Photo courtesy Photo courtesy of Fictionville Studio
FEATHERS OF FIRE: A PERSIAN EPIC
Applause Series Curriculum Guide April 12-13, 2018 Dear Teachers,
Thank you for joining us for GUIDE CONTENTS the Applause Series presentation of Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic. In About the Applause Series addition the setting out to Page 3 create arguably the most complex shadow play ever, Going to the Theater and Feathers of Fire creator Theater Etiquette Hamid Rahmanian was Page 4 inspired to bring new life to this classic Persian tale to Civic Center Field Trip broaden people’s horizons Information for Teachers and understanding of the rich Page 5 cultural history of his homeland, Iran. We hope About the Performance that this ancient adventure Image: Kingorama.com Page 6 tale, its incredible interplay of science and art, and its stirring musical score, fill your students with awe and appreciation for The Story and Characters history, literacy and the human creative spirit. Page 7
We hope that this study guide helps you connect the performance About the Artists to your classroom curriculum in ways that you find valuable. In Page 8 the following pages, you will find contextual information about the performance and Context: Shahnameh & Ferdowsi related subjects, as well as a wide variety of discussion questions Page 9 and activities. As such, we hope that you are able to “pick and choose” material and ideas from the study guide to meet your Pre-Show Exploration class’s unique needs. Pages 10
See you at the theater, Post-show Reflection and Extension Des Moines Performing Arts Education Team Pages 11-12
Resources and Sources Page 13
Support for Des Moines Performing Arts education programs and the Applause Series is provided by:
American Enterprise Group, Arts Midwest, Bradford and Sally Austin, Bravo Greater Des Moines, Clive Community Foundation, The Coons Foundation, DuPont Pioneer, EMC Insurance Companies, Ernest & Florence Sargent Family Foundation, Gannett Foundation/The Des Moines Register, Hy-Vee, Inc., Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, John Deere, Judith A. Lindquist Scholarship Fund, Maytag Family Foundation, Richard and Deborah McConnell, Nationwide, Polk County, Prairie Meadows, Principal, U.S. Bank, Union Pacific Foundation, Wells Fargo & Co., West Bancorporation Foundation, Windsor Charitable Foundation, and more than 300 individual donors.
This study guide was compiled and written by Sara Perez and edited by Karoline Myers. Adapted in part by curriculum materials by Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 2 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide ABOUT THE APPLAUSE SERIES
TAKE THOUSANDS OF IOWA STUDENTS OUT OF ABOUT DES MOINES THEIR CLASSROOMS, PLACE THEM IN A THEATER, PERFORMING ARTS SPRINKLE THE STAGE WITH WORLD-CLASS PERFORMERS, AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE? A Des Moines Performing Arts is RECIPE FOR LEARNING THAT REACHES NEW central Iowa’s premier not-for-profit performing arts LEVELS OF POSSIBILITY—FOR STUDENTS AND organization. TEACHERS. More than 300,000 guests attend WE CALL IT THE APPLAUSE SERIES. performances and events in our four venues each year: Civic Center, 2744 seats BRINGING ARTS TICKET TO Stoner Theater, 200 seats EDUCATION TO LIFE IMAGINATION Temple Theater, 299 seats The Applause Series is a flagship The Applause Series annually Cowles Commons education program of Des Moines delivers 60 age-appropriate (outdoor plaza) Performing Arts. Since its launch performances for pre-school to in 1996, more than a half million high school students. The impact Guests experience a wide variety students and teachers have stretches far beyond the Des of art forms and cultural activities, attended school-time Moines metro, reaching schools in with presentations ranging from performances as part of the over 35 Iowa counties. The Broadway, comedy, professional series. You are joining us for the theater becomes the classroom. dance, to family programming. 22nd season of school One-hour matinees energize performances! students to imagine new ways of Des Moines Performing Arts creative expression, cultural education programs serve more MAKING A DIFFERENCE diversity and even career than 75,000 Iowans annually. Each year, more than 55,000 opportunities. students and teachers attend an Programs for schools, such as the Applause Series performance. BEYOND THE STAGE Applause Series and teacher The actual cost per person is $8, For many Applause Series professional development, help but thanks to the caring performances, we offer the enliven students’ learning. Public contributions of donors, schools opportunity for schools to go education programs such as pay just $1 per ticket. By deeper by exploring an art form or master classes, workshops, Q&A removing the financial barriers to theme that connects with what is sessions and summer camps participation, donors introduce a seen on stage. Invite a allow audience members and whole new generation to the professional teaching artist into aspiring artists to make power of arts in action. That the classroom or visit another meaningful and personal means stronger schools and cultural destination in Des Moines connections to the art they communities now and in the to help students make more experience on our stages. future. meaning of a piece of theater.
