Guide compiled by Mera Kathryn Corlett Corlett Kathryn Mera by compiled Guide
About StoryTime Theatre In 1976, Paul Lenzi and Geraldine Ann each year featuring a different genre of story. Snyder became pioneers in theatre by creating With Fables, the company completes our series new plays written for young audiences. They covering all 6 of the oral storytelling genres. called themselves the Blue Apple Players. The 2012 — A Molly Whuppie Adventure company merged with Walden Theatre in 2016; (Folktales) together they create Commonwealth Theatre Center. The company continues to tour new 2013 — Native American Myths plays for young audiences and has expanded its 2014 — On the Trail of Daniel Boone reach by providing theatre education in school (Legends)
Teacher Guide & Lesson Plan Activities Plan Teacher& Guide Lesson classrooms and through our acting conservatory. 2015 — Rumpelstiltskin (Fairy Tales) StoryTime Theatre was developed by Blue Apple’s Education Department in 2012 as a way 2016 — SkyHigh Tales (Tall Tales) of introducing students to story genre. In the 2017 — Fables: Anything But Aesop spirit of the Blue Apple founders, the Outreach Department has created a new, original play 2 Meet the Cast Omicah House recently joined the staff as an Artistic Associate for the company, but has been seen in the previous musical tours of Three Pigs, Johnny Appleseed, The Boy Who Cried Wolf and Red Riding Hood. He received a BFA from Roosevelt University’s Chi- cago College of Performing Arts and has performed in Chicago, NYC, and now Louisville is where he calls home. Along with performing, Omicah is the Vice President of the Louisville Pride Foundation, which celebrates diversity and contributes to art and community organi- zations for youth. You may have seen him in other touring productions, performing around town, or teaching Blue Apple Outreach Programs at your school!
Paula O. Lockhart is excited to return to Commonwealth Theatre Center. In the fall Paula toured with Red Riding Hood: A Vaudeville Romp. She received her bachelor degrees in Theatre and Communication from Wesleyan College in Macon, Ga. She is currently com- pleting her MFA in Performance at the University of Louisville. In the past, she has directed at Macon Montessori and toured with UOfL’s Repertory Company. When she is not on- stage, Paula spends her time exploring Louisville, writing, and singing. Past credits include: Rose from Fences, Abuela from Bloodline Rumba, and Playwright in This Is Not The Play, Persephone/Semele from Polaroid Stories
Annie Smith began work with Blue Apple Players in 2000 as a cast member of touring musi- cals. Throughout her 15+ years with the company, she has performed lead roles in more than thirteen musicals, including the 2017 tour of Red Riding Hood. She has brought prior administrative & marketing experience from Dinsmore & Shohl Attorneys and top hotels in the area to lead special events, marketing, and other administrative areas. Annie volunteered for Walden’s Slant Culture Theatre Festival for the last two years in addition to time in sup- port of the school her young children attend. Annie is married to Corey Smith, a sound tech- nician she met through Blue Apple more than 14 years ago.
Tony Smith is very excited to be a part of this year’s StoryTime Theatre tour. He has toured with Commonwealth Theatre Center’s most recent musical tours of The Boy Who Cried Wolf and Johnny Appleseed. Tony has spent many years doing Theater for young audiences, working with companies such as Stage One, Derby Dinner Playhouse, and Ameri- can Family Theater in Philadelphia. He has also worked as a Director and Choreographer for various productions throughout the Louisville and Southern Indiana area. Tony also delves into the arts of Stand-up Comedy, Improv, and Aesthetic Bodybuilding. He hopes to spend as much time performing on Louisville stages as he can.
