Teacher Resource Guide
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Teacher Resource Guide and Lesson Plan Activities Featuring general information about our production along with some creative activities which will help you make connections to your classroom curriculum, before and after the show. The production and accompanying activities address North Carolina Essential Standards in Theatre Arts, Goal A.1: Analyze literary texts and performances. Look for this symbol throughout the resource guide for other curriculum connections. About the Play Bored by her colorless surroundings, Coraline goes exploring through a magic door and gets trapped in a strange, unsettling parallel world. Get scared out of your wits with this creepy musical version of the popular fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman. About the Author Neil Gaiman was born in Hampshire, UK and got his start in writing as a journalist. His first graphic novel “Violent Cases” with artist Dave McKean was published when Gaiman was 26 and led to a series of graphic novels called “Black Orchid,” published by D.C. Comics. The ground- breaking series Sandman followed; the first comic ever to receive a literary award. Coraline was written in 2002. Originally considered “too frightening for children”, it won the British Science Fiction Award, the Hugo, the Nebula, the Bram Stoker, and the American Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla award. More about Neil Gaiman can be found on his website: www.neilgaiman.com. Coraline About the Playwright Based on the book by Neil Gaiman David Greenspan is an American author, playwright, director Book by David Greenspan and actor, based in New York. He holds a drama degree Music and Lyrics by Stephin Merritt from the University of California at Irvine and has received Directed by Mark Sutton six Obie awards over the course of his career, including one for sustained achievement. He’s directed and/or performed About Children’s Theatre of Charlotte in several of his own plays. In addition to adapting the script Founded in 1948, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte has of Coraline, Greenspan played the role of the Other Mother been opening young minds to the wonders of live theatre in the Off-Broadway production. for over half a century. Today it continues to be one of the most technically imaginative and resourceful theatres About the Composer & Lyricist in the country. Annually it reaches nearly 300,000 young Stephin Merritt is the principal singer-songwriter of the people and their families with multiple program areas: band The Magnetic Fields. He recorded and released the Mainstage productions, a professional Touring Company soundtracks to the films Eban and Charley and Pieces of April and a full scope of Education classes for both schools as well as the soundtrack to the Nickelodeon show The and the community. Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is Adventures of Pete & Pete. With a different band, the Gothic housed in ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center. Archies, Merritt wrote and recorded music for the The facility is shared with the Charlotte Mecklenburg audiobook series of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Library: www.cmlibrary.org. Unfortunate Events. Children’s Theatre of Charlotte • Teacher Resource Guide • www.ctcharlotte.org “When you’re scared but you still do it anyway, that’s brave.” - Coraline Coraline is a story about a young girl who upon moving into a new home discovers a door. She finds her way into the door which leads her to another world where she has an “other” family. In this other world, Coraline realizes that things are not as they seem and she can’t escape the other world until she saves her real parents. The story of Coraline crosses the genres of fantasy, horror and mystery and is considered by Kirkus Reviews to be “a magnificently creepy story… for stouthearted kids who love a brush with the sinister.” Female Protagonists in Cast of Characters Imaginary Worlds Coraline, a girl who moves with her family to a flat Mother, Coraline's mother Coraline is a female character who seeks Father, Coraline's father bravery while uncovering an imaginary Cat, a cat—he can talk (in the other flat) world. Compare and contrast Coraline to Miss Spink and the literary characters below: Miss Forcible, downstairs neighbors, former actresses, elderly Mr. Bobo, upstairs neighbor, circus background, East European Alice from Alice in Wonderland and Other Mother, a gruesome entity Through the Looking Glass Other Father, a thing made by Other Mother Other Miss Spink and Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz Other Miss Forcible, parodies made by Other Mother Other Mr. Bobo, parody made by Other Mother Lucy from The Lion, the Witch and the Policeman, a genial if understandably skeptical public servant Wardrobe Tall Girl, Winged Girl, Little Boy } children behind the mirror, souls discarded by Other Mother In each example, what is the “other Dogs, belonging to Miss Spink and Miss Forcible: Angus, Hamish, world”? Andrew, Jock and Bruce What does each character learn about Other Toys, inventions of Other Mother home? Other Dogs, parodies made by Other Mother, they can talk Explore the role of parents in each Rats, creatures of Other Mother- black, brown or gray story. Bats Mice, musicians in Mr. Bobo's mouse circus Who are the antagonists of each Musicians story? What do the antagonists have in common? What other stories mirror the style and structure of female protagonists Vocabulary Enrichment in imaginary worlds? “a house divided into flats”: a house transformed into several smaller apartments (flats) dreary: dull, boring, causing sadness or gloom trivialities: things that are not important irritate: to make someone impatient, annoyed or angry nefarious: evil, immoral, wicked thespian: a person involved in drama or acting sarcastic: sneering tone, using irony to mock or insult eccentric: unconventional, slightly strange or unique abandon: to leave or desert a person or thing exotic: mysteriously different or unusual fiendish: cruel, evil, unpleasant, difficult reassure: to restore confidence zaftig: slightly plump, a rounded figure ponder: to think about, reflect on vermin: small animals or insects that are unpleasant vague: not clear in meaning, not specific beldam: an evil, malicious woman clutches: in a grasp within the man’s clutches scullery: a room near the kitchen used for doing dishes or lure: to persuade someone to do something other messy tasks, often found in older houses Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy: SL.K-5.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple- meaning words and phrases. RL5.9: Compare and contrast stories in the same genre (e.g., mysteries and adventure stories) on their approaches to similar themes and topics. Children’s Theatre of Charlotte • Teacher Resource Guide • www.ctcharlotte.org Questions for Discussion from Harper Collins online reading guide 1. Describe Coraline. What kind of a person is she? How does she like to spend her time? 2. How is Coraline treated by her parents? Who are the other adults in Coraline's life and how do they treat her? What is the difference between how she is treated in the real world and the other world? 3. Before entering the other world, Coraline receives ominous warnings about her future. What are the warnings and from whom does she receive them? What do the messages mean? 4. When Coraline unlocks the door to the neighboring flat she knows she is doing something she is not supposed to, but she does it anyway. Why? What are the consequences? Have you ever done something you knew you were not supposed to? How did this make you feel? What were the consequences of your actions? 5. When Coraline discovers her parents are missing, she calls the police. What does she tell the officer? How does he respond? Why? How would you respond if you were the officer? Why? What would you have done if you were in Coraline's situation? 6. How does Coraline define bravery? In what ways does Coraline demonstrate bravery? What is your definition of bravery? 7. The other mother tells Coraline: "We're ready to love you and play with you and feed you and make your life more interesting." How is Coraline's life with her other family different from life with her real family? What does Coraline find appealing about life in the other world? What family would you choose? Why? 8. Coraline's other mother tells her that if she wants to stay in the other world there is one thing she must do. What is it? What effect will it have on her? 9. Why does the other mother want Coraline? What does the cat think about this? Why has she taken the other children and Coraline's parents? 10. Miss Spink and Miss Forcible give Coraline a special stone. Why? What does the stone look like? What special power does the stone have? How does Coraline use it? 11. What challenge does Coraline present to her other mother? What will happen if she loses? What will happen if she wins? What makes her think winning is possible? Do you think this challenge is wise? Why or why not? 12. Do the mirrors Coraline encounters in the real world and the other world reflect reality or illusion? How do you know? What is the significance of mirrors in Coraline? When Coraline finds her other father in the basement he tells her to flee. When she refuses he turns on her, and tries to harm her. How does Coraline respond? What happens as a result? 13. Coraline explains to the old man upstairs, "I don't want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if we just got everything we wanted? Just like that, and it didn't mean anything.