Guide compiled by Mera Kathryn Corlett Corlett Kathryn by Mera 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 ActivitiesTeacher & 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.