Nufonia Must Fall BE PRESENT Table of Contents

2015-16 UMS LEARNING GUIDE Nufonia Must Fall BE PRESENT Table of Contents

04 05 06 19 ATTEND THE DETAILS LEARN CONNECT

07 Why? 20 Being an Audience Member 09 Artist 23 Arts Online 12 Art Form 25 Recommended Reading 15 Performance 29 Writing About Live Performance 32 About UMS 34 Credits and Sponsors

BE PRESENT 2 UMS SCHOOL DAY PERFORMANCE march 10

Nufonia Must Fall

Thursday, March 10 // 11 am Power Center

BE PRESENT 3 Attend

Coming to your E-mail Inbox!

Map and Driving Directions Logistical Details (drop-off/pick-up locations) Venue Information

UMS.ORG / 734.615.0122

BE PRESENT 4 The Details

ACCESSIBILITY We aim to maximize accessibility at our performances and below are details regarding this performance’s points of accessibility. If you have further questions, e-mail [email protected] or call 734-615-0122.

The following services are available to audience members: • Wheelchair, companion, or other special seating • Courtesy wheelchairs • Hearing Impaired Support Systems

PARKING There is handicapped parking very close to the Power Center on Fletcher Street and in the parking structure behind the Power Center on Palmer Drive. The first three levels of the Palmer Drive structure VENUE ADDRESS have five parking spots on each level next to each elevator. There are Power Center, 121 Fletcher St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 a total of 15 parking spaces in the garage.

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBER WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY 734.764.2538 The Power Center is wheelchair accessible and has 12 seats for audience members with special needs. ARRIVAL TIME

Between 10:30-10:50am BATHROOMS ADA Compliant toilets are available in the green room (east corner) of the TICKETS Power Center for both men and women. We do not use paper tickets for School Day Performances. We hold school reservations at the door and seat groups upon arrival. ENTRY The front doors are not powered; however, there will be an usher at FOOD that door opening it for all patrons. No food or drinks (including school lunches) are allowed in the theater.

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Nufonia Must Fall

UMS.ORG / 734.615.0122

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Why? UMS EDUCATION ARTISTIC STATEMENT

Nufonia Must Fall tells the story of the robot Nufonia and his attempts to woo the human woman he loves. Yet behind this production’s simple narrative is a complex, interdisciplinary, and multilayered performance. The focal point of the piece is the projection of a live movie created by filming the movements of tiny, silent puppets across many different sets. Nufonia Must Fall is based on a graphic novel of the same name by artist and scratch DJ Kid Koala (also known as Eric San). The graphic novel, which does not use dialogue boxes, translates seamlessly to silent film. But while the film does not involve speech, it is far from silent: the musical collaboration of Kid Koala and the Cecilia Quartet provides the principal emotional content of the story.

While the music and film of Nufonia Must Fall provide touching and entertaining material, the finished film is only part of the performance. Audiences are equally engrossed by watching the intricate creative processes involved in creating the live movie. The blurring of genre and multifaceted artistry make Nufonia Must Fall a distinct experience for every audience member. We hope the interdisciplinary and virtuosic creativity of this production will inspire our School Day Performance audiences to expand their understanding of the possibilities of collaboration and performance.

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Why? ONLINE: CONNECTING TO THE PERFORMANCE

Learn more about Nufonia Must Fall by watching this trailer

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Artist NUFONIA MUST FALL: 5 THINGS TO KNOW

Nufonia Must Fall is adapted from Kid Koala’s graphic novel of the same name. He was inspired to write the novel after watching silent films by Charlie Chaplin. Kid Koala envisioned the novel, which does not contain dialogue boxes, as a visual silent film, and even released a 17 minute long soundtrack to be listened to while reading.

