RIDE THE TIGER Teacher Information Packet

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TEACHER INFORMATION PACKET what would you do for your country?

A NEW PLAY by william mastrosimone AUTHOR OF SINATRA directed by gordon edelstein MARCH 27 - APRIL 21 with support from Fidelity Investments

go r d o n e d e l ste i n artistic director

H

J OS HUA BORENS TEI N managing director

PRES ENTS

by WILLIA M MA S TR O S I MO NE Dir ect ed by G O R D O N ED EL S TEI N

MARCH 27 - APRIL 21, 2013 CLAIRE TOW STAGE IN THE C. NEWTON SCHENCK III THEATRE

T e a c h e r I n f o r m a ti o n P a c k e t Compiled and Written by a n n ie d imarti no Director of Education STEV E SCARP A Director of Marketing & Communications m al l o r y pel l eg rino Resident Teaching Artist Administrator AN THONY DE POTO Resident Teaching Artist kr istian n a smit h Resident Teaching Artist

Teacher Information Packet Layout by claire zoghb

long wharf theatre gratefully acknowledges t h e g e n e r o sit y o f o u r e d u c a ti o n supp o r t e r s

Elizabeth Carse Foundation Frederick A. Deluca Foundation The George A. and Grace L. Long Foundation The Seedlings Foundation wells fargo foundation The Werth Family Foundation founding supporter of long wharf theatre ’ s video study guide and supporter of the educators ’ laboratory

by WILLIA M MA S TR O S I MO NE Dir ect ed by G O R D O N ED EL S TEI N Eugene Lee°

Set Design

Costume Design

Jess Goldstein°

Lighting Design

Tyler Micoleau°

original music & Sound Design

Ryan Rumery°

Projection Design

Sven Ortel°

wig Design

charles lapointe

Casting James Calleri, CSA

Production Stage Manager Lisa ANN Chernoff*

ASSISTANT Stage Manager AMY PATRICIA STERN* with support from fidelity investments

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States ° Member of United Scenic Artists, USA-829 of the IATSE This Theatre operates under an agreement between the League Of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

contents ABO U T T HE P LAY Characters 8 Synopsis 9 About the Playwright 10 Historical Fiction: A Genre 11 Glossary 12 T HE W ORLD OF T HE P LAY Kennedy Men 20 JFK’s Women 22 Character Relationships 24 Frank Sinatra 25 The Man, The Mob 28 Conspiracy Theories 30 The Red Scare 32 S upp l e m e n t a l M a t e r i a l s The Kennedy Family 36 The Media and Beyond 40 Multimedia 43 Curriculum Connections 45 For the First-Time Theatregoer 46

Look for this symbol to find discussion and writing prompts, CMT/ CAPT-prep questions and classroom activities!

ABOUT THE PLAY

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T H E C H A R A CTE R S

JOE In his mid to late 70s.

Jack’s father. Joe was very involved in politics throughout his life (serving as the 44th U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom) and made his fortune by being a successful businessman and investor.

Joe has persuaded and pushed Jack to pursue the presidency since Joe Junior’s death.

jack In his mid 40s. In the course of the play, Jack runs for and becomes the 35th President of the United States of America.

Jack is close friends with Frank and meets Judy through him.

frank In his mid 30s. Frank is a world renowned celebrity and a household name, known for his singing and acting career. Frank is Judy’s ex-lover and friends with both Jack and Sam.

JUDY In her early 30s. Prior to the play, Judy had an affair with Frank. Throughout the play, she is tangled in a love affair with both Jack and Sam. Judy enjoys painting, fine food, wine, and gifts.

sam In his early to mid 50s.

Sam is a Sicilian American mobster and head of the Chicago Outfit. He is friends with Frank and is infatuated with Judy. He is suspicious of how Jack’s politics could jeopardize his business and lifestyle.

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S Y NO P S I S OF THE PLAY

T

While in Miami, Frank meets up with Sam to discuss the proposition of gaining Chicago support. Sam agrees, but he asks for a private conversation with Jack, who is scheduled to fly into Miami that evening to catch Frank’s show. Judy is also in Miami, waiting to meet up with Jack. Sam spots her across the pool and decides to introduce himself. He soon dazzles Judy, and a love triangle ensues.

he action of the play centers on five individuals connected by the 1960 Presidential Election: Jack, a charismatic, eager-to-please, presidential candidate; his father and advisor, Joe; Frank, a handsome crooner who shares Jack’s love of ladies; Judy, a stunning woman who enjoys the finer things in life; and Sam, the head of the Chicago Outfit.

As Ride the Tiger opens, Jack and Joe are at their boat house in Hyannisport, discussing the problems Jack’s wandering eye is causing their campaign. Amongst the long list of infidelities, Jack’s latest indiscretion is claiming to be five months pregnant. Joe has guaranteed Jack’s wife, Jackie, will remain by Jack’s side throughout the election, insisting her popularity will help him, but Jack still feels nervous. The election is sure to be a close one. Joe believes Jack is close to winning the election but gives an ominous, almost foreboding warning to his son that the FBI sees and knows all. Joe tells Jack that he must wake-up and stop living his life like a school boy and more like the President worthy of the Oval Office.

As Act II opens, Judy finds herself, unknowingly, in the middle of two very powerful men: both having their own plans for her, and both slowly manipulating her to their whim. Judy soon discovers she is serving as the go-between, causing her to become more and more ensnared in their complicated web of politics, loyalty, and secrets.

Meanwhile, we begin to see the lengths to which Jack’s father, Joe, is willing to go to see his dream achieved and his son’s position in the White House secured.

Jack learns of his father’s shady dealings and decides to hit Sam where it hurts before Sam can strike by launching a full scale investigation and war on organized crime once elected. Using his brother Bobby’s newly appointed position as Attorney General, Jack reneges on his promise to Sam. Sam isn’t the man to take this deception lying down and plans are quickly put into motion to regain control over Jack, using Frank and Judy as his pawns.

Next, we leave Rhode Island and travel to a Las Vegas hotel room where we meet Frank and Judy. Judy has gone to Vegas to confront Frank about his abrupt end to their relationship. Jack arrives for a quick visit with Frank and is instantly captivated by the stunning Judy.

With Frank’s help, a love affair between the two soon ensues.

As tempers flare, we learn that Joe has suffered a stroke and without his father to help him, Jack soon finds himself as both the pawn and the person responsible for shaping the events of history. Someone always has to pay the price in the end.

Later, Joe and Frank meet up in New York to discuss ways in which Frank can help Jack win in the primaries.

Frank offers to get his Hollywood buddies to help out with a fundraiser and also promises to talk with his connections in the Chicago Mob. The deal is made with the contingency that Sam is allowed to continue with his business without interference. With the help of the Chicago Outfit, Joe is hoping that Jack will win.

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ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: W I L L I A M M A ST R OS I M ONE

W

Bang You’re Dead, was created to highlight the violence in schools and bring awareness to kids around the world.

For awhile, this play was available to schools around the country free of charge. In 2002, a film adaptation was released and won a Day Time Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Special.

illiam Mastrosimone broke into the world of playwriting with his first show The Woolgatherer in 1979 at Rutgers Theatre Company. The play is about a gruff truck driver with a poetic soul and his chance meeting with a fragile woman from a candy shop. The play follows the two through a night of intimacy. In an interview with STAGE Magazine, William Mastrosimone admits that while not entirely true, the play was based off of a memory Mastrosimone had as a truck driver, when his truck broke down and he met a woman named Rose. He described her as, “a person who seemed to have more nerve endings than most people.” The play reflects this fragile woman and her encounter with a kindred soul. While based in true events, The Woolgatherer, is a work of fiction.

William Mastrosimone was commissioned to write a film about the life of Frank Sinatra entitled Sinatra, released in 1992. During his research, Mastrosimone spent a few years with Sinatra chronicling his stories.

At Long Wharf Theatre in 2012, Mastrosimone described Ride the Tiger as part of Frank Sinatra’s untold story. As is typical of most of Mastrosimone’s work, Ride the Tiger lies somewhere between fact and fiction, reality and fantasy, leaving the audience to decipher what is truth and what is just a good story.

This process of fictionalizing true events becomes a similar thread in the majority of William Mastrosimone’s work. Filled with his own stories, and fueled by the tales of others, his plays primarily lie somewhere between historical events and fantasy.

SOURCES William Mastrosimone - www.imdb.com/name/nm0557895 ‘Stone Carver,’ a Drama Built of Evolving Memoriestheater. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/30/theater/30kend.html?_ r=0

In 2006, Mastrosimone’s work Stone Carver, premiered at the SoHo Playhouse in New York. This play is a retelling of a childhood experience that highlights the difficulties between father and son and what creates a family. While based off of Mastrosimone’s life, the play falls somewhere between truth and invention.