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 3 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide GOING TO THE THEATER
ATTENDING A LIVE PERFORMANCE IS A UNIQUE THEATER ETIQUETTE AND EXCITING OPPORTUNITY! UNLIKE THE CHECKLIST PASSIVE EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING A MOVIE, AUDIENCE MEMBERS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE Do not bring food, drinks or IN EVERY LIVE PERFORMANCE. chewing gum into the theater. The use of cameras and REMEMBER…. WHAT ROLE WILL YOU PLAY? recording devices are not THE THEATER IS permitted. DESIGNED TO Turn off and put away cell MAGNIFY SOUND. phones and other electronics YOUR ROLE AS AN EVEN WHISPERS before the performance begins. AUDIENCE MEMBER CAN BE HEARD! Do not text during the performance. Artists on stage are very aware of the mood and level of engagement of the audience. As such, each Respect the theater. Keep your performance calls for a different response from audience feet off of the seats and avoid members. bouncing up and down.
As you experience the performance, consider the following questions: When the house lights dim, the performance is about to begin. Please stop talking at this time. What kind of live performance is this (a musical, dance, or concert)? Talk only before and after the What is the mood of the performance? Is the subject matter serious performance. or lighthearted? Use the restroom before the What is the mood of the artists? Are they happy and smiling or performance or wait until the somber and reserved? end. Are the artists encouraging the audience to clap to the music, move to Remember that this is a special the beat, or participate in some other way? experience. The artists are Are there natural breaks in the performance where creating something just for you. applause seems appropriate? Appropriate responses such as laughing and applauding are appreciated. Pay attention to DID YOU KNOW? the artists — they will let you know what is appropriate. ALTHOUGH NOT REQUIRED, SOME PEOPLE ENJOY DRESSING UP WHEN Open your eyes, ears, mind, THEY ATTEND THE THEATER. and heart to the entire experience. Enjoy yourself!
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 4 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide CIVIC CENTER FIELD TRIP INFORMATION
WE WANT YOUR FIELD DIRECTIONS/PARKING ARRIVAL/SEATING TRIP TO BE SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL! The Des Moines Civic Center is An usher will greet you at the located at 221 Walnut Street, door and ask for your school Des Moines, Iowa. name. PLEASE READ BELOW FOR IMPORTANT TIPS Directions from I-235: take Exit Adults will be asked to show 8A (Downtown Exits) and the proper identification (such as AND DETAILS TO ramp toward 3rd St and 2nd Ave. rd school IDs or visitor badges as ENSURE A GREAT DAY. Turn onto 3 Street and head applicable) at the door. south.
GET ORGANIZED Each group will be assigned a Police officers stationed at the specific location in the theater
corner of 3rd & Locust Streets based on various factors. An Double-check that all students, will direct buses to reserved usher will escort you to your teachers, and chaperones were street parking near the Civic section. included in your ticket order. Center. Request an adjustment if your Your school may be seated in numbers have increased. We Buses are not allowed to drop multiple rows. Adults should want to make sure we have groups off in front of the position themselves throughout enough seats for you! theater. Contact us in advance the group. if there is a special Tickets are not issued. Bring a circumstance. Allow ushers to seat your copy of your invoice, which will entire group before serve as your group’s “ticket”. Buses remain parked for the rearranging student seats or
duration of the show. Drivers taking groups to the restroom. Schedule arrival for 30 minutes must be available to move the prior to the start of the bus immediately following the This helps us seat efficiently performance. This allows time performance. and better start the show on to park, cross streets, find your time. seats, and go to the restroom. Personal vehicles are responsible for securing their IN THE THEATER Let drivers know that Applause own parking on a nearby street
performances are approximately or in a downtown parking ramp. 60 minutes, unless otherwise Adults are asked to handle noted. any disruptive behavior in their group. If the behavior Remind chaperones that persists, an usher may QUESTIONS? request your group to exit the children under the age of three We are happy to help! are not permitted in the theater theater. for Applause Series events. Please contact us at: Please wait for your group to be [email protected] dismissed by DMPA staff prior 515.246.2355 to exiting the theater.
