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TABLE OF CONTENTS Standards 3 Guidelines for Attending the Theatre 4 Artists 5 Themes for Writing & Discussion 7 Mastery Assessment 9 For Further Exploration 10 Suggested Activities 17
Š Huntington Theatre Company Boston, MA 02115 April 2015 No portion of this curriculum guide may be reproduced without written permission from the Huntington Theatre Company’s Department of Education & Community Programs Inquiries should be directed to: Donna Glick | Director of Education djglick@huntingtontheatre.bu.edu This curriculum guide was prepared for the Huntington Theatre Company by: Marian Eiben | Education Intern with contributions by: Donna Glick | Director of Education Alexandra Truppi I Manager of Curriculum & Instruction Marisa Jones I Education Assistant
COMMON CORE STANDARDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS: Student Matinee performances and pre-show workshops provide unique opportunities for experiential learning and support various combinations of the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts. They may also support standards in other subject areas such as Social Studies and History, depending on the individual play’s subject matter. Activities are also included in this Curriculum Guide and in our pre-show workshops that support several of the Massachusetts state standards in Theatre. Other arts areas may also be addressed depending on the individual play’s subject matter. Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 3
Reading Literature: Craft and Structure 6
• Grades 8: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
• Grades 8: Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.
• Grades 9-10: Analyze how complex characters (e.g. those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the themes.
• Grades 9-10: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
• Grades 11-12: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop related elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• Grades 11-12: Analyze a case in which grasping point of view required distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
Reading Literature: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 7 Reading Literature: Craft and Structure 5 • Grades 8: Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style. • Grades 9-10: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks), create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
• Grades 8: Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. • Grades 9-12: Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g. recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist).
• Grades 11-12: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
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MASSACHUSETTS STANDARDS IN THEATRE ACTING • 1.7 — Create and sustain a believable character throughout a scripted or improvised scene (By the end of Grade 8). • 1.12 — Describe and analyze, in written and oral form, characters’ wants, needs, objectives, and personality characteristics (By the end of Grade 8). • 1.13 — In rehearsal and performance situations, perform as a productive and responsible member of an acting ensemble (i.e., demonstrate personal responsibility and commitment to a collaborative process) (By the end of Grade 8). • 1.14 — Create complex and believable characters through the integration of physical, vocal, and emotional choices (Grades 9-12). • 1.15 — Demonstrate an understanding of a dramatic work by developing a character analysis (Grades 9-12). • 1.17 — Demonstrate increased ability to work effectively alone and collaboratively with a partner or in an ensemble (Grades 9-12).
READING AND WRITING SCRIPTS • 2.7 — Read plays and stories from a variety of cultures and historical periods and identify the characters, setting, plot, theme, and conflict (By the end of Grade 8).
• 2.8 — Improvise characters, dialogue, and actions that focus on the development and resolution of dramatic conflicts (By the end of Grade 8). • 2.11 — Read plays from a variety of genres and styles; compare and contrast the structure of plays to the structures of other forms of literature (Grades 9-12).
TECHNICAL THEATRE • 4.6 — Draw renderings, floor plans, and/or build models of sets for a dramatic work and explain choices in using visual elements (line, shape/form, texture, color, space) and visual principals (unity, variety, harmony, balance, rhythm) (By the end of Grade 8). • 4.13 — Conduct research to inform the design of sets, costumes, sound, and lighting for a dramatic production (Grades 9-12).
CONNECTIONS • Strand 6: Purposes and Meanings in the Arts — Students will describe the purposes for which works of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, when appropriate, interpret their meanings (Grades PreK-12). • Strand 10: Interdisciplinary Connections — Students will apply their knowledge of the arts to the study of English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering (Grades PreK-12).
AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE Attending live theatre is a unique experience with many valuable educational and social benefits. To ensure that all audience members are able to enjoy the performance, please take a few minutes to discuss the following audience etiquette topics with your students before you come to the Huntington Theatre Company. • How is attending the theatre similar to and different from going to the movies? What behaviors are and are not appropriate when seeing a play? Why? • Remind students that because the performance is live, the audience’s behavior and reactions will affect the actors’ performances. No two audiences are exactly the same, and therefore no two performances are exactly the same — this is part of what makes theatre so special! Students’ behavior should reflect the level of performance they wish to see. • Theatre should be an enjoyable experience for the audience. It is absolutely all right to applaud when appropriate and laugh at the funny moments. Talking and calling out during the performance, however, are not allowed. Why might this be? Be sure to mention that not only would the people seated around them be able to hear their conversation, but the actors on stage could hear them, too. Theatres are constructed to carry sound efficiently! • Any noise or light can be a distraction, so please remind students to make sure their cell phones are turned off (or better yet, left at home or at school!). Texting, photography, and video recording are prohibited. Food, gum, and drinks should not be brought into the theatre. • Students should sit with their group as seated by the Front of House staff and should not leave their seats once the performance has begun.
