418 West Short Street What will you Lexington, KY 40507 discover? 859.254.4546 FAX.254.9512 2015-2016 Season Play Guide Dear Educator, Lexington Children’s Theatre is proud to be producing our 77th season of plays for young people and their families. As an organization that val- ues the arts and education, we have created this Play Guide for teachers to utilize in conjunction with seeing a play at LCT. Our Play Guides are designed to be On Tour Spring 2016 a valuable tool in two ways: helping you prepare your students for the en- On our Stage: January 26-29, riching performance given by LCT’s 10:00am & 11:45am performers, as well as serving as an educational tool for extending the Our Mission to Schools, Program Review production experience back into your Teachers and Students Information classroom. The mission of Lexington We designed each activity to assist in Children’s Theatre’s Educa- Not only does our pro- tion Department is to provide gramming align with achieving the Kentucky Core Content students of all ages with the KCC Standards, but this (KCC) and to integrate the arts with means to actively explore the Play Guide as a whole is your core curricular subjects. beauty, diversity, complexity aligned with the KY Arts and challenges of the world and Humanities Program Teachers are important voices at around them through the Review under the follow- LCT. We rely heavily on your input. If dramatic process. We strive ing demonstrators: you have comments or suggestions for young people to develop about our Play Guides, show selec- their own creative voice, their Demonstrator 2: a,c,d imagination and their under- tions or any of our programming, your Demonstrator 3: a,b,d standing of drama and its thoughts are greatly appreciated. role in society. Demonstrator 4: d Please respond to the Teacher Re- sponse form following a performance. We are thrilled that you rely on LCT to This play guide is sponsored by provide your students a quality the- atrical experience, and we hope this resource aids you in extending our production into your classroom.

LCT’s Education Department Play Synopsis Puss is a good for nothing cat – or so she is told. When it comes time for three brothers to divide their father’s estate, the eldest, Jacques gets the mill, Marc gets the and Henry, the youngest, is left the worthless cat. Puss sets out to prove herself to Henry and the rest of the world. She promises Henry that all his wishes will be fulfilled, if he believes in her. Without other options, Henry enters a part- nership with Puss. Puss’ first request: boots. The Cobbler gives them the boots and clothes when Puss and Henry promise to retrieve what the Cobbler is owed from the magical, tyrannical who makes all the people pay him patronage. Puss knows he must win the King’s favor to succeed. Puss catches a rabbit, the King’s favorite delicacy, and uses it to gain an audience with the King. Puss invites the King to his master’s (the Marquis of Calabas – a.k.a. Henry) estate. The King delightfully accepts. When Puss tells Henry of his success, Henry is horrified! He doesn’t have an estate! He is not a Marquis! What has Puss got them into? Puss tells Henry to trust him and go jump in the pond as the King’s carriage is headed their way. Henry even- tually agrees. The King happens upon Puss who is shouting that they’ve been robbed of the Marquis’ clothes. The King provides clothing and requests that the Marquis joins them on the journey to his estate. Puss runs ahead to get things ready… and figure out her plan. Puss must claim the Ogre’s villa for the Marquis. On the way, Puss convinces the farmers and the peasants to tell the King that all the land he sees belongs to the Marquis. When Puss arrives, the Ogre de- cides to eat Puss, but not before Puss tricks him into transforming into a bear and an elephant. Just as Puss is about to be eaten, she challeng- es the Ogre to transform into something small. The Ogre’s pride gets the best of him, and when he transforms into a mouse, Puss eats him! All is solved! The King arrives with Henry and the Princess and agrees to allow them to marry. Puss has proven herself to be a cunning cat and loyal friend. Your Role in the Play You may wish to have a discussion with your class about your upcoming LCT experience and their role as audience members. Remind your students that theatre can only exist with an audience. Your students’ energy and response directly affects the actors onstage. The quality of the performance depends as much on the audience as it does on each of the theatre professionals behind the scenes and onstage. Young audiences should know that watching live theatre is not like watching more forms of entertainment; they cannot pause or rewind us like a DVD, there are no commercials for bathroom breaks, nor can they turn up the volume to hear us if someone else is talking. Your students are encouraged to listen and watch the play intently, so that they may laugh and cheer for their favorite characters when it is appropriate. At the end of the play, applause is an opportunity for your students to thank the actors, while the actors are thanking you for the role they played as an audience. Before the Play ANIMAL ACTION! Puss is a cat played by a human with human qualities. Ask students to brainstorm a list of words that describe themselves: What are their talents? What makes them special? What do they like about themselves? Next, ask students to imagine themselves as an animal that could also fit their list of words. For example: Dog: Loyal, playful, loves food. Fish: Good swimmer, shimmery personality. Once students have identified their animal have them move around an open space as that animal. As you read the following text aloud, students will act out what you’re saying with their bodies. You can also come up with your own narrative ideas for your students to explore! “When I count to five you will become your animal. One, two, three, four, five! Now image your animal waking up from a long winters nap. They stretch their, paws or fins or claws up. They stretch them down. And suddenly you realize you are very hungry. You see food that you want! How does your animal get the food? Does it sneak up on it? Does is sniff it first? As I slowly count to five you are going to eat the food and be done on five. 1,2,3,4,5! Now you want to play! You look around the room. Are there other animals you want to play with? Are there animals you are scared of? Show me how you play!”