STAGE Magazine Interviews Playwright William Mastrosimone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to23ieUjqxg Why I Re-Wrote Band Band You’re Dead After 10 Years or I love my horse but I prefer my car. http://www.icarusplays.com/preview-plays/bbyd/playwright’snotes

Mastrosimone has been hailed for his work as a playwright and screenplay writer. His one act play, Bang

William Mastrosimone - http://www.icarusplays.com/about-us/ who-is-behind-icarusplays/william-mastrosimone

I n t h e Cla s s r o o m The article tells us that the play has elements of truth and fantasy.

Think of a true event in your life you believe would make a good play.

Now, add fantastical elements or stretch the truth to create a more compelling story. Write a short description of a play surrounding the life event you chose. Describe at least 2 characters in your play.

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W ha t ’ s F a c t a n d W ha t ’ s F i c t i o n i n H i s t o ri c al F i c t i o n ?

In these stories, historical facts blend with imaginary characters and plot” (Lynch-Brown, 1999).

“History is the study of change over time. Historical fiction brings history to life by placing appealing characters in accurately described historical settings.

Historical fiction is realistic fiction set in a time remote enough from the present to be considered history.

Although the story is imaginary, it is within the realm of possibility that such events could have occurred.

In the case of Ride the Tiger, the characters are real people, but their words and actions are imagined by the playwright. Ride the Tiger is not fact. Instead, it is probable fiction.

I n t h e Cla s s r o o m After seeing the play, discuss or have your students answer all or some of the following questions: I. Setting (time and place) 1. I n what historical period does the play take place?

2. L ist some details you remember from the play. Compare these descriptions with what you have studied about this particular historical period.

3. H as the play accurately created this particular historical period? Explain using specific examples.

II. Characters 1. What historical figures’ names do you recognize? List and describe them.

2. L ist positive and negative character traits of at least four of the main characters.

3. C hoose one character. Research this character (biography, autobiography, contemporaries’ opinions, etc). Use at least two sources of information. Do you think your chosen character was accurately portrayed in the play?

4. E xplain the characters’ involvement in the historical setting and events.

III. Theme 1. What social condition in history does the play reveal?

2. What comment do you think the playwright is making about this social condition?

3. H ow can this social condition be related to contemporary life?

4. Write the theme of the play in one sentence.You may use a line from the play.

IV. Plot and Summary 1. Why do you think the playwright chose to write about this particular historical episode?

2. I s the playwright revealing any new insights about the historical characters or historical events?

Sources: http://faculty.education.ufl.edu/Pace/English_Ed/Genre%202/Historical.pdf

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G LOSS A RY DEFINITIONS Abstemious: Temperate in diet or appetite; showing restraint in what you eat or drink.

Aphrodisiac: Something that excited sexual desire, usually a food or a drug.

Auld Lang Syne: A Scottish poem written by Robert Burns and set to the tune of traditional folk songs, usually sung at New Year’s Eve. B-29: A bomber airplane with four propellers used by the United States in World War II and the Korean War. Bailiwick: A person’s area of skill, knowledge, authority, or work.

Beguile: To influence by trickery, flattery, etc.; mislead; delude; to charm or divert.

b-29

Behooves: Benefits.

CIA: Central Intelligence Agency.

Cape Canaveral: Located in Florida and known for the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, many of NASA’s rockets have been launched there. It was briefly named Cape Kennedy from 1963-1973.

Cavorting: Behaving in a high-spirited, festive manner; making merry.

Consorted: Associated; kept company.

Eunuch: Usually, a castrated man or a man who is celibate.

Demerol: A narcotic that relieves moderate to severe pain.

The doctor prescribes this medication to Judy at the end of the play; it is supposed to help her sleep.

Egregious: Extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant.

Euphemism: The substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.

Fanatics: People with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal, as in religion or politics.

FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Feign: To pretend.

Flummoxed: Bewildered, confounded, or confused.

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cape canav eral

Gallup Poll: An assessment of public opinion by the questioning of a statistically representative sample.

GE: General Electric.

ICBM: Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.

Imbued: Inspired, as with feelings, opinions, etc.

Imperative: Not to be avoided or evaded; necessary.

Impugned: Cast doubt upon.

Innuendo: An indirect suggestion about a person or thing, especially of a disparaging or a derogatory nature.

Irks: Irritates, annoys, or exasperates.

Jettison: To throw off (something) as an obstacle or burden; discard. i n terco n tin e n tal balli stic mi s s ile

Modicum: A moderate or small amount.

Nemesis: An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome; worst enemy.

Platonic Friend: A man and woman who are friends and have no personal loving or physical relationship.

Politick: To talk about politics, often times in a partisan way.

Presumption: Adopting something to be true.

Protocol: The customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette.

Prudence: The ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason; it is one of the four Cardinal Virtues.

Frank refers to it as if she is a person telling Jack what to do.

K e n n edy with crewme n o f U SS PT - 1 0 9 , 1 9 4 3

PT-109: The Patrol Torpedo boat that John F. Kennedy was under command late in World War II. Pugnacious: Inclined to quarrel or fight readily; combative.

Qualms: Uneasy feelings or pangs of conscience as to conduct; misgivings.

Rendezvous: A meeting at an appointed time and place.

Sacrosanct: Most sacred or holy; to be too important.

Skullduggery: Dishonorable proceedings; mean dishonesty or trickery.

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GLOSS ARY

CONTI NU ED

Sputnik: A Russian made satellite and claimed to be the first satellite in Earth’s orbit.

Technicolor: A brand name for a system of making color motion pictures by means of superimposing the three primary colors to produce a final colored print.

Trollop: An immoral or promiscuous woman, especially a prostitute.

Unfathomable: To be difficult or impossible to understand.

U.S.S.R: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Vagaries: Unpredictable or outlandish actions.

ALLUSIONS “We ride the tiger just to say we did it”: Jack compares himself to Judy, probably saying they both love to live dangerously. A reference to JFK’s inaugural speech: “But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom—and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.” This reference also inspires the title of the play.

“The face that launched a thousand investigations”: Joe is comparing Judy to Helen of Troy, the woman who is famed to have started the Trojan War. P ART S OF A SAIL B OAT

Achilles Heel: Defined as a vulnerable point, Joe refers to Jack’s love for women; meaning they will be his downfall. The Greek hero of the Trojan War, Achilles was said to be invulnerable in all of his body except for his heel.

“I didn’t ask what my country could do for me. I asked what I could do for my country”: Talking about when he performed a secret mission for the CIA, Sam is referencing, and probably mocking, JFK’s inaugural speech.

“My kingdom for a sailboat”: Jack is modifying a famous Shakespearean quote from Richard III, “a horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse”. In the middle of a great battle, King Richard has lost his horse and finds himself afoot. In desperation, he cries out, ‘A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” Shakespeare was showing how the value of

AVA GARDNE R

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things can change suddenly; a simple thing such as a horse to ride can become more important than having a kingdom to rule. Jack is likely saying that he would give up his Presidency if he could have a sailboat to escape on.

“But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.”: Jack is quoting Robert Frost’s poem Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening.

PEOPLE Ava Gardner: Actress who was married to Frank Sinatra from 1951-57.

I NG A A R V A D

Carlo Marcello: Sicilian Mafioso who became the boss of the New Orleans crime family from the 1940s until the 1970s.

Castro: Fidel Castro, Cuban communist revolutionary who was Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, then became president from 1976 to 2008.

Gary Cooper: American film actor in the early to mid 20th century known for his roles as cowboys.

Inga Arvad: Inga was a Danish journalist, referred to in the play for having a relationship with Jack from 1941-1942.

She was also known for being Adolf Hitler’s companion in the 1936 Summer Olympics and was a suspected Nazi spy.

G A R Y C OOPE R

Khrushchev: The Russian political leader of the USSR from 1958-1964.

Lone Ranger and Tonto: Both are characters from the 1933 radio show and later television show titled “The Lone Ranger.” The Lone Ranger, a masked ex-Texas Ranger, fights injustice in the American Old West with the help of his Native American side-kick, Tanto.

KH R US H C HE V A N D K E NNE D Y

Nazi: A member of the National Socialist German Workers’ party. In 1933, under Adolf Hitler, the Nazis seized political control of Germany and established a dictatorship over all cultural, economic, and political activities of the people. They are well-known as the executers of many people of the Jewish faith as well as others they considered “undesirable” in the Holocaust.