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ARTISTS WILLIAM INGE William Inge was born on May 3, 1913 in Independence, Kansas, and his Midwest boyhood serves as inspiration in several of his works. His small town, a wealthy white-collar community, played a pivotal role in developing both Inge’s interest in the theatre as well as his general knowledge of human behavior. Though not a member of the upper-class, he benefitted from Independence’s cultural investment, attending plays with his Boy Scout Troop that held meetings in the local theatre, Memorial Hall. Inge also attributes Independence and small town values with shedding light on general human behavior and interactions. He is remembered as stating: “I’ve often wondered how people raised in our great cities ever develop any knowledge of humankind. People who grow up in small towns get to know each other so much more closely than they do in cities.” Throughout his writing career, Inge would often draw upon his experience in small towns and the Midwest for inspiration and character development. In 1930, Inge graduated from Independence High School and went on to attend Independence Junior College (now Independence Community College). He went on to graduate from the University of Kansas at Lawrence with a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech and drama. Inge then tried to focus his life teaching, working on a master’s degree from George Peabody College for Teachers. He found that life away from the stage held little to no meaning for him and dropped out. Inge worked odd jobs until 1938, when he returned to finish his masters and join the faculty at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. After teaching for several years, Inge moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1943, where he worked as the drama and music critic for the St. Louis Times. During this time, he became acquainted with Tennessee Williams and even attended a production of Williams’ The Glass Menagerie in Chicago with his fellow playwright. Inge was moved by the performance, and left inspired and determined to exercise his own creative passions. Within three months he had completed Farther Off From Heaven, which was produced by Margo Jones, a founder of the regional theatre movement, in Dallas. Thereafter, Inge returned to a teaching position at Washington University in St. Louis and began serious work on turning a fragmentary short story into a one act play, which would later evolve into Come Back, Little Sheba. This work earned Inge the title of “most promising playwright” of the 1950 Broadway season. In 1953, Picnic opened at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway. Set in a small Kansas town, the play drew heavily on Inge’s memories of his childhood in the Midwest. Picnic was a roaring success, winning a Pulitzer Prize and Drama Critic Circle, Outer Circle, and Theatre Club Awards. With television and movies on the rise, many plays of the time were picked up quickly for silver-screen productions. It was in 1952 that Paramount Pictures released the film version of Come Back, Little Sheba directed by Daniel Mann and starring Shirley
William Inge
Booth and Burt Lancaster. Shortly after, in 1956, Columbia Pictures released the film version of Picnic directed by Joshua Logan and starring William Holden, Kim Novak, and Rosalind Russell. Inge’s fame continued to grow as The Dark at the Top of the Stairs opened on Broadway in 1957. It was released as a film in 1960. The following years resulted in a turbulent period of ups and downs in Inge’s career. This included devastating critical blows regarding plays such as A Loss of Roses, which closed after a three-week run. The highlight of these later years came in 1960, when his screenplay Splendor in the Grass was filmed in New York, earning an Academy Award for Best Screenplay. This success was followed closely by disappointment in plays such as Natural Affection (1963) and Where’s Daddy? (1965), prompting Inge to leave New York and move to California. He dabbled again with teaching (University of California at Irvine) and wrote two novels and an autobiography during this time. After a longstanding battle with depression, Inge committed suicide on June 10, 1973 in Hollywood at the age of 60. His body was laid to rest back in his childhood town of Independence, Kansas.
DAVID CROMER David Cromer directed the Huntington Theatre Company’s widely acclaimed production of Our Town in the Roberts Studio Theatre in 2012. A native of Skokie, Illinois, Cromer was a 2010 recipient of a “genius grant” awarded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The MacArthur Fellowships are annually awarded to between 20 and 40 individuals working in any field who “show exceptional merit and promise for continued and COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA CURRICULUM GUIDE
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T. CHARLES ERICKSON
David Cromer (left) and Derrick Trumbly and Emily Skeggs in the Huntington Theatre Company’s production of Our Town (2012).
enhanced creative work.” The Foundation states that the prize is not considered recognition of past work, “but rather an investment in a person’s originality, insight, and potential.” Of Cromer’s work, the MacArthur Foundation remarked: David Cromer is a theatre director and actor who is reinvigorating classic American plays and illuminating their relationship to the present. His incisive interpretations of the 20th century repertoire honor the original intention of each work while providing audiences with more psychologically complex performances than previous renderings. Eschewing nostalgia and period kitsch, Cromer reveals the dark truth and unexpected humor in William Inge’s Picnic, while his meticulous attention to the expressive power of simple objects transforms a musical adaptation of Elmer Rice’s The Adding Machine into a compelling portrait of a desperate office worker that reflects our time. Every element of his production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town — from set design, to costumes, to music, to the choice of actors — converges into a cohesive whole that evokes an immediate and powerful experience for viewers. Performing the role of the Stage Manager himself, Cromer adopts modern dress and a conversational tone and is simultaneously the omniscient, efficient director and a character in the play. The minimalist aesthetic of the production and his portrayal of the Stage Manager avoid the sentimentality characteristic of other versions of Our Town and, at the same time, increase the emotional force of the play’s exhortation to live in the present moment. From venues in Chicago to the theatres of New York, Cromer is re-staging earlier plays with a spirit and urgency that resonates with contemporary audiences. 6
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His Broadway credits include productions of The House of Blue Leaves and Brighton Beach Memoirs, and his other New York credits include Tribes, Our Town, and Orson’s Shadow (Barrow Street Theatre), Adding Machine (Minetta Lane), Really Really (MCC), and When the Rain Stops Falling, and Nikolai and the Others (Lincoln Center Theater). Chicago credits include Sweet Bird of Youth (Goodman Theatre), Rent (American Theater Company), A Streetcar Named Desire, Picnic, and The Price (Writers’ Theatre), The Hot l Baltimore and Mojo (Mary-Arrchie Theatre), Come Back, Little Sheba (Shattered Globe), The Cider House Rules (Famous Door), and Angels in America, Parts 1 & 2 (The Journeymen).
QUESTIONS: 1. Both playwright William Inge and director David Comer grew up in the Midwest region of the United States. What qualities are generally associated with people from this part of the country? Where do you see these qualities represented in these artists’ theatrical work? 2. a. Compare and contrast Come Back, Little Sheba with one of William Inge’s other plays. Consider themes, characters, setting, and subject matter. b. Do additional research on Inge’s life. What was happening for the playwright personally when he wrote Come Back, Little Sheba and the play you have chosen to compare and contrast it with? Do elements of Inge’s personal life appear to have directly inspired his writing? In what ways do the plays feel like the unified work of one writer? In what ways do they represent different periods of artistic and personal development? 3. Further research David Cromer’s career and his production of Our Town at the Huntington Theatre Company. Why would serving as director for Come Back, Little Sheba have been an appealing project for Cromer?
THEMES FOR WRITING & DISCUSSION Lola’s reoccurring dreams about the loss of the couple’s dog, Sheba, also manifests this theme. Lola misses Sheba’s youthful energy and the attention she received when walking her outside. Having admirers makes up for Lola’s mounting insecurities over age and beauty, as represented by her first dream in the play. This desire for admiration and search for lost youth leads to an obsession over the lost dog. This is made more apparent in a later dream, where Lola and Marie are in high school watching Turk and Doc participate in a sporting event. As the events continue, Sheba gets lost and is later found dead, covered in dirt and ignored by all the spectators. This dream explains how Lola associates Sheba with her youthful naiveté, which was abruptly ended by her premarital pregnancy and being an outcast from society.
