TheatreWorks S I L I C O N
V A L L E Y
FOR SCHOOLS
SOMEWHERE By Matthew
Lopez
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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Avant! Foundation Crescent Porter Hale Foundation The Leonard C. & Mildred F. Ferguson Foundation The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation The Kimball Foundation Mission City Community Fund Mission City Community Foundation The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Palo Alto Community Fund Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund Sand Hill Foundation
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Table of Contents For Teachers and Students • For Teachers: Using this Study Guide 4 • For Students: The Role of the Audience 5
About the Play • Somewhere Plot Summary 6 • West Side Story 7–8
Context • New York City: Then and Now 9 Activity: Then and Now Venn Diagrams 10 • Gentrification 11
Thematic Ties • Exploring Identity 12 Activity: Role on the Wall 13 Activity: Bio Poems 14–15 • Taking Responsibility 16 Activity: Circles of Responsibility 17 • The American Dream 18 Readings: From The New York Times archives 19–26
Resources • STUDENT/Student Matinee Evaluation • TEACHER/Student Matinee Evaluation
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For Teachers The student matinee performance of Somewhere will be held on February 7, 2013 at 11:00 am at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts. The production is approximately two and a half hours long, including intermission, and 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 Somewhere 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 The Candelaria family migrated to New York City from Puerto Rico when their oldest child, Alejandro, was still small. With their husband and father Pepe living far from home, mother Inez and her children Alejandro, Francisco, and Rebecca live in a tenement apartment on 65th Street, scheduled for demolition. The children are talented dancers and actors, but Alejandro has given up dance to help augment his mother’s income from ushering and various other pursuits. Then word comes that there will be auditions for the movie of West Side Story. It is both the best and the worst news the family could hear, igniting long held dreams and bringing with them Jamie McRae who used to dance with Alejandro, as well as buried secrets.
Michelle Cabinian, Michael Rosen, Eddie Gutierrez, & Priscilla Lopez / Photo by Tracy Martin
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West Side Story Somewhere is set in New York City, beginning in 1959 as the Broadway production of West Side Story was in full swing. West Side Story was not only a critical and commercial success, it changed the face of American musical theatre. But the road to Broadway wasn’t an easy one. The development of the musical started almost ten years before, when infamous choreographer and director Jerome Robbins approached composer Leonard Bernstein and playwright Arthur Laurents about collaborating on a musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Originally, the musical was set in the Lower East Side of Manhattan and called East Side Story. Instead of warring gangs, the story was about starcrossed lovers from different religious backgrounds— a Jewish boy and an Irish Catholic girl. However, during the development process, more and more stories of teenage gang violence were being reported in the news, a relatively new appearance in the media. To bring the story up to date, Bernstein and Laurents decided to move the story uptown to Manhattan’s Upper West Side and the conflict between Jewish and Catholic families became the conflict between Puerto Rican and Polish-American gangs. As Bernstein and Robbins worked on developing the musical it became clear that Bernstein would not be able to write both the music and the lyrics—he was simultaneously working on Candide, an extremely complicated operetta, and the music for West Side Story, as Bernstein said, “turned out to be extraordinarily balletic and there was tremendously more music— symphonic and balletic music—than anything I had anticipated. I realized that I couldn’t do all the lyrics and do them well.” It was then that a relatively unknown twenty-something composer and lyricist named Stephen Sondheim joined the writing team, which would later be termed “the big four.” When rehearsals finally began for West Side Story in 1957, Jerome Robbins was in complete control. Robbins was both the choreographer and director and the musical gained a greater dance focus as a result. As a result, large parts of the story were told exclusively
West Side Story Broadway production team in 1957: (l. to r.) lyricist Stephen Sondheim, scriptwriter Arthur Laurents, producers Hal Prince and Robert Griffith (seated), composer Leonard Bernstein and choreographer Jerome Robbins.