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 5 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE Photo courtesy Photo courtesy of Fictionville Studio
Fantastic! One of the greatest epics of all time and my favorite "Shahnameh" brought to life in a spectacular fashion by Hamid Rahmanian with shadow puppets design and cinematic wizardry." - Francis Ford Coppola
Feathers of Fire transforms the ancient method of shadow theatre into a modern, visually stunning live production. The actors do not appear on stage, but instead are behind a screen wearing 3-D costumes, manipulating puppets, and standing in front of lights. Using over 160 puppets, color gels, video projectors, three dimensional masks, wooden and paper cut-outs, animations and sound, the production is a complex and beautiful retelling of Zaul and One goal of the production is to Rudabeh’s epic love story — both invite American audiences into the a thousand years old and entirely rich history of Iran’s people and new. mythologies in order to broaden appreciation of this part of the world.
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 6 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide THE STORY AND CHARACTERS
Saum is a great knight who is Zaul is the white-haired son of Rudabeh is the daughter of King loyal to King Manuchehr. He is the Saum who is raised by the Mehrab, the enemy of King father of Zaul. He abandons his Simorgh after his father abandons Manuchehr. She falls in love with son in the forest, but returns to him. When he returns to the king’s Zaul, but their love is forbidden find him when he hears rumors of court, he is celebrated as a strong because his father serves King his greatness. young warrior. He falls in love with Manuchehr. Rudabeh, but their love is forbidden because her father is King Manuchehr’s enemy.
The Simorgh is the magical bird Sindokht is the mother of King Mehrab is the father of who saves the baby Zaul after he Rudabeh and wife of King Rudabeh and enemy of King is abandoned in the wilderness. Mehrab. She convinces King Manuchehr. When he discovers She raises him to be strong and Mehrab not to send their daughter Rudabeh’s love for Zaul, he vows mighty. Before he leaves her, the away. to send her away to protect his Simorgh gives Zaul some of her city from King Manuchehr. magical feathers.
The Persian epic Shahnameh was written over 1000 years ago by Ferdowsi. Feathers of Fire tells the story of Zaul and Rudabeh. As a child, Zaul is rejected by his parents due to his hair resembling that of “an aged man.” Zaul is rescued and raised by a mythical giant bird. Later, Zaul’s father, Saum, reunites with his abandoned son, and Zaul is welcomed into the kingdom by both his father and the King. While out exploring his new surroundings, Zaul hears of the beautiful Rudabeh who is the daughter of one of the King’s enemies. Rudabeh has also heard of Zaul, and the two fall in love before they even meet. Zaul finally encounters Rudabeh at her home where she is standing on the roof and Zaul on the ground. Rudabeh lets down her long hair which Zaul uses to climb; the two meet and fall even more in love. Zaul requests permission to marry Rudabeh, but the King is in battle with Rudabeh’s city. Zaul endures many hardships as he seeks to find the King and save and marry his love.
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 7 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide ABOUT THE ARTISTS
HAMID RAHMANIA: BEHIND THE SCENES CREATOR SAZ Take a tour with creator, Hamid Hamid Rahmania is the Iranian- Rahmania to see the hard work LISTEN born, award-winning filmmaker, (and magic!) that go into the graphic designer, author, and production. visual artist behind Feathers of Fire. Along with his wife, Melissa Hibbard, Rahmania created the Shahnameh Project, “a multi- KAVAL disciplinary project revolving around the classical Persian LISTEN mythology, Shahnameh by Ferdowsi.” Rahmania hopes to share the cultural, visual, and literary history of his homeland Post viewing, use the questions with new audiences in order to KERMANE below to help springboard your break down stereotypes and discussion: create a new appreciation of LISTEN 1. What was the most surprising social awareness. part of touring behind the scenes?