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The production is directed by The music will be performed The show’s team of visual The performers must move KK Barrett, who has worked as live by the Cecilia Quartet artists brought Kid Koala’s between 14 different module an art director and production and Kid Koala (on turntables). drawings into three dimensions sets that are carefully designer for feature films The all-female, Canadian by creating dozens of puppets constructed to allow full including Her, Where the Cecilia Quartet has performed and sets. Lead designer Patrick movement of the puppets, Wild Things Are, and Lost all over the world, including Martel believes in the ability of puppeteers, and cameras. in Translation. As director, appearances at Amsterdam’s puppetry to relate deeply to In creating the sets, the Barret’s job was to bring the Concertgebouw, London’s human themes: “Puppets, yes, production designers hoped to story, emotion, and visuals of Wigmore Hall, and the Berlin are small, but on the screen match the depth and detail of the graphic novel to the live Konzerthaus. Cecilia is also they show up really, really big a recorded film while still being screen. committed to outreach; the so a very slight movement able to move quickly between ensemble has commissioned sometimes gives a lot of scenes. Each set is lit with major works from young, emotion.” battery powered LED’s and female Canadian composers requires two puppeteers and a and launched a performance cameraperson. series for children on the autism spectrum.

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Artist NUFONIA MUST FALL

KID KOALA KK BARRETT CECILIA QUARTET PATRICK MARTEL

Canadian artist Eric San, also Director K.K. Barrett brings a Taking its name from St. Cecilia, Patrick Martel has created puppets known as Kid Koala, is a scratch DJ, wealth of experience to the the patron saint of music, the and set designs for Cirque du Soleil, composer, illustrator and graphic stage, having previously worked Cecilia String Quartet recently Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, novelist. As a DJ he has toured as a production designer and art celebrated its 10th anniversary. and Montreal’s Théâtre Incliné. with groups including Radiohead, director for popular films such as The Quartet was formed in Martel contributed puppets to the Beastie Boys, and Gorillaz, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Toronto, and after a decade of Montreal’s recent 375th birthday often performing in his signature Close (2011), Where the Wild fruitful musical discovery, they celebration, and his puppets koala suit. Kid Koala has also Things Are (2009), and Marie once again reside in Toronto frequently appear on Canadian contributed to Hollywood film Antoinette (2006). His most recent where they are Ensemble-in- television. He holds a degree in scores including Shuan of the project, Her (2013), led to both Residence at the University of puppetry from the École supérieure Dead and The Great Gatsby. The an Academy Award and a BAFTA Toronto’s Faculty of Music. des arts de la marionette in France, seamless connection of different Film Award nomination for highest where he now teaches. artistic disciplines in Nufonia achievement in production design. Must Fall reflects Kid Koala’s appetite for innovation through collaboration.

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Artist ONLINE: GETTING TO KNOW KID KOALA

Watch Kid Koala performing as a DJ in this video

Connect with Kid Koala on Twitter by following @kidkoala

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Art Form MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERFORMANCE:

Nufonia Must Fall brings together several different art forms to create a completely unique performance experience.

PUPPETRY LIVE FILM SOUND Puppetry is a form of theatre where the This production challenges its The soundtrack to the silent film comes from performer uses an object in addition to their cinematographers to create varied and visually three sources: Kid Koala on scratch turntable, voice, body, and imagination to tell a story. appealing shots but on miniature sets and in the string quartet, and occasional sound The passive nature of a puppet demands real time. Two cameras must move steadily effects that match the characters’ actions in active engagement by the operator/performer, around the sets, one on a large dolly track and the film. Kid Koala composed the music for because a puppet that is not moving or the other on a slider. The camera crew also some of the sections while other moments focused does not seem “alive.” Audiences edits the film in real time. are improvised; the musicians observe immediately anthropomorphize puppets; an and react to the puppeteers and audience object needs to give only a slight impression members at all times. Without dialogue, the of life before the viewer completes the picture. audience relies on the music to understand Because puppets are detached from humans, the characters’ situations and emotions. they provide a unique platform from which to explore human issues, sometimes in a more direct or provocative way than is possible through traditional theater.

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Art Form THE HISTORY OF ROBOTS IN FILM

1930’S AND 40’S The Wizard of Oz (1939) introduced the Tin Man, one of film’s most recognizable robots. While the Tin Man is lovable and human-like, the 30’s and 40’s still frequently included narratives of mad scientists and uncontrollable killer robots.

1950’S AND 60’S Film robots of the 1950’s reflected fear of the new forms of violence made possible by technology during the Cold War. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) depicts Gort, an enormous, metal, alien robot who delivers an anti-nuclear message to Earth. Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) features HAL, one of film’s most recognizable robots. HAL is a computer, not a traditional corporeal robot, and the film predicts robots with advanced speech comprehension and processing abilities.