QUESTIONS: Shirley Booth and Burt Lancaster in the film Come Back, Little Sheba (1952)
ISOLATION OF THE HOUSEWIFE In Come Back, Little Sheba, the character of Lola is rooted in the archetypal American housewife. In the 1950s, this character was defined in the entertainment industry by idealistic sitcoms (“Leave it to Beaver” and “Ozzie and Harriet”). Inge’s female protagonist sheds a more realistic light on domestic life, opening up discussion about whether the “happy homemaker” existed in real life, or just on the television screen. The play incorporates a distinct theme about the false perception of domestic perfection, indicating that women were not as content in their household duties as the 1950s media portrayed. Throughout the play, Lola mourns the loss of her youth and attractiveness. Women and mothers of the ‘50s were expected to maintain a pristine appearance, going to great lengths to keep their wrinkles, weight, and fading hair color as secrets. The realization that Lola is growing older leads her to mope around the house, often not bothering to get dressed at all. She contrasts normal portrayals of women on televison in the ‘50s, who were polite, quiet, productive, and happy to be homemakers. Lola is largely unproductive and often shirks her responsibilities. She is not content to stay at home all day and has no children to occupy her time. Her husband, Doc, is seen making his own breakfast in the play’s first scene due to Lola’s lethargic ways and mounting depression. Lola’s desire to reclaim her youth is also present in her warm welcome of Marie, the young college student who lives with the couple. Having Marie around the house allows Lola to live vicariously through Marie’s stories and excitement, making up for the years that Lola lost when she had to get married very early. This implies that Lola regrets being forced to marry Doc so early, which is a straining factor on their relationship. The joy that Lola gets from having Marie around distracts her from the attention that Doc is paying to the younger woman. It also gets in the way of her moral standards, gossiping with Marie about Turk in the hopes that a scandal would create excitement in the household.
1. Compare and contrast Lola’s flirtation with the milkman with Doc’s attentions towards Marie. 2. Research the actresses who have played Lola onstage and on film. What other roles have these women played? What qualities do the actresses and their characters share? 3. Why produce a play like Come Back, Little Sheba in 2015? What issues and perspectives depicted in the play resonate with audiences of today?
THE PAIN OF LOST YOUTH At the play’s end, Lola finally comes to the realization that her dog, Little Sheba, is “gone for good.” She has no choice but to carry on without her. In her dream it is Doc imploring her, “We can’t stay… we gotta go on,” upon discovering that Sheba is dead and without hope for help or saving her. Doc on many occasions pleads with Lola not to dredge up the past, that discussions of their youth and their losses are fruitless and only end up troubling him. It seems that Doc is purposefully blocking out the past, whereas Lola desperately clings to it. From her perspective, her youthful days of being courted were the very best moments of her life. For Doc, he feels no such fondness — his life veered off course in his youth. Doc says he has accepted the reality of his situation, but he is forced to confront his past when Lola rents out a room in their already cramped home. Marie brings new energy into the otherwise monotonous routines of Doc and Lola. Marie’s homework, relationships, and simple kindnesses excite them both. Lola lives vicariously through Marie’s college adventure and Doc imagines what his life could have been if he had married such a girl. While Doc is scolding Lola for spying, Turk is accusing Doc of having a crush on young Marie. It seems that Marie and Turk’s youthful presence is a significant emotional trigger for both Doc and Lola and is a danger to the way in which they have chosen to live their lives.
QUESTIONS: 1. Do you think it was a mistake for Lola to invite Marie to live in her house? What were the benefits and the drawbacks of this decision? COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA CURRICULUM GUIDE
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NILE HAWVER / NILE SCOTT SHOTS
Max Carpenter (Turk), Marie Polizzano (Marie), Adrianne Krstansky (Lola), and Derek Hasenstab (Doc) from Huntington’s cast of Come Back, Little Sheba
2. Do you think that discussing your personal history is fun, therapeutic, boring, or otherwise? Why might it be helpful (or harmful) to block out your past experiences? Do you think Doc deals with his emotional problems in the best way? 3. Consider the poem, “From the Passionate Pilgrim, no. 12.” How does this poem relate to the character conflict in Come Back, Little Sheba? Do you think that growing older is always difficult or sad? Why or why not? “From the Passionate Pilgrim, no. 12” (author unknown, possibly Shakespeare) Crabbed age and youth cannot live together: Youth is full of [pleasance], age is full of care; Youth like summer morn, age like winter weather; Youth like summer brave, age like winter bare. Youth is full of sport, age’s breath is short; Youth is nimble, age is lame; Youth is hot and bold, age is weak and cold; Youth is wild, and age is tame. Age, I do abhor thee; youth, I do adore thee; O, my love, my love is young! Age, I do defy thee: O, sweet shepherd, hie thee, For methinks thou stay’st too long.
THE BURDEN OF REGRET Doc remarks to Lola, “Most alcoholics are disappointed men,” making Lola wonder if this statement holds true for her husband as well. Lola is also disappointed in the way her life has turned out: she’s lost her looks, her parents, her baby, and now her dog. She is lonely and bored, seeking a kind word from the busy neighbor or milkman. But it is Doc who seems to be the one laboring to escape his regrets — a mediocre career, a frumpy and barren wife, and financial ruin — whether through the use of alcohol or open denial. Doc says: “I might be a big MD today, instead of a chiropractor; we might have had a family to raise and be with us 8
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now; I might still have a lot of money if I’d used my head and invested it carefully instead of getting drunk every night. We might have a nice house, and comforts and friends. But we don’t have any of those things.” When Doc loses his sobriety, after discovering Marie and Turk in a compromising position, he lashes out at Lola in an almost unforgiveable way. He calls her fat and lazy and screams other horrible names and obscenities. He threatens to kill her, Marie, and Turk, as he wields an ax. Perhaps most devastating of all is his accusation that Lola, his loving and faithful wife, is the cause of his drinking problem. He screams, “[Alcohol] makes me willing to come home here and look at you.” Lola represents all of his missed opportunities and their resulting miseries. Doc is so consumed with anger, jealousy, and disappointment that he can no longer win the battle with his alcoholism. The weight of his sadness becomes too much for him to bear and he collapses underneath it.
QUESTIONS: 1. Why do you think Lola and Doc see the world differently? Considering their relationship, who do you think is most justified in their anger or disappointment? Who do you think has the most to regret? Ultimately, Lola forgives Doc and he begs her to never leave him. Do you think sticking together is the best path for their lives? What advice would you give them about how best to move forward? 2. Doc is very protective of Marie, perhaps selfishly because he desires her for himself, but also because he has made some very significant mistakes. Do you think Marie will live with any regret? If so, how will it be different from what Doc and Lola experience? Do you think Marie will secure a happy marriage and a happy life?
