Being Earnest Study Guide

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TheatreWorks S I L I C O N

V A L L E Y

FOR SCHOOLS

Music by Paul Gordon and Jay Gruska Book & Lyrics by Paul Gordon From the play by Oscar Wilde


Our Partners in Education TheatreWorks thanks our generous donors to the Education Department, whose financial support enables us to provide in-depth arts education throughout Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. During the 2011/12 season alone, we served over 40,000 students, patients, and community members, making almost 114,000 educational interactions.

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COSTUME RENDERING BY FUMIKO BIELEFELDT


Table of Contents For Teachers and Students • For Teachers: Using this Study Guide 4 • For Students: The Role of the Audience 5

Exploring the Play • • • • • • • • •

Plot Summary 6 About the Playwright 7 About the Play (Historically) 8 London, 1965 9 Activity: Compare and Contrast 10 Musical Influences 11–12 Irony in Being Earnest 13 Activity: Identifying Dramatic Irony 14 Adapting a Story 15 Writing Activity: From Page to Stage 16 Costuming Being Earnest 17 Activity: Costume Design 18 Lies v. Truth 19

Resources • STUDENT/Student Matinee Evaluation • TEACHER/Student Matinee Evaluation

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For Teachers The student matinee performance of Being Earnest will be held on April 25, 2013 at 11:00 am, at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts. The production is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, with one 15 minute intermission. The performance will be followed by a discussion with actors from the show. Student audiences are often the most rewarding and demanding audiences that an acting ensemble can face. Since we hope every show at TheatreWorks will be a positive experience for both audience and cast, we ask you to familiarize your students with the theatre etiquette described on the “For Students” pages.

How to use this Study Guide This guide is arranged in worksheets. Each worksheet or reading may be used independently or in conjunction with others to serve your educational goals. Together, the worksheets prepare students for the workshops, as well as seeing the student matinee of Being Earnest produced by TheatreWorks, and for discussing the performance afterwards. Throughout the guide you will see several symbols:

Means “Photocopy Me!” Pages with this symbol are meant to be photocopied and handed directly to students.

Means “English Language Arts.” Pages with this symbol feature lessons that are catered to California State English Language Arts standards.

Means “Theatre Arts.” Pages with this symbol feature lessons that are catered to California State Theatre Arts standards.

Means “Social Studies.” Pages with this symbol feature lessons that are catered to California State Social Studies standards.

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The Role of the Audience All the work that goes into a production would mean nothing if there wasn’t an audience for whom to perform. As the audience, you are also a part of the production, helping the actors onstage tell the story. When the performance is about to begin, the lights will dim. This is a signal for the actors and the audience to put aside concerns and conversation and settle into the world of the play. The performers expect the audience’s full attention and focus. Performance is a time to think inwardly, not a time to share your thoughts aloud. Talking to neighbors (even in whispers) carries easily to others in the audience and to the actors on stage. It is disruptive and distracting. Food is not allowed in the theatre. Soda, candy, and other snacks are noisy and, therefore, distracting. Please keep these items on the bus or throw them away before you enter the audience area. Backpacks are also not allowed in the theatre. Walking through the aisles during the performance is extremely disruptive. Actors occasionally use aisles and stairways as exits and entrances. The actors will notice any movement in the performance space. Please use the restroom and take care of all other concerns outside before the show. Cell phones and other electronic devices must be turned off before the performance begins. Do not text during the performance, as it is distracting to the audience members around you.

What to bring with you: Introspection Curiosity Questions Respect An open mind What to leave behind: Judgements Cell phones, etc. Backpacks Food Attitude

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Plot Summary It is 1965 in London, in a flat just off Carnaby Street, the capital of Mod style. Country bachelor Jack Worthing is visiting his fashionable friend Algernon when conservative Lady Bracknell arrives with her free-thinking daughter Gwendolen. Jack proposes to Gwendolen but her mother objects to his questionable geneology. Learning that Jack supervises a beautiful ward named Cecily at his estate, Algernon plots to meet her and eventually a gaggle of Mods and moralists converge in the countryside. As the complications increase it seems that no one will have a happy ending—or will they?

