SEPT 22-OCT 22, 2017

BEHIND THE STAGE DOOR - STUDY GUIDE

A resource guide for teachers

BEHIND THE STAGE DOOR is intended as a resource guide for teachers and students to use before and after attending a performance at Stages Theatre

Company. Our goal is to provide helpful information to enhance your theatre-going experience and to offer a resource that serves as a

springboard for extending this experience into the classroom and across the curriculum.

WHO WE ARE... Stages Theatre Company is committed to the enrichment and education

of children and youth in a professional theatre environment that stimulates artistic excellence and personal growth.

Guide content by Jeannine Coulombe

WHAT GOES INTO A PERFORMANCE The performance you see at Stages Theatre Company is the result of many people working together. As the audience, you mostly see the performer On stage, but there are many more people working behind the scenes that you never see. Each person, both on stage and off,

serves an important role to create the performance you see as an audience member.

Role of the Director

• Responsible for the overall vision of the production• Guides actors in interpreting characters and provides them with stage movement• Works with designers in planning the sound, lights, costumes, make-up, props,

scenery, stage effects

Role of the Designers • Responsible for creating the look of the lights, scenery, costumes, make-up, sound

and stage effects• Works with the director in realizing the overall vision of the production

Role of the Stage Manager • Responsible for organizing the production, including schedules, resources,

communications, technical effects and personnel• In charge of making sure everything runs smoothly both during rehearsals and

performances

Role of the Crew • Responsible for building the scenery, costumes, props and stage effects that you see

on stage• Work backstage during the performance operating the scenery, props, costumes,

effects, lights and sound

Role of the Cast • Responsible for performing the characters in the play on stage in front of the

audience.

Role of the Audience • The play doesn’t exist without you! That’s right, you are a collaborator in any

performance you see. All of the work that goes into a production means nothingwithout the audience there to experience the performance. It is a uniqueresponsibility. It is important for you to learn your role so you can join everyone elsewho has worked to create the production

THE ROLE OF THE AUDIENCE The audience has an important role in the theatre experience. When the lights go

down, a performance, especially for you, begins. This special relationship only happens in live theatre. When you take your seat in the audience,

you accept the responsibility of a special agreement.

The Audience Agreement 1. Believe what happens is real. It is happening live, before your eyes!2. Listen carefully and quietly.3. Let the production unfold and enfold you.4. Respond honestly and sincerely. The actors are aware of your presence and your

responses.5. Tune in to what is happening on the stage.6. Remain polite throughout the performance.

How to be a Polite Audience Member 1. Avoid anything that distracts the performers. Un-necessary talking, rustling

papers, gum-snapping, jangly jewelry, cellophane wrappers,cell phones, andpagers are all examples of un-warranted and un-welcome sounds during theplay.

2. Never use flash cameras. They are strictly forbidden. Their blinding lights can bean actual danger to the actors.

3. Finally, when the play is over, show your appreciation with hearty applause.These are the sounds that warm the hearts of the actors.

Before the Show Activities 1. Have students make a list: “What do we do when we watch television or go to a

movie?” Compare the results to the theatre audience etiquette list above. Howare they similar? How are they different?

2. Take some time to practice being an audience member. Turn down lights todarken the room. Have a student tell or read a story. When the speaker is done,have the audience applaud. Ask the speaker how the quiet listening and theapplause made him or her feel? How did it make the audience feel?

3. Before the play, discuss the elements that go into a theatrical production.Scenery, make-up, costumes, lighting, properties, and sound effects each has aunique design and a unique designer. In consultation with the director, each ofthese designs is coordinatedto produce an overall design concept. By makingstudents aware of these production aspects, you can then ask them to commenton their observations of specific design elements after viewing the play.