MASTERY ASSESSMENT ACT ONE Scene One 1. Describe the setting of the play, Come Back, Little Sheba. 2. Before any dialogue is spoken, what does the audience see happen on stage at the opening of the play? 3. What is Doc’s relationship with Marie? 4. Why is Doc surprised that Marie is taking a biology course? 5. What compliment does Marie give Doc? 6. Who is Little Sheba and what has happened to her? Who seems to be her primary caregiver? 7. From what disease does Doc suffer? Is it a secret? 8. With whom is Marie in a relationship? Do Doc and Lola like him? 9. Who is sending Marie a telegram? 10. Under what circumstances did Marie meet Turk? 11. What is Marie’s plan for her life? 12. Why does Lola not have any children? 13. Is Doc rich? According to Lola, what happened to him as a younger man? 14. What is Lola’s relationship with her parents like? 15. What responsibilities does Turk have at school? Do you think he’s a good student? 16. Who does Lola invite into her house for a glass of water after everyone leaves for the day? 17. What advice does Mrs. Coffman give to Lola? 18. Why is the milkman annoyed by Lola? What compliment does Lola give him that turns the conversation around? Has she made this remark to anyone else? 19. What radio program does Lola listen to after the milkman leaves? 20. What arrives for Marie? What does Lola do with it? 21. Marie and Turk return unexpectedly. What do they want to do with the parlor? Does Turk like Lola being there as well? 22. What does Doc think of Lola’s assignment for art class?. 23. Who will be visiting from Cincinnati and how did Lola find this out? 24. At the end of the scene, how does Doc threaten Lola? What does this threat reveal?
Scene Two 25. Why did Lola clean the house? 26. What radio program does Doc listen to after dinner? 27. What word does Lola use that offends Doc? Where did she hear it? 28. What can Doc do with a pack of cards that amuses Lola? 29. How does Lola remember her courtship with Doc? 30. Why did Doc and Lola get married? What devastating event took place soon after the marriage? 31. List Doc’s regrets. Does he dwell on them? 32. When Marie returns, what is Lola doing that ends up being embarrassing? 33. What does Lola do that Doc believes is mean to Marie? How does Marie react to hearing the news from Cincinnati?
34. What difference of opinion do Lola and Doc have with regard to Marie’s behavior towards men? 35. Why does Marie want to “talk” to Turk? What is his reaction to this suggestion? 36. Does Turk like the way Doc treats Marie? 37. Turk and Marie head out for the night. What does Lola do after they leave?
ACT TWO Scene One 1. 2. 3. 4.
Why did Doc have trouble sleeping? Who was unexpectedly still in the house on Saturday morning? Why is Mrs. Coffman impressed by Lola? What destructive habit has Doc resumed? What do you believe drove him to this point? 5. Why does Lola question Doc’s choice of attire that morning?
Scene Two 6. How does Marie justify her romantic relationships? 7. Bruce arrives. What news does he share about his job? 8. Who does Lola call when she discovers the whisky is missing? What is this person’s relationship to Doc?
Scene Three 9. When Lola wakes up, where is she? Who does she immediately call? 10. When Doc finally returns home, what is his mood? 11. In his rage, Doc says some very cruel things to Lola. What is he angry about? Why is he behaving in such a violent manner? 12. Who does Doc threaten and what weapon does he wield? 13. Who arrives when she hears screaming? What men follow who say they are going to help? 14. Where do Elmo and Ed want to take Doc? Does Doc want to go? 15. After Doc is taken away Marie and Bruce return. What’s their big news? 16. Why is Marie in a rush? What big decisions has she made? Does she say a proper good-bye? 17. Who does Lola call at the end of the scene and what does she ask?
Scene Four 18. What invitation does Mrs. Coffman extend to Lola? Does she accept? 19. Does Lola speak with the mailman this morning? What news does the milkman bring? 20. Doc returns. What is his mood? What advice does the doctor at the City Hospital give to Doc? 21. Lola describes a vivid dream to Doc. What part does he play in it? What decision does she finally make about Little Sheba? EXTRA CREDIT: Find the magic pages where the line “Come Back, Little Sheba” can be found. Who is speaking? What does Little Sheba represent in this play? COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA CURRICULUM GUIDE
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FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION
T. CHARLES ERICKSON
Adrianne Krstansky and Derek Hasenstab in Come Back, Little Sheba.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS The 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution instituted the period of Prohibition that lasted from 1920 until 1933. During this time the production, importation, transportation and sale of all alcoholic beverages was illegal. It is unclear whether the law was successful in reducing alcoholism; however, it is known that cirrhosis death rates and arrests for public drunkenness decreased dramatically during the Prohibition era. Fourteen years after the law made its way into the Constitution it was repealed. The voters decided that the risks of legalization were worth the freedom to buy and consume this drug. However, once the law was overturned, a widespread sentiment persisted: people who suffered from alcoholism were “morally deviant.” Members of the medical community, with limited understanding of the disease, often recommended placing patients in mental institutions, where they “purged and puked” their way through detoxification. Family members were given little reason to hope their loved one would overcome the disease. Society as a whole had little to offer an alcoholic at that time — many sufferers hid in the shadows without the expectation of help or support. Bill Wilson and Bob Smith founded Alcoholics Anonymous in Akron, Ohio in 1935. Bill Wilson, an alcoholic, had been involved in the Oxford Group, a Protestant organization from which AA claims its roots. Wilson met Bob Smith, also an Oxford Group member, and helped him through a difficult period with his disease. After both men achieved sobriety by working together and remaining accountable to each other they decided to branch out, forming a new group, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The purpose of this 10
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organization was to work on overcoming the disease as opposed to focusing primarily on religious traditions and spirituality. This upset some members of the Oxford Group, but Wilson and Smith believed that in order for AA to remain true to its objectives, the traditional church hierarchy had no place in the work of recovery nor did their attention seeking practices which Wilson and Smith viewed as a threat to the success of individual members. In fact, as part of AA’s stated organizational structure, “anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.” The famous “Twelve Steps,” listed below, serve as the foundation for AA and the call to action for alcoholics who wish to conquer their addiction. Although religious undertones permeate the steps, AA widely accepts anyone who wishes to meet and battle alcoholism, regardless of gender, race, or religion. As is stated in AA’s twelve traditions, “the only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.” Twelve Steps The following are the original twelve steps as published by Alcoholics Anonymous: 1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable. 2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. 3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. 5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. 6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. 9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. 10. Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. 11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
QUESTIONS: 1. Why do you think Wilson and Smith believed that anonymity was important to a recovering alcoholic and AA as a community group? Do you think Lola understood this principle? Why does Doc want to keep his disease a secret from Marie? 2. Do you believe that alcoholism is a destructive disease ? Is it destructive for an individual? For the individual’s family? Compare the support and treatment options that an alcoholic would receive today with the offerings of the 1950s. Do you think there is still a stigma attached to this disease? Explain your position.