Hayden Tee, Maureen McVerry, & Mindy Lym / Photo by Tracy Martin

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About the Playwright Oscar Wilde was born on October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland, the second of Sir William Wilde and Jane Wilde’s three children. Wilde’s mother, Jane, wrote revolutionary poetry for Young Irelanders, a political group that worked towards Irish emancipation from Great Britain. Wilde’s father, William, was the leading ear and eye surgeon in Ireland. Wilde attended Trinity College in Dublin on a royal scholarship and later Oxford to study the classics. It was at Oxford that Wilde became active in the aesthetic and decadent movements of the time, developing a love for all things artistic and lavish. After graduating from Oxford and a brief return to Ireland, Wilde settled in England and published a collection of his poetry written since his days at Trinity. In 1881, he was invited on a four-month lecture tour around the United States. Due to his popularity, the tour lasted for more than a year. After returning to England, Wilde met, wooed, and married Constance Lloyd. The couple had 2 sons, Cyril and Vyvyan. Over the next several years, Wilde was the editor of several magazines and published several works of short fiction and essays before publishing his only full-length novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Between 1892 and 1895, Wilde premiered several plays including Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Woman of No Importance, and An Ideal Husband. It was during this time that he met and began a relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, a recent graduate of Oxford. This relationship would prove to be one of the most important of Wilde’s life. For years, rumors of Wilde’s homosexual behavior had circulated around London. At the time, homosexuality was not only considered immoral, it was also against the law. Upon discovering their relationship, Douglas’ father, the Marquess of Queensbury, threatened to out Wilde and have him arrested. Simultaneously, The Importance of Being Earnest was opening in London’s West End to rave reviews. Things with Queensbury escalated throughout the production, culminating with Queensbury publically accusing Wilde of being a homosexual, for which Wilde sued Queensbury for criminal libel. The impending trial caused a fair amount of public outrage in London, with Queensbury hiring private detectives to dig up dirt about

Wilde’s private life. After the opening statements of the trial, it was clear that the trial would be extremely damaging to Wilde’s public image, and he dropped the case. As a result of information gathered against Wilde for the trial with Queensbury, he was arrested for “gross indecency,” a term for homosexual acts. After a monthlong trial, Wilde was convicted and sentenced to two years of hard labor. His wife and children, to avoid the scandal of Wilde’s trial and imprisonment, changed their last name to Holland. Wilde’s time in jail was not pleasant, and his health suffered greatly. He was released in 1897 and left England for France, where he would remain in penniless exile, for the remainder of his life. He died in 1900, at age 46, of cerebral meningitis.

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About the Play (Historically) The original production of The Importance of Being Earnest opened in London in 1895. Allen Aynesworth, who originated the role of Algernon, said that, “In my fifty-three years of acting, I never remember a greater triumph than [that] first night.” Despite the success of the production, Wilde’s personal troubles overshadowed the production and the show closed after just 86 performances. The play opened on Broadway that same year but closed after twelve performances. Wilde’s arrest and conviction cast a pall over the play and it was rarely produced until well after Wilde’s death. It wasn’t until a 1946 performance attended by King George VI that the play started to garner respect again and productions began to pop up around the globe and the 1948 Broadway production was awarded a special Tony Award for “Best Foreign Production.” Of all Wilde’s plays, The Importance of Being Earnest, is the most famous and the most often performed.

