Mary and Max A New Musical 2018-19 Season
About this Play Guide Theatre Calgary’s Play Guides and Interactive Learning Programs are made possible by the support of our sponsors:
Contents The Basics 2
Cast & Creative Team
4
Who’s Who? Setting and Story Explorations
5
Interesting Facts
6
Terms to Know
7
Pen Pals: A Lost Friendship?
9
Lighting Her Way: An Interview with Katie McMillan
The Play Guide for Mary and Max - A New Musical was created by Jamie Tymchuk Learning & Engagement Associate This play guide is designed to enhance your experience and delve deeper into Mary and Max – A New Musical. If you wish to avoid potential spoilers, we recommend enjoying this guide after seeing the production.
11
Shine On: An Interview with Bobby Cronin & Crystal Skillman
Connect with Us
13
Autism: Looking at the World Through a Spectrum
Theatre Calgary
Questions? Email jtymchuk@theatrecalgary.com
Conversations
@theatrecalgary @theatrecalgary
Theatre Calgary gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Broadway Dreams and Artistic Champions Margo & Brant Randles, and Craig & Cara Senyk. Mary and Max – A New Musical is recommended for ages 12 +
220 9 Ave SE Calgary, AB T2G 5C4 403-294-7440 theatrecalgary.com
16
Mary and Max Movie Night
17
Further Reading
18
Conversation Starters
19
How to Find a Pen Pal
20
Educational Exercises
22
Sources
Front Cover Illustration: Andrea Ucini
1
The Basics
Cast & Creative Team Music and Lyrics by Bobby Cronin Book by Crystal Skillman Based on a film by Adam Elliot Damian, Ensemble Nick Adams
Mary, Ensemble Lauren Elder
Noel, Ensemble Kevin Aichele
Max Anthony Galde
The Moon Chase Crandell
Vera, Ensemble Susan Gilmour
Composer & Lyricist, Vocal Arrangements Bobby Cronin
Music Director, Dance Arrangements, Additional Orchestrations Joshua Zecher-Ross
Bookwriter Crystal Skillman Director Stafford Arima
Choreographer Jenn Rapp Set & Costume Design Bretta Gerecke
Music Supervisor & Orchestrations Anna Ebbesen
Head of Lighting Catharine Crumb
Head Stage Carpenter Scott Morris
Head of Sound Bronwyn Bowlby
Video Marc Lavallee
RF Technician Chris Jacko
Stage Hands Andrew Kerr Andrew Rafuse
Mother Chocolate, Ensemble Alana Hibbert Young Mary Katie McMillan
Lady Noblet, Ensemble Kelsey Verzotti Vanity Noblet, Ensemble Eric Wigston
Lighting Design Kimberly Purtell
Stage Manager Patti Neice
Projection Design Sean Nieuwenhuis
Assistant Stage Manager Emma Brager
Sound Design Peter McBoyle
Apprentice Stage Manager Chandler Ontkean
Voice & Dialect Coach Jane MacFarlane
Followspot Operators Mike Booth Trisha Herbert Wigs Brenda Boutet
TC Mentee – Directing Andrew G. Cooper TC Mentee – Music Direction Sarah Wheeldon
Dresser Mollie Eliza Robertson
2
Who’s Who
- Helen Keller
Synopsis
Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.
3
The Basics
Setting
Mount Waverley in Melbourne, Australia, and Manhattan, NYC. Our story begins in 1970.
Young Mary: A ten year old Australian girl with a birthmark on her forehead. She has a big imagination and is full of heart. Max: An overweight, Jewish man in his mid-forties. Max falls on the autism spectrum and is diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. He finds the world perplexing and most people confusing. Mary: Older Mary. She has a stronger sense of self but is still insecure and continues to try to find self-confidence and acceptance. The Moon: Operates as a guide on Mary and Max’s journey, sometimes stepping into other roles along the way. Vera: Mary’s shoplifting, alcoholic mother.
Noel: Mary’s mostly absent father. He enjoys taxidermy when not working at the tea factory. Dr. Hazelhoff: A doctor “of the mind” that aids in treating and offering advice to Max. Len: Mary’s neighbour. A war veteran who now suffers from agoraphobia, which keeps him inside his home. Damian: A stuttering Greek boy that moves into Mary’s neighbourhood. Mother Chocolate: Explains chocolate heaven to Young Mary to help her stand up to her bullies. The Noblets: Smurf-life cartoon characters including Lady Noblet, Vanity Noblet, Sassy Noblet, Captain Noblet, Chunky Noblet, and Laughy Noblet.