Mera Kathryn Corlett—Playwright/Director Mera Kathryn began her work at Blue Players as a member of the touring company in 2011. As an Artistic Associate for Commonwealth Theatre Center she serves an educator, director and playwright. This is the fourth script she has created for the company; previous plays include SkyHigh Tales, Rumpelstiltskin, and On the Trail of Daniel Boone. Mera Kathryn’s focus in the Outreach Department has primarily been programming that serves Early Childhood and Elementary age learners. In the Conservatory she has directed the past two Young Company productions: The Fighting Frogs Vs. Victoria Vanderbuilt and Pinocchio. Prior to CTC, she worked for Kentucky Shakespeare as a touring actor, work- shop facilitator, and lead teacher for Camp Shakespeare. Upon graduating Cum Laude from Hanover College with degrees in theatre and theology, she received the Henry C. Long Citation for Scholarship and General Excellence, the most distinguished award a female graduate can receive. 3 I’m Going On A Trip…
Designed for Pre-K and Kindergarten Classes Questions to For a fun phonemic awareness activity in your classroom, bring in a suitcase. Explain that the class is going on a trip Accompany and each of them must pack an item in the bag that begins with the same letter in their name. Have students draw their the Play item on a piece of paper and go around the circle letting each Recall: Gather Facts student put their drawing in the suitcase. To add a more advanced component bring in 4 bags. Each What was the play is going somewhere different: Brazil, China, Ghana and India. about ? Print off words with corresponding pictures. Each word must begin with the same letter of one of the countries. Have Interpret: Find Meaning students sort where each word should be packed. Why are fables told? Analyze: Take Things Apart What did we learn? W here in the World? Synthesize: Bring Things Designed for First Grade Classes Together The stories presented in Fables: Anything But Aesop How are the fables have origins from all around the world. In fact, many of the alike? fables from one country have similarities to fables in other cultures. Read Aesop’s story of the Lion and the Mouse Directly following the play, lead (page 10). Follow with the Elephants and the King of Mice a discussion using the questions found in the Panchatantra (page 11). Lead the students in a above. For older classes you discussion about the similarities of these two stories. Ex- can use the questions as writing plain that the fables are from two vastly different countries prompts. separated by geography. Introduce the four directions: North, South, East, West. Next, use the handout on page 5 to explore geography and show distance.
Character Traits in Fables Designed for 2nd grade classrooms
One common feature of the fable genre is trait is simply a part of a character’s personal- the lack of information regarding characters. ity. Discuss with your class the character traits Typically, the stories center around animals. that were used in the play Fables: Anything Often fables “use various animals in different But Aesop. Naturally the students may come ways to portray human strengths and weak- up with multiple words for the same character nesses in order to pass down wisdom from trait. Explain that these words are synonyms. one generation to the next” (Rosen). If the Next, use the Synonym Match-Up handout on fables include further description, it is one page 6. identifying trait (i.e. nosy, foolish, proud). A 4 Dissecting a Fable Designed for Third Grade Classes Fables are short, fictitious stories; they are used to teach a lesson. Often animals behave like human beings. Have students listen to or read other fables. There are selections of suggested fables on pages 8- 11. Next, use the headers below and list characteristics students find in the fables. The story has a The characters The story’s main The story has a The setting is not clear beginning, have general characters include simple and some- connected to a middle and end. names; i.e. Bear, animals that act times stated “moral certain place, time Boy, 1st Pig. like humans. of the story.” or culture.
Building a Fable Exploring Backwards Adaptation Designed for Forth Grade Classes Designed for Fifth Grade Classes In India, there is a popular book of fables For Fables: Anything But Aesop, the playwright called the Panchatantra. The Musical Donkey took three stories and adapted them into a play. and a couple of stories in this guide are just a Fables are short, simple narrative stories orally told few of several stories from the book. What or written in the third person. However, plays must differentiates The Panchatantra from Aesop’s be written in only dialogue—which is only the words collection of fables is that the entire book are the actors say. Therefore, to make the story into a stories within a story. The book centers around play, the narrative had to be adapted into a dia- a King who wishes to teach his sons how to logue. Have your students examine the original text govern. He gives the task to a servant who of Rabbit and Coyote (pg. 12) that the playwright ultimately decided he would create stories; adapted and the script selections provided on pages each story would end with a moral that would 13-14. Then, lead a discussion citing ways the play- teach a concept. wright incorporated her own ideas in the story. Use the above “Dissecting a Fables” activity Next, have your students explore adapting their own to identify important characteristics of fables stories. Break the class up into teams. Hand each with your class. Explain to your class that they group a story using the suggested fables on pages 8- will now create their own fables using the 11 (or stories you choose) and allow them time to elements they just discussed. But first, like read. Give the teams the following instructions. the King’s servant, they must choose a moral with which to center their story around. Give 1.) Act it out. After reading the story with some them a few examples such a “cheaters never classmates, decide who should play what part, win”, “actions speak louder than words”, or stand up on your feet and bring the story to life “when the going gets tough, the tough get using the Actor’s Tools. Actor’s Tools are body, voice, and imagination. No need for a script, just going”. They can use one of these example morals or invent their own. make it up as you go along, we also call this im- provisation. What do you think the characters Next pick 2-4 animals for characters. Remind would say? How might they feel? them that there should be little description of characters or setting. Use the organizer on 2.) After you’re finished acting it out, have your page 7 to develop the story’s events. group write down some of the things you heard. Try writing it down like the dialogue of a play. Lastly, students should write a narrative that Remember, the rule of playwriting is “show, don’t leads to their chosen fable moral. If time tell.” permits, you may want to invite students to read the stories aloud, clapping after each After each group is finished, invite students to one like a mini-performance. perform the plays for the class. 5 W here in the World?