through dance and movement, such as the wordless prologue, something unheard of at the time. Reviewers had a difficult time classifying what they’d just seen. Walter Kerr of the New York Herald Tribune wrote: The radioactive fallout from West Side Story must still be descending on Broadway this morning. Director, choreographer, and idea-man Jerome Robbins has put together, and then blasted apart, the most savage, restless, electrifying dance patterns we've been exposed to in a dozen seasons .... the show rides with a catastrophic roar over the spider-web fire-escapes, the shadowed trestles, and the plain dirt battlegrounds of a big city feud ... there is fresh excitement in the next debacle, and the next. When a gang leader advises his cohorts to play it "Cool," the intolerable tension between an effort at control and the instinctive drives of these potential killers is stingingly graphic. When the knives come out, and bodies begin to fly wildly through space under buttermilk clouds, the sheer visual excitement is breathtaking .... Mr. Bernstein has permitted himself a few moments of graceful, lingering melody: in a yearning "Maria," in the hushed falling line of "Tonight," in the wistful declaration of "I Have a Love." But for the most part he has served the needs of the onstage threshing machine ... When hero Larry Kert is stomping out the visionary insistence of "Something's Coming" both music and tumultuous story are given their due. Otherwise it's the danced narrative that takes urgent precedence...
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TIME magazine’s review of the production reveals more of the cultural impact of the story, evident just weeks after the production opened: While critics speculated about the comic-tragic darkness of the musical, audiences were captivated. The story appealed to society's undercurrent of rebellion from authority that surfaced in 1950s films like Rebel Without a Cause. West Side Story took this one step further by combining the classic and the hip. Robbins' energetic choreography and Bernstein's grand score accentuated the satiric, hard-edged lyrics of Sondheim, and Laurents' capture of the angry voice of urban youth. The play was criticized for glamorizing gangs, and its portrayal of Puerto Ricans and lack of authentic Latin casting were weaknesses. Yet, the song "America" shows the triumph of the spirit over the obstacles often faced by immigrants. The musical also made points in its description of troubled youth and the devastating effects of poverty and racism. Juvenile delinquency is seen as an ailment of society: "No one wants a fella with a social disease!" One writer summed up the reasons for the show's popularity in these terms: "On the cusp of the 1960s, American society, still recovering from the enormous upheaval of World War II, was seeking stability and control.”
Dance is an essential component to the storytelling in both West Side Story and Somewhere. Leo Ash Evens & Michael Rosen / Photo by Tracy Martin
CONNECTION: As a class or in pair-shares, discuss what stories (plays, movies, television shows, books, etc.) accurately reflect the time and place you live in now or have lived in previously. What elements were authentic? What parts of the story rang the truest? What parts of the story were inauthentic? ACTIVITY: Somewhere opens with a two-page description of the setting for the play. Individually or in pairs, write the opening stage directions to a play that is set in your neighborhood or city. Include sights, smells, sounds, and anything else that you feel is necessary to accurately describe the environment you currently live in—this can be a house, a school, or anywhere else that captures the microcosm of your world.
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New York City: Then and Now West Side Story represented a change in American musical theatre, a blending of classic musical and ballet, a modern concept at the time. However, beyond the artistic importance, the musical also represented a shift in musical story telling, putting stories ripped from the headlines on the stage. In fact, just a month before West Side Story opened, New York City was shocked by the brutal murder of a white teenager from Washington Heights by rival black and Puerto Rican gang members. There were eleven gang related murders in New York City in the summer of 1957, as West Side Story rehearsed in downtown studios, and these stories became fuel for Jerome Robbins’ storytelling. In fact, he would post articles about New York City gang violence in the rehearsal room to give the actors more real-life background for their characters. The late 1950s were a time of change for New York City. After World War II, urban developer Robert Moses had situated himself in the New York state government to allow him to develop New York City as a city. He built thousands of apartments in high rise buildings (28,000 units by 1959), bridges (including the Henry Hudson and Varrazano Narrows bridges), and cultural centers like Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Shea Stadium. However, as the Candelaria family discovers in Somewhere, this development often meant the destruction of buildings that were home to thousands of New Yorkers. The West Side Urban Renewal Project demolished dozens of buildings in the west 80s and 90s, displacing thousands of families, most of them African American and Puerto Rican. Through urban renewal projects, neighborhoods like the Upper West Side that were once home to ethnically and socioeconomically diverse communities became too expensive for their original residents, and many of these families were forced into housing projects in the outer boroughs of New