A young, neglected Australian girl named Mary Daisy Dinkle is bullied for having a birthmark on her forehead. Desperate for a real friend, she randomly selects the name Max Horowitz out of a New York City phone book and writes him a letter. Max Horowitz, an equally lonely Jewish man, receives the letter and doesn’t hesitate in responding to her. Before Mary can read Max’s response, Vera, Mary’s mother, intercepts. She discovers Max’s photo and throws the letter in the garbage. Mary feels momentarily helpless, until an opportunity reveals itself. Mary directs Max to write letters using Len, her neighbour’s address. She collects the mail for him and can receive Max’s letters without the fear of her mother confiscating them. Max and Mary build their relationship through correspondence with the constant motivation to meet one day. When Mary is seventeen, she meets Damian when he moves into her neighbourhood. She is enamoured instantly and asks Max how to get Damian to love her. Meanwhile, Max has a severe anxiety attack and stops writing Mary for some time. He finally shares with Mary that he has Asperger’s syndrome. Now at University, Mary learns that Damian returns her feelings, and they marry. In her final year, she decided to make Max’s mind her thesis and cure him of his disorder. This backfires however, as Max feels used by his only real friend and betrayed that she thinks he needs to be cured. His sends his letter signed ‘your former friend’ and stops writing her. Mary’s life continues to unravel as she falls into a depression, starts drinking, and Damian leaves her. Just when it looks like Mary won’t recover, she receives a letter from Max, forgiving her. Years later, Mary finally makes it to New York and arrives at Max’s doorstep. She is shocked at what she ultimately finds, but learns in that moment just how much their friendship meant to both of them and that a real friend was certainly found.
4
Explorations
Interesting Facts Famous people with Asperger’s syndrome include Sir Anthony Hopkins, Dan Ackroyd, Daryl Hannah, and Courtenay Love. Andy Warhol, Wolfgang Mozart, Bill Gates, Robin Williams, and Jim Henson are unconfirmed, but believed to have Asperger’s tendencies. PREVNet, a national network of leading researchers and organizations working together to stop bullying in Canada, reports that 75% of people have been affected by bullying. PREVNet also found that bullying rates in Canada are higher than 2/3 of Western Countries. Pen pals originally referred to people who corresponded as a way to learn about different cultures, languages, and countries. It was often used as a way to improve literacy. Love can cost you two friendships. Anthropologist Robin Dunbar calculated that most people have 5 close friends. However, those in relationships only had 4 close friends, including their partner. Mary and Max was the very first animated film to open for the Sundance Film Festival.
5
Explorations
Terms to Know Taxidermy The art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals with lifelike effect.
Vegemite A popular savoury spread in Australia made from concentrated yeast extract.
Formaldehyde A colourless pungent gas in solution made by oxidizing methanol. It can be used in taxidermy to preserve the skin of the animal but is highly toxic and should be used with extreme caution.
Birthmark A typically permanent mark that has been on the person’s body since birth. Can come in many colours and shapes.
Noblets Smurf-like cartoon characters on TV that both Mary and Max enjoy watching.
Pneumonia Bacterial or viral infection in the lungs, in which the air sacs fill with liquid or pus. It is often combined with coughing, difficulty breathing and high fever.
Aspie Someone with Asperger’s syndrome. This term is typically reserved only for those who self-identify as someone with Asperger’s. Anxiety A feeling of worry or nervousness about a certain situation or income. Can lead to difficulty breathing, panic attacks and other physical symptoms. Thesis A statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved.
Vanity Excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or achievements.
Noblets from Mary and Max (2009, dir. Adam Elliot)
Vegemite Jar. Flickr
Taxidermied rabbit head. Wikimedia Commons
6
Explorations
Pen Pals: A Lost Friendship? Two days ago I received a phone book on my front steps, and I couldn’t help but feel somewhat nostalgic for a simpler time. A time of having to find a business’s or friend’s phone number and flipping through those thin yellow or white pages until finding the perfect 7 digits that would connect you. Now we simply Google a phone number or search for an address on our smartphones, and most of us don’t even have landlines. When I was younger, I remember writing and mailing letters to friends. Some in the same province, and others across oceans. Today, besides bills, adverts, and flyers, most of us don’t receive any mail, except for the occasional letter from grandma, card from dad, or wedding ‘save the date’. Even those are becoming obsolete as family has moved to communicate over email, and life announcements are instead told over social media. Originally coined as ‘pen-friends’ around 1920, the term ‘pen pals’ was first introduced in the 1930s. It was promoted as a program at the 1933 World’s Fair, and in 1936 the Student Letter Exchange was started by a teacher when he decided his students could learn about different cultures and experiences by writing to students in other countries. Then, at the 1964 World’s Fair, the Parker Pen Company, a luxury pen manufacturer, promoted the program ‘International PenFriends’ with the theme “Peace through Understanding through Writing”. Here, at the Parker Pen Pavilion, for the first time, they used a computer to help match pen pals based on hobbies, interests, age groups, and sex, all in 6 different languages. In 1965, International PenFriends matched their 1 millionth pen-friend. The company still survives today, claiming they still keep in touch with people matched in
1964 who continue to write each other to this day. Popularity of pen pals grew through the 70s and 80s with clubs and organizations appearing around the world. They were focused on different topics; learning to read and write in a foreign language, improving literacy, building knowledge on others’ life-styles, and, of course, for developing friendship. The duration of writing between individuals varied, including those that would eventually meet, and some even leading to marriage!
