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Home , Mixtape, Raheem DeVaughn, Scratching

Paige in Full: A B-Girls Visual

OnStage Resource Guide

2018 19 overture.org /onstage

Overture Center for the Arts fills a city block in downtown Madison with ABOUT world-class venues for the performing and visual arts. Made possible by an OVERTURE CENTER extraordinary gift from Madison businessman W. Jerome Frautschi, the center presents the highest-quality arts and entertainment programming in FOR THE ARTS a wide variety of disciplines for diverse audiences. Offerings include performances by acclaimed classical, , pop, and folk performers; touring Broadway musicals; quality children’s entertainment; and world-class ballet, modern and jazz dance. Overture Center’s extensive outreach and educational programs serve thousands of Madison-area residents annually, including youth, older adults, people with limited financial resources and people with disabilities. The center is also home to ten independent resident organizations.

Internationally renowned architect Cesar Pelli designed the center to RESIDENT provide the best possible environment for artists and audiences, as well as ORGANIZATIONS to complement Madison’s urban environment. Performance spaces range Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society from the spectacular 2,250-seat Overture Hall to the casual and intimate Children's Theater of Madison Rotunda Stage. The renovated Capitol Theater seats approximately 1,110, Forward Theater Company and The Playhouse seats 350. In addition, three multi-purpose spaces Kanopy Dance Company provide flexible performance, meeting and rehearsal facilities. Overture Li Chiao-Ping Dance Company Center also features several art exhibit spaces. Overture Galleries I, II and Madison Ballet III display works by Dane County artists. The Playhouse Gallery features Madison Opera regional artists with an emphasis on collaborations with local organizations. Madison Symphony Orchestra The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters’ Watrous Gallery Wisconsin Academy’s James Watrous Gallery displays works by Wisconsin artists, and the Madison Museum of Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Contemporary Art offers works by national and international artists.

RESOURCE GUIDE CREDITS Executive Editor Meri Rose Ekberg Writer/Designer Danielle Dresden

Paige in Full Overture Centerfor the Arts – OnStage 1

Dear Teachers, In this resource guide you will find valuable information to help you apply academic goals to your students’ performance experience. We have included suggestions for activities which can help you prepare students to see this performance, ideas for follow-up activities, and additional resources you can access on the web. Along with these activities and resources, we’ve also included the applicable Wisconsin Academic Standards in order to help you align the experience with your curriculum requirements. This Educator’s Resource Guide is designed to: • Extend the scholastic impact of the performance by providing discussion ideas, activities and reading to promote learning across the curriculum; • Promote arts literacy by expanding students’ knowledge of , science, storytelling and theatre; • Illustrate that the arts are a legacy reflecting the values, customs, beliefs, expressions and reflections of a culture; • Use the arts to teach about the cultures of other people and to celebrate students’ own heritage through self-reflection; Table of Contents • Maximize students’ enjoyment and appreciation of the About Paige in Full...... 2 performance. About & the Creative Team...... 3 We hope the performance and this resource guide will provide you and your students with opportunities to integrate art learning in Elements of Hip Hop & Vocabulary...... 4 your curricula, expanding it in new and enriching ways. Bullying & More Vocabulary...... 5 Enjoy the Show! Haiku & Discussion Questions...... 6 Resources...... 7 Curriculum Categories Learning Activity...... 8-9 Language Arts Social Emotional Social Studies Academic Standards...... 10 About Live Performance...... 11