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Art Form THE HISTORY OF ROBOTS IN FILM

1970’S AND 80’S Star Wars set the standard for robots on film in the 1970’s and 80’s. C-3PO and R2-D2, two of the series’ most lovable and iconic characters, are motivated by human emotions and experiences. But the period also produced many evil robots, notably the Terminator franchise, which portrays wars between humans and robots.

1990’S AND 2000’S Robots in the movies at the turn of the 21st century affirm the increasing affection for technology of the time. WALL-E (2004) reverses the trope of robot domination when a pair of robots saves the earth for humanity.

For Additional information about the history of robots in cinema visit this website

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Performance NUFONIA MUST FALL

Since it’s a silent graphic novel, and for the most part a silent movie, and its puppets, you just transcend what they’re made of and project not on to them, but right into them. Every time I hear somebody telling me the story back from the audience, I’m happy when they’re telling me a different story from the one I have in my head.

KK BARRETT, DIRECTOR

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Performance

Nufonia Must Fall Kid Koala, DJ and artistic director KK Barrett, Director The Cecilia Quartet: Min-Jeong Koh and Sarah Nematallah, violins Caitlin Boyle, viola Rachel Desoer, cello Thursday, March 10 // 11 am Power Center

This charming love story follows a robot and his love for a lonely office girl in the big city. Nufonia also faces the obsolescence of his own technology as he competes with a newer, slicker robot for the young woman’s attention. Find out whether Nufonia is successful in learning how to write an authentic love song for this mysterious woman.

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Performance ONLINE: NUFONIA MUST FALL

Learn more about the creative team’s development of the project though this short documentary from the Banff Center.

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STEM Integration NUFONIA MUST FALL

Social robots are artificially intelligent computers that, like Nufonia, are designed to engage with and care for humans in social settings. Watch this video to learn more about the past, present, and future of social robotics.

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Being an Audience Member Arts Online Recommended Reading Writing about Live Performance About UMS

UMS.ORG / 734.615.0122

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Being an audience member WATCHING AND LISTENING

When preparing to attend a live performing arts event, we hope you will think about the concepts of concert conduct and manners. This is not just about saying “please” and “thank you;” rather, it’s like an unspoken agreement you have with everyone else in the performance space, to be thoughtful and considerate in what you do so that everyone can fully engage with the unique and exciting live performance experience. Here’s what we mean:

YOUR SURROUNDINGS room, for instance — in such a way that both you and your neighbors are • Concert halls and performing arts venues are some of the most grand and comfortable. beautiful buildings you might ever visit, so be sure to look around while you follow an usher to your group’s seats or once you are in your seat. • As an audience member, you are also part of the performance. Any enthusiasm you might have for the performance may help the performers • UMS Ushers will be stationed throughout the building and are identifiable perform better. So, if you like what you are seeing, make sure they know by their big name badges. They are there to help you be as comfortable as it! Maybe clap, hoot and holler, or stand up and cheer. However, when possible and if you have a question (about the performance, about where expressing your own personal enjoyment of the performance, consider to go, or about what something is), please ask them, and don’t feel shy, whether your fellow audience members will be able to see or hear what’s embarrassed, or hesitant in doing so. happening on stage or whether they will miss something because of the sound and movement you are making. Given this consideration, it’s often SHARING THE PERFORMANCE HALL WITH OTHER best to wait until a pause in the performance (a pause of sound, movement, AUDIENCE MEMBERS or energy) or to wait until the performer(s) bow to the audience to share your • Consider whether any talking you do during the performance will prevent enthusiasm with them. your seat neighbors or other audience members from hearing. Often in large rock concerts or movie theaters, the sound is turned up so loud that • Out of respect for the performer(s), if you do not like some part of the you can talk and not disturb anyone’s listening experience. However, in performance, please do not boo or shout anything derogatory. Remember, a other concerts and live theater experiences, the sound is unamplified (or lot of hard work went in to creating the performance you are watching and it just quiet), and the smallest noise could cause your seat neighbor to miss takes great courage for the performer to share his or her art with you. an important line of dialogue or musical phrase. Lights (from a cell phone or music player, for instance) and movements (body wiggling or shaking) SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS may also distract your neighbors’ attention away from the stage, again, • An important part of any performing arts experience is sharing it with others. causing them to miss important action...and there’s no instant replay in live This can include whispering to your seat neighbor during the performance, performance! talking to your friends about what you liked and didn’t like on the bus back to school, or telling your family about the performance when you get home. • At a performance, you are sharing a small physical space with other audience members. So, consider whether you are sharing — the arm rest and the leg Special thanks to Emily Barkakati for her role in developing this resource.