United States Greece China India
Brazil Ghana North
West East
South
Use the map above and circle the correct answer.
1. Brazil is North / South of the United States of America.
2. China is North / South of India.
3. Brazil is East / West of Ghana.
4. Greece is East / West of the United State of America.
5. Ghana is North / South of China.
6. India is North / South of Brazil.
7. Greece is East / West of India.
6
Synonym Match-Up
Match the underlined word to its synonym.
The Joyful Monkey
Sneaky
The Foolish Dragon
Pretty
The Smart Elephant
Intelligent
The Chatty Parrot
Fast
The Cunning Snake
Happy
The Fierce Lion
Silly
The Beautiful Butterfly
Talkative
The Responsible Turtle
Brave
The Hasty Rabbit
Reliable 7
Building A Fable
Use the boxes below to organize the events of your fable Beginning
Middle
End
Moral: ______8
The Tortoise and the Geese A Story from The Panchatantra Found on visiteveryday.blogspot.com
nce upon a time a tortoise lived near a pond. Two geese used to come O and drink water in the pond. The tortoise was a talkative fellow who told many lively tales. Sadly, after few years a drought happened in that place and it lasted for several months. The water in the pond started to dry.
One of the geese suggested moving to the mountains where there was plenty of water. “But you can’t leave me behind!” said the Tortoise. “I need water, too! Take me with you!”
The Tortoise begged so hard not to be left behind that the Geese finally said, "Dear Friend, if you will promise not to speak a word on the journey, we will take you with us. But know beforehand, that if you open your mouth to say one single word, you will be in instant danger."
"Have no fear," replied the Tortoise, “I will be silent. I would rather never open my mouth again than be left to die alone here in the dried-up pond."
So the Geese brought a stick and told the Tortoise to grasp it firmly in the middle by his mouth. Then they took hold of either end and flew off with him. They had gone several miles in safety, when their course lay over a village. As the country people saw this curious sight of a Tortoise being carried by two Geese, they began to laugh and cry out, "Oh, did you ever see such a funny sight in all your life!" And they laughed loud and long.
“How dare you laugh at me!” said the Tortoise. But of course when he opened his mouth to say this, he lost his grip on the stick. Down he fell to Earth, as the geese went on to the mountains.
MORAL: Think before you act. 9 The Miller, His Son, and Their Donkey A Story from Aesop’s Fables Found in Fifty Stories for 5 Year Olds Edited by Marie Greenwood
ne day a miller and his son were taking their donkey to the market to O sell him. On the road they met some girls who were laughing and chattering.“Why are they walking along this dusty road when they could ride?” “They are right,” said the miller, “so up you get, my son, and I’ll walk by your side.”
Presently they met some old friends, so they stopped to talk.“You should be riding on that donkey,” they told him, “not tiring yourself out. Your son is a real lazybones. Make him walk. It will do him good.” So the miller changed places with his son whose legs soon became tired.