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About Paige in Full Paige Hernandez Paige in Full: a B-girl’s Visual Mixtape is a hip-hop About the Creative Team coming-of-age story, told through theater, dance, poetry, the visual arts and music. It deals with questions of love, Paige Hernandez (writer/performer/choreographer) – A identity, popular culture, and trying to fit in as a person of multi-cultural and multi-talented artist, Paige went to mixed race background. high school at the School for the Arts and received a BA in theater and broadcast journalism from To tell the story of her life, Paige Hernandez collaborated the University of , College Park. An actor with her brother, Nick tha 1 da, a musician. She says his and choreographer throughout the Washington DC beats “inspired 20+ characters, 18 poems, 7 live music area, her one-woman shows, Havana Hop and Paige (DJ) sets and 8 dance routines.” in Full, have been seen around the country. She mixes entertainment and education just as effectively as she The one hour show includes multimedia projections, mixes artistic disciplines. To date, she has reached approx. graffiti-inspired sets, and a call and response set. 10,000 students, from Pre-K through college, in over 100 This is how the author describes the production, “I residencies, workshops and performances. wanted a story that would help to reclaim the positive Nick tha 1 da (live beats/sound design) – Along with energy that hip hop was once known to create. I wanted being Hernandez’ brother, Nick tha 1 da is an award- a story that was all at once international, and ‘around winning musician. His samples and drums form the the way.’ Lastly, I wanted a story for little girls of color. I soundtracks for several independent films and he has want them to know that no matter where they fall in the produced for other hip hop artists, such as Wes Fulton, rainbow, their voice is interesting, unique and needs to be Asheru, and Raheem DeVaughn. heard.” Paige in Full Overture Centerfor the Arts – OnStage 3

About Hip Hop & the Creative Team

Hip hop was born in the schoolyards, parks, and subways of , specifically and Harlem. It is street culture created in a world of high unemployment, violence, repression, and unstoppable creativity. Even though it is now used to sell everything from sneakers to phone plans, hip hop began as an independent, non- commercial cultural movement, all about making things your own and taking control of the means of artistic production. The title of the play, Paige in Full, is a reference to “Paid in Full,” a hip hop tune recorded by Eric B. and Rakim in 1987. The of the same title is considered a hip hop classic and was ranked as #227 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s top 500 greatest of all time. Clive Campbell, better known as DJ Kool Herc and one of the originators of hip hop, kicked off what would grow into a cultural phenomenon when he noticed that dancers went crazy for the percussion-only breaks in popular songs, because it gave them a chance to show off their dance moves. DJ Kool Herc then figured out how to use two turntables to cut back and forth between the same song to extend the breaks, added MCs, Masters of Ceremony or rappers, and a movement was born. Other innovators would follow, like Joseph Saddler, or , who improved cuing, added DJ Kool Herc choreographed moves, a , and with an elbow.

More About the Creative Team Danielle Drakes (director/producer) – A graduate of Goucher College with an MFA from The Catholic University of America. Drakes has performed with Ford’s Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, and many other theaters. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. Tewodross Melchishua (video/projections) – The creative director for Visual Jazz Media Group, and an Associate Professor in visual communication at Bowie State University, Melchishua. He has a BA in Art/Photographic Media from Morgan State University, and an MFA in Imaging & Digital Arts from UMBC. He has produced work in video/ film, animation, traditional and digital art; music videos and video installation. Paige in Full Overture Centerfor the Arts – OnStage 4