THE KINSEY REPORTS Marie protests the typical date night routine by asking Turk to engage in a discussion or debate. Turk is not amused, and instead tries to flirt with and tease Marie. Turk: Have you read the Kinsey Report, Miss Buckholder? Marie: I should say not. Turk: How old were you when you had your first affair, Miss Buckholder? Turk is referencing the breakout and controversial publications of two books, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948) and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953) by Alfred Kinsey and a team of scientists and researchers. Kinsey, a zoologist from Indiana, set out to probe the behavior of male and female subjects through anonymous personal interviews. Kinsey was interested in comparing activities between males and females and ultimately concluded that females were less sexually active than males. The methodology and statistical accuracy of his sampling has been criticized, as a large number of his subjects were incarcerated or
participated in the act of prostitution. But even with the removal of these test subjects by his predecessors, Kinsey’s data remains largely unchanged. The popularity of Kinsey’s reports exploded and are widely considered among the most successful scientific text books of all time, influencing societal norms and shifting the discussion of once “taboo topics” into the mainstream.
QUESTIONS: 1. What does Turk’s reference to “The Kinsey Reports” reveal about him? Do you think this discussion made Marie feel uncomfortable? 2. Do you think it is “taboo” to discuss human sexuality today? Why or why not? In what circumstances should issues of sexuality be addressed?
THE QUEEN OF SHEBA Lola has lost her little dog. She dreams of Little Sheba and she calls for her from the porch each day. Lola is utterly devastated by Little Sheba’s disappearance. Little Sheba is a metaphor, representing Lola’s lost youth, beauty, and hope of a family — Sheba represented a once happy past that is no more. The Queen of Sheba is a widely portrayed figure throughout history and literature in various cultures and known throughout the world. Several religions and geographic regions claim her as their own, as she is considered a beautiful, powerful, wealthy, and clever person. In the Bible, Sheba is referred to as the Queen of the East, and may have traveled from Ethiopia. The Queen of Sheba appears to King Solomon (I Kings), arriving at his palace in spectacular fashion — with camels, precious gems, gold, and spices. Some historians believe her visit was in the pursuit of a trade agreement with the neighboring countries. In the Bible story, Sheba asks Solomon many pointed questions and tries to stump him with riddles, as she is searching for truth and wisdom. Upon receiving satisfactory answers, Sheba decides to follow Solomon’s God.
QUESTIONS: 1. Continue your research of the Queen of Sheba. What other religions and cultures have stories about her? How do these depictions vary from the Christian tradition? 2. Why do you think William Inge named Lola’s dog “Little Sheba?” Explain the significance of the play’s title.
COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA RECEPTION AND MOVIE The play, and later as a movie, Come Back, Little Sheba severely contrasted the other productions and entertainment being produced in the early 1950s. Inge tackles many issues that were highly controversial and socially unacceptable to talk about at the time. The audience members were consistently struck by the open discussion of sexuality and pre-marital pregnancies. While the television and radio shows primarily focused on idealistic, wholesome family sitcoms, Inge brought the public face-to-face with issues lying under the surface of their “domestic perfection.” Alcoholism existed in homes all across the country, but was rarely discussed. Rather, the disease was suppressed within the white picket fences of middleCOME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA CURRICULUM GUIDE
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lessons often indicated that women thrive in the household and that American men were hardworking and able to accomplish anything. To this day, many shows that were first produced in the 1950s form the core of the American musical theatre repertory.
NILE HAWVER / NILE SCOTT SHOTS
The cast of Huntington’s production of Come Back, Little Sheba
class suburbia. The taboo nature of most of the plot made Come Back, Little Sheba a groundbreaking look into the secret life of America in the 1950s. The movie starred Shirley Booth as Lola, reprising her Tony Awardwinning role, alongside Burt Lancaster, who is widely regarded as one of the most famous actors of the era. Burt Lancaster built his career on roles that portrayed “all-American” ideals of the day, with his striking smile and bright eyes. His early career reflected the popular entertainment of the time, playing in a variety of lighthearted and romantic films, especially in military and adventure films. His most famous films include Elmer Gantry, for which he earned an Oscar, as well as The Birdman of Alcatraz, From Here to Eternity, and Atlantic City. Simultaneously, Lancaster began directing and producing movies, partnering with Harold Hecht and James Hill to create the Hecht-Hill-Lancaster production company. The trio was wildly successful in the 1950s, producing a huge number of hits which helped define the decade. At the time that Come Back, Little Sheba made its debut on stage, Broadway was in the midst of its “Golden Age” in which theatre had become a major part of the American culture. As a by-product of the surging economy, more families than ever were attending the shows, causing ticket sales to skyrocket. The prospect of fame drew many young, talented individuals to the stage, and the rising number of shows being produced meant that more and more performers were getting hired. Broadway’s writers and directors were going through major changes in their stylistic approaches as well, taking risks that would eventually lead to some of the most prominent musicals of all time. The rising success of Broadway in the 1950s is often associated with a new formula of musicals implemented by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Their many successful shows, such as Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, dramatically altered the future of the theatre. Their musicals incorporated a cohesive plot with songs that furthered the action of the story and vibrant characters, creating a dynamic entertainment experience that erupted in popularity. In addition to this formula, Broadway productions at this time paid special attention to portraying the “American Dream.” Audience members came out to the theatre to watch as couples moved to the suburbs in order to create a home for their children. The 12
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Come Back, Little Sheba stood in stark contrast with other theatrical productions of the time. With its negative outlook on domestic American life and open discussion of controversial topics, the play’s 1950 debut found much of its success purely from the audience’s shocked reactions. Additionally, the Broadway play was renowned for the superb acting on the part of Shirley Booth as Lola and Sidney Blackmer as Doc. Both actors, though not new to the stage, were primarily associated with their roles in this production, taking home Tony Awards for Leading Actor and Actress. Shirley Booth, born as Marjory Ford in 1898, began acting in her teens after leaving home at age 13 in pursuit of the stage. She performed on Broadway throughout its “Golden Age,” debuting opposite Humphrey Bogart in Hell’s Bells in 1925. Her career on the stage was prolific to say the least, starring in a variety of dramas, comedies, and musicals for over three decades. She first landed a Tony Award for her supporting role in Goodbye, My Fancy, and of course, her second for her widely acclaimed performance as Lola Delaney in Come Back, Little Sheba. Other major successes of the stage include her role as Aunt Sissy in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as well as Leona Samish in The Time of the Cuckoo, for which she received her third Tony Award. Booth made her Hollywood debut in 1952 in the motion picture version of Come Back, Little Sheba. In spite of her raving success playing Lola the first time, Booth had to lie about her age in order to land the role, claiming she was a full decade younger than she actually was. She did so successfully and began work thereafter, starring opposite of Burt Lancaster as Doc. In 1953, after a popular release, Booth received the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance as Lola, becoming the first actress ever to win both a Tony Award and an Oscar for the same role. She went on to star in four other movies, though her first was her greatest success. In 1961, Booth extended her career into the sitcom world, starring as a vibrant and bold housemaid named Hazel Burke. The show, “Hazel,” earned Booth two Emmys, and earned her a place as one of the few people in entertainment history to earn all three major performance awards. Shirley Booth retired in the mid-1970s, suffering from failing health. She passed away on October 16, 1992.
