is a publication of Kalamazoo RESA’s Education for the Arts, Aesthetic Education Program
Windows on the Work Committee Editor: Window Narrator Research: Contributors
Design:
Nick Mahmat Hilary Anthony Hilary Anthony Theatre Motus Hilary Anthony Leslie Boughton Megan Buchanan Schopf Nancy Gagliano Nancy Husk Honore Lee Angie Melvin Michele VanderBeek Mary Whalen Theatre Motus
Nick Mahmat
Education for the Arts Director: Bryan Zocher Director’s Secretary: Kris DeRyder Coordinator: Deb Strickland Aesthetic Education Program Coordinator: Nick Mahmat Alternative and Special Education Arts Initiative Program Coordinator: Angie Melvin Comments or questions about this publication may be directed to Nick Mahmat, Aesthetic Education Program Coordinator at 488-6267 or nmahmat@kresa.org
Cover Photo: Robert Etcheverry
Strategies for using the Window on the Work Purpose The purpose of the Window on the Work is to provide educators and teaching artists with contextual information pertaining to the focus works presented by the Education for the Arts Aesthetic Education Program. This information can fuel the educational process between educators and teaching artists in developing lesson plans and can offer additional pathways (windows) into the repertory and possible connections to existing school curriculum. There are several ways that the information may be shared. For instance: • • Each educator reads a section and reports back to the school team in the planning process • Questions are brainstormed about the work of art and then researched by the educators • Additional resources are identified for further investigation
In the planning process, use the Window on the Work:
During the unit of study, use the Window on the Work:
After the unit of study, use the Window on the Work:
• To brainstorm themes for study development • As a reference tool as questions and interests develop in the planning session • To elaborate and expand the instructional focus that has developed out of the planning process • To learn more about the work of art • To consider possible responses to the question pages as the Window is read • To discover connections to other work by the same artists and to other works in the same genre
• To expand on a lesson idea • As a reference to respond to students’ questions • To keep the discussion about the work alive in the classroom • For source material such as artist quotes or background information that may be utilized when incorporating contextual information experientially into a workshop. • To discover additional connections
• To continue discussion about the work • To compare to other works of art the class may study in the future • To expand curriculum study in the classroom on a particular culture, period in history, etc. • As a jumping-off point to make connections with other classroom activities, personal connections, and courses of study
Windows on the Work are written for Classroom Teachers and Teaching Artists working in the Aesthetic Education Program and as such are not written or intended for a student audience. The Window on the Work publications should be used for planning purposes and should not be shared with students prior to attending the work of art under study.
The Work
The Work
The following section contains information on the theatrical performance Baobab. Please consider the following questions as you view and read about the work. They may also serve as helpful discussion questions with students during workshops or after viewing the performance. •
What do you notice about the work of art?
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What do you see in the work of art that makes you say that?
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What stands out to you as you view the work of art?
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What elements make up this work of art?
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How are those elements arranged?
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What do you notice about the story?
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Who are the characters in the story and how would you describe each?
•
How are the artists telling the story? What devices do they use to communicate or move the story forward?
photo by: Robert Etcheverry
Baobab is a co-production of Theatre Motus and the So Company (Mali) with the support of Theatre de la Ville for a residency and in collaboration with Hamadoun Kassogue (Mali) and Ismaila Manga (Senegal).
Written and directed by: Helene Ducharme Translated by: Leanna Brodie Playwright collaborator: Hamadoun Kassogue Sceneography: Ismaila Manga and Helene Ducharme Puppets crafted by: Jean Cummings, Sylvian Racine and Claude Rodrigue Music and soundscape: Aboulaye Kone, assisted by: Nathalie Cora Lighting: Michael St-Amand Shadow theatre: Marcelle Hudon Costumes: Louis Hudon Assistant to the director: Annie Belanger Technical direction: Michael St-Amand With: Ralph Prosper, Mireille Tawfik Nathalie Cora and Aboulye Kone
Baobab
is a puppet and shadow theatre production that tells the story of a little boy named Amondo.