THE HOBBIT J.R.R. TOLKIEN - AUTHOR John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) is an internationally renowned fantasy writer. He is best known for authoring The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which are set in a pre-

historic era in an invented version of our world, which he called Middle-earth. These novels are peopled by humans, Elves, Dwarves, Trolls, Orcs (or Goblins) and of course Hobbits. The works have had a devoted international fan base and been adapted into award-winning blockbuster films. Tolkien is loved by literally millions of readers worldwide. Born on January 3, 1892, in Bloemfontein, South Africa, J.R.R. Tolkien settled in England as a child, going on to study at Exeter College. He enlisted as a lieutenant in the armed services during World War I and fought in the Battle of the Somme. In the midst of his military service, he married Edith Bratt in 1916. Tolkien joined the faculty of the University of Leeds in 1920 and a few years later became a professor at Oxford University. It was while teaching at Oxford that he published his most popular fantasy novels. The award-winning fantasy novel The Hobbit—about the small, furry-footed Bilbo Baggins and his adventures—was published in 1937. He also created more than 100 drawings to support the narrative. Over the years, while working on scholarly publications, Tolkien developed the work that would come to be regarded as his masterpiece—the Lord of the Rings series, partially inspired by ancient European myths, with its own sets of maps, lore and languages. Tolkien released part one of the series, The Fellowship of the Ring, in 1954; The Two Towers and The Return of the King followed in 1955, finishing up the trilogy. The books gave readers a rich literary trove populated by elves, goblins, talking trees and all manner of fantastic creatures, including characters like the wizard Gandalf and the dwarf Gimli. While Rings had its share of critics, many reviewers and waves upon waves of general readers took to Tolkien’s world, causing the books to become global best sellers, with fans forming Tolkien clubs and learning his fictional languages. Tolkien retired from professorial duties in 1959, going on to publish an essay and poetry collection, Tree and Leaf, and the fantasy tale Smith of Wootton Major. His wife Edith died in 1971, and Tolkien died on September 2, 1973, at the age of 81. He was survived by four children. More information on Tolkien at www.tolkiensociety.org

EDWARD MAST - PLAYWRIGHT Edward Mast, a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's work since he was 12, grew up in California and lives in Seattle. His plays for adults and young audiences have been performed in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Louisville, Honolulu and many other cities here and abroad. Other adaptations besides The Hobbit include Jungalbook, Ramayana, A Wrinkle in Time and The House of Usher. He is also the playwright of the comedy, Trickster Mountain or the Tengu of Kami, co-author of the one-act, Dinosaurus, and the author of the AATE Distinguished Play Award winning drama, Wolf Child: The Correction of Joseph.

(Taken from www.dramaticpublishing.com)

SYNOPSIS

This one-hour version of Tolkien's classic novel, designed for small theaters or large, is a suspenseful, fast-moving journey through the sometimes dark, sometimes charming, always compelling world of Middle Earth. Bilbo Baggins is a comfortably well-off hobbit with a love for rousing adventure stories. Real adventures, however, are definitely not his cup of tea. So when Gandalf the wizard knocks at Bilbo's door, bringing with him Thorin Oakenshield, 12 ragged looking dwarfs, and a contract for an adventure to recover the lost treasure of Lonely Mountain, Bilbo could not be less interested—at first. But Bilbo's love of a good story gets the better of him, and before he knows it, he is off on a perilous quest over mountain and under hill through caves and forest and slimy dark places. (Taken from www.dramaticpublishing.com)

A BRIEF HISTORY

The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien are grouped among the most popular books in the world, having sold tens of millions of copies. This fact makes the number of adaptations of these wildly popular stories almost too many to count. The Hobbit was first published 80 years ago in September, 1937 and has been adapted numerous times for stage, radio and screen. BBC Radio 4 produced an eight-part broadcast adaptation in 1968 and the broadcast was made available for commercial release in 1988. Radio adaptations have also been done in numerous languages, including Danish, German, Russian and Czech. The first film adaptation was an animated short produced in 1966 and a full-length animated version for television was produced in 1977. Director Peter Jackson, who adapted the Rings trilogy into a highly popular, award-wining film trio, has helmed a three-part Hobbit movie adaptation, with the first installment, An Unexpected Journey released in 2012, the second movie, The Desolation of Smaug released in 2013 and the final movie, The Battle of the Five Armies released in 2014. For the stage, The Hobbit has been adapted any number of times. The Hobbit: The Musical was staged in 1967 and published by Dramatic Publishing in 1972. Another non-musical version was first produced in 1968 and since then about ten different adaptations by various playwrights has been seen in England, Canada, Australia and the United States.

