Study Guide

Go Inside the Show Explore the history of this iconic story and how we are bringing it to life on our stage.

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It is important to be the best audience member you can be to ensure the best experience for yourself and those around you. Here are some things to remember:

1. Be sure to silence or power off all cellphones and other noise making devices and please do not text during the performance. The light on your phone can be distracting to those around you as well as the performers. 2. Please refrain from talking during the performance. If you have a question about something that you see or hear hold on to it and use it to start a post-show discussion on the ride home! 3. Enjoy the show and let us know what you think! Remember, this is YOUR community playhouse and feedback is always welcomed. Your input is crucial for planning future seasons and educational opportunities.

Table of Contents Pg. 3— Show Synopsis Pg. 4—A Brief History Pg. 5—Meet the Playwright: Mark Brown Pg. 6—Map of Phineas Fogg’s Journey Pg. 7—Characters and Chatting with and Actor Pg. 8—Discover India Pg. 9—The Wildlife of India Pg. 10—Breaking Down the Elephant Pg. 11—Discussion Questions and Additional Resources

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Synopsis After a large bank robbery, members of the Reform Club in London begin a discussion about how the supposed gentleman robber could have escaped so easily. They speculate where in the world he could possibly hide and how he could flee the country so easily. refers to an article he once read which states that it is possible to travel around the entire world in only 80 days. The other gentlemen decide to challenge Fogg to do just that. A wager is set and Fogg, with his servant Jean Passepartout, set off on an adventure to travel the world in 80 days. Meanwhile, Detective Fix, convinced that Phileas only agreed to this because he committed the robbery, stalks them on their path in attempts to arrest Fogg for the crime. Will Phileas and Passepartout complete the challenge or will he be nabbed by Fix and lose his bet with the other gentlemen?

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Around the World in 80 Days A Brief History

Around the World in 80 Days (or “Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours” ) started it’s life as a novel by French writer . The novel was originally published in French in the year 1873 and was written during the Franco-Prussian War. The story was fueled by the advancements made in technology during the 19th century. The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in America, the linking of the Indian railways, and the opening of the Suez Canal fostered in an era of travel and tourism that was unprecedented and sparked the interest of the author. Verne’s story has inspired a multitude of projects across many mediums. The first of eight film adaptations premiered in 1919 and the latest in 2004. The 1956 film incorporated a hot air balloon which has become a staple of imagery for the piece, but does not exist in the original novel. The balloon does appear, however, in a Verne novel published 10 years prior to Around the World in 80 Days entitled (or Cinq semaines en balloon). This detail was included to make the adventure more tumultuous for the film. There have been a number of radio broadcasts and television adaptations based on Verne’s novel as well, but the most unique impact the story has had is the creation of the Worlds of Fun theme park in Kansas City, MO which is based on the ideas presented in the classic novel.

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Meet the Playwright Mark Brown

His musical, China— Has had his shows The Whole Enchilada, performed all over was named the world and Outstanding Musical translated into many at the 2008 New York languages. Musical Festival.

Is a model railroad Has a Sriracha enthusiast and addiction and was does not know captain of the safety how to ice skate. patrol in 5th grade.

On Around the World in 80 Days “The idea to adapt this book came to me from a friend of mine who mentioned it in passing. The entire conversation lasted about 30 seconds. I wanted to keep the cast to five actors. I thought that was a good number. This play also marked the first time I wrote something without a co-writer and I was more than a tad nervous about it. “

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Characters: PHILEAS FOGG - A wealthy British adventurer. JEAN PASSEPARTOUT - Fogg's very clever and resourceful French man servant - An Indian/European princess who is rescued from death by Fogg ACTOR 1 - Plays 17 characters from many places all over the world. ACTOR 2 ~ Plays 12 characters, including Detective Fix

Chatting with an Actor Ben Beck —Actor #1 Q: What is the most fun part about being an actor? A: Jeez. What a question! Well, I love stories. The best stories are ones that engage, excite, or even fascinate their audience. An actor is a storyteller. I love the challenge of making that connection with an audience. There is nothing like it. That and playing with fake swords. Fake swords are fun.