They had not gone far when they met a large band of women and children. The miller was startled when they began to scold him. “What a selfish fellow you are,” they cried. “Fancy riding along so comfortably and making your poor little boy trudge behind you! Can’t you see that he is tired out?” The miller at once lifted the boy up and they rode on together.
After a time they came across a band of travelers. “Is that your donkey?” they asked the miller, “Or have you borrowed it from a friend. “It belongs to me,” the miller replied. “I’m taking him to the market to sell.” “Goodness gracious,” they said, “the poor thing will be worn out by carrying the two of you and nobody will want to buy it. You’d better carry it the rest of the way.” “We’ll try that,” said the miller. “Thank you for your good advice!” They got off the donkey and tied his legs together with a rope. Then they slung him on a pole and carried him into the town.
When the townsfolk saw the miller and his son struggling to carry the donkey they burst out laughing. “How ridiculous! Whoever heard of carrying a donkey!” they called. There was so much noise that the poor donkey twisted and broke the ropes round his legs. He rushed through the streets and out of the town and was never seen again.
“I did what everybody told me,” the miller said sadly as he went home, “and in the end I lost my poor donkey. I wish I’d stayed at home!”
MORAL: If you try to please everyone, you will please no one. 10 The Lion And The Mouse A Story from Aesop Found on storyarts.org
small mouse crept up to a sleeping lion. The mouse admired the A lion's ears, his long whiskers and his great mane. "Since he's sleeping," thought the mouse, "he'll never suspect I'm here!"
With that, the little mouse climbed up onto the lion's tail, ran across its back, slid down its leg and jumped off of its paw. The lion awoke and quickly caught the mouse between its claws.
"Please," said the mouse, "let me go and I'll come back and help you someday."
The lion laughed, "You are so small! How could ever help me?"
The lion laughed so hard he had to hold his belly! The mouse jumped to freedom and ran until she was far, far away.
The next day, two hunters came to the jungle. They went to the lion's lair. They set a huge rope snare. When the lion came home that night, he stepped into the trap.
He roared! He wept! But he couldn't pull himself free.
The mouse heard the lion's pitiful roar and came back to help him.
The mouse eyed the trap and noticed the one thick rope that held it together. She began nibbling and nibbling until the rope broke. The lion was able to shake off the other ropes that held him tight. He stood up free again!
The lion turned to the mouse and said, "Dear friend, I was foolish to ridicule you for being small. You helped me by saving my life after all!"
MORAL: A kindness, no matter how small, is never wasted. 11 The Little Mice And The Big Elephants A Story from The Panchatantra Found on culturalindia.net
nce upon a time, a village was ruined by a strong earthquake. The O houses and roads got totally damaged. The village was shattered on the whole. Due to this, the villagers were forced to leave their houses and settle somewhere else. Finding the place vacant, the mice began to live in the ruined houses. Soon their number grew into hundreds and thousands.
There was a big lake located near the ruined village. A herd of elephants used to visit the lake for drinking water. On their way to the lake, the elephants crushed hundreds of mice daily under their heavy feet. The problem was getting bigger and bigger day by day.
The King of Mice met the King Elephant and asked, “Sir, we live in the ruins of the village, but every time when your herd crosses the village, thousands of my subjects get crushed under the colossal feet of your herd. Kindly change your route. We promise to help you in the hour of your need, if you do this for us.”
The King Elephant laughed on hearing this and replied, “You mice are very small to be of any help to giants like us. But it doesn’t matter, we would favor you by changing our route to reach the lake and making you safer”. The King of Mice thanked the King Elephant and returned home.
One day a group of elephant-hunters came and trapped the group of elephants in huge strong nets. The elephants struggled hard to free themselves, but all in vain. Suddenly, the King Elephant remembered the promise of the King of Mice. He summoned one of the elephants of his herd which had not been trapped, to go and contact the King of Mice.
On listening to the elephant, the King of Mice immediately took his entire group of mice to rescue the herd. He found the elephants trapped in a thick net. The mice set themselves on the task. They nibbled the thick net at thousands of spots making it loose. The elephants broke the loose net and got free. They were grateful to the mice for their great help and became friends for ever.