STAGE THEATRE COMPANY PRODUCTION

The adaptation produced by Stages Theatre Company was written by Edward Mast and first produced in 1996. It is a 60-minute, family friendly version of the popular story. Our theatre is transformed into the world of middle-earth and inhabited with hobbits, dwarfs, goblins, wizards, cave creatures and of course, Smaug, the dragon. Bilboa Baggin’s unexpected journey comes to life through the magic of theatre and a musical score composed by Peter Morrow. With the work of creative costumes, puppetry, and light and shadow this classic, unforgettable story inhabits our stage in a meaningfully visceral way.

LINKS TO MORE ABOUT THE STORY OF THE HOBBIT:

• http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/hobbit/themes.html • http://www.shmoop.com/hobbit/themes.html • https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/h/the-hobbit/critical-essays/major-themes • http://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-hobbit/themes • https://prezi.com/ggp-lvxrimh0/the-themes-of-the-hobbit/

LINKS TO MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE BOOK: • http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_History_of_The_Hobbit • https://www.tolkiensociety.org/2015/01/a-brief-history-of-the-hobbit-published/

ACROSS THE CURRICULUM The possibilities are numerous for using both the book and the play of The Hobbit as a jumping off point for cross-curriculum and interdisciplinary study in your classroom. From lessons on adaptation and shadow puppetry to review writing to map making this play and book offers many chances to reach any number of curriculum goals.

Below are a few suggestions for curriculum that incorporates both the book and the play The Hobbit into your classroom studies.

Please also refer to the ADDITIONAL RESOURCE section at the end of this guide for links and resources to more curriculum ideas and lesson plans.

THEATRE ARTS ACTIVITY - (GRADES 2-8) BEFORE AND AFTER BEFORE THE PLAY: Read the book, The Hobbit, from which the play isadapted. Prep the students by reviewing the play synopsis and the events in the book. What actions or events might be seen on stage? What characters might the play include from book? What might be omitted in order for the book to be presented in a dramatic production? Students may keep a journal of their expectations. See links in our Family Guide to facilitate discussion about the book prior to seeing the play.

AFTER THE PLAY: Revisit the expectations to see how many were realizedand how much more the students understand the book as it was dramatized. Discuss the similarities and differences from what the students thought they would see on stage and what they saw in terms of plot, characters, and action. Were the characters as portrayed on the stage what you thought you would see from reading the book? How or why? How would you describe the main “message” of the play? How was it similar or different from what you originally thought? What different theatrical storytelling techniques were used to tell the story?

ACTIVITY - (GRADES 4-8) INTERVIEW A CHARACTER OBJECTIVE Students will analyze character and events in the story through character interviews.

Step 1: Match each student with a partner. One partner will select the character of Bilbo Baggins and the other Thorin Oakenshield. Each partner will interview the other partner’s character. While being the interviewer, the student will not be in character. They will, essentially, play an interviewer.

Step 2: Ask the partners to work together to formulate at least three questions and answers about the character's part in the action and how the character felt as the action unfolded.

Step 3: Encourage interviewer and character partners to perform their interview for the class. Direct them to improvise their interview from notes rather than read from a script.

Step 4: Evaluate students on the importance and depth of their questions, along with the fullness and accuracy of the answers as well as the partners' ability to maintain a conversational tone.

ACTIVITY - (GRADES 3-8) COMPARE AND CONTRAST - THE ART OF ADAPTATION

The play is an adaptation of the novel, The Hobbit. It is a good opportunity to discuss with students the elements of adaptation. First, discuss the definition of adaptation—the rewriting of a work written in a different genre or medium than it was originally written.

