The hobbit June 5-7, 2015 The Hobbit Educational Materials OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE Y OUNG COMPANY S y n o p s i s THIS ISSUE CONTAINS: Adapted by Edward Mast Mountain to the Dwarfs. Synopsis and based on the classic Along the way he meets About the Author novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. The Gollum, the pitiful creature Hobbit is a suspenseful, fast singularly motivated by a Theatre Vocabulary -moving journey through the precious magical ring and words sometimes dark, sometimes Bilbo’s life is forever Quotable quotes charming, always compelling changed. Riddle me this… world of Middle Earth. When The definition of a Gandalf, the legendary Hobbit wizard, knocks on Bilbo Curriculum Corner Baggins’ door, bringing along Thorin Oakenshield, After the show 11 ragged dwarfs and a contract for an adventure, how can he resist? Bilbo’s Educational Materials love for rousing adventure for The Hobbit are provided through a stories suddenly turns real grant from the as he and his companions Worthington Family try to defeat the dragon, Foundation. We thank Smaug, and restore the them for their support. Kingdom Under the About the author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892- pre-historic era in an invented version 1973) was a major scholar of the Eng- of our world which he called by the lish language, specialising in Old and Middle English name of Middle-earth. Middle English. Twice Professor of This was peopled by Men (and women), Anglo-Saxon (Old English) at the Univer- Elves, Dwarves, Trolls, Orcs (or Goblins) sity of Oxford, he also wrote a number and of course Hobbits. He is loved by of stories, including most famously The literally millions of readers worldwide. Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Read more at www.tolkiensociety.org Rings (1954-1955), which are set in a Photo of J.R.R. Tolkien from his Biography by Humphrey Carpenter P a g e 2 T h e H o b b i t GLOSSARY OF THEATRE TERMS Act: 1) The process of per- Auditions: Tryouts held for Backstage: The area out forming as a character. 2) actors who want to per- of view of the audience A main section of a play. form in a show. Actors that include the wings auditioning for a musical and dressing rooms as Actor: A person who per- may be asked to sing and well as the lounge area or forms as a character in a read a particular charac- “green room.” play or musical. ter’s lines from a scene as Blocking: The actors’ Antagonist: The opponent well as learn a short dance movement in a play or to the protagonist (or hero) sequence. musical, not including the of the story. An antagonist Author: A writer of a play choreography. The direc- may sometimes be called or musical, which is also tor usually assigns block- the “villain.” known as a playwright. A ing during rehearsals. Audience: The people who musical’s authors include gather to watch the perfor- the book writer, the com- An artist’s impression of Tolkien’s Gandalf the Gray mance. The audience sits poser and the lyricist. in the house. “More studies are Break a leg: A wish of Cast: 1) noun The perform- in the script. An actor may finding what we “good luck” in the theatre, ers in a show, “We have a play many characters in the which comes from a super- great cast.” 2) verb The act same play. already know in our stition that saying “good of the selection of an actor Choreographer: A person hearts—the arts luck” is actually bad luck! for a play, “I hope I get cast who creates the dance in the next play.” DO make a positive Broadway: The theatre numbers in a musical or impact on our district in New York City Character: A human (or combat sequences in an youth! that is home to 40 profes- animal) represented in a adventure story. sional theatres and one of play. Each actor plays a Individually. Climax: The height of the the world’s great capitals of character, even if that char- Socially. dramatic action in a play. live theatre. acter doesn’t have a name Academically.” Company: All of the people Curtain Call: The entrance Dialogue: A conversation who make a show happen: of the company at the end between two or more char- actors, musicians, creative of the show to bow and acters. team, crew, producers, etc. acknowledge the audi- Diction: The articulation, or ence’s applause. Crew: A team of people who clearness of speech, while move scenery, operate lights Designers: The people who delivering one’s lines. Also and sound, handle props or create the sets, costumes, known as “enunciation.” work backstage during a lighting and sound for a production. production. P a g e 3 Director: A person who provides the artistic vision, coordinates the Entrance: When a character steps creative elements and stages the onto the stage from the wings or play. other offstage area. Dress Rehearsal: A run-through of Exit: When a character leaves the the show that includes costumes, stage. props and technical elements. Follow Spot: Large, movable light at Ensemble: 1) A group of people the back of the house that follows who work together to create a an actor as he or she crosses the show. 2) The chorus, or members stage. Also called a spotlight. of the cast other than the leads. Front of House: Any part of this break is called “the In- Matinee: A performance of a the theatre that is open to terval.” show held during the day. “Independent the audience, including the License: Permission, or the Mic: Short for “microphone,” studies show box office, lobby, restrooms rights, to produce a play in a device that electronically and concession area. increased years of exchange for a fee which amplifies the voices of the Improvisation: When an covers script copies and roy- actors. enrollment in arts actor performs something alties for the authors. courses are Monologue: A large block of not written in a script. Light Board: A computerized lines spoken by a single char- positively correlated Intermission: A break be- board that controls all of the acter. When spoken alone with higher SAT tween acts when the audi- theatrical lights for a show. onstage or directly to an audi- ence gets a snack or uses the ence, a monologue reveals the verbal and math Lines: The dialogue spoken restroom while the company inner thoughts of a character. by the actors. scores.” changes the set and cos- tumes. In European theatres Offstage: Any area out of formed live on a stage. A musi- which means that each group that presents a show will view of the audience. cal is one kind of play. have a unique production. Onstage: Anything on the Plot: The chain of events that Program: A booklet that lists the entire company of a stage and within view of the occur during the play. production and may include other information about the audience is said to be on- play. Producer: The person in charge stage. of a production who oversees Prop: Anything an actor holds or carries during a perfor- Pantomime: To act some- budget, calendar, marketing mance. Short for “property.” thing out without words. and the hiring of the creative team, cast and crew. Performance: 1) A single showing of a production. 2) Production: This term refers to An actor’s interpretation of a everything about a show on- character in front of an audi- stage and off, every given night ence. of the run. A production in- cludes the performing and Play: A type of dramatic technical aspects of the show, writing meant to be per- P a g e 4 T h e H o b b i t GLOSSARY OF THEATRE TERMS, cont. Proscenium: A type of theatre in Role: The character that an actor Set Change: A change in scenery, which a large frame, or arch, divides plays. often between scenes or acts. the stage from the house. Scene: A section of a play in one Set Designer: A person who cre- Protagonist: The main character or particular location and time. ates the scenery. hero of a story. Script: 1) The written words that Setting: The location, environment Raked Stage: A stage that is raised make up a show, including dia- and time period of a play. slightly upstage so it slants towards logue, stage directions and lyrics. Sound Board: An electronic board the audience. 2) The book that contains those or computer that controls the words. Rehearsal: A meeting during which mics, sound cues and any other the cast learns and practices the Set: The entire physical environ- audio in a production. Also called show. ment onstage, which may include a sound console. backdrops, flats, furniture, props Rights: Permission to perform a show Stage: The area where the actors and projections. that is obtained through a license and perform in a theatre. payment of a fee called royalties. Stage Business: Small actions per- Stage Manager: A person responsi- formed by actors that make a play ble for keeping all rehearsals and more realistic and believable. performances organized and on schedule, and for calling sound and Stage Directions: Words in the light cues during the show. script that describe the actions for the characters that are not part of Stage Right: The right side of the the dialogue. stage, from the actor’s perspective. Stage Left: The left side of the Strike: 1) To remove a prop or set stage, from the actor’s perspec- piece from the stage.