QUESTIONS: 1. In addition to William Inge, which other playwrights now considered “classic” American writers debuted new works in the 1950s? Why are their plays still read, studied, and produced so often today? 2. How have the kinds of theatrical works produced on Broadway changed from the 1950s to today? How are they similar? How have audiences changed over the last 60 years? 3. Why did Shirley Booth have to lie about her age in order to play Lola in the film version of Come Back, Little Sheba? What casting challenges are faced by actresses over the age of 40 in film and television today?
THE 1950S: AMERICA’S GOLDEN AGE POST-WAR BOOM Following World War II, the economy in the United States boomed. The post-war era is remembered for prosperity and incredible growth, marked by increases in domestic sales, industry, and family stability. In 1946 a record number of babies were born in the United States — over 3.4 million! This “baby boom” was a reflection of the economic comfort felt in much of American society. It lasted until 1964 and resulted in 77 million births. The birth rate was not the only post-war boom, however. From consumer products, to the housing industry, to employment rates, many historians regard the 1950s as a time of overarching economic success.
SUBURBANIZATION With a vast number of World War II soldiers returning to America and looking to settle down, the government-granted GI bill provided young veterans with the funds to purchase a home and go to school. The GI bill made these goals attainable for veterans for whom they would otherwise have been out of reach, allowing more and more families to make their way out of urban areas and settle into planned neighborhoods outside of the city. These new suburban communities allowed for an entirely different way of life to emerge, characterized by stability, family values, and community growth. Developers, such as William Levitt, bought huge plots of land surrounding major cities, creating cheap and comfortable houses that would become the symbol of American life in the
Suburban housing development
following decade. These neighborhoods (Levitt’s were called “Levittowns” and scattered across New Jersey and Pennsylvania) redefined the ideal family life, reorienting America away from the city and towards the dinner table.
DOMESTIC PERFECTION The decade also marked the beginning of a period in which television promoted the post-war ideal of perfect families in perfect homes surrounded by perfect white fences. Reality,
FACTS AND FIGURES
AVERAGES IN 1950:
1954 — Annual births in the United States top 4 million where it will remain until 1965
The price of… • Television set: $199
1965 — 4 out of 10 Americans are under the age of 20
• Gallon of milk: $0.82
1950 — Population of the US: 151 million
• Loaf of bread: $0.14
1960 — Population of the US: 179 million That’s an 18% increase!
• Postage stamp: $0.03
1946 — Number of television sets in the US: 7,000
• Gallon of gas: $0.20
• The average family income: $3,300 • The average car cost: $1,510 • The median home price: $7,354
1960 — Number of television sets in the US: 50 million 1958 — The peak year in the number of drive-in movie theaters: 4,063 1946 — US GDP: 1.98 trillion 1960 — US GDP: 3.08 trillion
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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however, did not always live up to this ideal, leading to the kind of depression and despondency that Doc and Lola experience in Come Back, Little Sheba. Darkness was also evident in the political events of the period, creating an undercurrent that was blanketed by domestic perfection. Additionally, the next decade which would bring the Civil Rights Movement, countless riots, and political protests, and eventually, the Vietnam War, grew out of the suppression of the ‘50s. The booming economy helped shape the blissful view of the 1950s. World War II left Europe ravaged, causing the United States’ exports and domestic production to skyrocket, fueling the consumer-oriented sector of the American economy. Material goods which had previously been luxuries of the wealthy, such as refrigerators, range-top ovens, convertible automobiles, and televisions, made their way into every middle-class home.
WOMEN IN THE 1950S During the war, women in America took over many jobs previously occupied by men. They enjoyed freedom in being able to go to work every day and experience job and skill growth. After the war ended, men came back to reclaim their positions, which pushed women out of the workforce and refocused the cultural expectations of women on domesticity. Young girls were expected to marry early, take care of their families, and live up to the ideal domestic life that was broadcast on televisions across the nation. Marriage rates rose and the average age for couples to tie the knot decreased. Women who didn’t get married in their early 20s faced tremendous pressure, running the risk of becoming an “old maid.” If remaining single in American society was considered undesirable, being single and pregnant was completely unacceptable. Girls who “got in trouble”
were forced to drop out of school and often sent away for the duration of their pregnancy. If a young couple got pregnant, they were expected to immediately get married, regardless of personal preference or feelings. The stigma of being an unwed mother forced many of these women into precarious economic situations as they were shunned by their communities. Advice books, magazine articles, and the ever increasing popularity of the television urged women to leave the workforce and embrace their roles as wives and mothers. Yet for women who got married early according to the social norms of the time, life in the suburbs could feel confining. The idea that a woman’s most important job was to bear and rear children was far from new, but it left many women feeling underappreciated, stifled, and obsolete.
QUESTIONS: 1. How do historical, social, and political events fall into place in order to result in the 1950s economic boom? Would you say these events should be considered codependent of one another? Why or why not? 2. What are some of the societal issues you can imagine arising from the concept of “domestic perfection?” Based on your knowledge of the turbulent 1960s, how do you think this concept led the way into those social and political issues? 3. How does entertainment’s portrayal of a “normal life” affect society as a whole? Does the television and movie industry have a strong sway in how groups interact, such as families, friends, or coworkers? Would you say that entertainment portrays normal life, or rather, they define normality?
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: WOMEN OF THE 1950s VS WOMEN OF TODAY
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In the late 1950s, about three-fourths of all women between the ages of 20 and 24 had already married
Currently, only one-half of all women in that group have married.
Women’s labor force participation rate in 1950: 33%
Women’s labor force participation rate in 2013: 59%
Percent of women who attended college: 12.2%
Percent of women who attend college: 70%
70% of working women held clerical positions, assembly lines or service jobs. 12% had professional positions and 6% held management positions.
Today, women hold a variety of jobs, including holding 60% of all professional occupations. Women dominate the education world.
