1

Teacher Resource Guide

Written by David Hansen

Directed by Alison Garrigan

2

About Talespinner Children’s Theatre

Talespinner Children's Theatre is a Cleveland-based company that develops and produces highly imaginative, original, collaborative and interactive professional works for children that also stimulate creative growth in its artists. At any time, these pieces may involve acting, dance, music, puppetry, tumbling, drumming, and numerous other artistic disciplines as imagined by the artistic teams working with and for TCT, and are open to all creative possibility. TCT's aim is to bring theatre to the community in its fullest form providing excitement, growth and joy for all who are involved in and/or touched by its work. Talespinner Children's Theatre strives to reach across socio-economic, cultural and traditional boundaries to help awaken and bring better understanding by opening eyes, ears, hearts and imaginations in the young people (and artists) of Cleveland and its surrounds.

What to expect when seeing

a live theatrical production at

Talespinner Children’s Theatre

Going to see a live theatrical performance can be very exciting. It is very different from going to a movie or

watching a story on TV. In a movie, the story is always exactly the same. In live theater, the story can be

just a little bit different each time because there are live performers sharing their work with the audience.

Each performance is special and unique and made just for you, the audience, to take home with you and

relive in your memory.

In our theater, The Reinberger Auditorium, the actors are very close to the audience. They can see and

hear the audience just as well as you can see and hear the actors. This means that we want to make sure

that we don’t distract the actors with side conversations with our neighbors, unwrap candy, or play with

electronic devices. We want to make sure that the actors can concentrate on stage to give you their best

performance. However, this doesn’t mean that we don’t want you to enjoy the production you are seeing

and to react to the excitement on stage. If something makes you laugh, go ahead and laugh! If you really

like something that you see, it’s okay to clap for the actors. Actors love to hear applause. Sometimes our

actors will even need help from the audience to figure out what to do next. You can be a big help to our

production by participating when the actors ask you a question or give you a task to do from your seat in

the audience.

In this production we will be using many different elements of theater including music, dance, puppetry,

costumes, make-up, sound, lighting and scenery. It takes many people to put together a production like

this, and we are excited that you are going to be part of our experience today. If you have any questions

about anything that you see today, hold onto the questions until the end of the production and we will

bring the actors out to talk to you when the play is over. Enjoy your visit to Talespinner Children’s Theatre!

TCT creates work that remembers that children

are smaller people, not lesser people.

3

Table of Contents

Page 2 About Talespinner Children’s Theatre

What to expect when seeing a live theatrical production at

Talespinner Children’s Theatre

Page 3 Table of Contents and About the Executive Artistic Director

Page 4 About the Playwright, Acting Company and Staff

Page 5-7 Notes from Playwright about the Source Material

Page 8-10 Snowdrop from the Brothers Grimm

Page 11 Vocabulary for Rosalynde & the Falcon

Page 12-13 How to make a superhero mask

Page 14-15 How to make disguises

Page 16 Great Reads and more

Page 17 Recycled Percussion

Page 17-24 Theater, Music, Movement, and Art Activities

Page 25 Writing Activities after seeing Rosalynde & the Falcon

Page 26 Discussion Questions after seeing Rosalynde & the Falcon

Page 27-28 Theater Glossary from Ohio Academic Standards

Ali is a long-time professional in the theatre who has worked locally, regionally, and nationally as an actress, director, designer, puppet-maker, and teacher. She became dedicated to creative, intelligent and playful children's theatre in her late teens, and has returned to work with children and students frequently throughout her career. Her professional work in the Cleveland area has been seen and produced at such venues as Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland Institute of Music's Opera Stage, Beck Center for the Arts, Dobama Theatre, and Great Lakes Theatre, to name a few. No stranger to starting up a new company, she was one of the original members/board of the critically acclaimed Bad Epitaph Theater Company. Alison has always felt that children's theatre needs to be intelligent, creative, playful, and educational, and should engage every aspect of its audience, and its artists — minds, eyes, ears, hearts, imaginations… and energy.