“Writing isn’t letters on paper. It’s communication. It’s memory.” All of that started to change in the 80s as fees became higher and companies saw an opportunity to make money without embracing the philosophy behind writing each other. With the expansion of the internet in the 90’s, the future of pen pal correspondences looked bleak. However, some organizations have adapted and persevered. International PenFriends, the largest organization relating to pen pals in the world, continues to process over 7,000 new members a day. Global Pen Friends allows members to register for free and communicate through the internet or by traditional ‘snail mail,’ and pen pals Now is a free site allowing users to search for someone to write without publicly publishing your information.
8
continued from previous page While the traditional idea of pen pals has declined with the modern world, the idea of seeking friendship continues to thrive. With embracing technology and giving options to those searching, we can still connect with someone new on the other side of the world. When asked about the future, International PenFriends still holds out hope that people will not forget the simple method of letter writing, sending it by post, and making a connection. So, go ahead. Sit down and write a letter. Lick the stamp. Pop it in the mailbox and await a response. You might just find a new friend.
Explorations
Lighting Her Way: An Interview with Katie McMillan Katie McMillan plays Young Mary in Mary and Max - A New Musical, but in reality she has just entered adulthood with years of experience on stage behind her. We sat down with Katie during rehearsals to talk about roles, dreams, finding acceptance, and the value of true friendship. You are just eighteen years old but no stranger to performing on stage. How have your past experiences prepared you for this production? I started in a choir when I was 4 years old and that moved into taking private voice lessons. When I was 10 I was cast as Annie in Storybook Theatre’s Annie and being around the musical theatre community really ignited my passion. Since then, I’ve worked a lot with Storybook Theatre and am very fortunate to have had opportunities to portray a variety of characters, making me a more versatile performer. Any challenges with playing an Australian? I have never learned an accent before so that’s new. You just have to kind of dive in and absorb it as best you can. Jane MacFarlane, our voice coach, is awesome and Eric (Wigston) recommended a website, IDEA that has videos of people talking from specific places at different ages. I find the biggest challenge with an accent is singing, because your vowels are already being manipulated, but I just am working through trial and error until I get it sounding the way it should. Being a new musical, how has this experience been different? The cast signed a symbolic contract where we promised not to get attached to anything because everything was subject to change. A lot has changed already! Every night we get an email that has line or lyric changes, or has them moved around. It’s also a faster rehearsal time then what I have typically been used to, with only 6 weeks of rehearsal. Mary and Max - A New Musical centres around the friendship between Mary, a young Australian girl, and Max, a middle aged New Yorker on the autism spectrum. Why is this story one that needs to be shared? I think its important to show how simple connection can be. Max keeps Mary’s letters and it becomes a physical representation of their friendship. They really do help in listening to one another, which
9
filter that away when playing her. I actually find it more challenging to play an older role, like The Witch in Into the Woods, because I don’t have the life maturity to fully understand the character. It is really nice to go younger because we don’t usually get to live a moment in our childhood with the same thoughts as we do looking back on it after. In a way, I get to do that. You are still the youngest in the cast, working with some New York professionals. How has that been?
supports Mary’s desire to be heard, and challenges Max to move out of his routine.
You play young Mary and Lauren Elder plays Mary. Besides your roles, do you share anything in common?
Do you have a pen pal? Actually I kind of do! His name is Liam and he’s also on the autism spectrum. We met when I was working a job at the Calgary Farmer’s Market and struck up a great conversation. A couple weeks later he left a note for me with his email asking if I wanted to continue talking. We have been emailing over the last year, but only have seen each other once. It’s nice to take time to answer questions, and to be able to go back and reread his emails to truly see our friendship grow. Writing and mailing letters seems to be something that is becoming obsolete. Do you think this is on the verge of extinction? Well, I don’t write letters to my friends or family. It’s either phone, text or in Liam’s case, through email. I wouldn’t even know how to send a letter. I’d have to google it!