Under the blazing sun stands a giant thousand-year-old Baobab. In this West African area, a drought has been going on for very long. One day from the baobab an egg emerges. And from this egg a little boy is born. The people in the village discover that this boy is the only one able to release the water.
And
so begins a great quest in which the courage of a child might change the history of the world. In a sun-drenched world where shadows are a welcome break, African percussions turn into animals while masks and puppets become genies and witches! Let the great griot guide you into this mythical story inspired by African tales.
The Artists
The Artists
The following section contains information about the artists involved in Baobab.You may wish to consider the following questions as you read along. •
Who are the artists involved in the production and creation of Baobab?
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Who are the performers and what is their role in the production?
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What is known of their background?
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Who is Théâtre Motus and how do they describe themselves and their work?
photo by: Robert Etcheverry
THE GRIOT CHARACTER (and also the monkey and the witch):
Ralph Prosper
Ralph Prosper is a proud product of the nationally ranked professional actor program of the University of MissouriKansas City. He has been acting professionally since 2004. He has already been featured in two major motion pictures Sortie 67, in which he plays a character named Max and Décharge in which his character is named Aristide Noel. This last summer he appeared in his third film which took place on location in Arfica.
AMONDO’S PUPPETEER (and also the ancestral boa):
Mireille Tawfik
Mireille Tawfik is an actress who recently also took her first steps as a writer. After creating several works colaboratively, she created her first solo written text, Marche Comme une Égyptienne! (Walk like and Egyptian!) Her work at Concordia University, where she studied text and body, coupled with her passion for cultures creates a fertile ground for her artistic practice. After months of training in street theatre in Lima (Peru), Mireille continued her training in acting, mime and alaripayattu - an Indian martial art.
A moment from Théâtre Motus’s production of Baobab, Amondo, a young boy and central character of the story, sits atop a Marabou and listens to the Griot. What do you notice within this still shot of a scene?
Théâtre Motus Where does the word Motus come from? Motus, is Latin for “I move.” Founded by Helene Ducharme and Sylvian Masse, Théâtre Motus combines the talents of a new generation of creative artists with artists who have already made their mark in Quebec’s theatre community. By exploring colored shadow plays, acting techniques and puppeteering, Théâtre Motus is developing its own artistic style. The company is one of the new generation of children’s theatre companies and its founders believe it is essential to carry on the older companies’ approach and build on the quality and the originality of today’s children’s theatre. In connection with its research and production work, the company is always looking to interact with young audiences. Through post-performance meetings, shadow-puppet workshops and joint projects in development, every effort is made to encourage interaction with young audiences.
THE PERFORMERS AFRICAN PERCUSSIONS (and also the crocodile and a villager)
KORA (and also the Marabou and a villager)
Aboulaye Koné was born on the Ivory Coast in a family of griots from Burkina Faso. Composer, arranger and performer, he also co-founded the Bolo Kan group that blends tradition and Mandinka modernity. In 2008 Bolo Kan Moderne won the Silver Syli award in the world music contest organized by Nuits d’Afrique. A guest musician for many events, Aboulaye Koné also teaches African percussions, namely at the S’temps d’Art Africain, a coop that he co-founded.
Taught to play the kora in 1986, Nathalie specialized in traditional West African music. In addition to her involvement in many recordings, including Diane Dufresne, Paul Horn, Claire Pelletier, Takadja and Le Cirque du Soleil, she has been showcasing her own music in performances since 1994. On the theatre stage, she worked as a musician between 1997 and 2001 in À l'ombre du fromager. Produced by Productions Bastingalle, À l’ombre du fromager was presented on tour over 150 times in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan.
Aboulaye Koné
Nathalie Cora
The Craft The Craft What is an artists craft? How does one describe their artistic process, approach, or the purpose of their work? The following section explores questions that relate to the craft of Théâtre Motus’s production of Baobab. You may wish to consider the following questions as you read. • What theatrical and musical elements are present within the production Baobab? • How do all these elements come together to create a narrative? • How was this performance developed? • Baobab is set in Africa and as such references characters, animals, objects and other imagery native to the culture and region of West Africa. What are some of these references to Africa? • How do we see these references to Africa manifest in the finished performance?
photo by: Robert Etcheverry
Musical Instruments in the Performance: Baobab features not only actors, puppets and puppeteers but live musicians as well. A menagerie of African instruments is featured throughout the production. Some of the more prominently featured instruments include the kora, the balaphone and the djembe. Other African instruments included in the performance are the dum dums, the talking drum and the shekere.