Defined waists, vibrant colors, and bold statements characterized fashion in the 1950s. Mothers looked for clothing that was easy to wash and keep neat. Maternity wear was just becoming a trend, likely due to the baby boom.
Clothing today is very much a “mash-up” of the styles that were popular in the past. There is a fusion of previous styles, and global and ethnic clothing. Inspiration comes not only from television entertainment, but from music-based subcultures and celebrity trends.
COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA CURRICULUM GUIDE
TIMELINE: 1945-1955 • February 4-11, 1945 The Yalta Conference is held in the Soviet Union featuring President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Premier Josef Stalin.
Atomic Bomb
• April 1, 1945 American troops invade Okinawa, Japan, beginning the Battle of Okinawa, which would continue until June 21. • April 12, 1945 President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies of a stroke; Vice President Harry S. Truman takes over the presidency and role as commander-inchief of the US.
• October 14, 1949 Eleven leaders of the United States Communist party are convicted of advocating a violent insurrection and overthrow of the US government.
• May 7, 1945 Germany surrenders at Reims.
• February 15, 1950 The first Broadway production of Come Back, Little Sheba premieres at the Booth Theatre.
• 1946 Diplomatic relations worsen between the United States and the USSR. • January 10, 1946 The first meeting of the United Nations is held with 51 nations represented, including China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. • April 1, 1946 400,000 coal miners go on strike with other industries following their lead. • June 6, 1946 The National Basketball Association is founded and the first game is held between the Toronto Huskies and the New York Knickerbockers. • 1947 The Polaroid camera is invented. • 1947 Jackson Pollock begins painting his most famous series of paintings called the drip paintings in Easthampton, New York. • March 12, 1947 The Truman Doctrine is announced to the US Congress to give $400 million in aid to battle Communist terrorism. President Harry S. Truman signs the act into law on May 22. Lucille Ball
• April 1, 1950 The 1950 census counts a population in the United States at over 150 million people. The most populous state in the United States is New York, followed by California. • June 25, 1950 The Korean War begins. • June 27, 1950 Thirty-five military advisors are sent to South Vietnam to give military and economic aid to the anti-Communist government. • October 2, 1950 The comic strip “Peanuts,” by Charles M. Schulz, is first published. • November 26, 1950 The United Nations forces a retreat south toward the 38th parallel when Chinese Communist forces open a counteroffensive in the Korean War. • February 27, 1951 The 22nd amendment to the Constitution is ratified, limiting the president to two terms of office. • March 29, 1951 Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are found guilty of conspiracy and wartime espionage, and sentenced to death. They are executed on June 19, 1953. • July 16, 1951 JD Salinger publishes Catcher in the Rye.
• April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson breaks Major League Baseball’s ban on players of color when he takes the field as the Brooklyn Dodgers’ first baseman.
• September 4, 1951 The first television is broadcast across to another continent features President Truman’s speech at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference in San Francisco.
• June 5, 1947 The Marshall Plan sends out US money to Europe for recovery.
• October 15, 1951 The television comedy I Love Lucy debuts.
• 1948 The Kinsey Reports, Sexual Behavior of the Human Male, is published.
• April 8, 1952 President Truman authorizes the seizure of United States steel mills in order to avert a strike, but his action is ruled illegal by the US Supreme Court.
• July 26, 1948 President Harry S. Truman signs Executive Order 9981, ending segregation in the United States military.
Korean War
• March 2, 1949 First around the world flight. • April 4, 1949 NATO, the North American Treaty Organization, is formed. The treaty states that any attack against one member nation will be considered an attack against them all.
• August 6, 1945 President Harry S. Truman approves the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 15, Emperor Hirohito of Japan surrenders.
Jackie Robinson
victory, only to be proven wrong. Truman wins the Electoral College vote with 303 to Dewey’s 189, and with more than 50% of the popular vote.
• November 2, 1948 President Harry S. Truman wins a controversial race against Thomas E. Dewey, the governor of New York. Headlines in national newspapers prematurely announce a Dewey
• November 1, 1952 The first hydrogen bomb, called Mike, is exploded in the Pacific Ocean. • November 4, 1952 General Dwight D. Eisenhower wins the presidential election with an Electoral College vote of 442 to 89. COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA CURRICULUM GUIDE
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• December 24, 1952 A film adaptation of Come Back, Little Sheba is released in theatres. • 1953 The Kinsey Reports, Sexual Behavior of the Human Female, is published.
• May 17, 1954 Supreme Court case Brown vs. Board of Education declares racial segregation illegal in US schools.
• April 25, 1953 The description of a double helix DNA molecule is published.
• February 12, 1955 The United States agrees to provide training and equipment to South Vietnamese troops.
• July 27, 1953 Fighting ceases in the Korean War. North Korea, South Korea, the United States, and the Republic of China sign an armistice agreement.
• July 1, 1955 As rock and roll music enters the mainstream, “Rock Around and Clock” by Bill Haley and His Comets becomes the first record to top the Billboard magazine pop chart.
• October 30, 1953 The Cold War is in full swing when President Dwight D. Eisenhower approves the expansion of the United States weapons arsenal in case of Soviet invasion.
• July 17, 1955 The Disneyland theme park opens in Anaheim, California.
• December 30, 1953 The first color televisions are available for sale. • 1954 — Ray Kroc invests in the McDonald’s chain of restaurants, with intent to incorporate and franchise the company. • February 23, 1954 Polio vaccinations begin. • April 22, 1954 Senator Joseph McCarthy criticizes and condemns the US Army for being corrupt with Communism.
• September 30, 1955 Actor James Dean is killed in a car accident.
Model of the DNA molecule
• December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on the bus to a white man, prompting a boycott that would lead to the declaration that bus segregation laws were unconstitutional by a federal court. • December 5, 1955 The two largest American labor unions, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations, merge.
Television
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING AND VIEWING To broaden your familiarity with Come Back, Little Sheba and the world of the play, please consider the following list for further reading and viewing. These texts were also used in research for this guide. Alcoholics Anonymous. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. AA World Services, 2002. Al-Alnon. The Dilemma of the Alcoholics Marriage. Al-Alnon, 3rd printed edition, 1971. Hardy, Sheila. A 1950s Housewife: Marriage and Homemaking in the 1950s. The History Press, 2013. Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. Dover Thrift; reprint edition, 1992. Inge, William. The Dark at the Top of the Stairs. Samuel French, 1957. Inge, William. Picnic. Samuel French, 1953. Jones, James. Alfred C. Kinsey: a Life. W.W. Norton & Company, 2004.