Oh we are so similar, it’s crazy! We are both optimistic, high energy people. I just played The Witch in Storybook Theatre’s Into The Woods, and Lauren played The Witch at the same age as me. Actually Susan Gilmore, who plays Vera, also did around age 18! Though, we also have differences. For one, I cannot whistle, and Lauren is a world champion whistler. Seriously! She won first at The Masters of Musical Whistling International Competition. Maybe she can teach me. How do you prepare to play someone younger than yourself? Did you do anything different to audition as a 10 year old? I had originally submitted to audition as one of the ensemble members but I think I have a naturally youthful quality. When they wanted to see me as young Mary, I came in with a dress and pigtails. It’s nice to play someone younger and having the experience to understand things that maybe my character doesn’t. I can feel bad for Mary, but she can’t feel bad for herself, so I have to be able to
It’s hard to even put into words, because it has been so incredible. I have glamorized New York and Broadway and I guess a part of me expected a bunch of divas, but they are not at all. For one, they are so good at what they do. They work so hard and are still so humble and kind. Its an honour to get to meet people and put a face and name to my imagination of ‘Broadway people’. What is one of your favourite musicals and are there any roles on your wish list? My favourite has got to be West Side Story. In school I used to come home on Fridays with the house to myself and watch the movie. Every Friday. I was fortunate to have played Maria in West Side Story but I don’t think I’ve ever had a dream role. If anything, I’ve wanted to originate a role which is exciting because that’s kind of what I am doing with Mary and Max - A New Musical. What’s next for you? Broadway is the dream but, for the first time in my life, I’m not really worried about the future. I’m just living in this moment and appreciating it. Maybe something in the future will top this, but for me right now, I’ve never been happier.
10
Explorations
Shine On: An Interview with Bobby Cronin & Crystal Skillman Composer & lyricist Bobby Cronin and Bookwriter Crystal Skillman have worked together for years on musicals, plays and new works. Here, they explain why Mary and Max - A New Musical has made them better at their crafts, and better people. How did the idea for turning a claymation film into a musical theatre production come to be? BC A friend saw the film and recommended I watch it, explaining that it was me. I put it on that night, not knowing anything about it and intending to watch only the opening credits, when I heard the music and thought ‘that does sound like me!’ The narrator began talking and I was hooked. By the end of it I was on the ground in tears texting my agent saying, ‘you have to help me get this! This is the one! I just know it!’ I spoke to Crystal about it, and later over lunch with her and Stafford, as we were meeting for a different project, I asked if they would be interested in working on it. Crystal was excited and on board right away and Stafford watched the film that night. He sent me a message afterwards that read, ‘no matter what happens with this project, thank you for introducing me to this film. I feel forever changed.’ It took me almost two years to get the rights. It was very challenging figuring out who actually owned it, and who had the ability to say yes. As what often happens, the writer, Adam Elliot, didn’t own it, and didn’t even really get a say, but he interviewed me though Skype. We cried a lot. I told him about Crystal and Stafford and said I felt like I’d assembled a really great team that could capture his world and bring it to life for a musical. Adam realized, while we were talking, that he had already written it as a musical. He
chose all the music first and then crafted around it. He even lit it like a musical. CS That’s so true. The climax of the film is based on a musical moment and I just thought, wow! Its already built in. Then it was just a question of where we could take it from there. BC We got the rights and then we just got going. You seem very collaborative, how long have you been working together? CS We’re very close, we have been best friends for over 10 years. BC Our first relationship was a professional one, when we were in our 20s. I was directing a show of hers and loved her work! Her use of words were amazing and we found we just really liked each other. Here we are 20 years later. CS It’s not 20! BC Well I did the reading with you in 1998 so… CS Wow. 20 years. BC It helps because we know our quirks and how we work. Sometimes I would write something and send it to Crystal, but generally we work through everything together. We have worked together before and we both have really imaginative quirky minds . What’s so great with Mary and Max - A New Musical is we really discovered what shows we like to write and what we do well. CS We both have full bodies of work separately and have worked with other writers but when I think
of writing musicals, this is really a partnership at the core of my musical theatre world. Do either of you relate to Mary and/or Max? BC I was bullied horribly in school and hated it until college where I was excited to find others like me. I have a niece with Asperger’s, and my father had OCD. In rehearsal, there are times when I will fight for something, that may not be the shiniest way to do it, but is the more honest way to show it. Being bullied hurts and to push it off like its not a big deal is not the truth, especially in a story like this. CS I think I am also a lot like Mary and Bobby is very much like Max. BC Though I am also Mary-like and you can be very Max-y. CS Yes, thats very true. BC I think thats why this piece really speaks to both of us. Bullying is still a consistent problem today, as well as cyber bullying. We also communicate through emails and texts instead of letters. Do you think the story of Mary and Max would be different taking place today? BC I think the story is timeless. I don’t think it would matter what decade it was in, I just happen to love that the story does take place before social media. CS I think it is important to inform an audience, especially a young audience, to what the time was like when you would chose words in a 11
Photo by Lia Chang
certain process from putting pen to paper. There’s actually a part in the show where Mary learns how to be a pen pal and the audience, especially younger people, can learn with her. When I teach playwriting and go into high schools, I really try to educate them on mindfull criticism and comments. I talk a lot about not having instant negativity when you see a show. It is so easy to comment online because you’re not accountable. And it’s not just in youth. I also work in the comic book industry, and it’s rampant among adults. If someone doesn’t like Wolverine’s outifit, people will comment about it for days. I think the big thing Adam does with this piece is making us go back so that we can go forward, which is what makes it timeless. BC It’s the importance of connection and I don’t think the digital world allows for the same kind of connection. CS And the authenticity of person to person. BC You can say something and then delete it on social media, but with a letter, the words remain.