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London, 1965 The setting of a play, where and when it takes place, is an extremely important aspect of a production. It not only gives costume and set designers a jumping off point for their work, it indicates style and behavior to the actors and director. Paul Gordon’s adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s most famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest, takes the original text and moves it 70 years into the future, to 1965. This time period shift is a specific and calculated one, and can give the audience deeper insight into the characters. One year earlier, the United States saw the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the “British Invasion,” when British rock and pop music groups gained popularity in the United States. Bands like The Beatles, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, and The Who quickly gained popularity among American teenagers. Suddenly, trends were not limited to one specific country or area, and the United States began to embrace British popular culture and fashion trends on a whole new level. Jean Shrimpton, a model often called the World’s First Supermodel, caused a stir at Derby Day in Melbourne, Australia when she arrived wearing a sleeveless white mini-dress. Photographs of Shrimpton on that day in 1965 are an excellent example of the great changes taking place at the time—22 year old Shrimpton in her mini-dress is a sharp contrast to all the other women in the photograph wearing longer hemlines, hats and gloves. England began to flourish again economically after the downturn post-World War II and this time period is often referred to as “The Swinging Sixties.” This decade brought back the more lavish aspects of pre-war England and, in a way, the England of Oscar Wilde—fashion was wild and modern, music was louder, and social behaviors were more liberal.

CONNECTION: Paul Gordon chose the 1960s as the backdrop for his adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest, while keeping most of the dialogue from the original production. What purpose does this serve? What are the similarities and differences between London in 1895 and London in 1965? Do some research on the two time periods. Gather specific examples from each period, from images to newspaper articles. List similarities and differences, and share this as a class. Then, discuss together (or in small groups) why Paul Gordon might have chosen to adjust the setting of his musical version of this iconic play.

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1895

1965

Compare and Contrast : London


Musical Influences When adapting Oscar Wilde’s 1895 play, The Importance of Being Earnest, composer Paul Gordon decided to update the time period of the piece, moving it forward 70 years to 1965. The music of the 1960s paved the way for popular music as we know it today, with British musical acts like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Kinks making the jump “across the pond” to the eager ears of American audiences. Paul Gordon used these bands and their music to influence the sound of Being Earnest, as well as British acts like Petula Clark. Inspired by the Rock’n’Roll sounds of American music in the 1950s, these British bands became immensely popular in the United States in a very short period of time. Their influences can be seen (and heard) throughout Being Earnest.

The Beatles Formed in 1960 in Liverpool, England by then sixteenyear-old John Lennon, this four-man rock band took the world by storm in the mid-1960s, changing the face of popular music forever. At the time of Being Earnest, the Beatles had only just made the leap across the pond and into the homes of American teenagers and did so in a rush of records and appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Between 1963 and 1965, the Beatles released 12 hit singles which included songs like “Twist and Shout,” “Please Please Me,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Help,” and “In My Life.” They quickly became the most commercially successful band of the rock music era and one of the most influential groups in the 20th century. The Beatles produced 27 studio records during their active years (from 1962-1970) and each of the members went on to successful solo careers. Of the four original members, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney are the only two members still alive. John Lennon was assassinated in New York City in 1980 and George Harrison passed away from cancer in 2001. Contextual Listening: “Please Please Me,” “Love Me Do,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand”

The Kinks Formed in North London in 1964 by Ray and Dave Davies, the Kinks were an instrumental part of the “British Invasion.” Their 1964 song, “You’ve Really Got Me,” quickly became a smash hit in the UK and then easily made the transition to the US music scene. However, their rowdy behavior led them to be banned from playing in the United States for a period of 4 years starting in 1965. Despite this, The Kinks became an extremely influential musical act during their 30+ active years, and bands such as The Ramones, The Who, The Pretenders, Van Halen, and Oasis cite The Kinks as major influences. Contextual Listening: “You’ve Really Got Me,” “A Well Respected Man,” “Everybody’s Gonna Be Happy”

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Musical Influences, continued The Rolling Stones Childhood friends Mick Jagger and Keith Richards formed The Rolling Stones in London in 1962. Original members included Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, and Dick Taylor. Today the band consists of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Ronnie Wood. At the time of Being Earnest, the Rolling Stones were gaining popularity in the UK. By 1967, the band was immensely popular in the US, and their 1965 record, Out of Our Heads, spent 65 weeks at number 1 on the US record charts. The eclectic musical style of The Rolling Stones blended British rock music with jazz and R&B acts like Chuck Barry and Muddy Waters to create a unique, youthful sound that made them, like The Beatles, one of the most influential bands of the 20th century. In 2012, The Rolling Stones celebrated their 50th anniversary. Contextual Listening: “(I Can’t Get No)Satisfaction,” “Get Off of My Cloud,” “Paint It Black”