York City. Now, some 50 years later, the socioeconomic divide of the Upper West Side still seems to exist. Do some research on the setting of Somewhere as well as the modern day Upper West Side. What has changed in the last 50 years? What hasn’t? Write your findings in the venn diagram on the next page. Once you’ve researched, in small groups or pairs, talk about the things that are most striking to you about the similarities or differences between the two time periods. As a class, make a venn diagram of the two time periods. Here are a few articles to start your research: NPR on the 1957 murder of Michael Farmer: http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/ transcript.php?storyId=12350113 History of NYC’s Upper West Side: http://www.ny.com/articles/upperwest.html The Upper West Side Book: http://www.thecityreview.com/uwsintro.html History on Harlem: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/iraas/harlem/
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New York City Then
Now
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Gentrification Gentrification is defined as “the process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle-class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents” (Mirriam-Webster). In Somewhere, the Candelaria family feels the effects of gentrification when the Lincoln Square Renewal Project destroys their apartment building, forcing them to relocate to the Greenpoint neighborhood in Brooklyn. Here’s a simple definition of gentrification from the Center for Urban Research and Learning at the Loyola University of Chicago: One way to think about gentrification is to play the game of Monopoly. In this game, the goal is to become the wealthiest player through buying, renting, and selling property. In every game, there are winners and losers, and we see parallels to everyday life. Sometimes the gains and losses involved affect the same person. For example, many long-term homeowners consider their property to be a central investment for retirement and want their homes to increase in value. When property values rise, the value of their home improves. So what is the problem? When the value of a home increases, so does the property tax assessed. For retired senior citizens on fixed incomes, tax increases can force them to leave their homes. Many working people with low to moderate-incomes find it harder to purchase their own homes or cover the rent increases in developing neighborhoods. Where you come from, where you are, and where you go is fueled by dreams, talent, and social circumstances. What are the effects of gentrification on the Candelaria family? After seeing the play, make a list of the effects of gentrification on each of the members of the Candelaria family, and how each effect is manifested. How does each character deal with their changing living situation? Do the dreams of each character change as the family is displaced from their home? Once you’ve made your list, break into pairs and discuss your findings.
Gentrification affects the following characters by...
Inez
Alejandro
Francisco
Rebecca
Jamie
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Exploring Identity In Somewhere, Alejandro, Francisco, and Rebecca Candelaria wrestle with their identities. They are ethnically Puerto Rican and often speak Spanish at home, but they are also being raised in New York City as Americans. These two identities are often a topic of discussion in the family—Alejandro longs for the stability and simplicity of Puerto Rico, Francisco loves the hustle and bustle of NYC. Each Candelaria child is in the midst of their own self-discovery, whether they are looking for a new path, like Alejandro, or seizing a new opportunity, like Rebecca. This journey to self-discovery is an important one and, as the Candelaria children discover, is not always easy or smooth. Examine these characters using the “Role on the Wall” activity. For each character, describe internal characteristics, such as likes/dislikes, dreams, etc., and external characteristics, like who their family is and where they live. Time: 60 minutes (can be extended into two days) Materials: Role on the Wall and Biopoem worksheets 1. Ask students to define the word “identity.” You might ask the following questions: • Who are YOU? • What are the things that make up “you,” inside and out? • What things in your life, whether it be your parents or a book or movie, influence you and point you in a certain direction? • Is there anything in your life that inspires you to act?
3. Once they complete the Role on the Wall worksheet, have students take what they wrote/drew on this worksheet and complete the Biopoem worksheet. 4. Have students present these poems and drawings to the class. EXTENTION: Do this for each character at the beginning of the play and at the end of the play and then compare/contrast the two. Who changes the most? Who changes the least?
2. Hand out the Role on the Wall worksheet. Using the answers to the questions above, have students fill in words and pictures that describe them. Inside the body outline, students should write internal information–– hopes, dreams, likes, dislikes, etc. Outside the body outline, students should write external information–– where they live, who their family members are, etc.
Leo Ash Evens, Eddie Gutierrez, Michelle Cabinian, Priscilla Lopez, and Michael Rosen / Photo by Tracy Martin
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Role on the Wall
External Characteristics Examples: Who are his/her family members? Where does he/she live? What is his/her job?
Internal Characteristics Examples: What are his/her likes? What are his/her dislikes? What are his/her hopes and dreams?