I talking about a title. For instance, Mary’s mom calls her an accident. I knew I wanted a song called Accidents, and I knew I wanted it to end joyous with the theme coming back. What was great is, because it is an adaption, we had these gem lines that would inspire a song, or a lyric. What does it sound like when Max is mad? Scared? When he has a panic attack? A lot of music is written in 4/4 timing but I wrote most of Max’s stuff in 5/4 and tried to do it so you wouldn’t even notice it. Sometimes I would write something and it would sound too standard so I’d push a beat in there. I think with musicals today, you have to write thematically so that by the third time the audience hears a tune, they think they know it. That’s when you do something a little different to excite their ears. I wanted a big wide sound from the ensemble. How I like to pitch it is: the music becomes the canvas for the show, and then we paint on top of it. CS There’s a lot of tricky moments in the show and I’m there to help fully shape things, if needed.
When you take a film and make it into a musical, how do you hear the songs or decide where they will be? BC I very seldom write something for nothing. Meaning, that when I sit down to write something, I know who’s singing, why they’re singing, and where we need to get to by the end of the song. For a show like this, it would stem from Crystal and
How do you create a story based on a film? CS It is the film, but it is also very much its own thing. Adaptation is the correct term, but its really “inspired by”. It is not so much taking the film and putting it onstage, in which case, it wouldn’t really be necessary. This is really a theatrical interpretation of this story. There are seeds in the film
that are really explored though the human relationships onstage. With an original piece you have to figure out what kind of house the story is you’re discovering. How to build the house, where to build it, what’s in the house, and so on. When you have source material you have the house. To me, drama is the emotional arc of the characters in the story, not the burden of story telling. My task is not to tell the story for the sake of telling a story. It is to take elements of a story and tell them in a way that when they happen live, they elicit a response. For those that have not seen the film, would you recommend waiting before or after seeing the musical production? CS oh that’s such a hard question! BC I’ve heard both sides. My mother saw the film and then came to a reading and she said it really helped her understand what was going on. My brother, on the other hand, saw the reading and then watched the film. He was disappointed they don’t sing in the film and he preferred the musical version because the emotional value of the singing really helped tell the story. What was it like casting these clay characters and making them human? BC I’ve known Lauren for a while and she sang the first demo for Stafford. She is Mary. Lauren has such a unique voice and such great colour in her sound and that’s really what I wanted to discover with this show. But no one was cast when we got to Calgary. CS We looked at everybody. BC And then Katie (McMillan) came in. She looks like Lauren, has the same energy and warmth, and I whispered to the musical director ‘oh I hope she can sing.’ When she started singing, tears just rolled down my face and that was it.
12
Stafford Arima, Theatre Calgary’s Artistic Director, has been involved in this from the beginning. How has it been to work with him? BC First of all he is so warm. Stafford has worked on so many musical adaptations that I think he was such a natural fit for this piece. His dramaturgical eye is really interesting, and his musical ear is so strong. The first opening number I wrote was about 12 minutes long, and Stafford put his arm around me and said ‘Friend, you’re giving us the entire ice cream sundae, and I’m wondering if we save the whip cream for a little later.’ That’s how he would talk to me. A way I can totally understand. Whereas a less amazing director might say ‘I don’t like that song, it’s too long.’ I love that he treats us so well because, I will be honest, this has been the hardest 5 years of my life. You have to sacrifice a lot to write something like this. CS It takes a lot of energy BC Yes but it has also been the greatest experience of my life. The response we’ve received is kindness and gratitude from the director, the theatre, and the cast members from the very beginning. CS We are better writers with our own work and with other projects we are doing together because of writing this show. BC I also think I’m a better person. I often feel misunderstood and I think I have put that into the material so now I can own it and show it to the world for all to see. What do you hope audiences will take away from the show? BC I’m very lucky. I have an amazing mother who is kind, generous and thoughtful. I think the mother that we portray in the show will hopefully remind parents the importance of a connection with your children and the importance of communication with your child. For students, I’m hoping they see the importance of kindness and communication. CS The moments in our lives that we experience, both good and bad, are gifts. Mary goes through a very dark time but I hope students and adults see that there is always a moment after. That friendship is being there for each other in those moments. So hang in there, because it will happen. I also think the power of listening is important. It is important to find your community and find the people that value you, while using the gifts they give you.