Alison Garrigan Executive Artistic Director

4

About the Playwright David Hansen is a playwright living in Cleveland Heights. Recent works

include Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles (available

through Playscripts, Inc.), On the Dark Side of Twilight, and most

recently Double Heart (The Courtship of Beatrice and Benedick) which was

presented at the 2013 New York International Fringe Festival. Other works

include And Then You Die (How I Ran a Marathon in 26.2 Years), The

Vampyres, and his award-winning solo performance on stillbirth, I Hate

This (a play without the baby) which he has performed in New York City,

Chicago, Minneapolis, Louisville, Cleveland, Akron and Columbus, OH, and a

seven-date tour of Great Britain. David is Education Outreach Associate

for Great Lakes Theater, a member of the Cleveland Play House Playwrights’ Unit and the Dramatists Guild of

America. David was a 2010 Creative Workforce Fellow, a program of the Community Partnership for Arts and

Culture, generously funded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. www.davidhansen.org

Acting Company

Rosalynde: Shayla Gordon Roland Devon Turchan

Rusty: Valerie Kilmer Julius: Charles Hargrave

King: Christopher Walker Leo: Tim Pringpuangkeo

Katelyn Cornelius — Director of Education and Outreach Katelyn is a proud graduate of the Cleveland State University Theater program, and pas-sionate about supporting arts in and around Cleveland. For the past four years, Katelyn has traveled North East Ohio as an Actor-Teacher for Great Lakes Theater, where she worked with grades K through 12, bringing literature to life ranging from classic children's stories to Shakespeare. Prior to GLT, Katelyn taught for the East Cleveland Adult Activities Center and directed quarterly performances with the residents. Katelyn is also an actor,

and has been seen onstage at such venues as Cleveland Public Theater, Theater Ninjas, Karamu House, Ensemble Theater, The Bang and the Clatter, and of course, Talespinner Children's Theater. (Red Beard in TCT's Aesop's Pirate Adventure will forever be a favorite role.) She is also a Movement Specialist - recent work includes TCTs Loki & Lucy.

Melanie Boeman (Costume Design) has designed costumes for the previous Talespinner productions Clara & the Nutcracker, Loki & Lucy, The Floating Dolls, Aesop’s Pirate Adventure, Adventures in Slumberland, The Emperor's Ears, The Magic Flute and The Tale of the Name of the Tree. Melanie received her Bachelor of Arts, ’84 from Cleveland State University and is the Costume Shop Manager at Baldwin Wallace University, where she has designed such productions as the opera La Finta Guardinieri. Other design credits include Henry IV, Part 1, (Baldwin Wallace University), Grizzly Mama, (Dobama), and Matt & Ben, (Cleveland Public Theatre).

5

Snow White

“Snow White" is a German fairy tale known across much of Europe and is today one of the most famous

fairy tales worldwide. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection

Grimms' Fairy Tales. It was titled in German: Sneewittchen (in modern orthography Schneewittchen) and

numbered as Tale 53. The Grimms completed their final revision of the story in 1854.[1] It deals with the

themes of hiding away in the forest with newfound and unlikely friends from an evil ruler, being fooled by

that ruler in disguise, and biting into an apple, which brings on a deep sleep, ended only by love and

friendship.

As You Like It by William Shakespeare

Rosalind is one of Shakespeare's most recognized heroines. Admired for her intelligence, quick wit, and

beauty, Rosalind is a vital character in "As You Like It." Rosalind is also a faithful friend, leader, and schem-

er. She stays true to her family and friends throughout the entire story, no matter how dangerous the con-

sequences. She is the main character of the play who extracts the clarity of important traits in other charac-

ters.

Notes from the Playwright about the source material for Rosalynde & the Falcon

You will notice that the playwrite got his inspiration for this play from many different sources including As

You Like It by William Shakespeare, The Legend of Robin Hood, The story of Snow White and the Marx

Brothers.

Walt Disney Film of “Snow White”

Rosalind, Celia and Touchstone. Illustrations for Children’s Stories from

Shakespeare by E Nesbit

(Raphael Tuck, c1900).

From Finding

Mickey.Com

6

Rosalynd & the Falcon was also inspired by Thomas Lodge's romance "Rosalynde" (which is what AS

YOU LIKE IT by William Shakespeare is largely based upon) but also from a much earlier work, "Tale of

Gamelyn" by an unknown author, in which the youngest of many sons is cheated of his inheritance and

takes to the woods to become a "Robin Hood" type character.