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gl o s s ary

continued

SLANG AND SAYINGS “A gauntlet thrown down”: Jack says Joe Jr. saw Jack’s medal as a challenge, which eventually led to his death in a “suicide mission.”

“A skeleton in the closet”: A hidden secret.

“Anybody who eats spaghetti with a fork and a spoon”: Italians; Sam accuses Jack and his brother Bobby of condemning all Italians for being mob affiliated solely because they are Italian, or eat spaghetti a certain way.

“Birds of a feather”: Meaning you are of the same people, from the saying “birds of a feather flock together.” Joe is saying that because Frank hangs out with Sam, he is part of the Mob.

the commu nist flag

“Hip to the Jive”: Jazz age slang meaning to be cool or trendy; you know what’s going on.

“Bootlegger”: A person who makes, sells, or transports alcoholic liquor for sale illegally.

“In a pickle”: To be in a difficult spot.

“Broad”: Another term for a woman.

“It’s In the Bag”: To be guaranteed.

“Ciao”: Italian for goodbye

“Kibosh”: To put an end to.

“Dame”: Another word for woman, not the formal title.

“Mum’s the Word”: A promise to keep quiet.

“Neck and Neck”: A racing term for a close call; Jack refers to how close the Presidential election is between him and Richard Nixon.

“Doll”: A term of endearment for a woman; saying she is as pretty as a doll.

“Don’t Have a Pot to Piss In”: To be broke or poor.

“Off-The-Cuff”: Spontaneous; done without any planning or rehearsing.

“Down in the trenches”: To be overwhelmed or working hard; a reference to fighting in the trenches in war.

“Pazzo”: Means “crazy” in Italian “Potato-eaters”: Anyone of Irish heritage (a reference to the Irish potato famine); Sam is mocking the Kennedys.

“Election’s gonna be a squeaker”: Sam says that the 1960 Presidential election will be so close that the winner will just barely squeak by with enough votes.

“Potato-Famine Roots”: To be Irish.

“Primo”: of the finest quality or greatets value. Frank tells Jack that Judy is “first rate.”

“Faccia Bella”: Means “beautiful face” in Italian.

“Fizgig”: A firecracker; possible slang for a “hot” woman.

“Quid pro quo”: Latin for “a favor for a favor.”

“Rue the day”: A saying that means one day a person will bitterly regret something they have done.

“Get the Skinny”: Getting information.

“Gilding the Lily”: To unnecessarily adorn something already beautiful.

“Ruskies”: American Slang for Russians.

“Schmooze”: To get to know or suck up to someone for self benefit.

“Going Red”: Joining the Communist Party.

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“Thug”: A cutthroat or a ruffian.

“Set the town on fire”: To enjoy one’s self and have a good time, almost lavishly.

“Tin-horn”: Cheap and showy; someone who makes extravagant claims.

“She’s Sam’s eyes and ears”: Joe says that Judy is Sam’s spy; she goes back and reports to Sam what she sees and hears while she is with Jack.

“Unbridled Optimism”: To be unrestrained or be uncontrolled in optimism, or a positive outlook.

“Sheenies”: Slang term for a Jewish person.

“Vets”: War Veterans.

“Sissies”: People regarded as timid or cowardly.

“Work this guy”: To get information out of someone.

“Skunked me”: To be cheated.

“You can’t get change for a quarter”: Sam tells Frank that Jack wants nothing to do with him anymore; Jack won’t even bother to help Frank by giving him change (a simple task).

“Stone Cold Knock Out”: To be considered very attractive; someone so beautiful they would knock you out with their looks.

“You’ve been chicago’ed”: Joe tells Jack he has been taken in or tricked by Sam (the head of the Chicago mafia).

“The American Dream”: An American idea that each person has the opportunity to prosper and be successful through hard work.

“The Feds”: Federal Agents.

“The Old Ennui”: Ennui, an old French saying that means to worry or boredom.

“The Premier”: Reference to Khrushchev, the Premier (or head of the government) for the USSR. “The spooks”: The CIA.

I n t h e Cla s s r o o m • W rite a short story using five of the definitions, five slang words, and one allusion. Read them aloud in class.

• Ride the Tiger uses a lot of slang that is not spoken or used in today’s world. Were there any terms that you already knew? Where had you heard them? Do you still use any of this slang today?

• Choose five slang terms that you did not know, and write what the modern slang would be (what would you use today to say the same thing)?

• In the play, Judy tells Frank “[Jack’s] so Harvard, and you’re so Hoboken.” What do you think she means? Write down your instinct first, then do some research. Compare your results with your original thoughts. Were you right? Discuss the importance of context.

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WORLD OF THE PLAY

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K ENNED Y M EN

T

In an interview with Louis Lyons, a reporter at the Boston Globe, he declared, “democracy is finished in England.” This quotation was published in the Globe on November 9, 1940 and was widely reprinted, effectively closing the curtain on Joseph Kennedy’s political career.

Afterwards, Joe focused his attention on his sons’ political careers to achieve his “consuming ambition… the advancement of the Kennedy family.”

here’s no such thing as royalty in the United States, but if anyone has

ever come close to that level, it’s the Kennedy family. Descended from

Irish Catholics who fled the potato famine,the family has a strong tradition in the Democratic

party;the most prominent member being President John F. Kennedy.

Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Jr. (Joe Jr.):

JFK’s presidency was often referred to as “Camelot,” echoing the time of King Arthur, a time of idyllic happiness and hope; however, the Kennedy Family has not always been filled with happiness and hope. In fact, many members of the family have died in accidents and assassinations, often referred to as the “Kennedy curse.”

The oldest of nine children, Joe Jr. was both a talented student and athlete. He graduated from Harvard College in 1938, and while he started Harvard Law School, Joe Jr. left before graduation to join the U.S. Navy as a naval pilot during World War II (19391945). In August 1944, Joe Jr. was killed at age 29 during a secret bombing mission off the coast of Normandy, France. His death put his younger brother, Jack, in his place to pursue a strong political career and fulfill his father’s dream of becoming the first Kennedy President.

Blessed or cursed, the Kennedys have had a long reign on the political stage. From 1947-2011 (64 years), Washington had at least one Kennedy in public office.

Joseph P. Kennedy III is keeping the Kennedy political presence alive; he was just sworn into Congress in January 2013.

In Ride the Tiger, we meet four characters based on several of the Kennedy men: the family patriarch and three of his sons—one of whom is dead but frequently discussed, the second is in the Presidential race, and the third is his brother’s campaign manager.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (Jack): After serving in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, JFK became the United States’ first Irish Catholic President in 1961.

The youngest President in history, JFK was an attractive war hero and rumored womanizer. During his time in office, Kennedy confronted mounting Cold War tensions in Cuba,Vietnam, and elsewhere; he also provided federal support for the growing civil rights movement. His assassination on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, transformed him from a fallible man into a beloved historical icon. To this day, JFK remains ranked one of the most loved Presidents in American history.

Joseph Patrick Kennedy (Joe): The head of the Kennedy clan, Joe became a bank president by age 25 and a millionaire by age 30.

A large contributor to the Democratic Party, Joe was appointed the (first Irish Catholic) Ambassador to Great Britain in 1937 (by FDR). Kennedy opposed US involvement in what would become World War II. After endorsing FDR as the only candidate who could keep the US out of the war in the 1940 election, Kennedy made what is commonly seen as his biggest mistake.

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organized crime and serving as a key supporter of the civil rights movement. After JFK’s assassination, Robert was elected to the U.S. Senate (representing New York).

Unfortunately, he was also assassinated: on June 5, 1968 during the California Democratic presidential primary.

Robert Kennedy (Bobby): The youngest of the three Kennedy brothers in the play (the 7th child of 9 total children in the family), Robert (nicknamed Bobby) Kennedy managed JFK’s presidential campaign.

After his brother was elected President in 1960, Robert was appointed Attorney General of the United States, in charge of fighting

I n t h e Cla s s r o o m In the article: According to the information given, what does Joe Kennedy want most for his family? What is his ultimate goal?

In the play: Jack tells Joe: “You know, Dad, the best thing you might have done for this family was to become President of the United States so we could live our lives.” Based on what you saw and heard in the play, do you think Jack is right?

In your life: Write about a time that you have felt a lot of pressure to succeed.

Was it from your family (external) or yourself (internal)?

How did you deal with it?

Do you see any similarities between yourself and Jack?