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Being an audience member RULES AND TOOLS

We share the following “Rules and Tools” to help audience members at UMS School Day Performances connect with the performance and environment around them. As a general suggestion, we encourage audience members to Notice, Feel, and Interpret.

1. BE PRESENT. Being bored means you’re not engaging. In the performance, you might feel any If something is boring after of the following: happy sorrow pain horror two minutes, try it for four. If inspiration confused pride content still boring, then eight. Then joy sad beauty enlightened sixteen. Then thirty-two. The beauty of live performance is the connection between the audience and artist and the energy they share and pass between each other. Have you ever Eventually one discovers that it given a presentation and spoken better because people in the room were smiling at you? You have an ability to affect the performance as an audience member is not boring at all. and we encourage you to use it during the performance.

2. INTERPRET: YOU CAN CHOOSE WHAT IT MEANS. JOHN CAGE, Sometimes an artist will share what the performance is supposed to mean or COMPOSER share the performance’s story. Sometimes there won’t be a story or any meaning beyond creating movement or sound. Either way, feel empowered choosing what the performance means to you or imagine your own story...you can change your mind at any point too.

3. CHECK YOUR OWN EMOTIONS & FEELINGS. Ask yourself: How am I feeling? Am I tired, sore, in a bad mood, sad, upset, sick, (Renowned composer John Cage is simply saying sometimes it takes etc.? These feelings and emotions can affect how you perceive the performance. a little longer than expected to find a point of personal interest in a Be open to letting the performance improve your condition or make you think performance, so don’t give up the search too quick.) differently or more deeply about your condition.

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Being an audience member RULES AND TOOLS

QUESTIONS CONNECTING TO OTHER ART FORMS The following questions are used during TalkOut* and can help audience members connect with or reflect on a performance: • How does this performance relate to where I live? • What does this performance remind me of? • What moment in the performance will I remember? • What question will I ask my teacher back at school?

*For more information about TalkOut, visit http://bit.ly/18rzBzh.

P. Grasnick (n.d.) ELEMENTS Aelita, 1924

At any point during a performance, you should feel empowered to notice or focus Lithograph on buff wove paper, laid down on canvas on any element of the performance — on stage or off stage. Gift of James T. Van Loo, 2013/2.233

SPACE: The artwork was provided by the University of Michigan Museum venue/building, stage, distance between objects of Art to connect to the 2015-2016 UMS School Day Performance LIGHTING: series. UMMA has a long tradition of service to K-12 students location of light, use of darkness, color of light, movement of light, light in the and educators of southeast Michigan. This work is currently audience on exhibition in the museum. For more information about the University of Michigan Museum of Art and their programs for SOUND: youth, teens, teachers and schools, visit their website. sound created by voices or movements of performers or audience members, the location of sound (behind the audience or off stage), use of musical instruments or This poster is for the movie Aelita called the first Soviet science recorded music fiction film, made at the hope-filled beginning of the Soviet Union. A MOVEMENT: mysterious radio message is beamed around the world, and among movement of performers, images, objects, or audience members; speed, size, or the engineers who receive it are Los, the hero of the film. Aelita is shape of movements the daughter of Tuskub, the ruler of a totalitarian state on Mars. With a telescope, Aelita is able to watch Los who obsesses about being PEOPLE: watched by her. He builds a spaceship and travels to Mars where he performers or audience members, the number of people, type and amount of is thrown in prison, begins a proletarian uprising and experiences the clothing on people, facial or emotional expressions of people confusion of reality and fantasy.

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Arts Online:Explore and Discover SEARCH LIKE A DETECTIVE

Consider the following suggestions and ideas when searching for information online.

TRIANGULATE AND FORM OPINIONS SLOWLY SEEK OUT IDENTIFIABLE SOURCES When looking for information online: Reputable articles, journals, or magazines should cite an author whose identity can be verified and cite a list of sources, either throughout the SEARCH, SEARCH AGAIN, AND THEN SEARCH piece or in a bibliography. 01 AGAIN CHECK THE DATE THEN COMPARE INFORMATION FROM YOUR 02 SEARCHES Consider whether the content is old or outdated. Has the site been maintained? 03 THEN SEARCH ONE MORE TIME BASED ON WHAT YOU’VE DISCOVERED IN YOUR LOOK FOR BIAS COMPARISON Is the site or its author’s objective to sell you something? Is the site’s content overly positive or negative? Does the site’s content lean toward only one viewpoint? Does the site’s content clearly omit facts? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then the site might not represent a reliable information source.

