The Fantasticks
OCT. 2-30, 2010 

SUITABILITY: GRADE 6 AND UP

PLAY GUIDE:
Story, Background, Paraphrasing, Creators, Characters, Glossary... 

SUGGESTED LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES:
Quick and Easy:
Thinking and Predicting: An Intro to Plot Features (pre-viewing)
Crafting and Creating Barriers: An Examination of Walls (pre-/post)
Introducing Theme, Plot Features and the Title (pre-viewing)
Telling Stories Through Music (pre- and post-viewing)
Metaphor, Music and Images (pre- and post-viewing)
Drama Activities: Up and At 'Em!
An Analysis of the Lyrics, "Try to Remember" (pre-viewing)
Points to Ponder, Discuss or Write About:
Love, Blindness, Control and Deception (post-viewing)
Arranged Marriages (pre- and post-viewing)
The Course of True Love: Compare/Contrast (pre- and post-viewing)
Production Elements: The Set (pre- and post-viewing)
Innocence (post-viewing)
Helpless Victim or Powerful Participant - You? (post-viewing)
Manipulation Tactics - Parents/Children (post-viewing)
Bystander Apathy (post-viewing)
Dealing With Hurt, Pain, Suffering (post-viewing)
Creative Assignments/Projects:
What Mask Do You Wear? (pre- and post-viewing)
Interpreting Director's Notes (pre- and post-viewing)
Authority and Gender Roles (post-viewing)
The Power of Prologue (post-viewing)

BOOKS: 
The Amazing Story of 'The Fantasticks' | Farber, Donald C. and Viagas, Robert | Hal Leonard Corporation, 2005  
Fantasticks | Schmidt, Harvey | Hal Leonard Corporation, 1992

LINKS:
Commedia dell’arte  
Noh theatre
Inside The Fantasticks An analysis of the play by Scott Miller
The official website for the Broadway revival
Harvey Schmidt About  
Tom Jones About
Lyrics for Try to Remember: the first song sung in The Fantasticks, to get the audience to imagine what the sparse set suggests. 
Notes for Try to Remember 
Complete soundtrack, The Fantasticks

VIDEO CLIPS: 
Clips and interviews from the 50th Anniversary with creator Tom Jones and Rita Gardner, the original Luisa
The Fantasticks at Arena Stage The trailer from a recent production at Washington, DC’s Arena Stage

Noël Coward's Brief Encounter
NOV. 27-DEC. 23, 2010

SUITABILITY: GRADE 8 AND UP

PLAY GUIDE
Story, Background, Creators, Characters and Glossary...

SUGGESTED LESSONS/ACTIVITIES
Points to Ponder, Discuss or Write About:
Word Sort (pre-viewing)
Lyrics and Plot (pre- and post-viewing)
Laura / Alec (Character) (post-viewing)
Social Norms and Self Image (post-viewing)
Ideals, Dreams and Growing Up (post-viewing)
Avoidance, Denial and Transformation (post-viewing)
Decency and Self Respect (post-viewing)
Deception and Behavioural Expectations (post-viewing)

BOOKS:
Brief Encounter (BFI Film Classics) by Richard Dyer (London: British Film Institute, 1993)
Noël Coward In His Own Words (Methuen Drama) by Noël Coward
more books on Noël Coward

LINKS:
Noël Coward's song: Mad About the Boy
Noël Coward's song: Goodbye Dolly Gray
1946 film Brief Encounter 

VIDEO CLIPS:
Brief Encounter interview with Emma Rice
Watch video trailer for the U.S. Premiere of Noël Coward's Brief Encounter, presented by the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and Kneehigh Theatre Sep 11-Oct 4, 2009

This
JAN. 8-29, 2011

SUITABILITY: GRADE 9 AND UP

PLAY GUIDE:
Story, Creators, Glossary...

SUGGESTED LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES
Quick and Easy: 
A Fun Little Party Game (pre-viewing)
Sorry, I'm Canadian* (pre-viewing)
Predictive Stereotypes (pre-viewing, with post-viewing lesson part)
Drama Activities:
The No Story Game + Improv (pre-viewing)
An Excerpt: Direct/Act (pre-viewing)
Points to Ponder, Discuss or Write About:
Play Themes: Adultery and Grief (pre-viewing)
What's "This"? (post-viewing)
Expressing and Responding to Grief (post-viewing)
Conflict Resolution in a Marriage (post-viewing)
Giving Advice (post-viewing)
Rituals and Ideologies (post-viewing)
Connecting Family, Friends and God Through Ritual (post-viewing)
Marriage/Death - Regular Not Perfect (post-viewing)
Death of a Loved One; Letting Go (post-viewing)
Creative Assignments/Projects: 
To Punctuate or Not to Punctuate (pre-viewing)
Re-Write This (post-viewing)
Focused Theatre Review (post-viewing)

