Study Guide Show Synopsis It’s Alive! (And it’s Hilarious!) From the creators of the record-breaking Broadway sensation The Producers comes the monstrously mad musical, Young Franken- stein! Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced "Fronk-en-steen") reluctantly inherits his infamous family’s estate in Transylvania. Urged on by a hunchbacked sidekick, Igor (pronounced "Eye-gore"), and a leggy lab assistant, Inga (pronounced normally), Frederick finds himself fulfilling his grandfather’s corpse-raising legacy. This electrifying musical stage adaptation of Mel Brooks' brilliantly funny film will leave you in stitches!
Discussion Questions Before the Show After the Show
1. Have you ever seen a live play or musical be- 1. What was your favorite scene or score in fore? What is your favorite genre? Young Frankenstein? 2. What do you think Young Frankenstein is 2. Did any of the character's grow throughout about? Have you ever seen the film? Or any the show? If so, how? other Frankenstein movie? 3. Do you think the rhyming and repetition are 3. What is satire? Why is it used so often in important aspects for comedic effect in this plays or musicals? What is the significance? musical's story?
Theatre 101
Ever wondered how to put on a play? SOUND: Everything that you hear during a performance There are many different elements that go into putting a that does not come from actors.
show up on its feet. Please review these terms with your ACTORS: The actors are the people that perform the show students! onstage.
AUDIENCE: The lucky people that get to watch the show. PLAYWRIGHT: The playwright writes the script. New to being an audience member? Follow these rules and DIRECTOR: The director is in charge of orchestrating the you will be a natural! entirety of the production. They lead the actors, designers, and production crew to put the show on its feet. AUDIENCE RULES COSTUME: What the actors wear during the show. • Unlike a movie, the actors are performing in front of SCENERY: Everything on stage (except props) used to you. They can see everything that you do. Talking, sleep- represent the place at which action is occurring. ing, poking your neighbor, or making noise during the PROPS: All physical items on stage with the exception of performance distracts the actors and others around you. the scenery. This includes lamps, chairs, pens, paper, • Don’t bring electronics to the performance. The use of books, and more! cell phones, cameras, computers, tablets, and video LIGHTS: Stage lights illuminate the actors so that they game devices are not allowed. look their best. The colors used, focus of the light, and Use better judgement on when to laugh, clap, and/or cry amount of lighting can really set the mood and environ- • ment of a scene. during the performance. But don’t forget to clap at the end of the show! Group Activity: Act it Out
DIRECTIONS: Think about the ending of Young Frankenstein. Answer these questions as a group:
• How did it end?
• Did it end the way you wanted it to?
• Did you imagine it ending another way?
• How could it have ended differently? Re-write the last scene with an alternate ending.
Once you have re-written your scene, join up in small groups and share your “alternate ending”.
Choose your favorite alternate ending and cast the parts with the members of the group.
Practice acting out your alternate ending, then present it to the class!
Use the space below to outline or write your scene out!
Important vocab to keep in mind when writing a scene or play:
Blocking: An actor’s movement on stage.
Stage Directions: Written in parenthesis, the stage direction gives all the physical and emotional aspects to the play.
Dialogue: Two or more characters talking back and forth. Written with the character’s name followed by a colon for a play.
The 5 W’s: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. The Creators (Film): Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder
Mel Brooks, born June 28, 1926 was one of the brilliant minds behind the film Young Frankenstein. It was created in 1974. It was the winner of eleven awards and seven nominations including a Golden Scroll for Best Horror Film and a Golden Screen in Germany. Another one of his creations, The Producers was also a cult favorite, which was eventually adapted into a Broadway musical in 2001. He excelled in all aspects of the industry including writer, director, producer, and actor. He became known for his parodies and vulgar humor, and is one of the few entertainers to earn a EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony). He was named a Kennedy Center honoree in 2009 for his contributions to American Comedy and inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010. Recently, he voiced the character of Melephant Brooks in Toy Story 4.
\https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mel-Brooks#ref314398 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072431/awards?ref_=tt_awd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Brooks
Co-writer of Young Frankenstein, Gene Wilder along with Mel Brooks created a masterpiece that many critics deemed, “… one of the greatest comedies ever made”. Prior to Young Frankenstein, Gene Welder earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting Actor in The Produc- ers. He also starred in some memorable films such as Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory ,Woody Allen’s Everything You Always Know About Sex but Were Afraid to Ask, and several Broadway and Off– Broadway Productions . He continued to be a successful actor in the 80s and 90s, and won a Emmy Award in 2003 for his guest appearance in the sitcom Will & Grace. He also wrote a memoir and a few novels in his later years before he passed away in 2016. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gene-Wilder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Wilder The Playwrights : Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Mel Brooks– refer to previous page.