2. What part seemed most More of his illustration work is interesting to you? Would you like available online HERE. THE MUSIC to act, create puppets, make
Feathers of Fire uses traditional music? Middle Eastern instruments and 3. The show is for both children styles to compose the music and adults. Do you think kids or accompanying the movement on grownups will like it more? Why? stage.
Rahmanian is not the first artist to illustrate the Shahnameh. Artists throughout time have shared their visions of the great epic. Explore images of the Shahnameh by artists throughout time by clicking on these links: The Princeton Shahnama Project The Fitzwilliam Museum The Fotografia Gallery of Islam
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 8 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide SHAHNAMEH AND FERDOWSI
The history of Persia, as told in WORDS TO KNOW the Shahnameh, is a mixture of history and mythology. It mixes Shahnameh reality and fantasy to create a Ferdowsi powerful Persian epic—a long epic poem poem that follows the journey of epic hero a central hero. mythology astrology The Shahnameh epic is divided numerology into the “mythical age,” the Islam “heroic age,” and the “historical pre-Islamic age.” Persian Empire
The “mythical age” tells the Iran story of the creation of the world shadow puppetry and its earliest people. The multi-media performance A statue of Persian poet Ferdowsi, the “heroic age” is the longest author of the epic Shahnameh, stands at CHECK YOUR LEARNING: Ferdowsi’s Tomb in Tus, Iran. He is section, and it tells the story of remembered as one of the most revered the ancient Persian empire. and important poets of Persia and Feathers of Fire is the story of Option A: contemporary Iran, credited with Zaul and Rudabeh, which is told Create a dictionary with friendly preserving Persian language and history. in the heroic age section of definitions and illustrations. the Shahnameh. The last Creating a digital dictionary using section, the “historic age,” tells a google slides allow student to the history of the Sassanid incorporate linked examples. Empire, the last Persian empire before the rise of Islam. Option B: Draw a picture or write one or two The Shahnameh was written paragraphs that describe the between the years 977 and 1010 history of the Shahnameh and/or CE by a Persian poet named the art of shadow puppetry. Ask Abloqasem Ferdowsi. Ferdowsi students to use as many lived from 935 to 1025 CE in the vocabulary words as possible. For city of Tous in ancient Persia. grades 3, you may want to ask Ferdowsi used many historical, students to use at least three mythological, religious, and vocabulary words. For grades 4 to contemporary sources to create 8, you may ask them to use at the Shahnameh, which he wrote least five vocabulary words. The in Modern Persia. words must be used accurately according to the definitions acquired through research and discussion.
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 9 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide PRE-SHOW: CONNECTING TO PLACE
Time: 60 minutes
Materials: Access to Kahoot online and the website or materials from
Understand basic geographic,
First, ask students to spend time exploring this article on Iran from National Geographic Kids.
Then, engage students in showing their Iranian knowledge by using a quiz game online, playing as a class, teams or individuals.
Step 1: Click this to start the game.
Step 2: Ask students to get their devices ready. They can use any device with a web browser CIA’s World Fact Book including mobile phones. These devices will act as their answer pads. Students do not need an account to join.
Step 3: Project your screen. At this point you should have your device (laptop or tablet) connected to the projector for your students to see. This will serve as the game display.
Step 5: Press the “Classic” (individual players) or “Team Mode” button. Your screen will display the instructions for how to join (kahoot.it) and Game PIN.
Step 6: Students join the game at kahoot.it. They will be prompted to enter the Game PIN, followed by a nickname. Their nickname will appear on the screen at the front as they join the game.
Step 7: Once everyone has joined the game, click the ‘Start’ button on the right. The game will then load with an “Are you ready?” message. The first question will then be projected and student answers will be recorded after a 20 second interval.
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 10 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide POST-SHOW: REFLECTION
Areas of focus: Literacy/Writing & Music
Time: 30-40 minutes
Materials: tools for writing, access to youtube with sound if hoping to play the Feathers of Fire soundtrack.