Then, read the book, The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

Then, before seeing the play, discuss with your students how the book may be presented on the stage. What do they think might be some of the difficulties of putting Bilbo’s unexpected journey on stage? How might the story be different than the book? If they were to make the book into a play, how would they choose to do it? Discuss all the storytelling elements, including character,

setting, plot and a huge dragon and how these elements may translate to the stage.

Then, after seeing the play, help your students analyze how the playwright and the production staff (director, actors, designers) chose to adapt the novel into the play they saw. Why do they think the playwright (or director/actors) made the decisions they did in order to turn the book into a play? Revisit all the different elements such as character, setting, plot, and spectacle. How were these achieved for the production of this stage adaptation?

Students could then create a comparison chart or a Venn diagram to show the similarities and differences of the book to the play.

EXTENSION: There are many, many adaptations of The Hobbit available, including the 3-part major motion picture. Students could view these other adaptations and compare and contrast them with the one they saw at Stages Theatre Company. How did other adaptations solve the issues of creating a visual dramatic adaptation of the book and its characters? What techniques were used? What was “left out” of the book? Why do you think that choice was made?

Here are links to the 1966 and 1977 animated adaptations:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qgg9VywPKI (1977) • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZlARya43Dw (1966)

ACTIVITY - (GRADES 5-8) SHADOW PUPPETRY – THE SCIENCE OF HOW LIGHT INTERACTS WITH MATTER In Stages Theatre Company’s production of The Hobbit the use of shadow puppetry and shadow play are used as storytelling techniques to tell the story of Bilbo’s unexpected journey. Below is a lesson on LESSON SUMMARY

Through online learning tools and the creation of shadow puppets and plays, students will learn how light interacts with matter. This lesson serves as an introduction to the properties of light and its role in creating shadows. Learning Objectives Students will:

• Make predictions about the way light travels and determine whether the predictions are correct.

• Use online resources to learn how shadows are formed. • Demonstrate an understanding of the terms translucent, opaque, and transparent

through the creation of shadow puppets. • Explore the way light interacts with matter by way of transmission, absorption, and

reflection. • Make observations about the properties of shadows based on online interactive

activities. • Experiment with a light source, puppet, and screen to create different shadow effects,

demonstrating an understanding that the properties of a shadow are determined by the intensity and position of the light source and the distances and angles between the light, object, and surface.

• In groups, create and perform shadow plays.

LINK TO FULL LESSON PLAN

• http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-6-8/Shadows_and_Light.aspx

LINKS TO OTHER LESSON PLANS ON SHADOW PUPPETRY

• https://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/shadow-puppets-lesson-plan/ • http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/teachers/ks2_lessonplans/science/light_shadows.shtml • http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/math/geometry/space/shadows/index.html

LANGUAGE ARTS

ACTIVITY - (GRADES 3-6) THE HERO’S JOURNEY JRR Tolkien’s classic novel, The Hobbit, is also a classic example of the storytelling technique known as the heroic journey. The book and play are great tools to use in teaching this concept.

OBJECTIVE Introduce and assist students in their understanding of the concept of the heroic journey, and its steps as a basic storytelling technique. STEP ONE Introduce students to the steps of the storytelling concept of the heroic journey 1) The call to adventure 2) Trials 3) Supernatural aid 4) “The belly of the whale” (or hitting rock bottom) 5) The final challenge, and 6) Victory Links to other illustrations and resources about the hero’s journey:

• http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheHerosJourney • http://www.mythologyteacher.com/The-Hero%27s-Journey.php • https://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-host-of-heroes-april-gudenrath#review • http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/herosjourney/

(Interactive exercise.) STEP TWO - EXAMPLES Provide examples of heroic journey stories the students may be familiar with, such as Star Wars, Odysseus, Harry Potter, even Finding Nemo and The Lion King. Discuss with students how these stories work through the steps of the hero’s journey. Why do they think the stories fit this model? How does The Hobbit and Bilbo’s unexpected journey fit this model? STEP THREE – PUT IT INTO ACTION To further student’s understanding of the Hero’s Journey you could:

1) Have students illustrate an example from The Hobbit of Bilbo’s steps through the journey. Keep to one picture per step.