BOOKS: 
*How to Be a Canadian (Even if You Already Are One) by Will Ferguson and Ian Ferguson (see lesson: "Sorry I'm Canadian")

LINKS:
Interview with Melissa James Gibson, Playwright, Gothamist, Dec. 22, 2009 
Great lessons and resources on stereotypes   

Death of a Salesman
FEB. 12, 2011-MAR. 5, 2011

SUITABILITY: GRADE 9 AND UP

PLAY GUIDE: Story, Creators, Characters, Glossary...

SUGGESTED LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES:
Points to Ponder, Discuss or Write About:
Sales as a Profession/Career (pre-viewing)
Willy Loman's House (pre-viewing)
About Willy Loman (pre- or post-viewing)
About Linda Loman (post-viewing)
Children and Parents: Relationships (post-viewing)
1928 Chevy and Stadebaker: Reserach (post-viewing)
How We Learn; quotation response (post-viewing)
Snippets (post-viewing)
Creative Assignments/Projects: 
Family Myths (pre-viewing)
Four Character-Related Projects (post-viewing) 

LINKS:
Birth of the American Salesman by Laura Linard (Q&A with Walter A. Friedman, Harvard Business School)
About Arthur Miller
More on Death of a Salesman
Death of a Salesman movie Directed by Volker Schlöndorff; Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Kate Reid and John Malkovich

BOOKS:
A Critical Introduction to Twentieth-Century American Drama: Volume 1, 1900-1940 [Paperback] by C. W. E. Bigsby
Student Companion to Arthur Miller: (Student Companions to Classic Writers) by Susan C. W. Abbotson (May 30, 2000)
The Theater Essays Of Arthur Miller [Paperback] by Robert A. Martin and Steven R. Centola
Conversations with Arthur Miller (Literary Conversations Series) [Paperback] by Arthur Miller. Matthew C. Roudane (Editor)
More books by Arthur Miller

The Trespassers
MAR. 26-APR. 16, 2011

SUITABILITY: GRADE 8 AND UP

PLAY GUIDE: Story, Creators, Glossary,...

SUGGESTED LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES
Points to Ponder, Discuss or Write About:
The Meaning of Trespassing (post-viewing)
Lying, Not Lying and Telling a Story (post-viewing)
Family Relationships and Raising Children (post-viewing)
"Time is the Possessor of All Things." (post-viewing, lesson 1)
"Time is the Possessor of All Things." (post-viewing, lesson 2)
Life in a Small Town or Village (post-viewing)
Different "Types" of Lies and "Cards" (post-viewing)
Views on Illness (Labeling), Ownership and Death (post-viewing)
Divorce and Its Effects on Children; View of God; Legal Guardianship (post-viewing)
The Ethics of "Mercy Killing" and "Assisted Suicide" (post-viewing)

BOOKS: 
Coming-of-Age Books for Teens and Adults (Amazon)

LINKS:
Troubled family truths from playwright Morris Panych (article, Serafin LaRiviere / Toronto / Thursday, August 13, 2009)
About Morris Panych

MacHomer
MAY 11-15, 2011

SUITABILITY: GRADE 6 AND UP

SUGGESTED LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES
Creative Assignment / Project:
MacHomer/MacBeth scene study (pre- or post-viewing)

BOOKS:
William Shakespeare's Macbeth

LINKS:
The official website: MacHomer
The official website: The Simpsons
The official website: Simpsons movie

The Miracle Worker 

PLAY GUIDE Part 1:
History, Characters, Behind-the-Stage Spotlight,... PDF

PLAY GUIDE Part 2 - Suggested Lessons + Activities:
Narrate and Play Read by Warren McKinnon, UBC Continuing Studies 
Discuss: The Family and Societal Response to... by Warren M.
Discuss: Blind Obedience by Warren M. 
Discuss: Who is The Miracle Worker? by Warren M.
Lesson Supplements by Warren M.: 
1st Significant Script Segment
2nd Significant Script Segment
3rd Significant Script Segment
4th Significant Script Segment
5th Significant Script Segment
6th Significant Script Segment

PLAY GUIDE Part 3 - Suggested Books + Links + Clips:

Suggested Books PDF

Online Links
The Perkins School for the Blind The official website for the school that both Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller attended.
Deafblind Services Society of British Columbia An organization providing services, including to deafblind individuals.
Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults An organization created to enable deaf-blind individuals to live and work in their community of choice.
Ivy Green – Birthplace of Helen Keller A site about the estate where Helen Keller was born, including a biography.
American Foundation for the Blind The Foundation has made some of the photographs and writings from their Helen Keller collection available online.
American Sign Language – ASL Resources for learning sign language, including a dictionary, fingerspelling, Baby Sign, and lessons.