Robin Hood

Robin Hood (spelled Robyn Hode in older sources) is a heroic outlaw found in English folklore who, accord-

ing to legend, was also a highly skilled archer and swordsman. Traditionally depicted as being dressed in

Lincoln green,[1] he is often portrayed as "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor" alongside his band

of "Merry Men". Robin Hood became a popular folk figure in the late-medieval period, and continues to be

widely represented in modern literature, films and television.

The historicity of Robin Hood has been debated for centuries. Modern academic opinion maintains that the

legend is based in part on a historical person, although there is considerable scholarly debate as to his ac-

tual identity. A difficulty with any such historical research is that "Robert" was in medieval England a very

common given name, and "Robin" (or Robyn), was its very common diminutive, especially in the 13th cen-

tury.[5] The surname "Hood" (or Hude or Hode etc.) was also fairly common because it referred either to a

Hooder, who was a maker of hoods; or alternatively to somebody who wore a hood as a head-covering.

Sherwood Forest

Sherwood Forest

From: Doctor Who: Robot of Sherwood

From: Robin Hood with Errol Flynn

7

The Marx Brothers

The Marx Brothers were a family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in mo-

tion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the

American Film Institute (AFI) as among the top 100 comedy films, with two of them (Duck Soup and A

Night at the Opera) in the top twelve. The brothers were included in AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars list of the

most significant screen legends, the only performers to be inducted collectively.

The core of the act was the three elder brothers, Chico, Harpo, and Groucho; each developed a highly

distinctive stage persona.

Slapstick Slapstick is a descendent of the comic routines of Italian commedia dell'arte (mid-fifteenth to mid-seventeenth century) touring players, who developed basic plot scenarios and broad, swiftly drawn charac-ters. The fun for their audiences was not in watching innovative narratives or well-developed characters but in seeing how a slick troupe of professionals could manipulate the standard components of farce—zany servants, pompous masters, young lovers—with speed and efficiency. Each commedia player performed and perfected a single stereotyped character, bringing his own personality to bear in the particulars of his comic business—the lazzi —or, as we might call it, the shtick. Comedy in slapstick lies in the basic tension between control and its loss. Both the verbal outbursts of the wordier comics (the Marx Brothers [Chico (1887–1961), Harpo (1888–1964), Groucho (1890–1977), and Zeppo (1901–1979)], W. C. Fields [1880-1946]) and the physical eruptions of those who use extreme body comedy (Charlie Chaplin [1889-1977], Jerry Lewis [b. 1926]) are predicated on the delicate balance between resistance and inevitable surrender—indeed, the resistance serves to make the surrender even funnier. Slapstick's classic moment, the pie in the face, is funny only if the recipient is not already covered in pie but is first clean and neat; slipping on a banana skin provides humor only when the before —the dignified march—is contrasted with the after —the flat-out splayed pratfall on the sidewalk. Slapstick comedians learned early on that humor could be prolonged if resistance, whether to gravity or another inevitability, could also be prolonged—in other words, as long as there were a chance that the other shoe might fall. http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Romantic-Comedy-Yugoslavia/Slapstick-Comedy.html

The Marx Brothers: Harpo, Groucho, and Chico

8

Snowdrop from Grimms’ Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm,

an early known tale of the story of Snow White.

SNOWDROP

It was the middle of winter, when the broad flakes of snow were falling around, that the queen of a country many thou-sand miles off sat working at her window. The frame of the window was made of fine black ebony, and as she sat looking out upon the snow, she pricked her finger, and three drops of blood fell upon it. Then she gazed thoughtfully upon the red drops that sprinkled the white snow, and said, 'Would that my little daughter may be as white as that snow, as red as that blood, and as black as this ebony window frame!' And so the little girl really did grow up; her skin was as white as snow, her cheeks as rosy as the blood, and her hair as black as ebony; and she was called Snowdrop.

But this queen died; and the king soon married another wife, who became queen, and was very beautiful, but so vain that she could not bear to think that anyone could be handsomer than she was. She had a fairy looking-glass, to which she used to go, and then she would gaze upon herself in it, and say:

'Tell me, glass, tell me true! Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest, tell me, who?'