Q: What made you want to audition for this play? A: Mark Brown has taken this giant adventure story and squeezed the whole thing into a 90-minute play performed by five actors. That's a huge challenge. A play like this requires a great deal of collaborative innovation from a group of several creative, talented people. I wanted to be a part of that group.

Q: What is it like to play so many different characters? A: Initially, it was pretty overwhelming. Whatever the case, each character has his own voice, physicality, and mannerisms. Carl Beck was very clear on what he wanted from each character. Also, the costume designs are extremely helpful. It's fascinating how much an actor can learn about their character from a costume.

Q: Which character in the show is your favorite to play? A: I would have to say that it's a tie between Sir Francis and Proctor. They're very different from one another, but they are both very, very good looking.

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Parsi (or Parsee) literally translates to Persian. It refers to the people that descended from Zoroastrians that emigrated from Persia to India to escape religious persecution from the Muslims. Parsi people reside primarily in Mumbai with some small communities in Bangalore. Pagodas are tall ornate structures that serve as a place of worship, typically for the Buddhist faith. The modern Pagoda is an evolution of Indian Stupas which are tomb like structures where sacred relics were kept. Pagodas are so tall that they are often struck by lightning. Because of this, the decorative metal piece at the top, called a finial, acts as a lightning rod.

Suttee (or Sati) is an obsolete Hindu funeral custom where the wife of a dead king, or rajah, is sacrificed on the pyre with her husband during his burial. This is an act that was often voluntary, but many women took part out of a sense of duty. The practice was officially banned in India in 1861 by Queen Victoria. Some Hindu communities still do symbolic suttee ceremonies where the widow lies next to her dead husband and parts of their wedding ceremony are enacted during the funeral, but she is not sacrificed or buried with him.

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India is one of the ten most forest-rich countries in the world and the The Wildlife of Indian government is dedicated to maintaining India and developing their jungles and wildlife. The most cherished animal in India is the Royal Bengal Tiger. It is the national animal of and the second largest subspecies of tiger behind the Siberian tiger. Statistics do show, however, that on average Bengal tigers are larger than Siberian tigers. India has the largest population of tigers in the world and Kahna National Park is referred to as “The Land of Tigers.” India is also home to over 16 types of monkeys, the most popular subspecies being the Macque and Iangur, as well as four venomous snakes referred to as “The Big Four” (Indian Cobra, Common Krait, Russell’s Viper, and Saw-Scaled Viper). The Indian Elephant is another gem in Indian culture. They are often bred and trained for human use at a young age and it is supposed that this is a practice that began in India. Indian elephants are much smaller then African elephants and have very small ears compared to their large heads.

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Breaking Down the Elephant

The elephant in our show looks a lot like the real thing, but it is actually made of metal and works like a gigantic bike that our actors operate! Check out the drawings below to see how it works.

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Discussion Questions: Before You Go 1. How long do you think it takes to get around the entire world? 2. What country in the world would you like to visit? After the Show 1. What forms of transportation would you use to get around the world today? 2. What would be the benefits of riding a train around the world instead of flying in an airplane? 3. If you had to be on a train or boat for weeks, what would you do to keep yourself busy? 4. If someone made a bet with you to travel the entire world, would you do it? Why or why not?

Activities:

Map Your Journey Around the World in 80 Meals Draw a map of a journey that you have been on Hop online or find a cookbook and whip up or a daily map of the places that you go in your some global dishes with your family! Take a life. picture of your meal and post it on social media with #OCP80Meals and let us know what you are cooking! Word Bank: Esquire—a polite title appended to a man's name when no other title is used Madame Tussauds—is a wax museum in London with branches in a number of major cities that displays wax- works of famous people Barrister—a lawyer entitled to practice as an advocate, particularly in the higher courts Consulate—the building in which a consul's duties are carried out Phlegmatic—having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition Chapeau—a hat or cap, typically a red one with an ermine lining, on which the crests of some peers are borne Brahmin—a socially or culturally superior person, especially one from New England Bundelkhand—a region and also a mountain range in central India that is now divided between the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh Knots—a unit of speed equivalent to one nautical mile per hour, used especially of ships, aircraft, or winds

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