Video Clips
Helen Keller: In Her Story A clip from an Oscar-winning documentary about Helen Keller, including examples of hand signing.
Helen Keller & Anne Sullivan Newsreel Footage Anne Sullivan demonstrates how Helen Keller learned how to speak.
Professional DeafBlind Theatre A scene from a play performed by deaf and blind actors in Israel.
Intervenor for Deaf-Blind Persons Information about a program at George Brown College in Toronto that trains people to act as the eyes and ears for deafblind people.
Eddy Morton of Deafblind Services Society of BC An interview about the volunteer intervention program at the Deafblind Services Society of BC.
ABC phonics song/sounds of letters- Canadian version The Canadian version of the baby sign alphabet.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 

PLAY GUIDE Part 1:
History, Characters, Glossary, Quotes,... PDF

PLAY GUIDE Part 2 - Suggested Lessons + Activities:

By Warren Mckinnon, UBC Continuing Studies
Narrate and Play Read by Warren McKinnon, UBC Continuing Studies 
Women, Aging, Marriage + “Charity Casinos” by Warren M.
Movie Links: “Six Degrees of Separation” by Warren M. 
Winning a Lottery and Other “Deceptive Blessings” by Warren M.
(Lesson Supplements by Warren M.)
1st Significant Script Segment
2nd Significant Script Segment
3rd Significant Script Segment
4th Significant Script Segment
5th Significant Script Segment
6th Significant Script Segment

By Joshua Weiss, Tamanawis Secondary School
Character Analysis (post-viewing activity)
Springboard Questions (pre- and post-viewing)

PLAY GUIDE Part 3 - Suggested  Books + Links + Clips:

Suggested Books PDF

Online Links
Musical Metatheatre How Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Drowsy Chaperone use metatheatre for comedic ends.
School for Scoundrels Short biographies of some of the most famous con men in history. Also includes a store where you can buy your own materials to run a shell game, three-card monte, and other cons.
How Con Artists Work Learn about con artists and con artist tactics
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Musical Lyrics Just in case you want to sing along (under your breath).
Urban Legends Reference Page A central place to learn the truth behind email scams, urban legends and hoaxes
BBC - Hustle Official site of the BBC series about a team of con artists. Includes a glossary of con terms and games.
Cote d’Azur Tourism Information about the French Riviera, the setting for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Video Clips
Tony Awards number from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels A performance of Great Big Stuff at the 2005 Tony Awards
Michael Shermer Learns the Art of Con Games
Publisher of Skeptic magazine learns how to con people.
Cool Con Tricks Examples of con games
Catch Me If You Can (2002) movie trailer A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of cheques as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor

Beyond Eden 

A co-production with Theatre Calgary

PLAY GUIDE Part 1:
History, Characters, Glossary, Quotes,... PDF 

PLAY GUIDE Part 2 - Suggested Lessons + Activities:

PRE-viewing (include IRP Key Concepts, Learning Objectives):
"Word Sort" by Yvonne Price, Cloverdale Learning Centre
Beyond Eden with "Totem" by Dan Adrian, Moscrop Secondary School

POST-viewing (include IRP Key Concepts, Learning Objectives):
Different Perspectives by Yvonne P.
"Propaganda" T-Shirt Project by Dan A.
Theatre Review by Cheryl Causley, Crofton House School

PLAY GUIDE Part 3 - Books + Links + Clips:

Suggested Books PDF

Online Links
Queen Charlotte Islands Visitor Information Information about Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands and links to accommodation and activities.
Council of the Haida Nation The official website of the Haida Nation.
Juan Perez’ 1774 visit to the northwest coast A description of the first European exploration of the Pacific Northwest.
Trickster Mythology: Raven and Coyote and the Ancient World An article about the role of the trickster figure in First Nations mythology.
Haida-Manga Animation "Flight of the Hummingbird" An animated version of Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas’ illustrations.
Wilson Duff – ABC Bookworld An overview of anthropologist Wilson Duff’s work and writings. The character of Lewis is based on Duff, who led similar expeditions to Haida and Gitxsan communities.
Bill Reid Foundation A foundation established to preserve the art and perpetuate the legacies of Bill Reid, it runs the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Art.
The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia The website for the museum housing the foremost collection of Pacific Northwest First Nations art, as well as ethnological objects from around the world.
Spirit of the West a Canadian folk rock band. John Mann, who stars as Lewis Wilson in Beyond Eden, is one of its founding members.

