Theatre for Youth and Families _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Dramatized by le Clanché du Rand Based on the book by C.S. Lewis Directed by Rosemary Newcott Study Guide, Grades 4-8 Created as part of the Alliance Arts for Learning Institute Dramaturgy by Students program 6th grade Jr. Dramaturgs of The Friends School of Atlanta Under the guidance of Barry Stewart Mann, Alliance Arts for Learning Institute Teaching Artist, and Johnny Pride, Language Arts Teacher at the Friends School of Atlanta At the Alliance Theatre, February 27—March 20, 2016 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Study Guide Dear Educators: Welcome to the Alliance Theatre’s production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe! This Study Guide was created by the Junior Dramaturgs of the Friends School of Atlanta for use by the teacher and student audience of the play. We hope this helps you prepare to see the play and to reflect together afterward. Your Junior Dramaturgs Table of Contents A note from the director, Rosemary Newcott 3 Content Standards in English Language Arts and Theatre 3 The Author and the Story 4 The Playwright 4 The Lion: Lions in Literature and Film 5 The Witch: Witches in Literature and Film 6 The Wardrobe: Portals to Other Dimensions 7 The Characters: Dating Profiles 8 The Characters: Mythical Creatures 9 The Setting: Narnia 10 The Setting: World War II and the Bombing of London 10 The Conflict: Sibling Rivalry 11 The Food: Turkish Delight 12 Stage Combat 13 Riddles 14 If C.S. Lewis Had Drawn a Blank: A Fill-It-In Ad Lib Story 15-16 Answer Keys 17 Resources 18 Friends School of Atlanta Junior Dramaturgs 18 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Study Guide for Grades 4-8 2 A Note from the Director: Rosemary Newcott the Sally G. Tomlinson Artistic Director of Theatre for Youth and Families We need this story now more than ever! The Theme of the production is TRANSFORMATION We have the power to overcome darkness -and this power can be summoned within us at any age. We should always have hope and courage and believe this is true. The Lion The Witch The Wardrobe Before- and After-the-Play Questions from the director, Rosemary Newcott ◊ To which of the characters do you relate the most and why? ◊ How would you create a magical wardrobe on stage? ◊ If you suddenly became a King or Queen in Narnia, what would you do as a ruler? Language Arts Core Curriculum Standards CCRR3. Analyze how and why individuals, events and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. CCRR4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative and figurative meanings and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone CCRL3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. CCRSL2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. Theatre Standards (GPS) TAES 1. Analyzing and constructing meaning from theatrical experiences, dramatic literature, and electronic media TAES 8. Examining the roles of theatre as a reflection of past and present civilizations. TAES 11. Engaging actively and appropriately as an audience member in theatre or other media experiences. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Study Guide for Grades 4-8 3 The Author and the Story Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast, Ireland, on November 29, 1898. He enlisted in the British Army in 1917 and was wounded in the Battle of Arras in France. He served on the English faculty at Oxford University, where he was friends with J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In 1931, Lewis converted to Christianity, and he later broadcast talks about his religious beliefs. Over his lifetime, he published many books, of both fictions and no-fiction. He died on November 22, 1963, just seven days short of his 65th birthday. Like many other people in England during World War II, C.S. Lewis took in children who had been evacuated from their homes because of the Nazi air raids on London. He didn’t have any children of his own, and the children were a little intimidated by him, because he was an old man. So he decided the best way he could entertain them would be to tell them stories. One of those stories became the basis of the fantasy series for which he is best known, The Chronicles of Narnia. The series consists of 7 books: The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe (1950), Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (1951), The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952), The Silver Chair (1953), The Horse and His Boy (1954), The Magician’s Nephew, (1955), and The Last Battle (1956). The series has sold over 100 million copies, been translated into 47 different languages, and been adapted into several films. The Playwright Le Clanché du Rand is an actress, playwright, and drama therapist. Originally from South Africa, she has performed in numerous plays on Broadway, on national tours throughout the U.S., and in the nation’s leading regional theatres. She has also appeared in well-known films including Awakenings and Sleepless in Seattle. She has adapted and published several plays for young people in addition to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This adaptation was originally created for touring through Lincoln Center Institute in New York. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Study Guide for Grades 4-8 4 The Lion: Lions in Life and Literature A group of 10-15 lions is called a pride. Females do 85-90% of the work in the prides! In the wild, lions live about 12-16 years, but in captivity, they can live up to 25 years! Lions can run as fast as 18kmph (about 11 miles). Lions hunt only big animals, and need from 11 pounds (for females) to 15 pounds (for males) of meat each day. Female lions need about 5kg (about 11 pounds) of meat a day. An adult male’s roar can be heard about 5 miles away. Aslan, the ‘Lion’ of the story’s title, is one of a large ‘pride’ of lions in literature and film. Throughout human history, lions have served as a symbol of bravery and courage. Known as “The King of the Jungle,” lions are used to depict strength and royalty, and the lion has been the symbol of England since the middle ages. Besides Aslan, other famous lions include: Leo (constellation and zodiac sign) Daniel and the Lion’s den (Biblical story) Nemean lion (Hercules’ first labor, from Greek mythology) The Yali (mythical lion from Hindu mythology) Leo (mascot of the film company Metro Goldwyn Mayer) The Cowardly Lion (The Wizard of Oz) Elsa the Lioness (Born Free) Simba (The Lion King) Alex the Lion (Madagascar) King Moonracer (ruler of the Island of Misfit Toys in Rudolph the Red-Nosed-Reindeer) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Study Guide for Grades 4-8 5 The Witch: Witches in Literature and Film Though there are many different types of witches in literature and film, what they generally share in common is that they are female and they have supernatural powers. Witches are often considered evil, but that is not always true. Throughout history, though men have sometimes been accused of witchcraft, the main targets of such charges have been women, especially women who did not fit in or follow society’s norms. Nowadays, in the U.S., witches are associated with Halloween, and ride on brooms. But there have been witches in stories and myths since the very beginning. The White Witch is not alone! Some Famous Witches: Samantha Stephens (Bewitched, 1960’s TV sitcom) Medusa and Medea (Greek Mythology) Ursula the Sea Witch (The Little Mermaid, Circe (The Odyssey, epic poem by Homer) from Hans Christian Andersen) The Weird Sisters (from The Grand High Witch (The Witches, William Shakespeare’s Macbeth) by Roald Dahl) Strega Nona (Italian folklore) Elphaba (Wicked, musical play The Wicked Witch of the West and the by Gregory Maguire) Good Witch of the North (The Mildred Hubble (The Worst Witch series, Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum) by Jill Murphy Medusa, by Bernini; The Three Witches of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, by Daniel Gardner; the cast of Bewitched. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Study Guide for Grades 4-8 6 The Wardrobe: Portals to Other Dimensions There really aren’t any other famous wardrobes in literature or film – maybe that’s why C.S. Lewis chose it for his story. But there are plenty of stories with portals – a doorway or entry point - that lead from one reality to another. Here are some portals to think about – see if you can name the work of literature and the author for each (answers on page 17): 1. A Garden: a sickly, unhappy child in India enters a secret garden and escapes her troubled life. 2. A Tornado: a beleaguered girl on a farm in rural Kansas is whirled away to a fantastical world full of delight, danger, odd creatures, and an elusive wizard. 3. A Book: as a father reads to his daughter from a mysterious book, the fiction comes to life as the characters appear, catching the girl up in an incredible adventure. 4. A Tollbooth: a bored boy escapes to a world of endless fascination and wit through a mysterious tollbooth that arrives in the mail.