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Bio Poems 1. List at least six adjectives that you would use to describe yourself. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. List 3 important relationships in your life (for example: friend, sister, brother, mother, daughter, nephew). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. List 5 things you love. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. List 3 memories you have and describe how you felt at those times. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. List 5 of your fears. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. List 3 accomplishments. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. List 5 hopes or wishes. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Where do you live? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Bio Poem Using the answers to your previous questions, complete the following biopoem: (Line 1) First and last name (Line 2) Three or four adjectives that describe the person (Line 3) Important relationship (Line 4) Two or three things, people, or ideas that this person loves (Line 5) Three feelings this person has experienced (Line 6) Three fears this person has (Line 7) Accomplishments (Line 8) Two or three things this person wants to see happen or wants to experience (Line 9) The residence of the person (Line 10) First and last name
Example: Alejandro Candelaria Talented, Loyal, Hardworking Brother to Francisco Who loves his family and to dance Who feels tired, lost, and responsible Who fears what will happen if he chases his dreams of dancing Who finds work to support his family and keep a home for them Who hopes for his family to stay together Lives in New York City Alejandro Candelaria
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Taking Responsibility As the eldest male child of the Candelaria family, Alejandro finds that a lot of the responsibility in the household falls to him. With their father gone, Alejandro must watch out for not only his two younger siblings but also his mother. But this responsibility takes a toll on him, and often makes him bitter and angry. Just as in real life, each character takes on different responsibilities in different ways and these responsibilities define their role in the family. As a class, examine the idea of responsibility, first by defining the word responsibility, then by defining the following categories: Self, Family, Friends, Groups (or Organizations), Religious or Ethnic Community, Neighborhood, Country, Humanity, Values. You might want to use some of the following to guide the discussion:
• What do you think of when you think of “self ”? • How do you define “family”? Does “family” mean individual family members, the nuclear family, or extended family and friends? What sorts of responsibilities go along with family? • How are Groups defined? Do Groups include school groups, work groups, ethnic groups, peer groups, etc.? • What category is most related to your personal identity? Why? • How do you define an ethnic or religious community? • What is a neighborhood? Is it defined by streets or by something else? Why are neighborhoods important? • What is a Value? What is an example of a principle that would influence a person’s sense of personal responsibility? As a class, determine 4 categories for which your students feel the strongest sense of responsibility. Once the class has chosen the four categories, have each student rank them from 1 to 4, 1 being the category for which they feel the most responsibility, 4 being the category for which they feel the least responsibility. Using the Responsibility Worksheet on the next page, place these 4 categories in the concentric circles. 1 should be in the smallest circle, 4 should be in the largest circle. Next, have each student brainstorm and then fill in one or two specific examples that illustrate their sense of responsibility for each category. Some questions that might help students get started:
• Why did you choose the category you chose for the inner circle? • Why do you feel such a strong responsibility in that arena? • What is an example of an event that might force someone to show their sense of personal responsibility to:
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Their family? Their neighborhood? Their religious or cultural community? Their country? How might a person show their sense of responsibility in that situation?
Once they have given specific answers, ask each student to write out the action they took that demonstrated their sense of responsibility (For example, if in the “Responsibility to Self” circle they put “stay healthy,” the action might be “go for a jog every other day.”) Hand out three post-its and have each student write an example and action on each one (this should be anonymous). Then, on the board or around the room, designate a square or area for each category and have students place their post-its in the corresponding responsibility category. Break the class up into four groups and assign each group a category. They should look at the examples and discuss them. Are there any similarities? Any differences? Summarize the examples and report back to the class on their category EXTENTION: Do the same activity with the categories of responsibility, but give examples and actions for each of the characters in Somewhere. What do you notice about these actions and examples? For each character, which category is the most important (where they feel the most responsibility)? Would they rank the categories the same or is one category more important to one person than another?
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Circles of Responsibility In the center circle, write the category for which you feel the most responsibility. In the remaining three circles, write the additional categories you previously selected during class. As the circles move outward, the responsibility you feel for the categories should decrease. Once you’ve done this, fill in one or two specific examples that illustrate your sense of responsibility for each category.
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The American Dream In 1931, in his book The Epic of America, James Truslow Adams defined the American Dream: That dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement... It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position. Somewhere explores how different characters identify and reach for the American Dream. Before seeing the show: Break your class into three groups and have each group read one of the articles below. Each comes from The New York Times during the time period of Somewhere (late 1950s–1960s). In their groups, have students come up with a definition of the American Dream based on the article. Write these three definitions on the board or on large Post-Its or pieces of paper. The following articles have been reprinted in this study guide from The New York Times archives: • The New York Times article from August 9, 1959: “Essence of America” • The New York Times article from March 7, 1965: “The American Dream and the American Negro” • The New York Times article from January 26, 1969: “Youth in Revolt” After seeing the show: Return to your three definitions of the American Dream for the late 1950s–1960s. Which of these definitions did you see onstage? Which characters embodied which definition? Based on the characters in the play, what were you missing from your definitions? Have each group reassess their definition, adjusting it based on your class conversation. Now look at these three definitions through a modern lens—would they still apply if the story was set in the present day? What is the present day definition of the American Dream? How has this definition changed since the 1960s, when the play is set? If your students need extra information, have them read the 2009 article “What Happens to the American Dream in a Recession?” (Reprinted in this study guide as well.)