Petula Clark With a career spanning 70 years, Petula Clark is one of the most influential female recording artists of all time. Her international hit, “Downtown,” is one of the most poplar songs of the 20th century. It has been covered dozens of times by musicians across multiple genres, including Frank Sinatra and Dolly Parton, and the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004. Clark’s music career flourished in the 1960s, with 15 consecutive Top 40 hits, but began to decline in the 1970s. She found some success in film, earning a Golden Globe nomination for her work in Finian’s Rainbow opposite Fred Astaire. Clark has continued to make music since the 1960s and in 2013 she will release a new record called Lost In You. Contextual Listening: “Downtown,” “I Know a Place”

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Irony in Being Earnest Earnest—adjective Resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction Ernest—proper noun A name of Germanic origin meaning “serious” Irony—noun (plural ironies) The expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect: “Don’t go overboard with the gratitude,” he rejoined with heavy irony.

“It had always been a girlish dream of mine to love some one whose name was Ernest.”

(Also dramatic or tragic irony) a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character’s words or actions are clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character. Being Earnest is a musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s play, The Importance of Being Earnest. The story explores a case of mistaken identities centering around one fictional character, Ernest Worthing. Throughout the play, both Jack and Algernon “play” Ernest in order to avoid certain parts of their lives and responsibilities. As Ernest, both Jack and Algernon are anything but, constructing a series of lies to cover up their true identities. The play is an exploration of ironies, as the title suggests. By the end, Jack and Algernon not only learn the importance of being earnest (sincere) but also of being named Ernest.

CONNECTION: In both Paul Gordon’s musical adaptation (Being Earnest) and Oscar Wilde’s original play (The Importance of Being Earnest), the title is the first indication to the audience that what they are going to see is going to be laced with dramatic irony. From the first scene with Jack and Algernon, the audience sees that nothing and, indeed, no one, are as they seem. After seeing the play, make a list of moments of dramatic irony throughout the play. Be specific! Describe not only what the characters know in each moment of dramatic irony, but what the audience knows. After making the list, have a discussion in pairs or as a class. What is the purpose of dramatic irony in this play? Would the plot work without these moments of irony? Why might Oscar Wilde have wanted to include the audience as a silent, unseen, omniscient character?

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Activity: Identifying Dramatic Irony Dramatic irony is a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character’s words or actions are clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character. ACTIVITY: After seeing the performance of Being Earnest, complete the chart below, identifying moments of dramatic irony in the play. In the large boxes, describe the ironic situation. In the smaller boxes, write down what the characters know versus what the audience knows.

Moment of Dramatic Irony

What the character knows

What the audience knows

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Moment of Dramatic Irony

What the character knows

What the audience knows

Moment of Dramatic Irony

What the character knows

What the audience knows


Adapting a Story Many of the movies and plays you see today are actually adaptations, meaning they are based on a story already written. An adaptation may simply present the characters and plot points of a novel or play as they were originally written, or it may change the setting and situation of the story. For example, Being Earnest is an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s 1895 play The Importance of Being Earnest, but with music added and changing the setting to London in 1965. The steps below outline how a writer might go about creating an adaption for stage or screen. Identify what grabbed you emotionally about the story. Before you start to form the plot and characters, decide the feeling you want to invoke in the audience. Decide when and where you’re setting your adaptation, if you’re departing from the original. Changing your setting to modern times can make it more accessible to today’s audiences, or putting it in a different era can highlight the universality of the story and the emotion it evokes. Pare down the story to only the most important plot points. When you’re writing for the stage or screen, you must be able to tell your story in roughly two hours. If your source material is a novel you may have hundreds of pages of story that must be condensed. Which parts of the plot are the most important? What is extra, and might be cut out? If you’re adapting a play, your work may already be done for you, as the original story will have been written with staging in mind.