Sources: http://www.biography.com/people/groups/the-kennedy-family http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/04/10/joseph-p-kennedy-a-portrait-of-the-founder/ http://www.history.com/topics/joseph-kennedy-jr http://www.history.com/topics/john-f-kennedy

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J F K ’ S W O M EN (IN RIDE THE TIGER)

I n g a A r v ad

Jackie Kennedy

Judith Campbell Exner

Jacqueline Bouvier (Jackie Kennedy, Jackie O):

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was a rumored womanizer, and his illustrious affairs are

“Jack, your wife is one of our most valuable assets. Public loves her.”—Joe

still a source of intrigue and gossip today— more than forty years later! In Ride the based on real women in JFK’s life.

Working as the Inquiring Camera Girl for Washington Times-Herald, Jackie interviewed Senator John F. Kennedy.

Married in 1953, the couple was together until JFK’s assassination in 1963.

Inga Arvad (Inga):

Judith Campbell Exner (Judy):

“Your Danish dish…she was a Nazi spy…the report says she was a journalist with Nazi ties who took a sudden interest in a young officer in Navy Intelligence.”—Joe

“Don’t you wanna be more than his girl on the side? Cuz if it was me I’d be showin’ you off to the world.You’d be the first and only lady in my life. Looks to me the Senator’s already got a First Lady.”—Sam

Tiger, we hear about four particular women,

Inga was a Danish journalist and actress, most known for her romantic relationship with John F. Kennedy (1941-1942) and for being Adolf Hitler’s companion at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Inga began her romantic relationship with JFK while he served as an ensign in the US Navy’s Office of Naval Intelligence. Believing Inga was using JFK to uncover classified information from the US Department of the Navy, J. Edgar Hoover, the director of the FBI, began an intense investigation of their relationship: under the premise that Inga was a German spy. The FBI followed and recorded rendezvous between the couple. JFK was transferred to a seagoing unit, instead of being discharged, probably because of his father’s important political position. Joe broke off the romance between Inga and JFK before it destroyed his dreams of a political dynasty led by the Kennedy family.

On February 7, 1960, Frank Sinatra introduced Judy to Jack Kennedy at the Sand hotel in Las Vegas. As an admitted mistress of both Kennedy and mafia don Sam Giancana, Judy acted as a go-between for both the president and the mob (for 18 months in 1960 and 1961), carrying envelopes from one to the other and sometimes arranging meetings between the two. In December 1975, Exner held a press conference where she claimed “I can at this time emphatically state that my relationship with Jack Kennedy was of a close, personal nature and did not involve conspiratorial shenanigans of any kind. My relationship with Sam Giancana and my friendship with Johnny Roselli were of a personal nature and in no way related to or affected my relationship with Jack Kennedy. Nor did I discuss either of them

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with the other.” After much public criticism, Exner wrote a book, released in 1977, entitled My Story. The book describes her affairs with Kennedy and Giancana.

Reviewers of her book—including The New York Times— found her story not only affecting but credible in its evidence and detail (addresses, telephone numbers, and descriptions of White House décor). In an interview with Kitty Kelley in February 1988, Judith Exner stated “I lied when I said that President Kennedy was unaware of my friendships with mobsters. He knew everything about my dealings with Sam Giancana and Johnny Roselli because I was seeing them for him. I wouldn’t have been seeing them otherwise. And I would never have known mobsters if it hadn’t been for Frank Sinatra.”

marily n monroe

Marilyn Monroe: “My spies tell me you wile away your time in L.A. with a certain famous blond actress.Your blondie is a blabber. She blabs all over L.A. Blabs to anybody who will listen. Blabs she’s gonna be First Lady some day.” —Joe

Sources: http://www.findadeath.com/forum/showthread.php?14135Inga-Arvad-girlfriend-of-JFK http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies. aspx?biography=36

Marilyn was introduced to JFK by his sister, Pat. While the two had met twice before, they had never had time to speak in depth. At a dinner party in 1962, Marilyn and Jack were able to speak privately, and at the end of the night, he asked for her number. Jack called Marilyn the next day with a suggestion—he was going to be in Palm Springs on March 24, why not join him there? Oh, and incidentally, he told her: ‘Jackie won’t be there.’

http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2012/02/09/mimialford-and-other-jfk-mistresses-photos.html#slide_4 http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20098379,00. html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1209783/MadnessMarilyn-Monroe-The-affair-JFK-drug-crazed-paranoia.html

I n t h e Cla s s r o o m Do you see any similarities between the four women in the play?

Compare and Contrast them. What makes Jackie (his wife) different from the other three?

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c hara c t e r r e la t i o n s hip s The chart below illustrates the relationship among the main characters in Ride the Tiger. the people in the gray boxes in the chart do not physically appear (Robert, Jackie Kennedy and her children) but are referred to throughout the course of the play.

JOE KENNEDY

ROBERT KENNEDY

frank sinatra

JACK KENNEDY

JUDY EXNER MISTRESS

JACKIE KENNEDY

sam giancana

WIFE

ARABELLA DIED 1956

CAROLINE

jfk jr.

patrick

DIED 1999

DIED 1963

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FRANK SINATRA

I

to Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana” (biography.com)

n Ride the Tiger, we meet Frank: a famous singer and Jack’s good friend. Frank sets Jack up with his old flame, Judy. Frank also supports Jack in the presidential race: publically advocating for Jack and secretly cutting a deal with the mob through his friend, Sam (arranged in a private meeting with Jack’s father, Joe).

FRANK: His secretary tells me “The President cannot return your call in the foreseeable future.”

SAM: Your good friend Jack.

FRANK: I play it all back in my head: Joe told me to ask you as a personal favor to me. Made me his patsy.

SAM: Joe made you think you was helpin’ your good friend Jack.

FRANK: I sing in their clubs. I drink with them.

I eat with them. If I’m seen with them, nobody bats an eye.

JOE: Francis, your friendship makes me blush.

FRANK: It’s no big deal, Joe. JOE: Francis, you will be helping elect a President, and that is a very big deal.

FRANK: I’m happy to do it.

Throughout his life, Frank Sinatra was plagued with charges of mob connections.

While he vehemently complained he was being “unfairly tarred with the organized-crime brush simply because he occasionally happened to meet someone who had a criminal record or because his last name ended in a vowel”. (trutv.com)

This fictional Frank is based on Frank Sinatra: arguably one of the best voices of a generation. Fictional Frank and the real Sinatra have a lot in common. Both are famed for their talent and scrutinized for their connections with the mob.

Despite his protests, evidence of Sinatra’s personal connection to the mob piles up: • W hen police in Naples, Italy, searched Lucky Luciano’s home several years after the Havana getaway, they found a gold cigarette case with the inscription, “To my dear pal Lucky, from his friend, Frank Sinatra.”

Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Frank Sinatra grew up to be one of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century: an award-winning singer and film actor. Known for his good looks as well as his singing voice, Frank had many nicknames: “Ol’ Blue Eyes,” “The Voice,” “Frankie,” and “The Sultan of Swoon.”

• Chicago boss Sam Giancana was known to wear a star-sapphire pinkie ring that was a gift from Sinatra.

• T he press had published damning photographs of Sinatra posing with known Mafia members.

Frank Sinatra worked eagerly for JFK’s election in 1960 and later supervised his inaugural gala in Washington.

The relationship between the two turned sour, however, “after the president canceled a weekend visit to Sinatra’s house due to the singer’s connections

• In conversations secretly taped by the government, gangsters mentioned Sinatra’s name frequently, and not only with regard to his singing

25

fra n k s i n a t ra

continued

career but denies involvement with any illegal activity. Moretti claimed to have gotten Sinatra out of his contract with Tom Dorsey, which required Frank to give 43 percent of his earnings to Tom Dorsey and his agent for the rest of Sinatra’s life.

and acting talents.

• He performed in clubs and theatres run by the Mafia.

• Frank had a godfather connected with the Mafia: Willie Moretti a.ka. “Willie Moore.” Frank admits Moore got him a couple of club gigs early in his

I n t h e Cla s s r o o m Think for Yourself: • It is widely believed that the Mafia got Sinatra his first movie gig.

Do you think the Mafia bought Sinatra his fame or did he win it for himself?

• Do you think Sinatra’s connections with the Mafia discredit his song “My Way”?

In Ride the Tiger: • J ACK: Frank is a friend.

JOE: Frank is also Sam’s friend and Sam is mob.

JACK: Frank has no part of the mob.

JOE: Birds of a feather.

JACK: You know Frank has no part of the mob!

JOE: In the Public Mind, Frank is mob, therefore Frank is mob.

Do you agree or disagree with Joe? Why or why not?

• J ack eventually gives to the pressure from his father, saying that “the office won’t allow things to be the way they were before.” If you were President of the United States, would you cut ties with Sinatra to save your image?