Hip Hop Elements & Vocabulary

Hip Hop Montage The Five Elements of Selected Show Vocabulary Hip Hop • B-Girl – A B-Girl is a female breakdancer, or As hip hop grew and expanded it became more than a fun new general fan of hip hop culture. music and dance style seen at parties. The following are the • Fly girl – Now a general term for an attractive, 5 key elements of hip hop, as described by hip hop pioneer, proud young woman, the “Fly Girls” were DJAfrika Bambaataa, of the hip hop collective, Zulu Nation: the high-energy female dance troupe • DJing – Manipulating recordings and other sound sources featured on In Living Color, a sketch comedy to make music, emphasizing the beat. television show highlighting African-American performers. J Lo was a member of the troupe, • MCing, or Rapping – With roots stretching back to James which was choreographed by Rosie Perez. Brown and Gil Scott Heron (“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised), and even further back to the African-American • Soul Train – A television show that ran from street insult game of “the dozens,” rapping is the frequently 1971 to 2006, Soul Train featured soul, R & B, improvisational art of rhyming to the beat of the music. , pop, and hip hop artists, and bringing black music, style, and entertainment to a • Breakdance – An athletic, acrobatic approach to dance, national audience. seen on the streets and subways as well as in clubs, breakdance includes elements of Capoeria (an Afro- • Break beats – In hip hop, the breaks in a piece Brazilian martial art), gymnastics, other martial arts, and of music where the beats are all that is heard. more. • Saved By the Bell – This popular television • Graffiti– Controversial, due to its links to vandalism and show, which followed the adventures of a gangs, graffiti was nonetheless part of the hip hop scene group of high school students and their from the early days. principal, ran from 1989 to 1993. It eventually spawned a short-lived sequel, one spin-off, and • Knowledge – Incorporating the element of self-knowledge two movies. makes hip hop something more than an art form, and gives it the power to encourage positive social change by giving • Chop and screw – With this remixing voice to the frequently voiceless and encourage honest technique, hip hop artists slow down a piece of dialogue. pre-recorded music and make changes to it, by “scratching” or removing beats. Paige in Full Overture Centerfor the Arts – OnStage 5

Bullying & More Show Vocabulary Bullying In the play, Paige discusses some of the painful ways people talked about her and to her. This is clearly an example of bullying, and chances are your students are all too familiar with it. According to national statistics, between 1 in 4 and 1 in 3 students in the United States say they have been bullied at school. But school isn’t the only place where bullying happens. Technology has made it possible for trouble to make house calls today, and many students experience cyber-bullying, along with the more traditional hallway, classroom, and playground taunts and battles. People who are different from other people, as Paige is, may make easier targets for bullies, but bullying can happen to anyone. Facilitate a conversation about bullying in the classroom. Ask students to describe: • What bullying is • What bullying isn’t • Where bullying happens

• What people who think they are being bullied Paige Hernandez can do • What people who see bullying happen can do to stop it

More Selected Show Vocabulary Sampling – In hip hop, sampling is the practice of selecting a piece of something previously recorded, such as beats, a drum break, spoken or sung words, or a musical interlude, and using it in another recording. It is sometimes described as the foundation of hip hop because early DJs used the process to create loops for MCs to rap over. However, if sampling is extensive or done without permission, it can create legal problems by infringing on the copyrights of the original creators. Tupac Shakur – Born as Lesane Parish Crooks in Harlem in 1971, Tupac Shakur went on to become a best-selling artist and actor before his untimely death after a drive-by shooting in 1996. He was known for addressing important social issues in his music and fighting inequality. As a high school student, he attended the Baltimore School of the Arts, where he read Shakespeare and performed in The Nutcracker while studying acting, poetry, jazz, and ballet. Paige in Full Overture Centerfor the Arts – OnStage 6

Haiku & Discussion Questions Haiku In the show, Paige shares haiku poems she wrote about Baltimore, her home town. Haiku is a style of poetry which originated in Japan. Noted for its very strict and simple rules and its direct quality, haiku is usually written in the present tense. Haiku poems tend to be rich in gripping imagery. They frequently capture one moment in time and can be read in one swift scan, which leads to enlightenment or enhanced awareness. The following are some traditional rules of haiku: • 3 lines long • A total of 17 syllables • The first line is 5 syllables • The second line is 7 syllables • The first line is 5 syllables Briefly review the concept of haikus. Ask students to think about the haikus they heard in the show, and others with which they might be familiar. Next, ask students to write haikus about: • Their neighborhood • Their hometown • A spot which is special to them Paige Hernandez

Discussion Questions • Ask students to describe how they would tell their life stories, with music, movement, words, or….? • This play deals a lot with personal identity. Discuss what that means with your students, and ask them to describe the elements of their own unique identities, such as their cultural backgrounds and where they came from. Note the differences and similarities between the students in your class, and discuss how they can help come together as a group. • Paige says she “feels like an alien.” What do you think she means by that? Have you ever felt that way? If a friend said the same thing to you, how would you try to help? • Hip hop has been associated with grassroots social movements to promote positive change. It has also been associated with gangs, criminality, and disrespectful treatment of women. Which of these viewpoints do you think is most accurate? Why? • Paige in Full is a collaborative production. Discuss what “collaboration” means. Ask students to share experiences they’ve had where they worked collaboratively with other people. Try writing a collaborative poem as a class, with each student contributing a line. Paige in Full Overture Centerfor the Arts – OnStage 7