Consider the conventions of your medium. A novel is not likely to include songs, but a musical adaptation certainly would. If you’re writing a screenplay, you might show the passage of time through a montage. Keep in mind the different ways that you can convey emotion or plot points that are different from the way they’re presented in a book. Begin writing the adaptation. Once you’ve outlined your scenes, you’re ready to start writing dialogue. If writing for the stage,include any essential stage directions. If writing for film, make sure your writing is very visual.

Decide which characters and locations are needed to tell the story. The number of characters in a stage or film production should be kept small. Hiring more actors is not only costly, but too many characters can be confusing to the audience in a story only two hours long. If a character has a minor part and doesn’t affect the story much, leave that character out. When writing for the stage, do the same thing for locations: only use the most essential settings. A play can be very successful in only one place—no need for set changes! Films have a little more freedom because scenes can be shot in many different locations.

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Writing Activity: From Page to Stage Being Earnest is just one example of a play adapted into a musical. Can you think of other examples of adaptations, perhaps from novels into movies, or movies into plays, etc? What stories might you like to see adapted for modern audiences? Why? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After you’ve seen the show, think about what a sequel to Being Earnest might be like. Make a list of ideas. Consider: • What characters would be included? • When would it take place? • Where will it take place? • What is happening given the changes in time and place? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now, write a plot summary or scene in a story you would like to see adapted into a play based on your ideas: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Costuming Being Earnest The mere mention of the date 1965 conjures up all kinds of images. From Beatles tunes to the first mini skirts to pop art it was a time of radical change in most aspects of life. How then does one design a play set in that time? With so many styles and colors to choose from, how does one begin? The clothing of the 1960s was a marked change from the previous decade. Cinched waists gave way to “sack” dresses, knee-length skirts to mini skirts, and pantyhose arrived on the scene for the first time. Costume designer Fumiko Bielefeldt says her design was inspired by the very first lines in Paul Gordon’s description of the setting for this musical, “London, Summer, 1964 . . . Carnaby Street, Twiggy, mini-skirts and mod fashion. The very image of swinging London of the 1960s.” However, she soon realized that not all of the fashions we associate with the 1960s existed in 1965, some of them came later. This is theatre, however, so she explains, [Director Robert] Kelley and I decided we’d be flexible on historical detail, in order to bring to the stage a vivid image of the new mod fashion. Just a small exercise of artistic liberty, given that the play mixes the Victorian dialogue of witty Oscar Wilde with Paul Gordon’s contemporary setting and ‘60s-inspired music. So I felt free to put young girls in Yves Saint Laurent’s Mondrian dress (1966), Algernon in The Beatles’ collarless jacket (1964), Gwendolen in a Courrèges-inspired coat ensemble (1965), and so on. Lady Bracknell’s conservative suit ensembles show us the contrast with the earlier fashion of the ‘50s.

CONNECTION Do research and collect images of the mid-1960s, using Costume Designer Fumiko Bielefeldt's ideas as a jumping off point. With these images as inspiration, design costumes for Algernon and Gwendolen. Don't worry about drawing anything perfectly, just make sure that your design reflects the clothes (and colors!) of the time period. On the other side of your costume design worksheets, include the images that inspired you to make your design choices. Be specific! Costume designers think about each costume piece very specifically, from the width of a lapel to the shape of the shoes.

