The Wizard of Oz June 10-12, 2016 The Wizard of Oz Educational Materials OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE Y OUNG COMPANY S y n o p s i s A powerful cyclone whips through the Kansas prairie and a young girl, Dorothy, can’ get to the THIS ISSUE storm cellar in time. She scoops up her little black terrier, Toto and the two of them take an CONTAINS: unlikely journey to magical land. As her house finally stops spinning it lands on the wicked Synopsis witch of the East, Lucinda! Dorothy finds herself in the land of Oz—being hailed by the Munch- About the Author kins for saving them from the Wicked Witch — a pretty bewildering experience for a little girl from Kansas. Taking the advice of Malinda, the good witch of the North, Dorothy and Toto Theatre Vocabulary bravely set out on the Yellow Brick Road to find a way back home. They soon meet three noble words friends: the Scarecrow seeking brains, the Cowardly Lion who wants courage and the Tin Oz in the popular Woodman who desires a heart above everything. After a close call in the field of the deadly culture poppy flowers, the little band reaches the throne room of the great Wizard in the Emerald City. The definition of a The Wizard will only help Dorothy and her friends if they will travel to the West and retrieve a Munchkin magical golden cap from the wicked witch of the West, Belinda. By a lucky turn of events—and Curriculum Corner with help from some new friends and even the winged monkeys—the travelers return to the After the show Emerald City with the magical cap hoping to receive their rewards. Dorothy and her friends learn that the great Wizard is not what they expected and the good witch of the South, Glinda, reveals that the power to return to her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry in Kansas was within her power all the time. The Scarecrow is given “bran” new brains, the Cow- Educational Materials ardly Lion finds courage inside himself and the Tin Woodman receives his heart and his for The Wizard of Oz are provided through a heart’s desire. Dorothy waves goodbye to her new friends and with a wave of Glinda’s wand grant from the and three clicks of her heels, the little girl from Kansas and her dog, Toto, finally find them- Worthington Family selves home. Foundation. We thank them for their support. About the author Born in New York in 1856, L. Frank Baum had his first best-selling children's book with 1899's Father Goose, His Book. The following year, Baum scored an even big- ger hit with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and went on to write 13 more Oz books before his death in 1919. His stories have formed the basis for such popular films as The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). P a g e 2 The Wizard of Oz GLOSSARY OF THEATRE TERMS Act: 1) The process of per- Auditions: Tryouts held for Backstage: The area out of forming as a character. 2) actors who want to per- view of the audience that A main section of a play. form in a show. Actors include the wings and auditioning for a musical dressing rooms as well as Actor: A person who per- may be asked to sing and the lounge area or “green forms as a character in a read a particular charac- room.” play or musical. ter’s lines from a scene as Blocking: The actors’ Antagonist: The opponent well as learn a short dance movement in a play or to the protagonist (or hero) sequence. musical, not including the of the story. An antagonist Author: A writer of a play choreography. The may sometimes be called or musical, which is also director usually assigns the “villain.” known as a playwright. A blocking during rehearsals. Audience: The people who musical’s authors include From the 1900 publication of gather to watch the perfor- the book writer, the com- The Wizard of Oz mance. The audience sits poser and the lyricist. W.W. Denslow, Illustrator in the house. “More studies are Break a leg: A wish of Cast: 1) noun The perform- in the script. An actor may finding what we “good luck” in the theatre, ers in a show, “We have a play many characters in the which comes from a super- great cast.” 2) verb The act same play. already know in our stition that saying “good of the selection of an actor Choreographer: A person hearts—the arts luck” is actually bad luck! for a play, “I hope I get cast who creates the dance in the next play.” DO make a positive Broadway: The theatre numbers in a musical or impact on our district in New York City Character: A human (or combat sequences in an youth! that is home to 40 profes- animal) represented in a adventure story. sional theatres and one of play. Each actor plays a Individually. Climax: The height of the the world’s great capitals of character, even if that char- Socially. dramatic action in a play. live theatre. acter doesn’t have a name Academically.” Company: All of the people Curtain Call: The entrance Dialogue: A conversation who make a show happen: of the company at the end between two or more char- actors, musicians, creative of the show to bow and acters. team, crew, producers, etc. acknowledge the audi- Diction: The articulation, or ence’s applause. Crew: A team of people who clearness of speech, while move scenery, operate lights Designers: The people who delivering one’s lines. Also and sound, handle props or create the sets, costumes, known as “enunciation.” work backstage during a lighting and sound for a production. production. From the 1900 publication of The Wizard of Oz P a g e 3 Director: A person who provides the artistic vision, coordinates the Entrance: When a character steps creative elements and stages the onto the stage from the wings or play. other offstage area. Dress Rehearsal: A run-through of Exit: When a character leaves the the show that includes costumes, stage. props and technical elements. Follow Spot: Large, movable light at Ensemble: 1) A group of people the back of the house that follows who work together to create a an actor as he or she crosses the show. 2) The chorus, or members stage. Also called a spotlight. of the cast other than the leads. From the 1900 publication of The Wizard of Oz Front of House: Any part of this break is called “the In- Matinee: A performance of a the theatre that is open to terval.” show held during the day. “Independent the audience, including the License: Permission, or the Mic: Short for “microphone,” studies show box office, lobby, restrooms rights, to produce a play in a device that electronically and concession area. increased years of exchange for a fee which amplifies the voices of the Improvisation: When an covers script copies and roy- actors. enrollment in arts actor performs something alties for the authors. courses are Monologue: A large block of not written in a script. Light Board: A computerized lines spoken by a single char- positively correlated Intermission: A break be- board that controls all of the acter. When spoken alone with higher SAT tween acts when the audi- theatrical lights for a show. onstage or directly to an audi- ence gets a snack or uses the ence, a monologue reveals the verbal and math Lines: The dialogue spoken restroom while the company inner thoughts of a character. by the actors. scores.” changes the set and cos- tumes. In European theatres Offstage: Any area out of formed live on a stage. A musi- which means that each group that presents a show will view of the audience. cal is one kind of play. have a unique production. Onstage: Anything on the Plot: The chain of events that Program: A booklet that lists the entire company of a stage and within view of the occur during the play. production and may include other information about the audience is said to be on- play. Producer: The person in charge stage. of a production who oversees Prop: Anything an actor holds or carries during a play. Pantomime: To act some- budget, calendar, marketing Short for “property.” thing out without words. and the hiring of the creative Proscenium: A type of theatre in team, cast and crew. Performance: 1) A single which a large frame, or arch, showing of a production. 2) Production: This term refers to divides the stage from the An actor’s interpretation of a everything about a show on- house. character in front of an audi- stage and off, every given night Protagonist: The main character ence. of the run. A production in- or hero of a story. cludes the performing and Play: A type of dramatic technical aspects of the show, writing meant to be per- From the 1900 publication of The Wizard of Oz P a g e 4 The Wizard of Oz GLOSSARY OF THEATRE TERMS, cont. Raked Stage: A stage that is raised Script: 1) The written words that Setting: The location, environment slightly upstage so it slants towards make up a show, including dia- and time period of a play. the audience. logue, stage directions and lyrics. Sound Board: An electronic board 2) The book that contains those Rehearsal: A meeting during which or computer that controls the words. the cast learns and practices the mics, sound cues and any other show.