Resources • The Paige Hernandez website, with lots of links to videos. • A lesson exploring the background of hip hop, with lots of background, resources, and activities. • An overview of the history of hip hop. • An example of the roots of rap. “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” was released by Gil Scott-Heron in 1971. • More background on “the dozens,” and the roots of rap. • Article on the history of hip hop dance. • To learn a bit more about Soul Train and why it mattered. • Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation, by Jeff Chang, was first a book about the early days of hip hop, interviewing and covering key figures like DJ Kool Herc, , Chuck D, and Ice Cube and is now a website where you can access more recent articles. • A government website on bullying. • An additional resource on bullying. • Statistics on bullying.

Paige Hernandez Paige in Full Overture Centerfor the Arts – OnStage 8

Learning Activity - Analogy Creation By JRDAssist from Teacher.org

Grades: 6-8 Objectives: Students will be able to: • Define randomly chosen words. • Create analogies based on an identified relationship using the two words as a starting point. • Increase their vocabulary through the development of analogies.

Materials: • Print or online dictionary. • Prepare ahead of time – Index cards, 5 for each student, with a single, different, grade appropriate word on each. Words may come from current literature being read by the class.

• A container to place the index cards/words. A B-Girl

Procedure: Before the lesson: • Display two words that seemingly have no connection to each other. • Ask students the similarities or differences between the two words. • Ask how they can somehow be either connected, shown as opposites, or another type of analogy. • Display a brief list of some of the responses. Modeling • Next, ask students think of two other words which can be connect similarly. • Once students respond with a logical pair of words display all four words shown as an analogy. • Explain to students this is what they will be doing with randomly chosen words. • Show the container to the students. Paige in Full Overture Centerfor the Arts – OnStage 9

Learning Activity - Analogy Creation (continued)

Guided Practice • Each student will randomly choose two words from the container. • On a separate sheet of paper the students will define each word. • Once defined, the students will reflect on the two words to find a connection between them. • Once a connection is found, the students will use the dictionary or think of two words to use an analogy to the original words. • The students will write the analogy with the four words on a separate sheet of paper. • Once completed, the students will choose two more words from the container and then return the completed index cards. • The students will repeat the same procedure with two more randomly chosen words. • The teacher will decide on the number of analogies the students are required to develop or the time limit in doing so. Photo by Allrich Designs Photography • Once all analogies are developed, the teacher will collect the finished work. • Teacher will orally read some of the analogies allowing students to complete the second half of the analogy as a practice for a quiz or test the next day. • Independent practice: Teacher will create a multiple choice quiz or test using the created analogies, may also be fill in the blank. Assign the same type of work for homework allowing students to develop a set number of analogies. Closing Following the quiz/test the teacher will review analogies and the purpose in using them. Ask students what difficulties they may have had and how they can more easily complete a missing analogy. Paige in Full Overture Centerfor the Arts – OnStage 10

Academic Standards Core State Standards for English Social Studies Language Arts & Literacy Speaking & Listening Standards K-5 Inquiry Practices and Processes 1. Engage effectively in collaborative discussion SS.Inq4.a.i: Students will communicate conclusions from a variety of teacher-provided presentation options. 2. Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a presentation Behavioral Sciences 3. Ask and answer questions about information from a SS.BH1.a.4.i: Describe how a person’s understanding, speaker perceptions, and behaviors are affected by relationships and environments.