Explorations
Autism: Looking at the World Through a Spectrum Most of us are familiar with the word ‘autism’, either learning it from tv and films such as Rain Man, hearing it in the news media, or having a family member diagnosed. Perhaps, even being diagnosed yourself. This year, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the National Autism Spectrum Disorder Surveillance Systems, released a report estimating that 1 in 66 of children and youth aged 5 to 17 years have been diagnosed, but what exactly is autism? Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder, (ASD), is a neurodevelopment disorder that is characterized by a range of conditions such as: challenges with communication, social skills, interests or activities, and restrictive repetitive behaviours. “Spectrum” refers to the variance of challenges and strengths for each individual with autism. Though children and adults with ASD can have characteristics in common, with many suffering from accompanying conditions such as depression, attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and phobias, often their conditions cover a wide range from person to person. Stephen Shore, a New York based professor and author, describes it as, “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” Though some, like Lynne Soraya, author of Living Independently on the Autism Spectrum, might watch Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of an autistic savant in Rain Man and attribute it as a strong part of identifying her own place on the spectrum, many have felt frustrated at the film for the repercussions of stereotyping autism. One of the biggest challenges of the ASD community is speaking up against generalizing
13
that everyone on the spectrum is the same. There is no standard ‘type’ or ‘typical’ person with autism spectrum disorder. In Mary and Max - A New Musical, Max Horowitz is diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, and proudly prefers to identify as an ‘aspie.’ Asperger’s syndrome was first described by Hans Asperger in 1944 but was not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) until 1994. It is considered to be on the ‘high-functioning’ end of the spectrum and, though they may share similarities with ASD, those with Asperger’s tend to show typical or even exceptional language development. Another common symptom of Asperger’s is an inability to determine the intent behind someone’s actions, words, behaviour or facial expressions. In Mary and Max - A New Musical, Max has a book of faces that aids him in distinguishing others emotions. He is described as “hypersensitive, clumsy, and can get very concerned”. Max also has trouble expressing his own emotions, but reminds Mary “my mouth hardly ever smiles, but it does not mean I’m not smiling inside my brain”.
specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger’s. Those previously diagnosed with Asperger’s may still self-identify as an ‘aspie’ with a point of pride for their special abilities. Some may even take offence at the suggestion they need to be ‘cured’. The causes of ASD are uncertain. Research shows there are some genetic or environmental factors which may increase the risk, such as; one or both parents have autism, advanced parent age, pregnancy and birth complications, or pregnancies spaced less than 1 year apart. Scientists have conducted extensive research over the last two decades and found that vaccines do not effect the risk of autism. Autism can appear most obviously at 2 to 3 years of age and Autism Speaks Canada urges parents with any questions or concerns to seek evaluation without delay, as outcomes can improve with early diagnosis and intervention.
“I like being an Aspie. I can’t change it. It would be like trying to change the color of my eyes.” - Max Horowitz
The distinct diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome was controversial from its onset. The main conflict was the precedence given to a primary diagnosis of autism. Due to confusion based on similar impairments of Asperger’s fulfilling the same criteria for autism, the term Asperger’s syndrome was removed from the DSM in 2013. That same year, the American Psychiatric Association merged four previously distinct diagnoses into one umbrella diagnosis of ASD. These included autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise
An estimated 50,000 teens with autism move into adulthood each year, loosing school-based autism services. Many of those on the spectrum change as they age, and support and resources are often required. As awareness and knowledge increases, families and those with ASD are demanding better services and support. For more information on autism, to find additional resources, or if you want to get involved and help build awareness and support in your community, visit autismcanada.org or autismspeaks.ca.