And the glass had always answered:

'Thou, queen, art the fairest in all the land.'

But Snowdrop grew more and more beautiful; and when she was seven years old she was as bright as the day, and fairer than the queen herself. Then the glass one day answered the queen, when she went to look in it as usual:

'Thou, queen, art fair, and beauteous to see, But Snowdrop is lovelier far than thee!'

When she heard this she turned pale with rage and envy, and called to one of her servants, and said, 'Take Snowdrop away into the wide wood, that I may never see her any more.' Then the servant led her away; but his heart melted when Snowdrop begged him to spare her life, and he said, 'I will not hurt you, thou pretty child.' So he left her by herself; and though he thought it most likely that the wild beasts would tear her in pieces, he felt as if a great weight were taken off his heart when he had made up his mind not to kill her but to leave her to her fate, with the chance of someone finding and sav-ing her.

Then poor Snowdrop wandered along through the wood in great fear; and the wild beasts roared about her, but none did her any harm. In the evening she came to a cottage among the hills, and went in to rest, for her little feet would carry her no further. Everything was spruce and neat in the cottage: on the table was spread a white cloth, and there were seven little plates, seven little loaves, and seven little glasses with wine in them; and seven knives and forks laid in order; and by the wall stood seven little beds. As she was very hungry, she picked a little piece of each loaf and drank a very little wine out of each glass; and after that she thought she would lie down and rest. So she tried all the little beds; but one was too long, and an-other was too short, till at last the seventh suited her: and there she laid herself down and went to sleep.

By and by in came the masters of the cottage. Now they were seven little dwarfs, that lived among the mountains, and dug and searched for gold. They lighted up their seven lamps, and saw at once that all was not right. The first said, 'Who has been sitting on my stool?' The second, 'Who has been eating off my plate?' The third, 'Who has been picking my bread?' The fourth, 'Who has been meddling with my spoon?' The fifth, 'Who has been handling my fork?' The sixth, 'Who has been cutting with my knife?' The seventh, 'Who has been drinking my wine?' Then the first looked round and said, 'Who has been lying on my bed?' And the rest came running to him, and everyone cried out that somebody had been upon his bed. But the seventh saw Snowdrop, and called all his brethren to come and see her; and they cried out with wonder and astonishment and brought their lamps to look at her, and said, 'Good heavens! what a lovely child she is!' And they were very glad to see her, and took care not to wake her; and the seventh dwarf slept an hour with each of the other dwarfs in turn, till the night was gone.

In the morning Snowdrop told them all her story; and they pitied her, and said if she would keep all things in order, and cook and wash and knit and spin for them, she might stay where she was, and they would take good care of her. Then they went out all day long to their work, seeking for gold and silver in the mountains: but Snowdrop was left at home; and they warned her, and said, 'The queen will soon find out where you are, so take care and let no one in.'

9

But the queen, now that she thought Snowdrop was dead, believed that she must be the handsomest lady in the land; and she went to her glass and said:

'Tell me, glass, tell me true! Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest, tell me, who?'

And the glass answered:

'Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land: But over the hills, in the greenwood shade, Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, There Snowdrop is hiding her head; and she Is lovelier far, O queen! than thee.'

Then the queen was very much frightened; for she knew that the glass always spoke the truth, and was sure that the serv-ant had betrayed her. And she could not bear to think that anyone lived who was more beautiful than she was; so she dressed herself up as an old pedlar, and went her way over the hills, to the place where the dwarfs dwelt. Then she knocked at the door, and cried, 'Fine wares to sell!' Snowdrop looked out at the window, and said, 'Good day, good woman! what have you to sell?' 'Good wares, fine wares,' said she; 'laces and bobbins of all colours.' 'I will let the old lady in; she seems to be a very good sort of body,' thought Snowdrop, as she ran down and unbolted the door. 'Bless me!' said the old woman, 'how badly your stays are laced! Let me lace them up with one of my nice new laces.' Snowdrop did not dream of any mischief; so she stood before the old woman; but she set to work so nimbly, and pulled the lace so tight, that Snowdrop's breath was stopped, and she fell down as if she were dead. 'There's an end to all thy beauty,' said the spiteful queen, and went away home.