SOURCES: http://www.biography.com/people/frank-sinatra-9484810 http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/gangsters_outlaws/cops others/frank_sinatra/1.html

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S ON G S F ROM R I D E T H E T I G E R “I saw you last night…and got that old feeling…”

That Old Feeling http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHPnXb45RNM

“Do do that voodoo that you do so well.”

You Do Something to Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8315FgygAY

“I’ve got you under my skin!”

I’ve Got You Under My Skin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1AHec7sfZ8

“Hey, there, cutes, put on your dancin’ boots and come dance with me…”

Come Dance with Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFWWuLUpRfU

“Let’s take it nice and easy, it’s gonna be so easy, for us to fall in love…”

Nice ‘N’ Easy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2dDijEJC_g

“Come fly with me, let’s fly let’s fly away…”

Come Fly with Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmQq6yLe2ww

“You make me feel so young, you make me fell there are songs to be sung--” You Make Me Feel So Young http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuI3ogcQjuI

“Fly me to the moon…”

Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtFBRJFN3p8

“I’ve got the world on a string…”

I’ve Got the World on a String http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3nMbu0QuZg

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THE MAN, THE T

MOB

the large criminal activities in the country.

hrough films like The Godfather and television shows like “The Sopranos,” the gold-chained mobster has become a staple of American pop culture; however, the truth of the Mafia is more complex and bloody than any film or television show can show.

There are many theories about Giancana’s connections to various political figures around the country. At one point, he was in talks with the director of the C.I.A. about the possible assassination of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, a Communist leader identified by the American government as a threat. Conveniently for Giacana, removing Castro would also remove a threat to his own narcotics operation.

The Mafia began in Sicily in the 1800s, during the transition from a feudal society to one in which ordinary citizens began to own their own property.

With very little governmental oversight to protect land rights and against the banditry plaguing the region at the time, some clans became regional protectors outside the law. These extralegal protectors, primarily made up of families, formed the basis of what we now know as a criminal organization.

SAM: …the spooks asked me to do some wet work in Cuba for a piece of change…

The most controversial connection was that of Giancana and President John F. Kennedy. It is believed that Giancana, at the request of Joseph Kennedy, JFK’s father, used his connections to help get his son elected President. While the validity of those claims has not been proven there is a connection between Giancana and JFK. Both men were good friends with Frank Sinatra, a movie star and singer speculated to have ties to the Mafia. In addition, at the time of JFK’s election both he and Giancana were dating the same woman, Judith Exner. In Ride the Tiger, Sam uses his influence to assist Jack in the election as a favor to Frank.

The American Mafia began with the massive Sicilian immigration of the late 19th and early 20th centuries; however, it was not until the 1920s that the American Mafia gained true power. Prohibition provided a unique and enticing opportunity for the illegal sale of alcohol.

Notorious mobster Al Capone ran the Chicago branch of the Mafia, called the Chicago Outfit, one of the more well-known offshoots of the criminal organization.

During Prohibition, a period of time when the sale and purchase of alcohol was illegal, the Chicago Mafia made its money off liquor’s illegal sale. Their small clubs around town provided many forms of illegal entertainment. The Chicago Outfit was responsible for running gambling operations, drug trafficking, and speakeasies.

FRANK: I’m asking as a personal favor to me. I believe in this guy.

SAM: So what’s the over-under? They get the unions, we get a guy in the White House?

Sam becomes enraged, however, when Jack doesn’t hold up his end of the bargain and launches a campaign against organized crime.

It was one of Capone’s successors, Sam Giancana, who would continue the predominance of the Chicago- based mob. Giancana was born in 1908 in Chicago, IL. As a teenager, Giancana ran a group called “The Forty-Twos,” pulling small jobs for the larger Chicago organization. It was his work in The Forty-Twos that landed Giancana a job as Al Capone’s driver. From then on, Sam Giancana moved up through in the organization. After a stint in prison in the early 1940s, he and his associates violently took control of the Chicago operation, gaining Giancana the reputation of someone who would kill to get his way. By 1955, Sam Giancana was the top mob boss, leading most of

JOE: So tell me, Mr. President, when we’re in, how do you extricate yourself from Sam’s tentacles?

JACK: We preempt Sam. JOE: How so?

JACK: …Our Attorney General declares organized crime public enemy number one and launches an investigation nation-wide.

SAM: The weasel says he’s gonna drag the outfit in

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gonna call me Sam the stooge. Outfit guys think I’m weak, they take me down…I gotta do somethin’ so big and so terrible and so crazy, outfit guys are gonna respect me again. Frankie, if we can’t fix this beef wit a sit-down, there’s only one thing left.

front of the rackets committee…I do a favor for your guy. Next thing I know I’m lousy with Feds.

There are conspiracy theorists who believe that Kennedy was assassinated as retribution for hunting the Mafia when he assured them that there would be no government interference. Mastrosimone uses Sam’s outrage to fuel this particular theory: the mob took out a hit on Jack as revenge.

SAM: You get ahold of [Jack] and tell him he’s gonna rue the day he put Feds on me... Joe skunked me. When my outfit guys hear those two potato-eaters made a sucker o’ me, they’re

John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. In 1975, after trying to flee to Mexico to avoid testifying against some crooked political figures, Sam Giancana was extradited. He was murdered while making sausage and peppers before he was able to give testimony.

I n t h e Cla s s r o o m In the article: • What famous mob boss did Giancana work for?

• From the article, what do you think a speakeasy is?

In the play: In Ride The Tiger, Sam says, “Control the trucks, you control the flow of goods. Everybody’s at your mercy... I’ve got the world on a string” Find evidence to that claim in the attached article. What are three pieces of evidence to the power that Sam Giancana had? “...the CIA hired underworld figures to liquidate Castro. Turns out Sam was one of those hired by the CIA. CIA and the U.S. Government are, in fact, on the same team.”

Fidel Castro was a threat to the American way of life, and an enemy of the people. In times of war, do you believe that it is acceptable for known criminals and the government to join forces to eradicate a common foe?

Why or why not?

In the world: • With the new TV Series, Mob Wives, do you feel that mob life is glorified?

• How different do you feel mob life is from being an active member of a street gang?

• Do you feel that the Mafia is a gang? Why or why not?

Sources: http://www.biography.com/people/sam-giancana-9542088?page=1 http://m.fbi.gov/#http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/organizedcrime/italian_mafia http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKgiancana.htm

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CONS P I R a c y t h e o ri e s

a n d o ur n a t i o n ’ s fa s c i n a t i o n wi t h s l e u t hi n g “ t h e t ru t h ” JUDY: I’m sorry about Marilyn JACK: Great loss for Hollywood JUDY: Was it accidental?

JACK: One wonders…

– excerpt from Ride the Tiger

F

and killed Oswald as he was being transferred to the county jail.

rom presidential assassinations and the death of Marilyn Monroe to aliens crashing at Roswell, New Mexico, we have no shortage of active conspiracy theories taunting the masses.

Most conspiracy theories are related to clandestine government plans, elaborate murder plots, suppression of secret technology, and other supposed schemes behind certain historical, cultural, and political events.

One of the most popular amongst conspiracy theorists is the topic of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, which yields more than 2,000,000 Google websites dedicated to the subject.

The unsatisfactory conclusion that Oswald was the lone gunman has drawn much controversy, sparking a series of debatable questions and theories to arise. A 2003 ABC News poll found that 70% of Americans believe Kennedy’s death was the result of a broader plot. Some believe the trajectory of the bullets didn’t square with Oswald’s perch on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository. Others suggest a second gunman— perhaps sitting on the grassy knoll of Dealey Plaza— participated in the shooting. Still others believe in an even broader conspiracy. Some popular theories are:

One theory claims that the injuries he and Governor John Connally received could not have been caused by a lone gunman. This theory was popularized by the Oliver Stone movie, JFK, which explored the possibility that Kennedy was killed by a conspiracy involving the military-industrial complex.

• Kennedy was killed by CIA agents acting either out of anger over the Bay of Pigs or at the behest of Vice President Lyndon Johnson.

• A secret or shadow government made up of wealthy industrialists and right-wing politicians ordered the assassination of Kennedy.

• An anti-Castro Cuban group assassinated Kennedy in retaliation for the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961.

• It was orchestrated by KGB operatives.

• Mobsters mad at Kennedy’s brother for initiating the prosecution of organized crime rings ordered he be taken care of. William Mastrosimone hints at this popular theory in Ride the Tiger.

This much we know: • President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.

• He was struck by two bullets — one in the head, one in the neck — while riding in an open-topped limo through Dealey Plaza in Dallas.