14
1
4
2
3
5
Conversations
Mary and Max Movie Night 1
The Shop Around the Corner Two employees at a gift shop can barely stand each other, without realizing that they are falling in love through the post as each other’s anonymous pen pal. 1940 | Feature Film | NR | 99 min. | Director Ernst Lubitsch
2
You’ve Got Mail An updated take on The Shop Around the Corner where two business rivals who despise each other in real life unwittingly fall in love over the Internet. 1998 | Feature Film | PG | 119 min. | Director Nora Ephron
3
Mary and Max A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York. Told through the magic of clay animation. 2009 | Feature Film | NR | 92 min. | Director Adam Elliot
4
Temple Grandin A biopic of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has become one of the top scientists in the humane livestock handling industry. 2010 | TV Movie | PG | 107 min. | Director Mick Jackson
4
Adam Adam, a lonely man with Asperger’s syndrome, develops a relationship with his upstairs neighbor, Beth. 2009 | Feature Film | PG-13 | 99 min. | Director Max Mayer
16
Conversations
Further Reading
Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s By John Elder Robison Look Me in the Eye is a moving, darkly funny story of growing up with Asperger’s at a time when the diagnosis simply didn’t exist. A born storyteller, Robison takes readers inside the head of a boy who teachers and other adults regarded as defective. Robison is an emphatic advocate for Asperger’s, which he insists is not a disease but a different – and sometimes better – way of being. 2007 Non-fiction
The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger’s By Dr. Temple Grandin Dr. Temple Grandin gets to the real issues of autism and Asperger’s – the ones that parents, teachers and individuals face every day. Temple offers helpful dos and don’ts, practical strategies and try-itnow tips, based on her insider perspective and years of research. 2015 Non-fiction
Autumn By Ali Smith This splendid freeform novel chronicles the last days of a lifelong friendship between Elizabeth, a British University lecturer in London, and her former neighbor, a centenarian songwriter named Daniel. 2017 Fiction
Ella and Otto and Russell and James By Emma Hooper Etta embarks on a walking journey from Saskatchewan to Halifax to see the ocean for the first time. Along the way, she befriends a talking coyote named James, a reporter who decides she’d rather walk with Etta than report, and throngs of fans who follow her progress from town to town. Etta’s husband, Otto, passes the time by writing Etta letters and hoping she will return. 2015 Fiction
17
Conversations
Conversation Starters The Moon plays a guiding role through Mary and Max’s journey. Without the Moon, would the story change? Does the thought of someone guiding you through life bring comfort or concern? What makes a “friend that’s real”? What would you do if you, like Max, received a letter from a stranger? Mary finds strength from her bullies by imagining a chocolate heaven. What is your idea of heaven? The story of Mary and Max is one that is as enchanting as it is sad. How did the addition of musical numbers help in telling the story? Is there a film you’d love to see a musical version of?
18
Conversations
How to Find a Pen Pal Interested in finding a pen pal, but unsure of where to begin? We have 5 websites that are recommended by users, schools and clubs. Read more to find one that fits you best and get writing!
Global PenFriends
Global Penfriends bill themselves as a safe place to meet new friends from all over the world. It offers the option to snail mail or email pen friends
Penpals Now
PenpalsNow.com is a free website that helps you post your information so other pen pals can find you. You can also search for someone to write without publishing your info publicly.
Interpals
Interpals is a free site that helps users meet new people, make friends on the web, and discover pen pals from across the globe.
Pen Pal World
Pen Pal World provides a free system that helps you contact people without having to post your information online publicly. Once you find a match, you exchange information and start writing.
International PenFriends
International PenFriends is an organization based in the USA that has grown to over 7 million members in over 251 countries and territories around the globe. Their program is available in English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
19
Conversations
Educational Exercises The autism spectrum is vast and every person with ASD can experience people, places and the world differently. The following three videos were created by those with autism to help others experience what it might be like. Teachers, have your students watch these and answer the 3 questions following each video. Caution: The following videos are meant to simulate sensory overload and feature loud, repetitive noises, and flashing lights. Those with epilepsy or who are prone to seizures are advised to not watch these videos.
Carly’s Café - Experience Autism Through Carly’s Eyes
Auti-Sim: A playable simulation of sensory hypersensitivity
This experience is viewed through the eyes of Carly Fleischmann, a 17 year old girl living with nonverbal autism.
Taylan Kadayifcioglu developed this simulation game during Hacking Health Vancouver 2013 hackathon. The player navigates through a playground as an autistic child with hypersensitivity to sounds. Here, we see how sensory overload can lead to anxiety, panic, and cognitive functions.
Based on an excerpt from the book Carly’s Voice: Breaking Through Autism, it explores how, for someone with autism, a simple act like going for a coffee can descend into chaos. 1. What caused Carly’s anxiety to escalate? 2. What did you feel looking through Carly’s eyes at the height of the chaos?