2) Have students write their own hero’s journey story. 3) Personalize it – have students write or illustrate an example of a hero’s journey from

their personal lives. Link to another lesson plan about heroes:

• https://tpt.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/vtl07.la.rv.text.lpidsupevi/identifying-supporting-evidence-from-a-text-what-is-a-hero/#.WcA2y8ZryCo (For grades 1-4)

ACTIVITY - (GRADES 2-6) MAPPING MIDDLE EARTH The Hobbit is set in the fictional world of Middle Earth. At the beginning of the story, Bilbo Baggins is shown a map of middle earth telling of the journey he is being asked to join. The author, JRR Tolkien created and drew maps of his fictional world as a part of his writing process. These maps have been included in the publication of both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings series. This fact can serve as a jumping off point for map study in your classroom. RESOURCES TO LESSON PLANS ABOUT MAPS: LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to read a map and a map key and create their own map of their classroom. (Grade 2) LINK TO FULL LESSON PLAN:

• https://www.education.com/lesson-plan/classroom-map/ LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to identify the compass rose, symbols, and the map key as three different characteristics of maps. (Grade 1) LINK TO FULL LESSON PLAN:

• https://www.education.com/lesson-plan/learning-about-maps/ LESSON OBJECTIVE: How to Read a Topographic Map (Grade 4-8) LINK TO FULL LESSON PLAN:

• https://egsc.usgs.gov/isb//pubs/teachers-packets/mapshow/lesson4.html LESSON OBJECTIVE: Students will develop an understanding of the overhead view presented by most maps. (Grades K-3) LINK TO FULL LESSON PLAN

• https://egsc.usgs.gov/isb//pubs/teachers-packets/mapadventures/malessn3.html MORE LINKS TO OTHER LESSONS PLANS ABOUT MAPS:

• http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson287.shtml • https://www.worldmapsonline.com/LESSON-PLANS/table-of-contents-lesson-

plans.htm • https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/map-skills-elementary-students/ • http://geography.mrdonn.org/mapskills.html

MORE LINKS TO RESOURCES ON MIDDLE EARTH MAPS:

• https://www.slideshare.net/mmcdonald2/the-hobbit-mapping-bilbos-journey • http://lotrproject.com/thehobbit/map • https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/map-of-the-middle-earth

ACTIVITY - (GRADES 3-8) LEARNING VOCABULARY LESSON PLAN #1: Vocabulary in the Round The Hobbit, written by JRR Tolkien in 1937 is filled with a rich and varied vocabulary, which can be a challenge for some readers. With this is mind, below is a lesson plan to help with this challenge. PURPOSE: Vocabulary in the Round is a fun way for students to learn vocabulary words and their definitions without having to copy them all out from a dictionary. It is an student led activity to enhance both the learning of vocabulary and the retention of meaning. Students will learn about only one word each and then will teach that word to everyone else in the class. LINK TO FULL LESSON PLAN: http://novelinks.org/uploads/Novels/TheHobbit/Vocabulary%20in%20the%20Round.pdf

LESSON PLAN #2: Acting a Word OBJECTIVE Students will: • Use the vocabulary lists from The Hobbit to learn

the words meanings and retain comprehension through a kinesthetic learning exercise (based on being an actor)

• Act the words out for meaning and comprehension LESSON PLAN

1. READ The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien 2. USE THE VOCABULARY LISTS LINKED ABOVE 3. Define the words with your students (can use

the vocabulary in the round method as well) 4. ACT IT OUT. Students will physically define

each word in the word list using their full bodies and creating a frozen pose for each word. One pose will be decided on for the whole class for each word. These will become repeatable poses.

Acting a Word (Continued) 1) Explore what it means to make a frozen pose with your whole body. This is best

done with students standing in a circle or at their desks (as long as they have room to move their whole body.) Have students explore what it means to be still. Hint: Stillness is found in our bodies with our eyes. If our eyes are focused and still, then our bodies can be too.