In the evening the seven dwarfs came home; and I need not say how grieved they were to see their faithful Snowdrop stretched out upon the ground, as if she was quite dead. However, they lifted her up, and when they found what ailed her, they cut the lace; and in a little time she began to breathe, and very soon came to life again. Then they said, 'The old woman was the queen herself; take care another time, and let no one in when we are away.'

When the queen got home, she went straight to her glass, and spoke to it as before; but to her great grief it still said:

'Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land: But over the hills, in the greenwood shade, Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, There Snowdrop is hiding her head; and she Is lovelier far, O queen! than thee.'

Then the blood ran cold in her heart with spite and malice, to see that Snowdrop still lived; and she dressed herself up again, but in quite another dress from the one she wore before, and took with her a poisoned comb. When she reached the dwarfs' cottage, she knocked at the door, and cried, 'Fine wares to sell!' But Snowdrop said, 'I dare not let anyone in.' Then the queen said, 'Only look at my beautiful combs!' and gave her the poisoned one. And it looked so pretty, that she took it up and put it into her hair to try it; but the moment it touched her head, the poison was so powerful that she fell down senseless. 'There you may lie,' said the queen, and went her way. But by good luck the dwarfs came in very early that evening; and when they saw Snowdrop lying on the ground, they thought what had happened, and soon found the poisoned comb. And when they took it away she got well, and told them all that had passed; and they warned her once more not to open the door to anyone.

Meantime the queen went home to her glass, and shook with rage when she read the very same answer as before; and she said, 'Snowdrop shall die, if it cost me my life.' So she went by herself into her chamber, and got ready a poisoned apple: the outside looked very rosy and tempting, but whoever tasted it was sure to die. Then she dressed herself up as a peasant's wife, and travelled over the hills to the dwarfs' cottage, and knocked at the door; but Snowdrop put her head out of the window and said, 'I dare not let anyone in, for the dwarfs have told me not.' 'Do as you please,' said the old woman, 'but at any rate take this pretty apple; I will give it you.' 'No,' said Snowdrop, 'I dare not take it.' 'You silly girl!' answered the other, 'what are you afraid of? Do you think it is poisoned? Come! do you eat one part, and I will eat the other.' Now the apple was so made up that one side was good, though the other side was poisoned. Then Snowdrop was much tempted to taste, for the apple looked so very nice; and when she saw the old woman eat, she could wait no longer. But she had scarcely put the piece into her mouth, when she fell down dead upon the ground. 'This time nothing will save thee,' said the queen; and she went home to her glass, and at last it said:

'Thou, queen, art the fairest of all the fair.'

And then her wicked heart was glad, and as happy as such a heart could be.

10

When evening came, and the dwarfs had gone home, they found Snowdrop lying on the ground: no breath came from her lips, and they were afraid that she was quite dead. They lifted her up, and combed her hair, and washed her face with wine and water; but all was in vain, for the little girl seemed quite dead. So they laid her down upon a bier, and all seven watched and bewailed her three whole days; and then they thought they would bury her: but her cheeks were still rosy; and her face looked just as it did while she was alive; so they said, 'We will never bury her in the cold ground.' And they made a coffin of glass, so that they might still look at her, and wrote upon it in golden letters what her name was, and that she was a king's daughter. And the coffin was set among the hills, and one of the dwarfs always sat by it and watched. And the birds of the air came too, and bemoaned Snowdrop; and first of all came an owl, and then a raven, and at last a dove, and sat by her side.

And thus Snowdrop lay for a long, long time, and still only looked as though she was asleep; for she was even now as white as snow, and as red as blood, and as black as ebony. At last a prince came and called at the dwarfs' house; and he saw Snowdrop, and read what was written in golden letters. Then he offered the dwarfs money, and prayed and besought them to let him take her away; but they said, 'We will not part with her for all the gold in the world.' At last, however, they had pity on him, and gave him the coffin; but the moment he lifted it up to carry it home with him, the piece of apple fell from between her lips, and Snowdrop awoke, and said, 'Where am I?' And the prince said, 'Thou art quite safe with me.'

Then he told her all that had happened, and said, 'I love you far better than all the world; so come with me to my fa-ther's palace, and you shall be my wife.' And Snowdrop consented, and went home with the prince; and everything was got ready with great pomp and splendour for their wedding.

