Preview Guide for Parents and Teachers to
Childsplay’s Production of
TheTheThe
SecretSecretSecret GardenGardenGarden
The Characters:
Mary Lennox- A ten-year-old orphan and new resident at
Misselthwaite Manor
Archibald Craven- Mary’s uncle, the hunchbacked master of
Misselthwaite Mrs. Medlock- Mr. Craven’s housekeeper Martha Sowerby- a local girl employed as a housemaid at TheTheThe Misselthwaite Manor Dickon Sowerby- Martha’s younger brother who has a SecretSecretSecret GardenGardenGarden special relationship with birds, animals and all things growing Dr. Craven- Archibald’s brother, Colin’s uncle and also his By Pamela Sterling doctor Music by Christopher Limber The Robin- a musical messenger who befriends Mary and Based on the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett leads her to her discovery of the secret garden Directed by Adam Burke The Story: Scenic Design by Carey Wong Set in Edwardian England, The Secret Garden traces the Costume Design by Connie Furr-Solomon friendship of two lonely children, Mary Lennox and her cousin Lighting Design by Michael J. Eddy Colin. After her parents’ death in a cholera epidemic, mary Sound Design by Christopher Limber travels from India to live in the wilds of Yorkshire with an Stage Manager: Samantha Ries uncle she has never met. At the opening of the play, Mary is a spoiled and disagreeable child who has been dependent on The Cast servants, isn’t use to dressing herself and doesn’t play. She is Mary Lennox...... Juliet Drake befriended by her maid, Martha, who introduces her to the Mrs. Medlock ...... Gina Handy gardens and the moors and her brother, Dickon. Gradually Martha Sowerby ...... Debra K. Stevens Mary becomes less self-absorbed. She learns to amuse herself Dickon Sowerby ...... Joey Moore outdoors, and one day follows a friendly robin and discovers a Archibald Craven...... Jon Gentry forbidden garden at Misslethwaite Manor. Ten years earlier, Colin Craven...... Jamys Williams her uncle’s beloved wife had died from a fall in this garden. Ben Weatherstaff...... Dwayne Hartford The memories were so painful that Mr. Craven locked the The Robin...... Laurie Trygg garden and buried the key. With Dickon’s help she works secretly in the garden which ahs been sadly neglected. Mary’s Herberger Theater, Stage West, March/April 2006 second discovery is her invalid cousin Colin, a petulant tyrant who has been kept isolated in a wing of the manor all of his life. This production is supported in part by: Mary’s visits make him feel better, and he and Mary plot with Dickon for him to venture outside. Fresh air, exercise, Arizona Commission on the Arts friendship and their gardening project combine over time, to Bashas’ Markets transform Colin into a healthy young man. He is reunited with his astonished father, and the ending is, naturally, happily ever City of Tempe/Tempe Municipal Arts Commission after. Tempe Diablos Wells Fargo Most enjoyed by young people ages 6 and up.
Talk Triggers – page-to-stage / nature / secrets / families / orphans / England / dialects / friendships / overcoming grief/ change / gardens
Things to Talk About Before with her story of Lancashire life, who has been cared for in a loving Seeing the Show… That Lass o' Lowrie's. A number of family, without many material We hope that by using some of the other works followed, with Through advantages. He is generous, activities in this guide, you can help One Administration (1883) and A Lady optimistic, and a product of a provide the best possible theater of Quality among the most notable. nurturing environment. At first, experience for your children. In 1886 she published Little Lord the garden is tangled, twisted, Discussions before the show will Fauntleroy, Her children's books, isolated and inaccessible due to help with the interpretation and including The Secret Garden(1888) neglect. It is not until Mary comprehension of the production. and Sara Crew (later rewritten to discovers and nurtures it (with help Discussion and activities after the become: A Little Princess)(1909) are from Ben and Dickon) that the show will give your students a what she is best known for today, garden returns to its former glory. chance to express their feelings but her romance novels were very Fresh air and hard work give Mary about the production and what they popular during her lifetime. and Colin an enthusiasm and have seen and learned. Frances married Dr. L. M. Burnett appetite they have never known. of Washington D.C. in 1873. In They bloom and grow along with THEATER ETIQUETTE: It’s 1898 she divorced Dr. Burnett and the foliage in the area. helpful to review the rules of married Mr. Stephen Townsend in theater etiquette before seeing a 1900. This second marriage also WORDS TO TALK ABOUT: show especially since this may be came to