Jason Invisible by Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning

PERFORMANCE GUIDE

Cuesheet

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About the Story Jason Invisible is a play about a kid that nobody knows. Most kids in school think Jason Papadopolous (pronounced pah-puh-DOH-poh-luss) is a loner. They don’t even know his real name. They call him “Pope-a-Dope.” (And they sure don’t know about the sad stuff in Jason’s life or his three imaginary friends.) Jason sees himself as invisible. “I just gotta fly under the radar,” he tells himself. “Stay invisible.” That’s how Jason gets through his day.

But all that changes when Jason lands in a support group for teens with emotional and family issues. The group, led by a school counselor, includes outspoken Shelby, sensible Pete, and impulsive Haze; each with their own challenging parent predicaments. Jason doesn’t want the kids to know his problem. “No, no, no to friends,” says one of Jason’s imaginary friends. “They’ll find out about Dad.” Jason’s secret is that his dad has a mental illness and Jason has been caring for him alone since his mom’s sudden death. They can hardly pay the bills for their apartment or his father’s medication. If people find out they’re barely getting by, Jason’s father might be taken away and Jason would be really alone. But when his dad suddenly goes missing, Jason has no choice and turns to his new friends for help. Through it all, Jason hides another secret. If his father has a mental illness, could Jason have a mental illness, too?

Hey, There’s a Greek Myth in the Middle of This Play!

A (Visible and Invisible) Cast of Characters Fictional characters in a play often have a good side and a not-so-good side. That way, the characters seem more interesting and real. Take Jason, for example: He’s a nice, 15-yearold teen who writes an advice column for the school paper. (Only Jason keeps that secret by using a fake name.) The flip side is that Jason is a loner who finds it safer to hang out with three imaginary friends:

Jason’s dad is convinced his son is the Greek god Apollo who must be protected from the Furies, three vengeful female spirits that punish their victims by driving them mad. In Greek mythology, Apollo, son of Zeus, was the god of the sun and light. During the performance, Jason calms his father by telling him that his three school friends are not the Furies, but instead the Argonauts, a trio of warriors who help the Greek hero named Jason on his quest for the Golden Fleece.

“SG” or Smart Guy, a clever, dependable guy, who tends to overthink everything Dream Girl, fun, confident, flirty, but don’t get on her bad side Crazy Glue, a wild, unpredictable guy, which is also a problem Other characters in the play include Jason’s support group of real kids: Pete, smart, responsible, and sensitive, but likes to be right all the time

“I know what you’re thinking. My dad’s crazy and he needs help. But could you send your dad to a mental institution? Could you?” —Jason

Shelby, a spirited girl who speaks her mind, but could stand to mind her own business Haze, will say or do anything, really—no kidding Plus Jason’s Dad, a warm, caring man who truly loves his son, but also thinks he is living inside a Greek myth. At best, Dad’s delusions, or imaginary thoughts, are harmless. At their worst, they could lead to dangerous and deadly actions.

Life Challenges Everyone faces challenges in life. For some, it might be something major like a death, divorce, losing a job, or an illness in the family. For others, it could be something that seems smaller like getting cut from a sports team, starting a new school, or having your best friend move out of town. But whether they appear big or small, challenges always seem plenty big to the person going through them. So how do you handle life’s challenges?

NO ONE IS ALONE Even though it may feel like no one else could possibly understand the challenge you’re going through, it is likely that someone else has already experienced a similar situation and knows exactly what you’re going through. With any challenge, you may feel angry or sad, confused or frustrated—or any combination of feelings. Maybe you can’t change the way you feel—but it’s important to understand how you feel and to know that you’re not alone.

“Right here, right now, for the first time since I can remember, I don’t feel so alone.” —Jason

FINDING A GAME PLAN The trick is to create a game plan that will allow you to handle the challenge. Take a good look at your challenge and find ways to “cope” with it. You don’t have to give up your hopes and dreams. You have to find new ways to manage whatever problem is in front of you.

“I don’t know how you’ll deal with it, okay? You just have to keep going.” —Jason REACHING OUT We all have stumbling blocks in life…we just need to understand how to bounce back when we hit them. That’s why it’s important to reach out to people who can provide us with the tools to cope successfully with challenges. Contact people who can help you understand your emotions and situation. They also can aid you in coming up with a game plan. That person might be a friend or a family member who has overcome a similar challenge. Or it could be a person in your school or community such as a guidance counselor, doctor, social worker, or religious advisor. Remember: It’s important to talk to people who care about you and want to help you. No doubt…it’s good to reach out.

“Pete, Haze, and Shelby. They hardly know me and they helped me anyway. I can’t believe how glad I am that they’re here. It feels…right.” —Jason

“What happens to our parents happens to us, too.” —Jason WATCH ME COPE Almost every day we learn lessons on how to cope with challenges in our lives. Follow the instructions below to share a challenge you faced and how you coped with the situation.