Dance SS.BH1.b.4.i: Describe how culture, ethnicity, race, age, religion, gender, and social class can help form self-image E: Critical Thinking and identity. E.4.1: Identify how dance movement is similar to and SS.BH2.b.4.i: Give examples of how peoples from different from ordinary movement different cultures develop different values and ways of E.4.2: Observe and describe similarities and differences in interpreting experiences. basic movement patterns SS.BH3.a.5: Investigate how interpretations of similarities E.4.3: Identify the movement elements in creative and differences between and among cultures may lead to movement studies understandings and misunderstandings.

Music Theatre MG3.R.9.m: Define and demonstrate understanding of TP.R.4.i: Analysis - Identify separate elements in a foundational musical elements in discussion and written theatrical work such as characters, plot, and performance reflections. elements. MG3.R.11.m: Evaluate and critique musical performances, TP.R.5.i: Reflection - Assess personal participation in a recordings, and compositions using appropriate music performance with examples from experiences. terminology and technology. TP.R.6.i: View Performance - Demonstrate MG3.R.12.m: Demonstrate proper concert/audience developmentally appropriate audience etiquette. etiquette for a variety of musical settings. TP.Cn.5.i: Cultural Social Context - Explain how theatre MG3.R.13.m: Reflect upon and critique performances relates to self, others, and the world. using grade- appropriate music vocabulary. TP.Cn.6.i: Research - Identify the “given circumstances,” MG4.Cn.9.m: Analyze the historical and cultural environmental and situational conditions that influence a relationships between music and other disciplines. theatrical work. MG4.Cn.10.m: Explain how music relates to self, others, TP.Cn.8.i: Cross Disciplinary - Identify how theatre and the world using grade- appropriate music vocabulary. connects to literature and social studies. MG4.Cn.12.m: Compare and contrast the roles of musicians in various music settings and world cultures. Paige in Full Overture Centerfor the Arts – OnStage 11

About Live Performance

Unlike movies or television, theater is a LIVE performance. This means that the action unfolds in front of an audience, and the performance is constantly evolving. The artists respond to the audience’s laughter, clapping, gasps and other reactions. Therefore, the audience is a critical part of the theater experience. In fact, without you in the audience, the artists would still be in rehearsal!

Remember, you are sharing this performance space with the artists and other audience members. Your considerate behavior allows everyone to enjoy a positive theater experience.

Prepare: Be sure to use the restroom before the show! Find Your Seat: When the performance is about to begin, the lights will dim. This is a signal for the artists and the audience to top conversations. Settle into your seat and get ready to enjoy the show!

Look and Listen: There is a lot to hear (dialogue, music, sound effects) and a lot to see (costumes, props, set design, lighting) in this performance. Pay close attention to the artists onstage. Unlike videos, you cannot rewind if you miss something.

Energy and Focus: Artists use concentration to focus their energy during a performance. The audience gives energy to the artist, who use that energy to give life to the performance. Help the artists focus that energy. They can feel that you are with them!

Conversations: Talking to neighbors (even whispering) can easily distract the artists onstage. They approach their audiences with respect, and expect the same from you in return. Help the artists concentrate with your attention.

Laugh Out Loud: If something is funny, it’s good to laugh. If you like something a lot, applaud. Artists are thrilled when the audience is engaged and responsive. They want you to laugh, cheer, clap and enjoy your time at the theater.

Discover New Worlds: Attending a live performance is a time to sit back and look inward, and question what is being presented to you. Be curious about new worlds, experience new ideas, and discover people and lives previously unknown to you. An open mind, curiosity, and respect will allow a whole other world to unfold before your eyes!

Please, don’t feed the audience: Food is not allowed in the theater. Soda and snacks are noisy and distracting to both the artists and audience.

Unplug: Please turn off all mobile phones and other electronics before the performance. Photographs and recording devices are prohibited. 201 State Street, Madison, WI 53703

Overture Center’s mission is to support and elevate our community’s creative culture, economy and quality of life through the arts.

overture.org /onstage

Additional Funding provided by: Wahlin Foundation on behalf of Stoughton Trailers, and by contributions to Overture Center for the Arts.