To the feast was asked, among the rest, Snowdrop's old enemy the queen; and as she was dressing herself in fine rich clothes, she looked in the glass and said:

'Tell me, glass, tell me true! Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest, tell me, who?'

And the glass answered:

'Thou, lady, art loveliest here, I ween; But lovelier far is the new-made queen.'

When she heard this she started with rage; but her envy and curiosity were so great, that she could not help setting out to see the bride. And when she got there, and saw that it was no other than Snowdrop, who, as she thought, had been dead a long while, she choked with rage, and fell down and died: but Snowdrop and the prince lived and reigned happily over that land many, many years; and sometimes they went up into the mountains, and paid a visit to the little dwarfs, who had been so kind to Snowdrop in her time of need.

Snowdrop curtesy of:

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Grimms' Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm

Schneewittchen by Alexander Zick (1845-1907)

Franz Juttner (1865-1925)

11

Vocabulary for Rosalynde & the Falcon

Adieu – French, goodbye; farewell.

Arrogant - making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights; overbearingly assuming; insolently proud:

Au Revoir – French, until we see each other again; goodbye for the present.

Bane - a person or thing that ruins or spoils

Bequeath - to dispose of (personal property, especially money) by last will

Bonne Chance - French, “good courage” or good luck

Charity - generous actions or donations to aid the poor, ill, or helpless:

Crone – a withered, witchlike old woman.

Culprit - a person or other agent guilty of or responsible for an offense or fault.

Discern - to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinct or different; discriminate

Docile - easily managed or handled; tractable

Drowse - to be sleepy or half-asleep

Dwell - to live or stay as a permanent resident; reside.

Epilogue - a speech, usually in verse, delivered by one of the actors after the conclusion of a play.

Equine - of, relating to, or resembling a horse

Falcon - any of several birds of prey, distinguished by long, pointed wings, a hooked beak with a toothlike notch on each side of

the upper bill, and swift, agile flight, typically diving to seize prey.

Forsake - to quit or leave entirely; abandon; desert

Garments - any article of clothing

Hark - to listen attentively; hearken

Illiterate - unable to read and write

Kinsmen – a relative

Pallet - a small or makeshift bed

Parasite - a person who receives support, or the like, from another without giving anything in return.

Pong - an unpleasant smell; stink

Realm - a royal domain; kingdom

Redistribution - the practice of lessening or reducing inequalities in income through antipoverty programs.

Reign - the period during which a king or queen occupies the throne

Reprise - a return to the first theme or subject

Scheming - given to making plans, especially sly and underhand ones; crafty

Seize - to take possession of by force or at will

Treachery - violation of faith; betrayal of trust; treason

Tuppence – “twopence” a bronze coin of the United Kingdom equal to two pennies.

Vocational - relating to, or connected with an occupation

12

How to make an awesome Superhero Mask

From: www.howtorunakidsparty.com

Making a superhero mask is a brilliant arts and crafts activity and it works wonders at a general superhero party. Here’s what you need:

Cardboard, felt or fabric for the mask itself (cardboard is best if you want to do some decorating)

Elastic cord or lengths of ribbon (if using fabric/felt) for the tie sides

Pens, paints, glue, sequins, feathers, etc. to decorate the masks (optional but brilliant fun)

A print out of this template here (a downloadable pdf ) which is about the right size for a kid’s face – you can always adjust the ties if you have really little ones.

Here’s how to do it:

1) Print out your template onto A4 or Letter size card stock.

2) Color, paint or decorate the mask as you like.

3) Cut out the mask, including the eyeholes.

4) Punch a pair of holes on either side of the mask. Cut a length of elastic string (about 12 inches long

seems to work) and tie the ends around the pair of holes at the sides of the mask.

5) Try it on and adjust the elastic to the right size if needs be.

Cut out the template first then draw round it with a pencil onto your fabric. Then cut out the mask and the

eye holes, before punching holes for each tie side with the tip of some scissors. Threading some ribbon

through either side of the mask looks nice and will make a more comfortable and adjustable tie.

13

14

15

Create your own disguise

On these two pages you will find designs to make your own disguise. To download templates, go the

websites listed under the templates and print and create your own special secret identity.