BEWARE Sites with an abundance of advertising, especially ads that look cheap, are neon and blinking, or constantly pop up on the screen. Sites with grammar, spelling, and formatting errors.

Note: Good looking sites don’t necessarily have fair, unbiased, or accurate information (for instance, sites for political candidates are often beautiful, but contain information that ONLY portrays their candidate positively).

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Arts Online: Explore and Discover SITES WE SUGGEST

GO TO THE SOURCE LESSON PLAN SOURCES If searching for information about an artist or organization, first try The following sites have a variety of standards-based lesson plans for visiting their homepage where they are likely to post information, links, teachers and interactive learning resources for families that celebrate an and media they approve. art form, connect the arts to the full range of non-arts subjects, or offer cultural context for the global arts. For instance: Wynton Marsalis - WyntonMarsalis.com ARTSEDGE PBS Hubbard Street Dance Chicago - HubbardStreetDance.com ArtsEdge.org pbslearningmedia.org UMS - UMS.org NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EDSITEMENT RELIABLE SITES (GENERALLY): education.nationalgeographic.com edsitement.neh.gov .EDU educational institutions THREE ‘GO TO’ SITES .GOV The following sites are consistently good and reliable sources of government (particularly good for statistics and reports) information about arts and culture. .ORG organizations (though, only those without a political bias or advocacy THE NEW YORK TIMES THE GUARDIAN agenda) nytimes.com theguardian.com

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO (NPR) SEARCHING FOR VIDEO npr.org You will find the best videos online when you search for ones posted by the artist or posted by the “generally reliable” sites having the characteristics VISIT UMS detailed in this document. Avoid bootleg videos Let us do the work for you! Visit our sites ums.org and umslobby.org for posted by random individuals with no relationship great and engaging videos, blog posts, photos, and web links about artists to the artist, as the video might not be representative and art forms. of the artist’s work.

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Recommended Reading YOUTH

Continued.

MARIACHI VARGAS DE TECALITLÁN ZAFIR: MUSICAL WINDS FROM NORTH AFRICA TO ANDALUCÍA The Best Mariachi in the World, J.D. Smith Gustavo is a young boy who would love to join his family’s mariachi ¡Olé flamenco!, George Ancona band, but can’t seem to find the right instrument in this bilingual story. Discover Andalucía’s enduring tradition of flamenco simplified into its composite parts: music, dance, facial expressions, instruments, Musicians of the Sun, Gerald McDermott clothing, and rhythm. Gerald McDermott reinterprets the ancient Aztec myth of the creation of music. Spain, Charlotte Guillain Explore Spain’s history, geography, government, wildlife, and culture in Cultural Traditions in Mexico, Lynn Peppas this general overview. Learn about Mexican culture by looking at how Spanish and native Mexican traditions, beliefs, and rituals formed today’s Mexican holidays Algeria, Lori McManus and festivals. Explore Algeria’s history, geography, government, wildlife, and culture in this general overview.

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Writing about Live Performance

The following writing exercises were developed by 826michigan, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. For more information about 826michigan and its free programs for students, visit 826michigan.org.

A LETTER TO PERFORMERS AFTER THE PERFORMANCE Primary Audience: Elementary School Students Use your observations to help you write a letter to the performer(s). Remember, these artists are real people who want to know what BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE audiences think about their work. This letter is your opportunity to Before you attend the performance, make a list of what you already share your impressions with the people who created the art you just know about the following things: experienced.

1. Live Performances When starting your letter, be sure to use a greeting like “Dear 2. The Art Form [performer’s name].” Next, be sure to tell the performer(s) where and 3. The Artist(s) when you saw them. Every live performance is different, so it will help 4. Origin of the Art Form or Artist(s) them to know which show you are talking about. Then you can use the notes you took about the performance to share your experience with DURING THE PERFORMANCE the performer(s). At the end of your letter, be sure to include any other To help you organize your observations during the performance, information—about yourself or the performance you saw—that you consider the following: think the performer(s) would like to know. To finish the letter, include a closing like “Your fan” or “Thank you!” and then sign your name. Your I Notice... teacher or parent can help you find the best way to get your letter to I Feel... the performer! I Wonder...