an end in 1902. Frances Here are some words from the play the first live theater experience for became a US citizen in 1905. She script which may need an some of your students. Please take died on October 29, 1924. explanation: a moment to discuss the following cholera: an acute, infectous ALLEGORY pointers prior to seeing the epidemic disease which affects the [n., A literary, dramatic, or performance. digestive system and is often fatal. pictorial device in which each ~Stay seated during the heathen: an irreligious, literal character, object, and performance. uncivilized or unenlightened person event represent symbols ~ Be respectful to the performers (an insult). illustrating an idea or moral.] meddlesome: interfering and other people in the audience by not talking during the performance. moor: a broad tract of open land, ~ Appropriate responses such as The Secret Garden is first and usually covered with low shrubs. applause or laughter are always foremost a good story but it is also native: in this play, a person of welcome. an allegory. The most conspicuous East Indian heritage. ~Use of cell phones, cameras and example is the prolific blooming of pinafore: an apron-like garment any other recording devices are the flowers in the garden. These worn over a dress. flowers are symbols of first Mary’s, shilling: old English currency, FRANCES HODGSON then Colin’s, physical recovery and value of twelve pence (pennies, to BURNETT (1849-1924) was born emotional rejuvenation. On her us). in Manchester, England, on arrival at Misselthwaite Manor, trowel: small gardening tool. November 24, 1849 as Francis Eliza Mary is a sullen, petulant and tuppence: old English currency, Hodgson. After her father's death, overbearing child. Colin is a two pence. the family moved to Knoxville, tyrannical hypochondriac who scullery: a small room off the Tennessee in 1865. Miss Hodgson throws violent temper tantrums. kitchen for washing dishes and began writing for magazines soon Before the garden works its magic, other chores. after. Her first short stories "Hearts both children are bitter and victuals: (pronounced vittles) and Diamonds" and "Miss negative. While they are spoiled food. Caruther's Engagement" were with material goods, neither child wench: a young woman or girl, published in Godey's Lady's Book in has ever been truly loved. In turn, or a female servant. 1868. Her first widely known work neither can give love. They despise wick: Yorkshire slang meaning was a dialect story "Surly Tim's their surroundings and their alive. Trouble" which appeared in circumstances because they have Scribner's Magazine in 1872. Her been starved of real human love. In reputation as a novelist was made contrast, Dickon is a healthy child
Many of the words which may be jobs? Can you think of other adjectives and others. Share with unfamiliar to our audience are of people who collaborate to make the class. Indian origin, as Mary lived in theater happen? India. ●Mary finds the key to unlock the ayah: nanny or nursery attendant ●Martha and Dickon’s mother, garden. Imagine you have just memsahib: mistress Mrs. Sowerby, is a character in the found a key. What could it be the sahib: master book The Secret Garden. She doesn’t key to? Decide what it unlocks and verandah: an open porch appear in the play. Can you write about how you use it for the extending along the outside of a imagine what she is like? What first time and what happens when building important but unseen role does she you do. rajah: an Indian prince play in the plot? VISUAL ART salaam: a greeting GRAMMAR ●Draw a picture of what the garden Things To Look For When You ●Here are some commonly used looks like before Mary discovers it Watch the Show: words that come from one of the (run down and overgrown) and ●Listen for the two types of British Indian languages: then draw another picture of the accent—the gentry (Dr.Craven, Bungalow, sari, curry, polo, karma, garden after it is in full bloom (neat Mr. Craven, Colin, and Mary) guru, calico, pajamas, yoga, thug, and cared for). speak with one accent while the madras, settee, toddy. Find out ● working folk (Martha, Dickon, their meaning! Look at some masterpiece Mrs. Medlock and Ben examples of still life flower ● Weatherstaff) speak with a local Some words that we use in drawings/paintings by famous Yorkshire accent. America are called by a different artists. Bring in a flower, spend word or mean something different time observing it and then sketch its ●The robin is portrayed by a in England. For example, what we likeness on paper. Line the flowers puppet, manipulated by an actor in call a hallway, the British call a up on a table and mix up the period costume. corridor; what we call a yard the sketches. See if you can match the Watch the different ways that the