16

Great Reads and More

Books

As You Like It (Folger Shakespeare Library) Jul 1, 2004 by William

Shakespeare

As You Like It (No Fear Shakespeare) Jun 22, 2004 by SparkNotes

Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs: A Tale from the Brothers Grimm

(Sunburst Book)

Nov 1, 1987 by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm K. Grimm

Seriously, Snow White Was SO Forgetful! The Story of Snow White as

Told by the Dwarves (The Other Side of the Story) February 1, 2013 by

Nancy Loewen and Gerald Guerlais

The Adventures of Robin Hood (Puffin Classics) Mar 18, 2010

by Roger Lancelyn Green and John Boyne

Robyn Hood: A Girl's Tale Feb 16, 2013 by K. M. Shea

Robin Hood for Children Jun 26, 2013 by Henrietta Marshall

DVD’s

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Adriana Caselotti, Harry Stockwell: David Hand (Director) Rated: G: Format: DVD Snow White - The Fairest of Them All Miranda Richardson, Tom Irwin Caroline Thompson (Director, Producer, Writer) Rated: G: Format: DVD

Robin Hood: 40th Anniversary Edition Brian Bedford, Pat Buttram:& 0 more Rated: G: Format: DVD

Marx Brothers Films

A Night at the Opera (Ages 7+)

Monkey Business (Ages 5+)

Duck Soup Ages (7+)

17

Recycled Percussion

Here are several ideas to make your own percussion instruments at school or at home.

Materials: Construction Paper, Crayons, Magic Markers, Paint, Tape, Glue, Stapler, Yarn, Bells, Rice, Beans,

Pencils, Used Thread Spools, Popsicle Sticks, Coffee Cans, Oatmeal Boxes, Pringles Cans, Plastic Pop Bottles,

Paper Plates, Mailing Tubes, Paper Towel Tubes

Drums

Using a coffee can, Quaker Oatmeal box or Pringles can, you can create a unique drum with a different

sound depending on shape and size. Decorate a piece of construction paper and wrap it around an old

coffee can with a lid. Secure construction paper with tape or glue. Use your hands for drumming or use a

set of homemade mallets. Make several different kinds and create a drum set.

Mallets

Using 2 pencils and 2 used spools of thread, glue 1 spool to 1 pencil and repeat. Paint the homemade

mallets to use with your drums.

Shakers

Using small or large plastic used pop bottles or Pringles can, fill each bottle with rice and beans. Secure with

cap. Cover with decorated construction paper or paint the bottle with vibrant paint colors.

Rain Sticks

Using a mailing tube, Pringles can or paper towel tube, cover one end with a lid or construction paper and

masking tape to make it secure. Cut slits in sides of tube big enough for a small popsicle stick. Fill tube with

rice. Slide popsicle sticks into the slits. Secure the other end with construction paper and masking tape or

lid. Decorate.

To make rain sound, slowly tip tube from one end to the other letting the rice hit the popsicle sticks as they

fall to the bottom.

Tambourines

Using two paper plates, staple the two fronts together. Use a hole punch to punch holes around the outside

of the plates. Tie a bell to a short piece of yarn and tie to the holes in the plates. Secure bells with a knot.

Decorate.

Illustration by

Geoff Slater

18

Theater, Music, Movement and Art Activities for the Classroom These Activities can be adjusted for all ages for the Elementary School Classroom

Theater

Sensory Walk

Start with students in a circle. Create a calm and quiet atmosphere and dim the lights if possible.

Tell students this is a quiet exercise where they will be using their imaginations not their voices.

Ask students to listen to the sound of your voice and quietly begin to move about the room. Ask

students to respect each other’s personal space as they move about the room. Begin feeding the

students images and have them act out the image as they move about the space. For example:

You are walking through a forest. It is sunny and warm. How do you feel? Is the sun warm on

your face? What do you see? Are there flowers in the grass? What do you hear? Are there birds

singing a pretty melody? Etc. Continue feeding the students images and continue to get them to

act out what they experience as they walk about the room.

You may use a story or piece of literature as inspiration for the sensory walk.

When the exercise is done, bring students back to circle and debrief the exercise by asking about

their experience while doing the exercise.