Best for Grades: 3-12
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTlXHXfUGfXrnjlvzVCeM1mor3NZKkRaz
COMMON CORE CONNECTIONS CCSS addressed relate to: finding theme, using evidence from the “text”, creating cross-curricular connections to music, considering how a story might change, and author intent. Examples from 3rd and 4th grade:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.9 Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 11 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide POST-SHOW: EXTENSION ACTIVITY
SHADOW PLAY
Areas of focus: Writing/Literacy, Art and Science
Time: 2 sessions each 40-60 minutes OR 1 session and a center activity
Materials needed: Black construction paper or cardstock, Popsicle sticks or plastic straws, scissors, overhead projector or flashlight.
Goals: To experiment with the creation of shadow plays following a short script made from own lives.
ACTIVITY: ALL GRADES In the next session, students will be invited to use Shadow play is an ancient story telling technique, black cardstock to first draw in pencil and then cut-out perhaps the very first. Imagine cave people sitting their characters and whatever shapes will symbolize around a fire and telling tales using their hands and their settings. Encourage students to think about voices to create the very first stories! Feathers of Fire recognizable shapes and features because they won’t uses actors wearing 3-D masks, animated be able to rely on the details drawn in. Attaching the backgrounds, and shadows constructed with 2-D cut-outs to sticks or straws allow them to act without paper and wooden cut-outs, meant to change size fingers getting in the way of the show. and shape depending on their relationship to the light. ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE: GRADES 7-12 Teachers may create a center activity or allow small An adaptation for advanced students may be to groups to present their own shadow plays using the complete the shadow play as above, but with the overhead projector or a flashlight and a surface, like added component of using couplets to tell their story the whiteboard or pull-down screen to project their like Ferdowsi did in the writing of Shahnameh. own epic tales. Ferdowsi concludes the Shahnameh by writing: Students can chose to work on this individually or in small groups to collaborate on a single script, using I've reached the end of this great history the prompt below. And all the land will talk of me: I shall not die, these seeds I've sown will save My name and reputation from the grave, And men of sense and wisdom will proclaim When I have gone, my praises and my fame.[24]
Using rhyming (or slant rhyming) couplets write the beginning or ending of your shadow play. Who are the characters in my story? Where is the setting? And can I create in with a few simple props?
COMMON CORE CONNECTIONS Standards addressed include Art and Science integration in creating and manipulating the shadow puppets. Literacy and Writing standards in creating the original script, collaborating with peers, recognizing characters, setting and dialogues role in a text and, with advanced students, writing rhyming couplets in the style of Ferdowsi.
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 12 of 13 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide RESOURCES AND SOURCES
Shahnameh adapted by LITERATURE CONNECTIONS Elizabeth Laird, illustrated by Shirin Adl Pea Boy and Other Stories from Iran by A collection of stories Elizabeth Laird and Shirin Adl and myths from ancient Seven illustrated trickster and folk Iran written by the tales from Iran. Persian poet Ferdowsi. Includes the story adapted for Feathers of Fire but also many more tales! The Earth Shook: A Persian Tale by Donna Jo Napoli, illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska Little Parisa lives in Bam, Iran. When an earthquake shakes her town she turns to her animal friends SOURCES for help. Firdawsī. Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings. The Knight, the Princess and the New York: Viking. Magic Rock: A Classic Persian Tale retold by Sara Azizi illustrated by Alireza Sadeghian. Greiving, Tim. “From Ancient Persian Poetry Rises A re-telling of a classic Persian 'Feathers of Fire.” Los Angeles Times. 24 May 2016. story. “Home.” Fictionville Studio, www.fictionvillestudio.com
1001 Inventions and Awesome Facts “Playing With Shadows in 'Feathers of Fire'.” KCET, 29 Nov. 2016. from Muslim Civilizations from National
Geographic Kids. A nonfiction accounting of the often Posner, Rebecca. “Feathers of Fire: Study Guide” unrecognized inventions and BAM Education. Brooklyn Academy of Music. innovations from early history. New York, NY. https://www.bam.org/kids/2016/feathers-of-fire-a- persian-epic
The Secret Message by Mina Javaherbin, illustrated by Bruce Whatley Kingorama production, www.kingorama.com, Based on poem by Persian Brooklyn, NY. philosopher, Rumi full of humor and vibrant images. Shadowlight productions, www.shadowlight.org, San Francisco, CA.
Des Moines Performing Arts Page 1813 of 1813 Feathers of Fire Curriculum Guide