RHYME AWAY THE TIME Puss uses a rhyming song to tell the audience about parts of the play. Have students work in pairs to make up their own rhyme using a rhyming pattern. Here are some examples: AAA ABAB There once was a cat Roses are red Who was very fat Violets are blue And loved to sleep on a mat. It’s all in my head Rhyme Time But I love you!

Come up with lists of rhyming words with your students (cat, hat, fat, bat, mat, splat…) Finally have students write a short rhyme (1- 2 stanzas) about their day so far

KCC: WR-E-1.3, AH-E-3.1.41, AH-E-3.1.43 RE-THINK, RE-IMAGINE, RE-DISCOVER! Many of your students may be familiar with the 2011 Antonio Benderas movie . Talk with your students about different versions of stories, and how the play they are going to see is a different version than the movie. (For more information: see the article in this play guide.) Next, have students choose a favorite character. Challenge them to put that character in a new adventure by drawing a three panel comic strip with a beginning, middle and end. KCC: WR-EP 1.1.2, WR-EP 2.32 Your Confident Clothing COPY PAGE

Puss is not just a cat. She is a smart, clever, and trustworthy cat! She’s feels great in her fancy boots, vest and hat. What clothes make you feel great? Color in yourself wearing the outfit, costume, whatever that makes you feel confident and great about who you are! Tracing the Tail: Puss in Boots

Today when people think of Puss in Boots, many picture the spunky cat assassin from DreamWorks’ “ 2.” Although there are definitely some similarities between this Puss and the original fairytale, the storylines are completely different. In fact, “Puss in Boots” has been around for centuries before this movie. Puss, otherwise known as “Master Cat” or sometimes even “The Booted Cat,” was first created by Italian author Giovanni Francesco Straparola in the mid 1500’s. But Puss’ popu- larity came more than a hundred years later when in 1697 he was featured in ’s collection, Histoires ou contes du temps passé (“Stories or Fairy Tales from Past Times with Morals”). Other popular titles found in this collection include: “,” “, or The Little Glass Slipper,” and “The in the Wood.” In” The Master Cat, or, Puss in Boots”, Puss used his intelligence and skills in trickery to help his poor master gain fame and fortune. Puss in Boots is widely known as a cunning, quick-thinking cat. But the character hasn’t al- ways been portrayed this way. For instance, in Straparola’s piece Facetious Nights from 1553, Puss (who is actually a fairy disguised as a cat) takes pity on his master and offers to help him. Puss proceeds to assist his master by sucking up to the King of Bohemia in order to get closer to the royal family. After accomplishing this and acquainting his master with the King’s daughter (similarly to the story in the play) Puss does not really help acquire a house for his master, but comes across it by happy coincidence. The King of Bohemia dies, leaving the castle open to Puss’s master and his new wife. This differs from the play and Perrault’s stories significantly. In these versions, Puss is able to acquire a house for her/his master by using his cleverness to take advantage of others. Puss truly became the mischievous character that he is today through the influence of the Somade- va, a collection of Indian folk tales from the 11th century that contained many different types of stock characters, specifically the “helpful animals.” Inspired by these stories that highlighted different types of animals using trickery and riddles, Perrault was able to reinvent Puss’s character from be- ing a character that relies more on luck to assist his master, to an able-bodied cat who manipulates others using clever wordplay, just like she is in this play! In addition to the stage and screen, Puss in Boots also appears in the third act of Tchai- kovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty ballet as The White Cat. He has even made his way into an episode of Pokémon (though very loosely based on any of the actual “Puss in Boots” storyline) where a Meowth who wears boots saves the main character and his team of friends. Although there are are many different adaptations of this fairytale (even more than listed above!) the play is a wonderful culmination of pieces from each, with a few new elements added to keep it both modern and enter- taining! Extend the Experience A LESSON IN LYRICS Throughout the play, Puss sings her favorite song and adapts it to fit the situations around her. In this activity, students will take the song continuously sung by Puss and change the verse to fit situations in their classroom or surroundings, just like Puss does! The verse follows an ABAB rhyming pattern. Just like a haiku, each line should have a certain number of syllables: 10-8-8-8. Students can work in groups or you can create the song together as aVerse: class!