• Lee Harvey Oswald was charged with killing Kennedy and a presidential commission headed by Chief Justice Earl Warren found that Oswald acted alone.

• Within two hours, Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the murder of a Dallas policeman and arraigned that evening.

• On November 23rd, Oswald was arraigned for murdering the President.

• On November 24th, nightclub owner Jack Ruby shot

The masses are captivated and even obsessed with conspiracy theories surrounding untimely or tragic deaths. One might even compare this obsession to an addiction, with the media feeding its fix. After all, conspiracy theories are a powerful source of pride and intellectual vanity. Today, the internet is a powerful

30

King, Jr.­­­—theorists blame the government, the Memphis police, the FBI, Army intelligence, the Mafia, and the Green Berets for his death.

factor fuelling the general growth of conspiracy beliefs by allowing new theories to be quickly created and endlessly debated by a wider audience base. In the case of Kennedy, numerous researchers have pointed out what they characterize as inconsistencies, oversights, exclusions of evidence, errors, changing stories, or changes made to witness testimony. Add to it the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald, and it’s no wonder that conspiracy theories abound.

These examples of political figures are not the only ones to be placed under the conspiracy microscope.

There are many theories about untimely deaths of celebrities, the number one example arguably being the death of Marilyn Monroe, as hinted at in Ride the Tiger; however, other notable subjects for conjecture include Tupac, Biggie, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, to name a few.

Psychologists say that the people who tend to believe in such theories are those who feel most threatened by random events. In conspiracy theories, someone is always in charge. Even if this person is evil, the belief that someone planned these events can be oddly comforting. Plus, people love to think that they will be the one to solve a historical crime. Just look at the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy—some theorize a second gunman, the security guard, or the woman in the polka-dot dress was responsible; or Martin Luther

Ultimately, there are three positions one can hold when answering the conspiracy theory question of “the truth”: First, they are all true. Second, they are all false.

Third, they are a mixture of both, and we cannot know which is which. In the case of Ride the Tiger, what do you believe?

I n t h e Cla s s r o o m • Have your classroom research possible conspiracy theories in association with Kennedy’s assassination and defend their stance.

• Why do you feel America is riddled with conspiracy theories surrounding the deaths of famous politicians or celebrities?

Do you believe any to be true?

• Do you believe Ride the Tiger is a play based in conspiracy theory conjecture or is it completely fictional?

• What statement do you feel William Mastrosimone is trying to make?

SOURCES: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=131456&page=1 ABC News Poll Statistics http://karws.gso.uri.edu/jfk/conspiracy_theories/texas_monthly/texas_monthly_the_consp_theories.html Conspiracy Theories

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Th e Sup e r P o w e r o f M a s s H y s t e ria : Th e R e d S c ar e States government took actions which may have initially seemed reasonable at the time, but in retrospect began a period of infringement on the rights of its citizens.

Out of the ashes of World War II, two countries rose to power: The United States of America and The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). These nations had a fundamental conflict of ideology: the United States was founded on the basis democratic ideals; the USSR believed in communism. Throughout Ride the Tiger, several characters mention the United States’ competition with the USSR, which plays a key role in the Presidential race.

In 1947, President Harry Truman signed an executive order allowing members of the federal government to be tested to ensure their dedication to the United States. This act, known as the Loyalty Order, planted the seeds for many questionable actions by the United States Government.

“The next President will go nose to nose with the Premier”—Joe

“Think he still works for Joe McCarthy lookin’ for Commies under every bed.” —Sam

The consistent clashes between these two powers, held all over the world from 1947 through 1991, became known as the Cold War. The two nations, former allies in World War II, never actually met on a battlefield during this period. The conflict was fought through intense propaganda, increased military spending, espionage, and proxy wars, such as the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam conflict.

In 1948, 12 leaders of the Communist Party of America were charged with violating an order known as the Smith Act. This act, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940, prohibited the teachings of communist ideology. The accused brought their case to the Supreme Court, claiming the act took away their First Amendment right to freedom of speech. The Court found that, because their actions presented a “clear and present danger” to the American people, their rights had not been violated, and their conviction stood.

“Under your serenity, everybody’s getting’ ready for the next war.” —Sam

The fear of Communism reached its peak in 1950, when Senator Joe McCarthy, Republican of Wisconsin, claimed to have a list of known Communists who infiltrated the highest branches of the State Department. He began a public inquisition of all those who had any hint of communist connections, both real and imagined. He fed into the mass hysteria of the time period, vilifying many innocent people, creating a “blacklist,” and destroying careers and even entire lives in the process.

Early in the Cold War, Josef Stalin, the Premier of the Soviet Union, created one of the largest intelligence agencies in the world. Because of this, the United States was in constant fear of Communist infiltration into all aspects of society, from government through the arts.

Since the atomic destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in the waning days of World War II and subsequent arms race between the United States and Russia, the fears and dangers of espionage and nuclear Armageddon were palpable in daily American life. People built bomb shelters in their backyards, and students practiced drills of what to do in the event of an atomic bomb attack.

While the initial “Red Scare” ran its course through the late 1940s into the 1950s, the fear of the spread of Communism throughout the world would dictate United States foreign policy through the next few several decades. For example, the United States would engage in conflicts in Korea and Vietnam in the name of protecting democracy from communists, creating a complex legacy of government intervention that exists

“That’s why in my first year as President it’s imperative to close the missile gap…” —Jack In order to combat the perceived menace, the United

32

to this day. The actions of the federal government during the Cold War present an important question — should the government be allowed to infringe upon civil liberties in the name of safety?

Sources: www.history.com/topics/red-scare www.oyez.org/cases/1950_336 www.pbs.org/behindcloseddoors/in-depth/stalins-spies.html

I n t h e Cla s s r o o m Write Benjamin Franklin said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

Use this quotation to answer the last question of the article. Should the government be allowed to infringe upon civil liberties in the name of safety?

Discuss What situations can you think of in the past decade that are similar to the Cold War? Do you feel there is a difference between the Cold War and the War on Terror?

Share Pick one of the following events and interview someone in your community about where they were when it occurred. They could be a family member, neighbor, or family friend. Use the questions to help guide you through your interview. Then come to class and share their story.

Events • Pearl Harbor • WW II Ended • JFK Assassinated • MLK Jr. Assassination • Moon Landing • John Lennon Assassination • the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger • 9/11

Interview Questions 1. What is your name?

2. H ow old were you when the event happened?

3. Where were you?

4. Can you describe your day to me?

5. What is the one thing you remember the most about that day?

Create The actions of Senator Joe McCarthy inspired Arthur Miller to write the play The Crucible.The Crucible shows the destruction mass hysteria and fear can have through the lens of The Salem Witch Trials. Dr. Seuss also showed ideas of his lifetime through his books. For example, The Lorax is about the dangers of consuming the resources of our planet.

As a class, think of four events/issues that you feel are key in defining our world. In groups of four, write a short play showing one of them through a unique lens. Use an invented world or a similar historic event to bring to life your choice.

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S U P P L E M ENT A L M A TE R I A L S 35

Th e K e n n e d y F amily : A L if e i n t h e P ubli c Ey e

N

During the Camelot years, the Kennedys injected an immense amount of glamour into an otherwise dry cast of political characters. For the first time in American history, the public looked to their political rulers for fashion tips. When JFK stopped wearing a hat for public engagements, sales of hats plummeted.

Similarly, Jackie Kennedy is still regarded as one of history’s greatest fashion icons.

ever in the history of American politics

has a family risen so high, fallen so low and enthralled so many” (telegraph.

co.uk). But why is America so interested in a

single family? Perhaps because their lives read like soap operas: full of affairs, assassinations, suspicious activities, glamour, power struggles, and tragedy.

“…one of the most intelligent, perfect, stunning, feminine, gracious, elegant ladies in the entire world.”

– Judy on Jackie, Ride the Tiger

“…the price we paid, and continue to pay, and pay, and pay, just to be in the game” – Jack, Ride the Tiger John F. Kennedy reached the height of Kennedy political power and became the embodiment of the American Dream when he became President of the United States in 1961. Growing from Irish immigrant roots to the most powerful man on the planet, JFK was a national icon. His term as President is often referred to as Camelot, with JFK as King Arthur and Jackie as his Guinevere.

Full of culture and class, Jackie played a huge part in making the White House more accessible to the public: redecorating the public and family rooms of the White House, creating a book titled The White House: A Historic Guide to raise funds for a White House Historical Association, and hosting performances of opera, ballet, Shakespeare and modern jazz, all performed by American companies.

“She became the most prominent proponent for the establishment of the National Cultural Center in the nation’s capital, eventually to be named for her husband.”