CONNECTION: Have each student write two journal entries as the character that most closely exemplified the definition from their group about the American Dream, one from their perspective at the beginning of the play and what from their perspective at the end of the play. What is different between the two? What is the same? -OR-
What is your definition of the American Dream? Write your own definition and share it in small groups or with a partner. What are similarities between your definitions? What are differences?
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Reading #1: August 19, 1959
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Reading #2: March 17, 1965
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Reading #3: January 26, 1969
Young “revolutionaries” marched in Washington in a “counter-inagural parade.”
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Reading #4: May 7, 2009 What Happens to the American Dream in a Recession? By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE Given the battered economy, increasing joblessness and collapse of the housing market, what is the state of the American dream?
Here’s some respondents’ answers that were put in the category of freedom and opportunity: “Freedom to live our own life.”
Pollsters for The New York Times and CBS News set out last month to try to answer that question. And the results seemed somewhat contradictory.
“Created equal.”
Although the nation has plunged into its deepest recession since the Great Depression, 72 percent of Americans in this nationwide survey said they believed it is possible to start out poor in the United States, work hard and become rich — a classic definition of the American dream.
“That everybody has a fair chance to succeed.”
And yet only 44 percent said they had actually achieved the American dream, although 31 percent said they expect to attain it within their lifetime. Only 20 percent have given up on ever reaching it. Those 44 percent might not sound like much, but it is an increase over the 32 percent who said they had achieved the American dream four years ago, when the economy was in much better shape. Compared with four years ago, fewer people now say they are better off than their parents were at their age or that their children will be better off than they are. So even though their economic outlook is worse, more people are saying they have either achieved the dream or expect to do so. What gives? We asked Barry Glassner, who is a professor of sociology at the University of Southern California and studies contemporary culture and beliefs. “You want to hold on to your dream even more when times are hard,” he said. “And if you want to hold on to it, then you better define it differently.” In other words, people are shifting their definition of the American dream. And the poll — conducted on April 1 to 5 with 998 adults, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points— indicated just that. The Times and CBS News asked this same openended question four years ago and again last month: “What does the phrase ‘The American dream’ mean to you?” Four years ago, 19 percent of those surveyed supplied answers that related to financial security and a steady job, and 20 percent gave answers that related to freedom and opportunity. Now, fewer people are pegging their dream to material success and more are pegging it to abstract values. Those citing financial security dropped to 11 percent, and those citing freedom and opportunity expanded to 27 percent.
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“Someone could start from nothing.” “To become whatever I want to be.” “To be healthy and have nice family and friends.” “More like Huck Finn; escape to the unknown; follow your dreams.” Those who responded in material terms were hardly lavish. Here’s a sampling: “Basically, have a roof over your head and put food on the table.” “Working at a secure job, being able to have a home and live as happily as you can not spending too much money.” “Just financial stability.” “Owning own home, having civil liberties.” Mr. Glassner said, “For the vast majority of Americans at every point in history, the prospect of achieving the American dream has been slim but the promise has been huge.” “At its core, this notion that anyone can be president or anyone can be a billionaire is absurd,” he said. “A lot of Americans work hard, but they don’t become president and they don’t become billionaires.” Still, he said, Americans have always believed in possibilities. And they have consistently said over time that they can start poor in this country and become rich, regardless of the economy or their circumstances. The 72 percent who feel that way today is down from the 81 percent who felt that way in 2007, but 72 percent is still a very high percentage, especially given the downward economy. “It would be hard to find another country where it’s as high,” Mr. Glassner said. The percentage of people who say the American dream does not exist or is only an illusion has remained low — 3 percent today and 2 percent four years ago. As one such person put it to our pollsters last month: “A bunch of hooey.”
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.
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Describe something you would change in the production. Describe what benefit that change create in the production and why.
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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
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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:
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Planning I received sufficient and timely information from TheatreWorks before the matinee
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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 keep an eye out for next year's selections and book your tickets before it's too late! Information about next season will be available by March 1st. 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.