Chorus: A boy was left his father’s yellow cat. (10) Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-doo-dah-day He left his town to discover. (8) Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-da-aaay He brought the cat a silken hat (8) She whistled and sang ‘til the green woods rang (10) For he had dreams of a lover. (8) for she longed for a fine home to stay (9) KCC: WR-EP-2.3.2; WR-EP-1.1.2 FAIRY TALE WITH A TWIST Many different versions of Puss in Boots exist throughout time; in this activity, students will work together to re-imagine the story again, but with one important twist! Before having the students break into groups of 5-6, talk through the important plot points that mark the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Then, have students draw a surprise twist out of a bucket/bowl.

Twists can include a different setting (in NYC or the moon), a different time (in the Prehistoric era or 100 years in the future), or a change in character (instead of a cat, Puss is a horse or pig). Students will then create a 1-2 minute scene telling their new version of Puss in Boots. Give students approximately 10 minutes to discuss and rehearse their scene, ensuring that everyone has at least one line. KCC: EP-2.0.2; RD-EP-3.0.4; AH-EP-1.3.3

STORY SEQUENCING To reflect on the story we saw onstage, dis- cuss the beginning, middle, and end plot points in Puss in Boots. Have students break up into groups and assign them either beginning, middle, or end. Each group will then work together to create a frozen image of an important moment from their section of the play. After giving them approximately five min- utes to create, have the groups share their frozen images to the class. Ask the student audience if they can tell which event the group portrayed and where that event falls on the story line. After each group has shared their scene, try putting them in sequential order and see if they tell the entire story!

KCC: RD-EP-2.0.5; AH-EP-1.3.3

KCC: RD-EP-1.0.2

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ing) OGRE - ! Puss was ______. “That impressive, is but whata about ______?” The transformed ogre (family members) Have your students give words to fill blanks in the story. Feel free to do this activity as a this activity as Feel free to do blanks in the story. words to fill students give Have your for each segment choosing words and take turns partner up have your students class or out the story! before reading did himself and again, Puss pounced and gobbled him up! right demanded they give himportion of a their ______. He had magic himself animals. into Clever Puss methim asked and him prove it to and turn into a ______. He waiting for a ______to come so she could along catch and prepare ita into ______meal. THE Outin the kingdom lived a ______,______ogre. The oppressed ogre the subjects and PUSS MEETS THE KING thatNow Puss had her ______,she ready movewas to on with her plan. She that knew the King food,loved so she wanted to make him______meal. a She hid in the “I’m clothes. just ______not a cat,” she said. “I need ______to help me my on way!” Her friend got forit her, but it wasn’t enough. “These ______, are but I also need ______! Oh! a ______.” And “Is that ALL?” asked friend. her (verb GETTING CLOTHED Puss and friend her were ready to setoff ______, to first, but Puss needed some ______The next oldest, so that means I get______.” “What that does leave me the with?” said youngest. “Thatmeans get the ______.”you The others laughed. Little did anyone knowthat it was actually a ______, named Puss. MATTERS OF INHERITANCE Three______metdiscussto their inheritance.“I’m oldest, so get I the the ______!” “Well, I’m

COPY PAGE KCC: WR-EP-2.3.2; WR-EP-1.1.2 Suggested Reading

Puss in Boots by Charles Perault and Fred Marcellino The adventures of that rascal, Puss, and his master, the miller’s son, are portrayed in a lavish series of illustrations that range from sumptuous grandeur to comedy both boisterous and sly. The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault: Ten Short Stories for Children by Charles Perault Discover more of Charles Perault’s original fairy tales. Anansi and the Talking Melon by Eric Kimmel A clever spider tricks Elephant and some other animals into thinking the melon in which he is hid- ing can talk. Zomo the Rabbit: A Tale from West Africa by Gerald McDermott Zomo the rabbit, a trickster from West Africa, wants wisdom. But he must accomplish three ap- parently impossible tasks before Sky God will give him what he wants. Is he clever enough to do as Sky God asks? LCT Teaches in your School!

Let LCT’s professional artists bring their extensive experience into your classroom. An LCT residency pro- gram is designed to offer young people the opportunity to learn in a dynamic, fun and challenging way. LCT tailors a residency to the needs of your students, curriculum and budget. We offer residencies that range from a single visit to a month-long intensive program. • Performance Workshops - Two-week intensive unit culminating in a performance. LCT provides all scripts, costumes, props and scenery. • Empathy in Action - This residency is a week-long residency with a focus on anti-bullying and tolerance. • Playwriting - Students will work to develop their creative writing skills through an interactive writing program. • Science and Art - Students can explore a variety of scientific con- cepts using drama. Experience the wonders of nature, animals, bugs, weather, plants, recycling, or the rainforest through the use of roleplay, movement and .

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