Solomon, Andrew. Far From the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity. Scribner, 2013. Williams, Tennessee. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. New Directions (Revised Edition), 2004. The following films have related ideas and themes appropriate for contrast and comparison:
Bill Haley and His Comaets
Affliction. Lions Gate, 1999. Come Back, Little Sheba. Paramount, 1952. Days of Wine & Roses. Warner Home Video, 1962. The Lost Weekend. Universal Studios, 1945.
Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. Penguin Books: reprint edition, 1978. O’Neill, Eugene. Long Day’s Journey into Night. Yale University Press, 1955. Rosa Parks
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COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA CURRICULUM GUIDE
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES THE BACK STORY: EXPLORING CHARACTERIZATION Directions to students: Choose a character from Come Back, Little Sheba to portray in a monologue of your choosing. In order to prepare for the role, consider (but do not feel limited by) the following areas of consideration: 1. Family life and childhood. What information from the play gives insight into what my character’s upbringing was like? Describe the cultural and environmental circumstances. Did I live with both parents and have siblings? Was I rich or poor? Where did I live? Imagine an important event in your character’s life prior to the time depicted in the play and speculate as to how this event may have influenced your character’s current objectives. 2. Relationships. With whom do I want to be romantically involved? What draws me to this person (or people)? Have I been married or in a serious relationship before? Am I easy to get along with? What contradictions are inherent in my character? What pitfalls might prevent a new relationship from forming? 3. Current Status. Where do I live? In an apartment or a house? Do I have roommates or pets? What is a typical day like for me? Do I call my mother? Do I eat in or eat out? What are my hobbies? Who is my best friend? Do I feel financially comfortable or strapped? 4. The World of the Play. What do I want? What are the obstacles in my way? Does my objective change throughout the course of the play? How, if at all, do I change from the beginning to the end of the play? Am I satisfied by the play’s conclusion? Select a monologue for your character from the play. Choose a moment from the play that you believe is important to your character’s journey. While rehearsing, consider your character’s backstory. How does truly understanding your character change the way you think about his/her lines? Rehearse with a classmate and share your backstories. If you have the same character, how do your backstories differ? Can you both be right? If you have different characters, do you think that it would be helpful for your characters in the world of the play to know this information about each other? Why or why not? If possible, memorize your monologue before sharing it with the class.
FIVE MINUTE PERFORMANCES Arrange the class in small groups. Tell each group it is going to present the story of the play in exactly five minutes. They can use whatever methods seem appropriate — action, prose narration, mime, movement, song, background music, pictures, etc. Point out that each group must select the most important features, events and purposes of the play. Send the groups away for a class to discuss and practice. At the next class, have them perform their five minute versions to the rest of the class. Compare versions in terms of what is missing, important, surprising, in common, and emphasized. Discuss why the versions may differ.
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SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES STILL LIFE — TABLEAUS
Richard Jaeckle (Turk), and Terry Moore (Marie) in the film version Come Back, Little Sheba (1952)
1. This exercise is especially useful if you’re trying to talk about relationships between characters. Take a willing student and ask him or her to stand in a pose which he or she thinks is in some way characteristic of one of the characters—it could be kneeling and supplicant, or head bowed and despairing, or poking a nose into someone else’s affairs, or looking behind or ahead, or…. The student may look bemused or embarrassed to begin; but ask members of the class to make suggestions, either by saying something or by simply coming and moving the student to what seems a better position without speaking. This latter point is quite important. Add another student character to the tableau. The way that the second student stands in relation to the first person is significant. He or she may be turning away or towards the other, be spurning or supporting, an enemy or a friend, ambivalent or unrelated in any sense (and note that it is often a revelation to students that characters may not meet or know what the reader knows).
2. You could base a still life/tableau on a particular moment and compare it with one of another moment in the play; doing so, see what has changed and why. You can ask for other characters and see what changes or adjustments are needed. Try to get the students to justify what they do, but accept it if they are satisfied that they have expressed themselves clearly. Ask other members of the class if they understand the tableau, and if they can identify particular moments, crises, characters and groupings. 3. Divide the class into groups to create tableaux that represent issues or ideas from Come Back, Little Sheba, such as conflicts between husbands and wives, confronting drugs or alcohol personally, the pressures of drugs and alcohol abuse on family behaviour. 4. Divide your class into as many groups as there are scenes in the play. Have each group create a tableau which captures the essential emotion, conflict, or tension of that scene. Present the scenes in sequence.
VISUAL ARTS Ask students to choose any character from Come Back, Little Sheba and each create a character collage. They should include pictures (they can be hand-drawn, cut from magazines/newspapers, or printed from online) of actions the character performs, relationships the character has with others, and their typical moods or attitudes. Quotations from the play that reveal something about the character (these can be quotations from the character as well as quotations about the character) could be included.
LETTER WRITING There is a common saying that goes, “I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger.” Imagine you are Lola or Doc as they appear in the play. Write a letter to your younger self, telling yourself what you have learned over the years, what you regret or wish you had done differently, and any important advice you can share based on your experiences. If you could go back and time and do it all over again, would you make the same choices? Or would you do things differently? What are the things that you know now that you wish you had known when you were younger? Cite dialogue and events from Come Back, Little Sheba as evidence to support your statements.
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SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES QUOTABLE MOMENTS Choose one of the following quotes from Come Back, Little Sheba. Write an essay analyzing the quote’s meaning. Consider: • Which character said it? • Does the character mean it literally or is there an unspoken subtext? • What does this statement reveal about the character’s way of looking at the world? • How do the character’s actions support or contradict the quote? • Do other characters seem to agree or disagree?
T. CHARLES ERICKSON
• How does the quote contribute to the forward progression of the scene and of the plot as a whole?
“” “” “” “” “”
Little Sheba should have stayed young forever. Some things should never grow old.
“” “”
Tonight will never come again.
“”
We can’t stay here, hon; we gotta go on. We gotta go on.
Being busy is being happy.
The women pose naked but the men don’t. If it’s all right for a woman, it oughta be for a man.
Those years have just vanished — vanished into thin air.
We should never feel bad about what’s past. What’s in the past can’t be helped. You… you’ve got to forget it and live for the present. If you can’t forget the past, you stay in it and never get out.
“That Mrs. Delaney is a good for nothing, sits around the house all day, and never so much as shakes a dust mop.” I guess it just shows, we never really know what people are like.
Adrianne Krstansky in Come Back, Little Sheba.
COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA CURRICULUM GUIDE
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