The Kora The kora is an African string instrument. It is a lute harp. According to the legend, it was discovered by a great war chief, who gave it to one of his griot companions. The first kora was the personal instrument of a female genie that lived in the Gambian caves. It was then handed down from father to son and to Tilimaghan Diabaté who brought it to Mali. The kora is made from a half calabash that is covered with a skin. The bridge is fitted with strings (formerly 7, now 21) that run through rings of cowhide strips. With the improvements to the kora, the rings are increasingly being replaced by hardwood keys or guitar keys. The strings that used to be made of twisted skin are now nylon.
The Dum Dums
The Balophone The balophone, bala or balani is originally an East African percussion instrument. It is xylophone like and tuned to either a pentatonic (5 note) or heptatonic (7 note) scale. In the malinké language, one of the languages spoken in Mali and Senegal, “balafon” comes from the terms bala (instrument) and fon (sound). The first balophone is believed to have been invented in the Mandingue Empire, between Guinea and Mali. This balophone still exists today and is called Sosso bala. A ceremony takes place every year with this balophone.
The Djembe: The djembe is the best known instrument in the performance. It is an African percussion instrument. Made of a goblet-shaped piece of wood covered with goat or antelope skin and fitted with a tension system (rope, metal rings), the djembe is an instrument that is played with bare hands and whose resonance spectrum generates a very large and rich tone. The djembe comes for the Mandingue Empire that used to cover parts of Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast.
Traditionally, the balophone was played standing as one would walk through the village to pass on the word. Today, it is often played sitting and its form has evolved.
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The Animals in the Production
As soon as the story begins, you will be introduced to five animals drawn to the egg that fell from the baobab and that will give life to Amondo: the spider, the crane, the caiman, the tortoise and the snake. Audiences will then discover a mischievous monkey, keeper of the baobab, and also a very special being, which in fact can be man or bird, the Marabou.
The Spider
The Caiman
One of the animals in the production, the caiman, is apparently an intruder in this group because unlike the others, it is not found in Africa, except in myths. Caimans are native of Central and South America. However, Mali has a mythical Caiman. The caiman is a four-legged reptile of the alligator family. Caimans closely resemble alligators in appearance, with long, thick, tapering tails and elongated snouts. Caimans are generally somewhat smaller, averaging about four to six feet in length. They are excellent swimmers and prefer hunting at night.
The Monkey (Mandrill)
Mandrills are the largest of all monkeys. They are shy and reclusive primates that live only in the rain forests of equatorial Africa. Mandrills are extremely colorful, perhaps more so than any other mammal. They are easily identifiable by the blue and red skin on their faces and their brightly hued rumps. These distinctive colors become brighter when the animal is excited. They also have extremely long canine teeth that can be used for self-defense—though baring them is typically a friendly gesture among mandrills. Mandrills are about 3ft. in height and live 20 years in the wild.
While many African spiders are generally harmless, there are a few aggressive, venomous, massive, and downright scary spiders living in Africa. In Africa, there are spiders that crave human blood; spiders that could kill a child with one bite; and spiders that are large, hairy and aggressive. But spiders are generally shy, and just like Africa’s deadliest snakes, they very rarely bite human beings. Interestingly, spiders do not scare African children at all.
The Black-headed Crane The black crowned crane stands 3ft. tall and weighs 8lbs. Its body is mostly black, with distinctive white upper and under wing coverts. The head is topped with a crown of stiff golden feathers. Cheek patches are red and white. The subspecies are most easily distinguished by the differences in the coloration of their cheek patches. In the West African subspecies, the lower half of the cheek patch is red; in the Sudan subspecies, the red extends into the upper half of the cheek patch.