Video Clips
The Life and Legend of Bill Reid A collection of radio and television clips about Bill Reid, who was the inspiration for the character of Max. 

The Love List 

PLAY GUIDE Part 1:
Story, Playwright, Glossary,...PDF 

PLAY GUIDE Part 2 - Suggested Lessons + Activities:
Catalytic Quotes for Query and Quill by Heather Robbie, David Thompson Secondary 
Character Study Analysis by Heather R., David Thompson Secondary
Points to Ponder by Heather R., David Thompson Secondary

PLAY GUIDE Part 3 - Suggested  Books + Links:

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (see also My Fair Lady) | A witty comedy about a linguist who bets that he can pass a Cockney flower girl off as a duchess.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (various versions on film) | The story of a man who tries to create artificial life only to be disgusted, and then destroyed, by his creation.

The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin (various versions on film) | Are the submissive housewives in a suburban neighbourhood actually robots created by their husbands to be the perfect wives?

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (Blade Runner) | In a post-apocalyptic dystopia, bounty hunters hunt down escaped android slaves.

Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus and Mars and Venus on a Date by John Gray | Understanding the differences between men and women; how to find your soul mate.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (various versions on film) | Sometimes the perfect woman is the one you first dismiss.

Emma by Jane Austen (various versions on film – see also Clueless) | A young woman tries to set her new friend up with the perfect mate with disastrous results.

Cartoon Guide to Statistics by Larry Gonick and Woollcott Smith
A fun way to become statistically literate (and be able to converse with Bill).

The Idylls of the King by Alfred, Lord Tennyson | A series of narrative poems about King Arthur and the Round Table by Justine’s favourite poet.

Norm Foster Information about playwright Norm Foster including bio, synopses of plays, selected scenes, posters, theatre links and interviews.
Avatar / Second Life Information about creating your own digital avatar in Second Life, including avatar creation, customization and fashion tips.
The Perfect Woman Project A website where men submit a description of their ideal woman.

Dangerous Corner 

PLAY GUIDE Part 1:
Story, Creators,...PDF 

PLAY GUIDE Part 2 - Suggested Lessons + Activities
by Warren McKinnon, UBC Continuing Studies:
Narrate and Play Read: To Lie or Not to Lie  
Discuss: Corporate/Individual Financial Fraud
Discuss: Marriage/Family - Tell the Truth?

Significant Script Segments by Warren M.: 
1st Significant Script Segment
2nd Significant Script Segment
3rd Significant Script Segment
4th Significant Script Segment
5th Significant Script Segment
6th Significant Script Segment
7th Significant Script Segment

PLAY GUIDE Part 3 - Suggested  Books + Links:

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley | In Priestley's most famous play, the titular inspector arrives at a dinner party to interrogate a middle-class family about the suicide of a young woman, revealing their culpability and hypocrisy.

Time and the Conways by J.B. Priestley | Exploring the idea that all Time exists simultaneously, the play moves back and forth between two nights in 1919 and 1938, showing the fortunes and failures of the Conway family.

An Experiment with Time by J.W. Dunne | An essay about precognition and the human experience of time that was championed by J.B. Priestley, who used it as the basis for Time and the Conways.

Gosford Park (2001 movie) | A shooting party at an English country house ends in murder in this movie about the British class system during the inter-war period.

Sliding Doors (1998 movie) | A woman’s life takes two different directions, depending on whether or not she caught a particular train.

Run Lola Run (1998 movie) | A young woman tries to secure 100,000 deutsche marks for her boyfriend in a mere 20 minutes – the film explores three different ways the scenario could have played out.

Rashomon (1950 movie) | A film by Akira Kurosawa, in which a crime witnessed by four individuals is described in four contradictory ways.

J. B. Priestley

J.B. Priestley Society | Websites about author J.B. Priestley

J.B. Priestley in Profile | A discussion of Priestley’s plays in relation to today’s world, with particular emphasis on the National Theatre production of Time and the Conways.

Bill Dow | The Official Website - Biography

Time Travel – J.W. Dunne – Experiment With Time | A review of Dunne’s essay on the perception of Time.