contrast Hansel and Gretel and Hansel and Gretel the movie. (see link in Resources) What are some things that live theater can accomplish that movies and television cannot? What are some of its limitations? What occupations or jobs would be necessary to produce this performance? How is live theater different than watching television or movies? Hansel and Gretel Word Search (template attached). Other Activities Ideas Artistic Expression Using visual art supplies (i.e.: boxes, feathers, glitter, clay, colored paper, etc), design your own Hansel and Gretel candy dream house! Have students draw, paint or color their favorite part. Create a map or diorama of the stage performance. Creative Dramatics Have your students act out their own made up fantasy. Students can act out their favorite part of the performance. Have students write their own dialogue of a life lesson they learned. Act it out with a partner or group. 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 10
Creative Writing Write a thank you note to the sponsors (see activity sheet following this section). Write a thank you note to your favorite character (see activity sheet following this section). Writing Prompt: Be a Critic- Have students pretend they work for a newspaper and write a review of the musical using the following questions (or write your own). What did you think the performance was going to be about? What were your thoughts after you saw it? How was it educational? What was your favorite part? What did you learn? Would you recommend this show to a friend? Would you see it again with your family? Writing Prompt: Write about creating your own candy dream house where Hansel and Gretel might live (see activity sheet following this section). Writing Prompt: Write a persuasive essay (from Hansel and Gretel s perspective) convincing their father, the woodcutter why he shouldn t leave them in the forest (see activity sheet following this section). Write an acrostic poem about Hansel and Gretel. Begin each line with a word or phrase that starts with the letter on that line (see activity sheet following this section). Send the reviews and/or thank you notes to: DRAA at 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 11
Dear Diablo Regional Arts Association,, 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 12
1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 13 D Dear,,
(date) Dear, (favorite character) I am (how old are you?) and in the grade at (school name?). I came to see you on stage at Hansel and Gretel at the Lesher Center for the Arts on (date)! I thought the Hansel and Gretel performance was (how did it make you feel and why?). My favorite part of the show was. I really liked your performance because (what was it that made you like them?). The music sounded like (what did you hear?). Something else that I really loved about the performance was. I would like to come back to the Lesher Center for the Arts and see (what is a play that you think is fun?), 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 14
Name: Date: Direction s: Create your own candy dream house. Use the house shape below to help you.. Write a few sentences about your unique candy dream house. 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 15
Name: Date: Hansel and Gretel Writing Directions: Write a persuasive essay (from Hansel and Gretel s perspective) convincing their father, the woodcutter, why he shouldn t leave them in the forest. 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 16
Name: Date: Hansel and Gretel: Acrostic Poem Directions: Write an acrostic poem about Hansel and Gretel. Begin each line with a word or phrase that starts with the letter on that line. H A N S E L G R E T E L 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 17
Name: Date: Hansel and Gretel Word Search Directions: Find the words about Hansel and Gretel, listed in the box on the right. T L H N E N R N A M O W D L O E W O A U S E M O H O G A G R E E A S T T F V A C M S I N E I N G T T H S E O T D L A N D A H N A D L I T T I L E N O B E A F N T F O O K W D F G O R A P A I F T A K M D I L Y A O F P F M O U O R S E O T P H C E Y P A S O T C E K P P A M S O R T L C H E R R C W A N A L N E T S E E D E T I O L C E R A T V E H S G A N W P S A S A E U L A N N D G R U E T K E E P R E C I O U S S T O N E S P L N I F N T H H E W O O S D S ANIMAL APPLES BONE CAGED COOK KIDS COTTAGE ESCAPE FATTEN FINGER GO HOME HAPPY RETURN LOST NUTS OLD WOMAN OVEN PANCAKE PEARLS PRECIOUS STONES PUSH WICKED WITCH 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 18
Additional Resources RESOURCES for this study guide (and other materials to use as references) include: Picture Book Gallery 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 19
Online Adaptation http://ivyjoy.com/fables/hansel.html an abridged, simplified version for young kids. http://www.mordent.com/folktales/grimms/hng/hng.html the full version of Grimm s fairy tale. http://www.childrenstory.info/childrenstories/hanselandgrethel.html a nicely illustrated, easy to read version. http://www.shemrock.com/hansel-and-gretel.htm a clear, simple version and also some activities and fun pages for children Google Books-Hansel and Gretel (+story elements) Videos: Hansel and Gretel Read Aloud Interactive Read Aloud of Hansel and Gretel (BBC) Hansel and Gretel (MOVIE on Amazon) Websites: California Content Standards Dictionary for Vocabulary Grimms Fairytales Hansel and Gretel pdf Hansel and Gretel: Teaching Ideas Surlalune Fairytales: Picture Book Gallery Wikipedia-Musical Theatre 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 20
Content Standards California Department of Education Curriculum Development Resources Content standards were designed to encourage the highest achievement of every student, by defining the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level. (based on Visual Arts and ELA Grades K-12; Refer to http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/ for specific grade level subsets) The Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through Grade Twelve, represents a strong consensus on the skills, knowledge, and abilities in dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts that all students should be able to master at specific grade levels, prekindergarten through grade twelve, in California public schools. DANCE 1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills Unique to Dance 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in Dance 3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Dance 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments about Works of Dance 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Dance to Learning in Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers MUSIC 1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills Unique to Music 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in Music 3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Music 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments about Works of Music 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Music to Learning in Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 21
THEATRE 1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills Unique to Theatre 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in Theatre 3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Theatre 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING Responding to, Analyzing, and Critiquing Theatrical Experiences 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Theatre, Film/Video, and Electronic Media to Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers VISUAL ARTS 1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills Unique to the Visual Arts 2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts 3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of the Visual Arts 4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments about Works in the Visual Arts 5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in the Visual Arts to Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers The English Language Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve represents a strong consensus on the skills, knowledge, and abilities that all students should be able to master in language arts at specific grade levels during 13 years in the California public school system. ELA-READING 1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development 2.0 Reading Comprehension 3.0 Literary Response and Analysis ELA-WRITING 1.0 Writing Strategies 2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics) 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek CA 94596 925.295.1470 www.draa.org P. 22