1. CHALLENGE

Think of a challenge you recently tackled such as a bad grade, or something else that happened to you or your family. Using words and/or drawings, describe the challenge in this box. (The box only has to make sense to you.)

2. FEELINGS

Using words or drawings, write down your feelings about the challenge. Did you want to be alone? Did you get loud or quiet? Were you angry, sad, confused, or frustrated? Or all of those feelings?

3 . COPING Describe how you “coped” with your challenge. Did you have a game plan? Did you get advice from another person? How did you succeed in overcoming that challenge?

Afterwards, consider the journey you took to cope with your challenge. During the performance, watch how the characters in the play go through similar journeys to overcome their challenges.

WHO DO YOU COUNT ON? Who do you turn to when you want the truth? To talk about your feelings? To sort through a problem? To get good advice? If you’re not sure, take some time now to decide who you can count on!

Theater is a collaborative art form which means that many designers work alongside the play’s director, writer, and actors to bring the play to life. Here’s your special pass to all the behind-the-scenes action.

HAIL KACHMAN SET DESIGN BY MIK

During the play, watch how a single stage can transform locations - from Jason’s school to his apartment and the city’s streets.

Sets The set designer determines the physical look of the play, and in the case of Jason Invisible, the set needs to capture the thoughts and events happening inside and outside Jason’s head. The play also requires a single set that suggests multiple locations, both at school and beyond. In addition, the set design has to consider actors’ movements and the creation of multiple levels so all the actors can be seen.

- ROSEMARY NEWCOTT, JASON INVISIBLE DIRECTOR Mark Halpern as Jason

Chris Wilson as Haze and Crazy Glue

Michael V. Sazonov as Pete and S.G.

Rana Kay as Shelby and Dreamgirl

Props “Props” is a nickname for the physical “properties” in a play—meaning any object that an actor uses on stage. This play calls for a mix of real and imaginative objects. For example, watch how a real bathtub is used on stage while some ordinary chairs and a group of inventive actors create an imaginary, “moving” car.

Lighting

Casting

Stage lights suggest the play’s setting and mood plus they create any special effects. Lights can cover an entire stage or focus on a single spot. They can be bright or dim, with or without color. They can tell you the time of day or affect an actor’s appearance. During the play, watch how the lighting differs between Jason’s “real” and “imaginary” moments.

During the performance, you will recognize the same actors playing different characters in Jason’s story. “Multiple casting” describes the situation in which one actor plays many roles. Watch how the actors become another character simply by changing their voice, posture, prop, or costume.

Sound The Jason Invisible script calls for an “audio track” which only Jason and the audience hear. This offstage “voice” comments on Jason’s life—sometimes with laughter or sympathy—like a television show. The sound designer creates this audio track, along with all of the school bells, car horns, and other sounds you hear during the play. But that’s not all. There will be one character that exists in voice only. Observe, and listen carefully, for how the role of the court judge is staged.

Costumes Since Jason Invisible is set in the real-life world of high school, the costume designer must capture the authentic look of high school students. Creative choices have to be made as to a character’s clothes, hairstyle, and accessories. And because some actors play both real and imaginary characters and their change from one character to the other must be quick and clear, watch for unique, swift costume changes during the performance.

David M. Rubenstein Chairman Michael M. Kaiser President

Breaking the Fourth Wall The “fourth wall” in a theater is the imaginary wall between the stage characters and you, the audience. Most often, the audience remains separate from the fictional world onstage. Actors “break the fourth wall,” however, when they speak directly to the audience or ask for their participation in the performance. During the play, the actor playing Jason will sometimes ask for your help. And toward the end of the play, you will be invited to speak directly with the characters on stage to discuss how some issues might be best resolved. When speaking directly with the characters on stage, you’ll be asked for your opinions about the characters, their feelings, and their actions. Please speak up! The actors want to hear from you. But remember to be respectful to the actors and others.

There’s Always Help! If you would like help or support,

ASK AT SCHOOL Your classroom teacher, school nurse, guidance counselor, coach, or administrators are available to speak with you about any personal issues or challenges. In fact, these people are likely to be great sources for information and comfort.

OR GO ONLINE CopeCareDeal copecaredeal.org Children and teens learn warning signs and facts about mental health issues and disorders Teen Line teenlineonline.org Connects teens directly with other teens in one-on-one conversations and counseling sessions National Suicide Prevention Lifeline suicidepreventionlifeline.org or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Find trained counselors on call 24 hours a day

Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education Additional support for Performances for Young Audiencesis provided in part by Adobe Foundation, The Clark Charitable Foundation; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Park Foundation, Inc.; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; U.S. Department of Education; Washington Gas; and by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas. Major support for the Kennedy Center’s educational programs is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Jason Invisible Advisors: St. Luke’s House-Threshold Services UNITED; Lisa Rubenstein, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; and Aneja Raiteri.

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center. Learn more about Education at the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2013 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

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