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Discussion Questions for Video Excerpt 1: Sick and Tired | ELA and Theatre
Discussion Questions for Video Excerpt 1: Sick and Tired
by SAM MAUCERI
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Felton Offard and E. Faye Butler in rehearsal for “Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It!”. Photo by Goodman Theatre. The following ELA and Theatre questions were written to accompany a video excerpt from “Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak on It! provided to schools in the School Matinee Series.
This excerpt is from the very beginning of the one-woman play Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It!. Based on this short clip, what do you predict might happen in the rest of the play?
An objective is what a character wants. What is Fannie’s objective? What does she want from her audience?
A tactic is what a character does to achieve their objective. What tactics does Fannie use to try to achieve her objective? As an audience member, do you find her tactics effective?
Fannie frequently leads the audience to participate in singing songs and in call and response. Have you ever been to a play or another type of live performance where you were invited to participate? If so, how did participating change your experience of the performance?
Throughout this excerpt Fannie sings “Oh Freedom!”, a well-known protest song during the Civil Rights Movement. Take a look at the lyrics below. What is the song about? Do you know of any songs with similar themes or lyrics?
OH-O FREEDOM OH-O FREEDOM OH FREEDOM OVER ME, (OVER ME)
AND BEFORE I BE A SLAVE I’LL BE BURIED IN MY GRAVE. AND GO HOME TO MY LORD AND BE FREE. (AND BE FREE)
NO MORE WEEPIN’ NO MORE WEEPIN’ NO MORE WEEPIN’ OVER ME, (OVER ME)
About halfway through this excerpt, Fannie says:
What similarities do you think Fannie sees between the present day and her time period in the 1950s and 60s?