Once the performance is done, write down your notes as soon as possible (either on the bus or back in the classroom) to help you remember your observations of the performance.

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Writing about Live Performance

TWO THUMBS UP: WRITING A REVIEW FOR PUBLICATION AFTER THE PERFORMANCE Primary Audience: Middle and High School Students After the performance has concluded—back in class, riding home on the bus, or back at home—think back on what you just saw; it’s like looking at BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE the performance in a rear-view mirror. Take the list of words and thoughts Imagine your local newspaper has asked you to write a review of the you wrote and compare it with the words you wrote beforehand. Now, event you are going to see: this will be your opportunity to write an remove all the words that came up twice. These words, the most obvious argument about your opinions and explain your reasoning. Reviewers ones that come to mind, are off limits (you can use synonyms), but the attempt to sort through the feelings they’re already having in advance of a remainders will help you remember how you felt about the performance. performance—not to put those feelings aside, but rather so that they are Take these less obvious words and expand upon them. In the first draft of aware of what effect pre-performance opinions may have on the review. your review get all of your ideas down on paper. Make sure to include your thoughts on the performance and how they may have changed, stayed Before the performance begins, answer the following questions: the same, or morphed into new feelings. Discuss any preconceptions you • What expectations do I have for the performance? may have had and how they changed or stayed the same after viewing the • Do I already have an opinion about what I will experience at the performance? (Additionally, consider the some of the Questions and Elements outlined in the performance. “Being an Audience Member” section of this guide.) When you’re ready to work on your second draft, read back through your DURING THE PERFORMANCE writing and try to identify the main idea of your review—what themes During the performance, take mental notes about the performance—the keep coming up? What is the tone? What do you ultimately feel about key is making a little note of something of interest while being aware of the the performance? Use that main idea to come up with a hook (a bold, entirety of the performance. As soon possible after the performance ends, attention-getting statement to set the review in motion and give your write down (using whatever paper or electronic device is handy) thoughts readers a sense of what’s to come). and words that come to mind related to the performance. Things to consider: Things to consider: Remember – this review will take a stance on the performance based on the ways • What is striking to me? you’ve interpreted the elements you considered before, during, and after the • Is it vastly different from what I thought it would be? show. Your teacher, parents, or friends (or a broader audience if you’re writing for a • Has the venue transformed into something else during the performance? How? newspaper) are very interested in your thoughts about the performance, and you can • Are there images or ideas popping into my head? What are they? pretend they’re on the fence about it—try and persuade them over to your side with • Is there something about the performance I may remember forever? What made it so? your views about the performance. Don’t be afraid to make strong statements—just • Is the audience quiet and drawn in to what is happening? Are they loud? be sure you can back up your argument with evidence you collected throughout the Are they interacting directly with the performers? performance! A cold, play-by-play of exactly what happened isn’t fun to read, and Are the performers directly interacting with the audience? it doesn’t let the readers, who likely didn’t get to see the same performance that you did, use their imaginations to tell the story and fill in some (but not all) of the blanks.

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Writing about Live Performance

THE SUN IS RED NOISE: POETRY ABOUT PERFORMANCE AFTER THE PERFORMANCE Primary audience: Elementary, Middle, High School Students Younger students: • Pick one thing that you heard or saw in the performance and try to In white pleated trousers, peering through green describe it in a new way to someone who wasn’t at the performance. sunshades, looking for the way the sun is red Use all five senses in your descriptions. Even if you didn’t smell noise, how locusts hiss to replicate the sun. something, what do you imagine the art could smell like? -Elizabeth Alexander, from “Stravinsky in LA”