1. How did sound affect how you watched the video? 2. Try listening with your eyes closed. Was there any difference?
Autism and Sensory Sensitivity The National Autistic Society created and published this video to highlight the issues individuals can face with autism. 1. How did the noises in the video differ from how you typically would hear them? 2. How did the repetiton of noise affect how you felt? 3. Looking around the room you are in now, what noises do you hear? How do you think someone with autism would react to those noises?
3. Try watching without sound. Was there any difference?
3. How did this make you think differently about those with autism?
20
Educational Exercises, continued. Mary and Max – A New Musical composer and lyricist, Bobby Cronin, and bookwriter, Crystal Skillman, recently visited Central Memorial High School, Theatre Calgary’s 2018/19 High School in Residence. There, they worked with students looking at the following images from the film Mary and Max. For a more in depth look, teachers are recommended to watch the film with their class before completing exercises #2 and #3.
1. Break into groups of 4-6. Looking at the images, (or after watching the film), what do you know of each character? How does the image help show each person’s characteristics? 2. Your group has been put in charge of writing a new song for Mary and Max – A New Musical. Hook lines, are lines that can instantly tell you the nature of the song and who is singing it. In one of Damian’s songs, the hook line is “I found my words around you” indicating that his stutter improved around Mary. • What would the hook line be for your song? • How does that help in telling the theme of the song? • Can your classmates guess who sings it based on the hook line? 3. Using pencil, paint, clay, or other art form, create your own imaginary character. Consider the character’s age, personality, and physical traits. • How do the features show what kind of character it is? • If you added glasses, what happens? • If you add a smile, what happens? • If your character is ‘good’, what features could you add/subtract to make it a villain? • If your character is a villain, what features could you add/subtract to make them ‘good’? • How do physical features play a role in the way we look at others in our everyday lives? 21
Sources “Pen Pal.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Aug. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_pal. “INTERNATIONAL PENFRIENDS Postal Pen Pal Program.” International PenFriends - Postal Pen Pal Program, www.internationalpenfriends.com/. “27 Unbeatable Pen Pals Sites: Find the pen pal Arrangement That Works For You.” To Make Friends, 31 May 2016, tomakefriends.com/pen-pal/. “Asperger Syndrome.” Autism Speaks EN, www.autismspeaks.ca/about-autism/what-is-autism/asperger-syndrome/. “Autism Canada.” Autism Canada, autismcanada.org/. Autism Speaks EN, www.autismspeaks.ca/. Public Health Agency of Canada. “Public Health Agency of Canada Releases First-Ever National Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Statistics.” Canada.ca, 29 Mar. 2018, www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2018/03/public-health agency-of-canada-releases-first-ever-national-autism-spectrum-disorder-asd-statistics.html. “Telling the Story: Autism in the Media.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/ aspergers-diary/201003/telling-the-story-autism-in-the-media. Barahona-Corrêa, J. B., and Carlos N. Filipe. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4725185/. “ASPERGER-SYNDROME.ME.UK Offering Help, Support and Information Regarding Asperger Syndrome.” Asperger Syndrome, www.asperger-syndrome.me.uk/people.htm. “Movies, TV and Celebrities.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/. “English Dictionary, Thesaurus, & Grammar Help | Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries | English, Oxford Dictionaries, en.oxforddictionaries.com/. “Bullying. The Facts.” PREVNet, www.prevnet.ca/research/bullying-statistics/bullying-the-facts. Moss, Rachel. “Do You Agree With These 10 True Facts About Friendship?” HuffPost UK, HuffPost UK, 4 Sept. 2014, www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/04/10-facts-about-friendship_n_5764448.html. Szczerba, Robert J. “Experience What Autism Might Feel Like.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 9 Aug. 2016, www.forbes.com/ sites/robertszczerba/2016/06/07/experience-what-it-feels-like-to-have-autism/#7fdc4da44cb0. CarlyFleischmann. “Carly Fleischmann.” YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/channel/UCMem_K9XThi4oqMBDDyMF3A. MrTaykad. “Auti-Sim: A Playable Simulation of Sensory Hypersensitivity.” YouTube, YouTube, 24 Feb. 2013, www.youtube. com/watch?time_continue=6&v=DwS-qm8hUxc. NationalAutisticSoc. “Autism and Sensory Sensitivity.” YouTube, YouTube, 9 Apr. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycCN3qTYVyo.
22
Theatre Calgary is a professional nonprofit theatre company and a resident of Arts Commons, operating out of the Max Bell Theatre. It is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and operates within the jurisdiction of the Canadian Theatre Agreement. Theatre Calgary employs technicians under a collective agreement with the I.A.T.S.E. Theatre Calgary 220 9th Ave SE Calgary, AB, Canada T2G 5C4 theatrecalgary.com +1-403-294-7440