A n A f r i c a n To r t o i s e
Tortoises are a family of land-dwelling reptiles of the order of turtles. Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The tortoise has both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton. Tortoises can vary in size from a few centimeters to two meters. They are generally reclusive animals. The African spurred tortoise is the third largest species of tortoise in the world and the largest of the mainland tortoises. Adults are usually 24 to 36 inch long and can weigh 100-200 pounds. The lifespan of an African Spurred Tortoise is about 30–50 years, though they can live much longer.
An African Snake
Africa has some of the most dangerous and venomous snakes in the world. The Black Mamba, Boomslang, Puff Adder, Gaboon Viper, Egyptian Cobra are a few of Africa's deadly snakes. The Gaboon Viper (Bitis gabonica) has the longest fangs and the highest venom yield of any venomous snake in the world. Gaboon Vipers can be found in West, Central and parts of East Africa, they prefer forested areas. Adults reach an average length of around 5 feet.
The Marabou
Marabous are very tall tropical wading birds. There are three species: two in Southern Asia and the third in subSaharan Africa. These birds are very large, standing about 60 in. tall with a wingspan up to 12 ft. They are ranked as having the largest wing-spread of any living bird, with measurements of up to 13.3 ft having been reported. Their head and neck are bare like vultures. Their bill is very long and massive.Young birds are browner and have down.
The Origins
The Origins The following section contains brief information pertaining to the historical context of the work Baobab.You may wish to consider the following questions as you read. • What are the origins of African story telling? • How were stories told or passed down through generations? • What was and is the role or importance of story telling in West African cultures? In other cultures? • What is a baobab tree and what is its history within West African society? • From where do these stories originate?
photo by: Robert Etcheverry
The Baobab Tree
The Griot In this production, there are characters that are called griots. A griot is a West African storyteller, praise singer, poet and musician; he is the keeper of history and a repository of oral tradition. The chief griot is the first person to speak to the audience: “Aw ni sogoma! We are the village griots and to tell our tale, we need your ears. Will you lend us your ears?” These guardians of the oral tradition and their role in African society dates back to the middle of the 14th century. Around this time lived a man named Balla Fasseke, believed to be the first griot, began the line of Kouyate griots that are still active to this day. At this time, each aristocratic family of griots accompanied a family of warrior-kings or emperors, which they called jatigi. In traditional culture, no griot can be without a jatigi, and no jatigi can be without a griot; the two are inseparable, and worthless without the other. However, the jatigi can accept a "loan" of his griot to another jatigi.
Most villages also had their own griot, who told tales of births, deaths, marriages, battles, hunts, affairs, and hundreds of other things. After a good evening meal, with the moon shining down, the people of a village in ancient Africa might hear the sound of a drum, a rattle, and a voice that shouted, “Come hear, come hear!” These were the sounds of the griot, the storyteller. There were many stories the people loved to hear over and over. Because there was no written language in ancient Africa, The storytellers kept track of the history of the people. Once, the griots were historians, genealogists, advisers to nobility, entertainers, messengers, praise singers — the list goes on. Today, they perform on television and radio and record CDs. Many are popular singers who reinterpret traditional songs, giving new meaning to old words. As performers, griots are in great demand, not only for ceremonies and parties in West Africa, where they have traditionally appeared, but all around the world.
Aside from being at the very heart of the story in the show and being the central part of the set, the baobab tree is considered by many to be the quintessential African tree. The Baobab is the embodiment of wisdom, longevity, health and life. Otherwise known as Africa's 'big tree', the baobab is revered in African culture for many different reasons. The African baobab is the most famous of the eight species of baobabs. The largest baobab recorded measures 154 ft. in circumference, and some Baobabs are thought to be more than 4,000 years old. The massive, usually squat cylindrical trunk gives rise to thick tapering branches resembling a root system, which is why it has often been referred to as the upside-down tree. In ancient times kings, elders and leaders would hold meetings under huge baobabs to discuss matters of great importance. Not only did the trees provide shelter, but the tribal leaders also believed that the spirit of the baobab would always help them make wise decisions. Today, the tree serves as a traditional gathering place and also can provide shelter and protection; its trunk can be excavated to serve as shelter. When the interiors of these trees are hollowed out, in time they produce an inner bark for protection. In addition to providing physical shelter, the baobab tree is an abundant source of nutrients and food. The clefts of the
West Africa The story of Baobab takes place in West Africa. Incidentally, two of the creative artists who helped create the production, Hamadoun Kassogue and Ismaila Manga, were born in two West African countries, Mali and Senegal.