2) Introduce the first word in the list on a flash card so students can see the word. Say the word out loud and have students repeat it several times. Help students define the word. Then, invite students to make a frozen pose to represent the word. After suggestions are made, decide as a class on one pose to represent that word. Everyone does the same pose to represent the same word.

3) .Repeat for each word in the list. 4) Drill the word list – hold up the word on a flashcard and have students make the

pose. Say the word and have students create the pose. Play a guessing game where you or another student does one of the poses and students say the word that is being acted out.

MORE LINKS ON TEACHING VOCABULARY IN THE HOBBIT:

• https://www.vocabulary.com/lists/349519 • http://www.woojr.com/worksheets-for-the-hobbit/ • http://study.com/academy/lesson/the-hobbit-vocabulary-words.html

THE STANDARDS Here is a listing of Academic Standards that can be met by attending a performance at Stages Theatre Company and using this resource guide for pre and post performance activities. THEATRE ARTS (K-3)

0.1.1.4.1 0.1.2.4.1 0.2.1.4.1 0.4.1.4.1

THEATRE ARTS (4-5)

4.1.1.4.1 4.1.3.4.2 4.2.1.4.1 4.3.1.4.1 4.4.1.4.1

THEATRE ARTS (6-8)

6.1.1.4.1 6.1.2.4.1 6.1.3.4.1 6.1.3.4.2 6.2.1.4.1 6.3.1.4.1 6.4.1.4.1

LANGUAGE ARTS

Reading and Literature (Comprehension/Literature) Speaking, Listening and Viewing Writing

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Please review all links below before sharing with students. • https://www.tolkiensociety.org/ • https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2017/sep/21/

the-hobbit-80-lord-of-the-rings-jrr-tolkien (an article commemorating the 80th anniversary of the novel)

FURTHER READING MORE BOOKS BY JRR TOLKIEN SET IN MIDDLE EARTH The Lord of the Rings

1. The Fellowship of the Ring 2. The Two Towers 3. The Return of the King. Tolkien's masterwork. A sequel to The Hobbit, but much richer and deeper (and longer) than its predecessor. Bilbo's heir Frodo embarks on an epic quest to destroy the sinister Ring acquired on the earlier journey. Often named the greatest novel of the 20th century.

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil Collection of poems and light verse supposedly written by hobbits, actually collected from Tolkien's papers of many years.

The Silmarillion Best seen as the lore book of the Elves whom the hobbits meet on their journeys.

Unfinished Tales The book with the answers to the questions posed by readers of The Lord of the Rings' appendices. Incomplete but polished stories and essays from all periods of Middle-earth's history.

OTHER BOOKS BY JRR TOLKIEN Farmer Giles of Ham

A short humorous account of an enterprising farmer in Anglo-Saxon times and his dealings with giants, dragons, knights, and other mythical beings.

Smith of Wootton Major A short fairy-tale set in Anglo-Saxon times, describing a man's desire for Faërie.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo Tolkien's translations of three important 14th century Middle English poems.

Letters from Father Christmas (previously titled The Father Christmas Letters) The letters supposedly written by the British equivalent of Santa Claus to the Tolkien children between the 1920s and 40s.

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Correspondence with his family, publishers, and readers, showing the care Tolkien put into the writing and production of his books, giving further details of his intentions and the events of his sub-creation, and discussing his personal and moral philosophy.

Mr. Bliss A children's picture book recounting the adventures of a peculiar man, his strange pet the Girabbit, and the day he buys a car.

Roverandom A children's novel not much shorter nor less elaborate than The Hobbit, but only published recently. Recounts the adventures of a wayward toy dog on the Moon and beneath the Sea.

Our study guide is designed to be a resource for teachers and students before and after they attend a production here at Stages Theatre Company.

We are always interested in how we can improve this resource to be the most effective for you and your students. We would like to you to share with us what activities or discussions from this guide that were the most useful for you.

You can email your responses to Jeannine Coulombe at jcoulombe@stagestheatre.com

Thank you for attending Stages Theatre Company!