The poem excerpted above and “Museum Piece,” the poem by Richard Older students: Wilbur at the beginning of this guide are examples of ekphrastic poetry. • For five minutes straight (time can be adapted based on age group), Ekphrastic poetry is written in response to a piece of art, theatrical write down everything you can remember about the performance you performance, writing, or music. The poem can be written about attended. Every detail that comes to mind is an important one. art, from the point of view of a character or the artist, or about the • Take at least three things that you remember and create an image experience of viewing/hearing the art. around each of them with using some of the tools in your poetry toolbox. BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE • Use one (or all) of these three images to start your poem about the • Think about the way you describe the music that you like to a friend. performance. If it made you feel a certain way (happy, angry, afraid, How would you describe your favorite song to someone who had alone, joyful), use words and images that match that mood to start never heard it? What kinds of words and images would you use to write a joyful How about to someone who could not hear? poem? A lonely one? • List the tools in your poetry toolbox (description, simile, metaphor, • Can you use repetition in the poem in the same way it was used in the and imagery) that will help you describe the art in new ways. music you heard? If you saw a play, can you use language that reflects what you heard? DURING THE PERFORMANCE • Imagine you are the artist who created/composed the work of art on Keep a record of: the day you were inspired to create it. What did you see, hear, smell, • Words and phrases that come to mind in response to performance. taste, touch, experience? Write a poem that takes us through that day, • Feelings you had about the art, the stage, the audience, the event. using the images you’ve crafted already. • Images (like colors, ideas, memories, smells) that came to mind while you were listening to the music. Special thanks to Catherine Calabro, Erin Mernoff, Jeremy Peters, David Riva, and Kati • Songs/images/ideas repeated throughout the performance. Shanks for their roles in developing this resource.

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About UMS

UMS EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

STAFF

KEN FISCHER UMS President

JIM LEIJA Director

ABIGAIL CHOI 2014-2015 Award winners with UMS staff and DTE Energy Intern Foundation President Faye Alexander Nelson.

SHANNON K. FITZSIMONS Campus Engagement Specialist One of the oldest performing arts presenters in the country, UMS is committed to connecting audiences ROB LUZYNSKI with performing artists from around the world in uncommon and engaging experiences. With a program Intern steeped in music, dance, and theater, UMS contributes to a vibrant cultural community by presenting approximately 60-75 performances and over 100 free educational activities each season. UMS also TERRI PARK commissions new work, sponsors artist residencies, and organizes collaborative projects with local, Education Coordinator national, and international partners.

MARY ROEDER Learning is core to UMS’s mission, and it is our joy to provide creative learning experiences for our entire Manager of community. Each season, we offer a fun and fascinating lineup of workshops, artist Q&As, conversations, Community Engagement and interactive experiences to draw you in and out of your comfort zone, connect you to interesting people and unexpected ideas, and bring you closer to the heart of the artistic experience. We exist to create a spark in people, young and old alike, exposing them to things they haven’t seen before, and leaving them with a lifelong passion for creativity and the performing arts.

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About UMS 2015-16 SCHOOL DAY PERFORMANCES

A Christmas Carol National Theatre of Scotland Thursday, December 17 // 12 noon Friday, December 18// 11am

Tanya Tagaq Tuesday, February 2 // 11am Tanya Tagaq Sphinx Competition Honors Concert Friday, February 5 // 12 noon

Black Girl-Linguistic Play Friday, February 12 // 11am

Nufonia Must Fall Nufonia by AJ Korkidakis Thursday, March 10 // 11am

Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán Friday, April 1 // 11 am

Zafir: Musical Winds from North Africa to Andalucía Friday, April 15 // 11am

Zafir, Simon Shaheen

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Thank You! CREDITS AND SPONSORS

RESEARCHED AND WRITTEN BY UMS YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPPORTERS: Jordan Miller Reflects donations to UMS education programs recognized at $1,000 or more, made between July 1, 2014 and May 1, 2015. EDITED BY Terri Park and Shannon K. Fitzsimons

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation University of Michigan

Barbara A. Anderson and John H. Romani Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C. Anonymous National Endowment for the Arts Arts Midwest Touring Fund M. Haskell and Jan Barney Newman Benard L. Maas Foundation New England Foundation for the Arts Bank of Ann Arbor Quincy and Rob Northrup Kathy Benton and Robert Brown Gilbert Omenn and Martha Darling Charles and Linda Borgsdorf PNC Foundation Dallas and Sharon Dort Prudence and Amnon Rosenthal K-12 Education DTE Energy Foundation Endowment Fund David and Jo-Anna Featherman Toyota Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation UMS Ambassadors Kathy and Tom Goldberg U-M Health System David and Phyllis Herzig Endowment Fund Ann and Clayton Wilhite Mardi Gras Fund

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