large branches collect rainwater, and the center of the tree can be hollowed out to serve as a reservoir. The trees can hold hundreds of liters of water. A hole is drilled in the trunk and a plug inserted so that water can be easily retrieved by removing the plug. The roots of the baobab can also be tapped for water.
The baobab produces an edible fruit, known as a super fruit, often called monkey bread. This fruit is rich in nutrients and vitamins, having 3x the vitamin C as an orange, and twice as much calcium as milk. The fruit is used to make a popular drink called bouy. When roasted, the seeds can replace coffee. The leaves are also said to be rich in nutrients and are cooked fresh as a vegetable or dried and crushed for later use. The sprout of a young tree can be eaten like asparagus. Even the wood of the baobab can provide nourishment, when chewed, it provides vital moisture to relieve thirst, humans as well as certain animals eat it in times of drought. Many species of animals, both wild and domestic also rely on the fruit, flowers, and leaves of the baobab for sustenance.
Mali
Senegal
Capital: Babako Size: 478,767 square miles. (About twice the size of Texas).
Capital: Dakar Size: 75,749 square miles. (About the size of South Dakota).
Population: 13.5 million
Population: 12.5 million
Official Language: French Vernacular languages: approximately 30, including Bambara, the language used in the production.
Official language: French Vernacular languages: approximately 35 local languages, including Wolof (35%).
Climate: There are three seasons is Mali:. A dry season that varies from North to South and lasts from March to June, a humid season from June to September and a winter season when temperatures are cooler from October to February. Mali is a former colony that gained its independence in 1960.
Climate: A hot, humid rainy season from May to November and, a dry season from December to April. Senegal is also a former colony that gained its independence in 1960.
Some Relevent Stage Termonolgy
The Playwright: the person who imagined and wrote the story told in the play. The Actors: they interpret the script to tell you the story. The Puppeteers: they are the artists that give life to the puppets on stage. The Musicians: they invent and/ or interpret the music heard during the play. Often musicians are not seen on stage at the theatre, because sound tracks are usually used, as they are simpler to bring on tour, but in Baobab, the musicians are featured prominently within the production. The Set Designer: it is the person who imagines and designs the set. In this case the set is meant to make you believe that you are in Africa. Before having the set built, the set designer draws plans of it and usually makes a scale model of it. The Puppet Designers: they design the mechanisms which allow the puppets to move and create their bodies and costumes in order that they may look as alive as possible. In this case, they also are the ones that sculpted Amondo.
The Lighting Designer: this artist paints with light! He or she designs the various lighting effects which allow us to appreciate the set, the artists on stage and the puppets. They can create different atmospheres. The Shadow Theatre Designer: he or she designs and creates the shadowpuppets, in this case, crafting the silhouettes out of wood with a jigsaw. The Costume Designer: this person imagines the various fabrics for the costumes and designs the characters’ costumes. The Director: the director is the chief of the expedition. He or she directs the actors, the musicians and all who contribute to the play. He or she must make sure that all involved work well together in order to offer you the best play possible. The Stage Manager: during performances, the stage director looks after the performers and is responsible for the proper and timely set up of the stage and of the lighting and sound equipment required. Once the play is ready to go on tour, the stage director becomes its new chief of expedition.
Education for the Arts Offices: Service Center Office: 1819 East Milham Avenue Portage, MI 49002-3035 Epic Center Office: Epic Center Suite 201 359 South Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Tel: 269.488.6267 www.kresa.org/efa
Kalamazoo Resa, Education for the Arts | Baobab by Théâtre Motus | 2011-2012