Thomas Meehan born August 14, 1929 was the librettist for Young Frankenstein along with Mel Brooks. The musical premiered on 2007 at the Hilton Theatre. The musical was a hit, and received Tony and Drama Desk Nominations in 2008, and a Grammy Nomination in 2009. Thomas Meehan was a very successful book writer in Broadway musical history. He is the only librettist to have written three Broadway shows that ran more than 2,000 performances each. Those shows are Annie (1977), The Producers (2001), and Hairspray (2002). Annie was his first Broadway show, which awarded him a Tony. He also wrote “Yma Dream” for the New Yorker, was am Emmy– winning television writer, and a collaborator on screenplays including the Producers and Spaceballs . In 2012, he had three productions running in one Broadway season, which were Annie, Elf, and Chaplin. He was the member of the Council of the Dramatists Guild until his death in 2017. http://www.playbill.com/article/thomas-meehan-tony-winning-writer-of-annie-dies-at-88 https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/bio/Thomas-Meehan/
Discussion
• How is the writing process different for a playwright than it is for a screenplay writer?
• Why might it be important to collaborate with the screenwriter of a film that is being adapted into a play or musical? Create Your Own Musical Score
Directions: In Young Frankenstein, there are moments where the characters broke out into song, which included the hayride and Frederick’s love for the brain. During the musical numbers, the actors used rhyming and repetition in order to achieve a comedic effect. Below, is a sample score from the musical. Have the students create a musical score about their favorite holiday or season. The score can be from between 15 to 20 lines. Remind them to try their best and to have fun!
FREDERICK CALL ME PASTEUR AND WATCH ME GET TEARY! SAY MADAMN CURIE, THAT WOULD BE THE BEST, CALL ME A RORSCHACH, I’M UP TO THE TEST I REALLY LIGHT UP WHEN YOU CALL ME EDISON CALL ME AN ERLICH , I LIKE THAT MAN’S MEDICINE CALL ME MARCORNI, THAT WIRELESS WOW CALL ME PAVLOV, AND I’LL BARK LIKE A CHOW WOOF CALL ME AN EINSTEIN AND THAT WOULD BE FINE IF YOU CALLED ME A TESLA I WOULDN’T DECLINE BUT TO CALL ME A FRANKENSTEIN WOULD BE INSANE. CAUSE I LOVE THE BRAIN!
LIKE THE SHOW? LET US KNOW!
Send letters or drawings to: Walnut Street Theatre ATTN: Education Department 825 Walnut St. Biography
Walnut Street Theatre has the unique distinction of being the oldest, continuously operating theatre in the English-speaking world, having served Philadelphia audiences for 211 years!
Due to the direction of Producing Artistic Director Bernard Havard, Walnut Street Theatre has been a self- producing, non-profit theatre company for over 30 seasons. Walnut Street Theatre continues to entertain and enlighten diverse audiences with high quality theatrical programming. With more than 50,000 subscribers, the Walnut is also the most-subscribed theatre company in the world!
Last season, 172,000 children and adults were impacted by the Walnut’s Education Programs, including our theatre school with classes for kids and adults, Camp Walnut, Our Touring Outreach Program to local schools, and our artist- in-residency programs.
Walnut Street Theatre Education Staff Additional Resources
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION TJ Sokso Walnut Street Theatre Education Department ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION Amanda Pasquini EDUCATION PROGRAMS ASSOCIATE Nate Golden https://walnutstreettheatre.org/education/ RESIDENT TEACHING ARTIST Ali Walker EDUCATION APPRENTICE Quanece Thompson Walnut Street Theatre Mainstage Productions ACTING APPRENTICES Sam Paley Andrew Mullin https://walnutstreettheatre.org/season/mainstage.php Oliver Feaster Jasonica Moore
Young Frankenstein Creative Team Sponsored By;
DIRECTOR Charles Abbott CHOREOGRAPHER Mary Jane Houdina MUSIC DIRECTOR Chris Burcheri BOOK Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan MUSIC/LYRICS Mel Brooks WALNUT STREET THEATRE Walnut Street TOURING OUTREACH Bring a show to your school! Theatre for Kids! Bring your kids to Walnut Street Theatre! Bob the Bully Buster Grades K-5 Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. Mean Girlz R Bullies Too Grades 5-8 Grace for President Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans Grades Pre K- 5 Junie B. Jones: The Musical No Easy Road to Freedom Grades 6-12 Nate the Great Open a dialogue with students about issues Tickets just $11-$13!
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