British call a garden. How many sketch with its subject! environment changes from scene to other words like that can you find? scene—set pieces move by rolling CREATIVE DRAMA and flying. CREATIVE WRITING ●In pairs, improvise a short scene ● The vast, and gloomy moor is ●When Mary arrives in Yorkshire, around one of the following almost another character in the she finds life very different. Write themes: a sick child has a visit from play. Look for the ways that the a letter from Mary to an imaginary a friend; a girl has a servant atmosphere of the moor is shown. friend in India, telling about her assigned to her; a child journeys to Watch how the garden changes. new life. a strange, new home with a guardian. Build a detailed Things To Talk About and ●Write a journal entry as if you background for each character. Do After the Show… were Martha Sowerby or Ben After rehearsing the scenes, share DISCUSSION Weatherstaff: “A Day in the Life of with the rest of the class. ●All plays have three P’s: People in Misselthwaite Manor” or Dickon: a Place with a Problem. Where does “A Day on the Moor.” ●This version of The Secret Garden is the play take place? Who are the a good example of “story theater,” ● people? What are the problems? Many adjectives are used to in which the story is told with the What happens at the beginning of describe Misselthwaite Manor when aid of narration. The task of the play? The middle? The end? Mary first arrives – immense, narrating is shared among the gloomy, and enormous – and we company of actors who drop out of ●Any theatrical production is the hear that it is 600 years old and has character when they narrate. Using result of a collaboration between a more than 100 rooms. Write a this technique, prepare a “story number of individuals. Talk about story about someone’s first theater” production of a well- the roles of the director, actors, impressions when arriving at known tale or a book that you have stage manager, costume, lighting Misselthwaite Manor using these read together. and set designers. What are their Secret Garden Booklist Families Prepared with help from Tim Wadham, Spyhole Secrets by Zilpha Keatly Snyder Youth Services Coordinator for the A Summer to Die by Lois Lowry Maricopa County Library District Swear to Howdy by Wendelin Van Draanen
Nature Ida B : --and her plans to maximize fun, avoid disaster, and (possibly) save the world by Katherine Hannigan In My World by Lois Ehlert Old Turtle by Douglas Wood Henry Hikes to Fitchburg by D. B. Johnson Secrets Books by Frances Hodgson Burnett The Silent Boy by Lois Lowry The Secret Garden Sixth Grade Secrets by Louis Sachar
Sarah Crew A Little Princess Friendships Little Lord Fauntleroy Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel
Orphans The Orphan Train Quartet by Joan Lowery Nixon Gardens A Family Apart Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Christina Björk Caught in the Act The Chalk Box Kid by Clyde Robbert Bulla In the Face of Danger The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs by William Joyce
A Place to Belong The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (and all the rest of the “Series of Unfortunate Events”) Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards Change The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner Overcoming Grief A Packet of Seeds by Deborah Hopkinson Rodzina by Karen Cushman Sun and Spoon by Kevin Henkes Baby by Patrician MacLachlan The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Viorst Missing May by Cynthia Rylant The Young Man and the Sea by W. Rodman Philbrick About Childsplay… Childsplay is a non-profit professional theatre company of adult actors, performing for young audiences and families. Internet Sites of Interest
Our Mission is to create theatre so strikingly original in form, content or both, that it instills in young people an enduring awe, love and respect for the medium, thus preserving imagination and wonder, the hallmarks of childhood, which are the keys to the www.dbg.org future. ~Desert Botanical Gardens
We love to hear from our audience members! www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/secretgarden Send letters, drawings or reviews to: ~PBS series on gardening Childsplay, Inc. PO Box 517 www.yorkshirenet.co.uk Tempe, AZ 85280 ~Yorkshire England Information Center Call us at 480-350-8101 or
1-800-583-7831 (in-state) www.collectbritain.co.uk/collections/dialects ~a collection of British dialects to listen to Email us at: [email protected] * Web Site: www.childsplayaz.org Childsplay’s Student Activity Guide for
TheTheThe SecretSecretSecret GardenGardenGarden Today you saw a production of The Secret Garden, performed by Childsplay. Here are some things to think about and some activities to do now that you’ve seen the show!