MORAL: Sometimes a weak looking person may prove stronger than others. 12 The Rabbit And The Coyote A Fable from Brazil Found on worldoftales.com
his is a story of Uncle Rabbit and the coyote. The rabbit came to a big rock, and there he deceived the coyote. He was leaning on the rock T when the coyote came by.
"What are you doing, brother?" the coyote asked the rabbit.
"Come here quickly, brother, the sky is falling down on top of us. Lean against the rock and hold it up while I go for a stick. We'll prop it up with that," said the rabbit to the coyote.
"All right," said the coyote and began holding it up with all his might. Since the coyote was so stupid, he did exactly what the rabbit told him to. The rabbit had said that he was going to get a stick, but he went and left the coyote holding up the rock. When the rabbit didn't return the coyote shouted:
"Come back, brother! The weight of the rock has made me tired."
The rabbit still didn't come back.
"No matter, I'm going to leave even though the sky may fall down on top of us," said the coyote. But when he ran away he fell into a ravine. The rabbit never came back to the rock and the coyote was lost.
MORAL: Don’t believe everything you hear. 13 The Rabbit And The Coyote Except from Fables: Anything But Aesop *Used with special permission from playwright Mera Kathryn Corlett*
ARCHIE (Cont.) In the middle of the Cerrado (Say-ra-du) there lived a coelho (“quay-yo”), a rabbit. She was very clever. (RABBIT enters.) Also living in the Cerrado was a coyote. He was very foolish. (COYOTE enters.) The coyote was so gullible that he would believe any- thing that Rabbit told him.
RABBIT The sky is falling! The sky is falling!!
COYOTE Where?
RABBIT All around us. Rapidamente, quickly, hide under this very heavy bolder.
COYOTE Under it?
RABBIT Just lift it up over your head for protection. I will go find us a stick to prop it up.
COYOTE Okay. (He lifts the boulder over his head. It is very heavy and he wavers back and forth.) Have you found the stick yet?
RABBIT Not yet. Just hold on to that boulder, por favor. 14
The Rabbit And The Coyote Except from Fables: Anything But Aesop *Used with special permission from playwright Mera Kathryn Corlett*
COYOTE How about now?
RABBIT Still looking.
(RABBIT walks off stage.)
COYOTE How about now, Rabbit? Rabbit? Rabbit?
(COYOTE peeks his head out and looks up to check sky. He double checks and throws the boulder away.) RABBIT!!!! 15
Special thanks to: The Shubert Foundation, Mera Cossey Corlett & Kevin Corlett, Paul Lenzi & Geraldine Anne Snyder, Clay Marshall, Communities in Schools of Clark County, Laura Patterson and the Stagecraft Class at Walden Theatre Conservatory!
Sources Fable Genre: "Definition of fable." Merriam-Webster's Student Dictionary. Web. Rosen, Suri. How to tell a fable. St. Catharines, Ont.: Crabtree Pub., 2012. Print.
Fables that appear in play: Greenwood, Marie, and Annabel Spenceley. "The Dragon and The Monkey.” Fifty Stories for 7 Year Olds. New York: Gallery, 1990. "The Monkey and the Crocodile." Long Long Time Ago. 01 Nov. 2014. Web. "The Musical Donkey." Tales of Panchatantra. Web. "The Rabbit and The Coyote." South American folktales - The Rabbit and The Coyote. Ed. Elsie Spicer Eells. N.p., n.d. Web. "The Wisdom of the Eagle and the Treachery of the Hyena." Fairy Tales Of The World. Ed. Frans Timmermans. Web.
Fables that appear in guide: Dutton, Maude Barrows, comp. The tortoise and the geese: and other fables of Bidpai. Chapel Hill, NC: Yesterday's Classics, 2008. Print. Greenwood, Marie, and Annabel Spenceley. "The Miller, His Son and Their Donkey."Fifty Stories for 5 Year Olds. New York: Gallery, 1988. "The Lion and the Mouse." Story Arts Aesop's ABC. Web. "The Little Mice and the Big Elephants." Cultural India. Web.
Panchatantra: "Animal Tales Travel Around the World." Asia Society. Web. "Background of Panchatantra: Summary, Origin & Influence." Tales of Panchatantra. Web.
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