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Being Earnest Costume Designs by:_________


Discussion: Lies v. Truth The plot of Being Earnest centers on a series of lies told by Jack and Algernon. Algernon couches these lies in the term “bunburying,” which comes from the name of his fictional invalid scapegoat, Bunbury. Algernon uses Bunbury to get out of any responsibility he wants to avoid, from an unpaid bill to spending time with a relative. Similarly, Jack “bunburys” through his fictional brother, Ernest, using him to live two separate lives, in the city and the country, and easily escape one for the other. Their “bunburying,” while seemingly harmless at first, nearly ruins both of their futures and reputations and causes the central conflict of the play. Luckily for both men, all is quickly (and conveniently) sorted out in the final scenes of the play. Being Earnest raises an interesting question about lies and lying. If one tells a lie which then turns out to be true, is the initial deception still a lie? For example, in Being Earnest, Jack claims to be called Earnest and then, in the end, turns out to have been named Earnest all along. What constitutes a lie? Are there different kinds of lies? As a class, make a list of types of lies. These might include, but are not limited to: • White Lie • Exaggeration • Fib • Lying by omission • Polite lie • Misleading • Half-truth • Bluff • Barefaced Lie Include a brief definition or explanation of each lie. If you have space, you can do this on the board, if you don’t, have your students write the list down and take notes on each one. Then, discuss together (or in small groups) the merits and drawbacks to each type of lie. What kinds of lies do we see in Being Earnest? Who practices some sort of deception during the course of the play? For what purpose? Are there benefits or consequences to these deceptions? Do lies get people in trouble or are they helpful? Conversely, what role does truth play in Being Earnest? Is it valued? In what way? Does the truth get people into trouble or does it “set people free?” EXTENTION: Have a conversation with your class about lies and truth before and after the production. How does the conversation change having seen the production? Ask students to do a written reflection on these conversations. Have them include a moment from the play that stuck out to them—this could be, for example, a moment in which truth and/or lies are particularly important or a moment when a lie switches to the truth (or visa versa). Share these thoughts in pairs or small groups.

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Student Matinees/ STUDENT Feedback Name____________________________________Grade_____________School_________________________________________ Performance Tasks based CA State theatre arts standards Select and complete one of the following activities:

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Rewrite the ending of the play. How would you like to see it end? Why?

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Pick a moment in the play that affected you. Describe the stage elements that created that moment for you (the script, acting, lighting, music, costumes, set design, sound design and/or direction).

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Write a review of the play or an actor.

4.

Describe something you would change in the production. Describe what benefit that change create in the production and why.

5.

Identify and describe how this production might affect the values and behavior of the audience members who have seen it.

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Write about any careers you learned about in attending this production. (example: stage hands, set designers, actors, etc.)

Assessment Survey No

Maybe

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Really Yes

I learned a lot from this experience

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I would like to do this sort of project again

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I will remember what I learned

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STUDENT evaluation (cont)

Finish the following statements: The most important thing I learned from this play was: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Besides getting out of school, the best thing about attending this student matinee is: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Learning through the theatre is different from my regular class because: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ If I could change something about attending a student matinee, I would: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I'm going to use what I learned, saw, or experienced by: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Student Matinee/TEACHER Evaluation Name_____________________________________________________________________School___________________________

Please rate your Student Matinee experience below:

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

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TheatreWorks maintained communication with me and/or involved administrators at my school

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It was clear to me that the production and study guide incorporated curriculum standards

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Planning I received sufficient and timely information from TheatreWorks before the matinee

Strongly Disagree

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Matinee Workshops Supported other curriculum areas/subjects

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Targeted students' educational needs

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Provided a grade-appropriate experience

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Engaged students' interest and attention

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I would like to learn how to lead more of these kinds of activities on my own in the classroom

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Strongly Disagree Post-Matinee Students were engaged in this experience

Disagree

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The experience was valuable to my students' education

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The "Performance Tasks" were useful in helping my students understand their experience

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I would be interested in bringing more drama related activities into my classroom

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TEACHER Evaluation (cont) For your classrooms please list the strengths of watching a student matinee. _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ In terms of your teaching, did this particular Student Matinee give you any arts integration ideas for your curriculum? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ We are very interested in your feedback. What worked for you about this experience? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ What did not work for you? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ Additional Comments: _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ TheatreWorks student matinees tend to fill up quickly, so take a look at next year's selections and book your tickets before it's too late! Information about next season is available on our website. Keep us updated with your current contact information, and let us know if you have friends who would like to be added to our mailing lists.


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