“A married man dedicated to his beautiful wife and a lovely child. The American Dream.”

“Is that the fairy tale for sale?”

– Joe and Jack, Ride the Tiger

36

captured by photographer by Peter Souza that— intentional or spontaneous—echoes John F. Kennedy and his son.

“Something does happen in the Oval Office. It’s a magnifying glass. Your best becomes better, your worst, worse.”

– Jack, Ride the Tiger

The interest did not stop after Kennedy’s assassination.

Arguably one of the most iconic photos from Kennedy’s Presidency came from his funeral: JFK Jr. saluting his father’s coffin. Hearts broke as America watched a wife and mother and her two children grieve. The nation, if they hadn’t before, adopted the Kennedys as their own that day and sealed JFK’s place in history, marking him one of the most beloved Presidents in US history.

As an attractive, youthful couple with two young children, the Kennedys were the perfect subject for any photographer. Alan Stanley Tretick, photographer for LOOK Magazine, immortalized the Kennedy family with his photograph of John Junior under the Resolute desk taken in October 1963.

The copy of LOOK Magazine hit newsstands several days after JFK’s assassination; the image immediately came to symbolize the myth and memory of Camelot — a youthful President running the country with a young family playing at his side in the White House. Our current President, Barack Obama may recall that similar Kennedy appeal with his similarly glamorous, activist wife and two young daughters.

Above (right) is such a moment

Even today, Americans remain fascinated with the Kennedys.

After Tretick’s death, friend and author Kitty Kelley compiled a book of more than 200 of his photographs of the Kennedy family (many had never been seen before) entitled Capturing Camelot, giving Americans in 2012 an even more intimate look into the lives of the Kennedy family.

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t h e k e nned y family

38

co n t in ued

I n t h e Cla s s r o o m What do you think about the term “Camelot”?

Do you think it accurately describes the Kennedy Era or do you think it is just a “fairy tale for sale”? Use specific facts for support.

Sources: http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/john-f-kennedy-jnr-under-the-resolute-desk/ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/6128903/Obamas-captured-in-Kennedy-like-Oval-Office-photo.html http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/slideshow/jacqueline-kennedy-audio-opens-private-recollections-life-white-14482593 http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=36 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8421369/The-Kennedys-why-are-we-so-obsessed-with-the-Americanpolitical-dynasty.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2232479/Kennedy-photos-reveal-Camelot-era-Sixties-JFK-Jacqueline.html http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2012/11/13/kitty-kelley-camelot-kennedy/1649947/

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t h e m e d ia a n d b e y o n d Ride the Tiger takes place during and after the 1960 presidential election.

The introduction of the electronic mass media, particularly television,to the electoral process was perhaps most predominantly felt in this time period,which pitted Democrat John F. Kennedy against Republican Richard M. Nixon.

HHH

JOE: “The race will be a photo finish. So what will capture the public eye is style.

Personality. Panache. Charm. Looking good on television.”

T

sounding board. One only needs moments to see how a political idea landed with the electorate.

he Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines media as: a medium of cultivation, conveyance, or expression; however, the second definition is mass media, further defined as: a medium of communication (as newspapers, radio, or television) that is designed to reach the mass of people.

The question asked by both politicians and members of the media is how does new media change the way we conduct the politics of our nation?

Both John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon competed in a series of televised debates, marking the first time a candidate was able to project himself unvarnished to the nation in a single instance. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who mastered the medium of radio during his “Fireside Chats” during The Great Depression didn’t have his visage compete with his thoughts. Candidates now would have to look good as well as sound good.

MEDIA AND POLITICS OVER THE YEARS While the methods of information delivery have changed over the past 70 years – from newspapers, to radio, to television, to the Internet, to social media – the effects of a political gaffe remain instantaneous and longstanding.

In 1940, Ambassador Joseph Kennedy, the father of John F. Kennedy, was quoted as saying “Democracy is finished in England. It may be here.” Joe Kennedy was attempting to keep the United States out of World War II, but the tenor of his remarks destroyed his political career. He was labeled as defeatist and someone who believed that Adolf Hitler, the chancellor of Germany bent on the conquest of Europe, would defeat American know-how.

The remarks followed him for the rest of his career.

Twenty years later, during the Nixon/Kennedy election, a tired President Eisenhower made what was intended to be a self-deprecating statement that had an impact on the result of the campaign. When asked what national decisions Vice President Nixon had assisted with, the president responded, “If you give me a week, I might think of one. I don’t remember.” While this was intended to be a quip at his own old age, it was yet one more piece of ammunition for the Kennedy campaign to use against

Kennedy, a young charismatic candidate, thrived in the relatively new medium, presenting an image of vitality and poise. Nixon was markedly uncomfortable on camera, appearing shifty and sweaty. The contrast was stark.

While the power of the press has undoubtedly been part of the nation’s political rhetoric from the earliest days of the Republic – the Founding Fathers had their own clashes with the newspapers of the time – it seems like the Kennedy/Nixon debate began a myopic study of the personalities of our politicians. Information about the candidates, both factual and partisan, is virtually limitless today. The 24-hour news cycle, driven by the deadlines of evening television news and daily print publications in the 1960s, has become an in-time

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Nixon. Nixon touted his experience as a selling point during his campaign, and Eisenhower’s unintentional remark called that experience into question.

Internet the way a disease spreads through the body.

With politicians’ every move and utterance scrutinized, mastery of social media, the way news (or gaffes) enters the information blood stream, becomes more important.

JOE: “The first candidate to stumble, falls by the wayside.”

For example, mock news programs like The Daily Show or The Colbert Report have grown in popularity to a point where they rival CNN and Fox News as a way for young people to get information. And in some cases these comedic shows, end up having a more incisive take on the news that an objective journalist might be able to provide. Take this passage from Television and Politics Today.

There are many recent examples of this kind of gaffe, one that becomes fodder for the media machine. In 2012, during the second presidential debate, Republican candidate Mitt Romney used the phrase, “Binders full of women.” He was answering a question about pay by demonstrating his efforts while governor of Massachusetts to find qualified female candidates for important positions in government. Within seconds social media exploded, and Romney became the butt of jokes for his word choice. By the next morning, the phrase became an Internet meme.

“Even ABC World News Tonight anchor Peter Jennings is a fan of The Daily Show and has acknowledged that the program’s host, Jon Stewart, can enunciate important things about politics and politicians that the norms of objectivity won’t allow Jennings to say.”

According to the Washington Post, “Mitt Romney’s ‘binders full of women’ comment during the second presidential debate did more than go viral; it put women’s issues back in the campaign spotlight.”

President Barack Obama used the ill chosen phrase to his advantage, expressing that there was no need to hunt for talented, driven women in the workplace, they were easily found. Romney’s strange word choice, amplified by the instantaneous power of social media, was a contributing factor to the shift of momentum back towards Obama.

Social media and the widespread flow of information have made what is said permanent. And the media has become so large, and so fragmented, that even with the plethora of primary source material available – videos, photos and first hand accounts – discerning the truth of a statement or an event through the spin is extraordinarily difficult.

This process, one could very plausibly argue, began when Kennedy charmed and Nixon sweated into the camera. It begs this question: What is important, the substance of a politician’s platform or the momentary and very human moments the unblinking eye of a camera catches? Has social media changed the way we conduct our political conversations?

THE SPREAD Think of the phrase “gone viral.” It has come to describe a concept so infectious that it spreads through the

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T HE M ED I A AND B E Y OND

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I n t h e Cla s s r o o m Reflect on the last question of the article. In your opinion, has the danger of saying something inappropriate stopped political figures from speaking frankly about their beliefs?

The article mentions five political careers that were either hurt or helped by statements made to the press, or in the public eye. Name three of the people affected and write a reflection on one of those careers. Do you think that what was said and how it was portrayed was fair to the candidate? Did it highlight an opinion or belief that the candidate should have received backlash for, or was the media unfairly judgmental?

Can you think of an instance where a public figure has said or done something that was immortalized by the media? Did what was said or done help or hinder the figure’s career?

Class Discussion • First take a poll, how many students in your class are 14 or older? (meaning they will be able to vote in the 2016 Election) • Now how many of those students watch a serious news show such as CNN, Fox News, ABC World News Tonight?

• How many watch a comedic news show such as The Daily Show or The Colbert Report?

• Discuss the following question: In your opinion what is the most reliable source of political information? Why do you think that? Will this still be a main source in 4 years or do you believe the next election will have a different source to utilize?

In 1963, more Americans used television as their primary source over newspaper. What do you use as your primary source to get your news?