Tell your family and/or friends about the play you saw. TheTheThe ◊ Tell them about the story and the characters: What SecretSecretSecret GardenGardenGarden happens in the beginning, the middle and the end of the play? How many characters can you remember? Which By Pamela Sterling character was your favorite and why? What were some of Music by Christopher Limber the things the characters did? What was your favorite Based on the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett part of the play?
Directed by Adam Burke ◊ Tell them about the costumes, scenery, props, music, Scenic Design by Carey Wong and the puppet from the production. Draw pictures to Costume Design by Connie Furr- Solomon help describe things you talk about. Lighting Design by Michael J. Eddy
Sound Design by Christopher Limber Stage Manager: Samantha Ries ◊Tell them about something new that you learned from the play. The Cast Mary Lennox...... Juliet Drake Read the Books by Frances Hodgson Burnett Mrs. Medlock ...... Gina Handy The Secret Garden Martha Sowerby ...... Debra K. Stevens Sarah Crew Dickon Sowerby ...... Joey Moore A Little Princess Archibald Craven...... Jon Gentry Colin Craven...... Jamys Williams Little Lord Fauntleroy
Ben Weatherstaff...... Dwayne Hartford The Robin...... Laurie Trygg We love to hear from our audience members! Herberger Theater, Stage West, March/April 2006 Send your questions, comments, drawings or reviews to: This production is supported in part by:
Childsplay Arizona Commission on the Arts PO Box 517 Bashas’ Markets Tempe, AZ 85280 City of Tempe/Tempe Municipal Arts Commission Tempe Diablos or email us at [email protected] Wells Fargo
of the manor. manor. the of wing another in lives He 10) Colin; called is cousin Her 9) robin; a is bird The 7) Ben; is name gardener’s The 6) Manor; Misselthwaite called is house The 5) house; large very a is It 4) Craven; Archibald is name His 3) uncle; with her live to goes She 2) cholera; of died parents Mary’s 1) Errors: the Spot to Answers
Printing generously donated by:
Try these activities… Spot the Errors Find the ten deliberate mistakes in the R N O R N S M B D C F E X F F following passage. Some are misspellings while others are factual X N E I O E K L V H T T E G B mistakes.
A K L D D B A P M O J I J A D Mary Lennox’s parents died in an automobile accident and she was S O N L R B I A G L N A H S Y sent to live with her grandfather, Archibald Raven, in Yorkshire. She C S O H I A R N H E V W Q Z E was very lonely and unhappy when she arrived at the small house called M C B H B Y G F Z R V H D G L Misseltoe Manor. Exploring the K C C R R O O M R A E T D B F grounds, she met Len the gardener, and befriended a pigeon who helped P R B X Y A E R O M B L I N C her find a locked, walled garden. The garden had been closed for five A N E V A R C A K S W E N O Q years because of a fatal accident. Mary also discovered her invalid H U N C H B A C K S Z S D K H cousin, Colleen, who lived next door. They became friends and together M A N O R X N G T T H S I C D they restored the secret garden to its X N R K E Q X K L G B I A I H former glory and became happy and healthy in the process. C V Y P E T B E A M Z M R D E
A Q L L N O M Z F W S X O E R
D N P J V L A P E O G J K L G Mary’s Secret Code
Mary wants to send this message to Dickon but she doesn’t want anyone Word Search else to understand it. Write down the Find the words below in the puzzle above. The words can go letters of the alphabet. Beneath it, up, down, sideways or diagonally write down the letters of the alphabet backwards (A=Z, B=Y, etc.). Now you can figure out the message below. ARCHIBALD CHOLERA COLIN CRAVEN DICKON GARDEN NVVG NV RM GSV HUNCHBACK INDIA MANOR MARY MEDLOCK MISSELTHWAITE TZIWVM ZUGVI MOOR ROBIN YORKSHIRE WRMMVI GLNLIILD. KOVZHV YIRMT GSV How Many Can You Make? GLLOH ZMW HVVWH. NZIB. How many words of more than 3 letters can you make out of
MISSELTHWAITE MANOR Using this same secret code (or one you Have a contest with a friend! Allow 5 minutes and count who has make up yourself) send a message to a the most words written down. Who has the longest word? Can friend. Make sure you reveal the code you make a phrase or sentence using your list of words? so your friend can figure out the message!