Putting yourself in their shoes Imagine that you are a candidate for a local election. How would you display your views? What media would you utilize for your campaign? What media would not be important to you, why?

Sources Television and Politics www.odu.edu/al/jpjames/EPch1.pdf The Kennedy-Nixon Debates www.history.com/topics/kennedy-nixon-debates The American Experience www.pbs.org/wgbh/emericanexperience/features/primary-resources/kennedys-democracy-finished Milestones in the History of Media and Politics www.pbs.org/now/politics/mediahistory.html Merriam Webster Dictionary I.word.com/iditionary

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ride the tiger mul t im e d ia Connection to the Conspiracy Theories article

Connection to Kennedy Men article • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwobFVJs1R4 Kennedy’s last speech before his assassination

• John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln conspiracy facts

Connection to JFK’s Women article: Coincidence or Not?

• http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ color-film-marilyn-monroe-singing-jfk-hits-auctionarticle-1.1192864 Video clip of Marilyn and JFK…”An Affair to Remember”

Lincoln

* Had seven letters in his last name * Was born the second child in his family * Married in his 30's a woman in her 20's * Was first elected to the House in 1846 * Failed to win the Vice Presidential nomination in 1856 * Won the election of 1860 * Was elected to the term he was assassinated on November 8th * Was elected with less than 50% of the popular vote * He defeated Stephen Douglas who was born in 1813 * Had a vice president named Johnson * Andrew Johnson’s name had 13 letters * Dealt with major civil rights issues * Suffered the death of a child while in the White House * Had a secretary named Kennedy * Was warned about the dangers of going to the theater * Talked about being assassinated on the day he was killed * Was shot on a Friday in the presence of his wife * Died from a gunshot wound to the head * Was shot at Ford’s Theatre * Killed by a Southerner with unpopular ideas * Booth shot Lincoln in a theater and was captured in a warehouse * John Wilkes Booth’s name had 15 letters * Booth was born in the late 1830's, and was in his 20's when he killed Lincoln * Booth was shot and killed while being arrested

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfQtfw8U06g Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to Kennedy JUDY: “I wondered if I should wear a white billowy dress singing ‘Happy Birthday, Mr. President.”

Connection to Frank Sinatra article • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHRTCVwSKMs Frank Sinatra sings “High Hopes” for Kennedy’s election • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybPeQUEgk-0 This is a cartoon that pokes fun at Frank Sinatra’s persona during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. The exact point of the cartoon where the character imitates Sinatra is at 3:04.

Kennedy

* Had seven letters in his last name * Was born the second child in his family * Married in his 30's a woman in her 20's * Was first elected to the House in 1946 * Failed to win the Vice Presidential nomination in 1956 * Won the election of 1960 * Was elected to the term he was assassinated on November 8th * Was elected with less than 50% of the popular vote * He defeated Richard Nixon who was born in 1913 * Had a vice president named Johnson * Lyndon Johnson’s name had 13 letters * Dealt with major civil rights issues * Suffered the death of a child while in the White House * Had a secretary named Lincoln * Was warned about the dangers of going to Dallas * Talked about being assassinated on the day he was killed * Was shot on a Friday in the presence of his wife * Died from a gunshot wound to the head * Was shot in a Ford car - a Lincoln * Killed by a Southerner with unpopular ideas * Oswald shot(?) Kennedy from a warehouse, and was caught in a theater * Lee Harvey Oswald’s name had 15 letters * Oswald was born in the late 1930's, and was in his 20's when he killed(?) Kennedy * Oswald was shot and killed while in police custody

Does History Repeat Itself?

You Decide

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ride the tiger mul tim e d ia

co n t in ued

Connection to The Media and Beyond article

Connection to The Red Scare article • This is a 1951 Atomic Alert video that was created for Elementary school aged children. These movies would play at the beginning of featured films at movie theatres.

- 1951 Atomic Alert Video http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=i4k2skbJDm8&feature=relmfu

• This video is from the November, 8th 1960 Presidential debate between Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard Nixon debate - JFK and Nixon Presidential debate http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=MIfbQMwbi2U&feature=fvsr • Former Representative Todd Aiken’s infamous “Legitimate Rape” comment - Todd Aiken Interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKa5CY-KOHc • Former Presidential Candidate Gov. Howard Dean’s “scream/yell” - Howard Dean Speech http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwkNnMrsx7Q • This is a link to an article published by Scott Bomboy of the National Constitution Center that describes the 1796 election may have been similar to our modern day dog eat dog style elections. http://news.yahoo.com/inside-america-first-dirtypresidential-campaign-1796-style-101212591.html

• This is the 1950’s Turtle duck & cover video which was shown nationwide in movie theatres before the featured film http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60

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c urri c ulum connections We believe that theatre can support and work in tandem with everyday classroom activities and scholastic goals. Below are some suggested activities that can be done for each production, with a focus on vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing.

V OCAB U LARY

FL U ENCY

• Highlight words in the script that are unfamiliar.

• Read the script aloud in a large circle.

• Pair up and read scenes aloud together.

• Write definitions in the margins of the script.

• Pick a character and focus on reading his/her lines with accuracy and expression.

• Find synonyms for new vocabulary words.

• Find antonyms for new vocabulary words.

• Study the new vocabulary words for spelling tests.

• Switch roles so that the students have a chance to experiment with different vocal expressions for different characters (tone, tempo, and volume).

COM P REHEN S I ON

W R I T I NG

• Create a story map for the play.

• Write journal entries or monologues using vocabulary words.

• Create a biography for one of the characters.

• Write a journal entry or monologue from the perspective of one of the characters.

• Map out the relationships in the play.

• Write a scene depicting part of the story that we hear about in the play, but is not in the stage action.

• Summarize the play.

• Summarize each individual scene.

• Write a review of the production.

• Summarize the play from the perspective of one of the characters.

• Write a letter to one of the cast members, designers, director, playwright, or staff members sharing your impression and questions regarding the show.

• Answer the essay and text-related questions.

• Discuss the play’s themes.

• Write a letter from one character to another.

• Discuss the current events that correlate with the themes of the play.

• Write a new ending to the play.

• Cut out articles from magazines and newspapers that discuss some of the issues and topics brought up in the play.

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F O R T H E F I R ST - T I M E T H E A T R E G OE R In theatre etiquette, the major consideration to keep in mind is that your actions can be distracting not only to the rest of the audience, but to the actors on stage as well. Behavior that is acceptable in other public settings, like movie theatres, ballgames, or concerts, is out of place when attending the theatre.

The following tips should help you get acquainted with some DOs and DON’Ts for first-time theatregoers.

DO arrive early. Make considerations for traffic, parking, waiting in line, having your ticket taken, and finding your seat. If you need to pick up your tickets from the box office, it is a good idea to arrive at least twenty minutes early. Generally, you can take your seat when “the house is open,” about half an hour before the show begins.

Late seating is always distracting and usually not allowed until intermission or a transition between scenes, if it is allowed at all. Follow the old actors’ mantra: To be EARLY is to be ON TIME. To be ON TIME is to be LATE. To be LATE is UNFORGIVEABLE. DO dress appropriately. Going to the theatre is a special event for many people, and your clothing should reflect your respect. The dress code is casual, but not sloppy: hats, bandannas, and revealing clothes are a bad idea. Nice jeans are okay, but those with holes are not.

DO turn off your cell phone. Phones and any other noise-making devices should be switched off before you even enter the theatre: you won’t be allowed to use them anyway. Texting during a performance is also rude. The intermission is a good time to use your phone, but remember to turn it off again before the next act begins.

DON’T leave your garbage in the theatre. Food and drinks are usually not permitted in the theatre at all, with the exception of bottled water. If it is allowed, be sure to throw out your trash in a garbage can or recycling bin in the lobby; don’t leave it for the house manager or ushers at the end of a show.

DO watch your step. Aisles can be narrow, so please be considerate when finding your seat. Avoid getting up during the performance whenever possible, since it can be very distracting. You can use the restroom before the show and during intermission. Also, be careful not to cross in front of the stage, as it will break the illusion of the show. Don’t step on or over seats, and never walk on the stage itself.

DON’T talk during the performance. Chatting is extremely rude to the actors and the audience around you.

Everyone is trying to pay attention to the play and those nearby will be able to hear, so please be quiet and considerate.

DO get into it! Actors feed off of the audience, just as the audience feeds off of the actors. Don’t be afraid to laugh, clap, or cry if you are so moved. However, there is a line that can be crossed. Please be respectful, and don’t distract from the work of the professionals on stage. After all, people paid good money to watch the show, not you. Just enjoy the experience and let yourself have an honest response.

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