Mirror Exercise

Students are paired up and each pair is spread around the classroom. Ask one student in each

pair to be player A and one person to be player B. Tell students this is a silent exercise. Have

player A and B face each other. Player A begins as the leader and Player B must follow. Explain to

students that they are looking into a mirror and seeing an exact mirror image of themselves. They

are to follow the leader’s movements exactly. Ask the leader to move slowly. Ask students to

maintain eye contact and try to match their movements so that the teacher cannot tell who is

leading and who is following. After a time, switch so that B is the leader and A is following.

When the exercise is done, bring students back to circle and debrief the exercise by asking about

their experience while doing the exercise.

19

Theater Activities Continued

Pass the Prop

Students gather in a standing circle. The teacher selects a prop such as a piece of fabric or a

foam noodle. The prop is passed to each student in the circle. As each student receives the

prop, they must come up with a way to use the prop as another object. For example: a piece

of fabric is passed to student A and they create a baseball bat with it. Student B creates a

lawn mower with the fabric. Student C creates a megaphone with the fabric. Each student

must show how their prop is used and the rest of the students may guess what the object is

supposed to represent.

Cross the Room

Divide the students into two lines facing each other at opposite ends of the room. Each line

takes a turn crossing to the other side of the room. The teacher calls out what each line is

crossing as. For example: Cross the room as if you were 2 years old. Now cross the room as

if you were 16 years old. Now cross the room as if you were 30 years old. Now cross the

room as if you were 60 years old. Now cross the room as if you were 100 years old.

Different categories can be explored depending on the story or theme that the students are

working on. You might use types of animals if you are working on fables. You might use

characters from a fairy tale such as a prince, queen, peasant, etc.

One Word Story

Students begin in a sitting circle. The teacher begins the story with one word. The object of

the exercise is to create a full story with each student only speaking one word at a time.

Students must complete full sentences that make sense and the story must have a beginning,

middle and an end. Go around the circle in the order that the students are sitting in. The

teacher may side coach if necessary to help decide where the sentences end or the story

itself ends. Example of prompting might be “and now we need a conflict, and now we need

to resolve the conflict, and now we need to bring our story to an end”. Encourage students

to use descriptive adjectives to make the story more interesting.

20

Theater Activities Continued

Write Your Own Story to Perform

The teacher sits students either on floor or in desks all facing the teacher. The teacher helps

guide students in creating a short play by using their suggestions. The teacher can make a copy of

the form on page 24 or use the dry erase/smart board to create story. The teacher starts by

asking who the characters are in the story. Get about five characters. Decide what lessen should

be learned from the story. Next, under opening of story, create a setting (where does the story

take place, why are the characters at this place). Under 1st incident, come up with a conflict

which is counter to the lesson to be learned using two of the characters. Next using another

character, come up with another complication or conflict which makes it even harder for the les-

son to be learned. Repeat for the subsequent complications. Next, find a resolution from the

conflicts that lets the characters resolve the story. Create a title for the story. The teacher should

read back the story adding exciting details to make the story come alive.

For older students you may divide them in groups of 3-5 and have students come up with their

own unique story. Then have students gather/create props, costumes and scenery for their story,

rehearse the stories as a play and perform them for each other. This may be

divided into multiple lesson days.

Example of Story Line

Title: Little Red Riding Hood

Lesson to be Learned: Listen to your parents

Characters: Little Red, Mother, Father, Grandmother, Wolf

Opening: Little Red’s mother is giving her a basket of food for her grandmother but

cautions her to not to talk to strangers as she crosses through the woods.

1st Incident A Wolf calls out to Little Red to stop for a while and chat.

1st Complication Little Red stops and talks to the wolf and tells him that she is on her way

to grandma’s house

2nd Complication The Wolf gets to grandma’s house first and gobbles up grandma

3rd Complication Little Red gets to grandma’s house and discovers that the wolf is dressed

as grandma and wants to gobble her up too.

Resolution Little Red screams and her father who is nearby chopping wood comes

and chops the wolf up and rescues Little Red and Grandma.

21

Music Activities

Sound Garden

Teacher gathers students in a sitting circle. Teacher explains that each student needs to come up

with a unique sound. It can be singing a note, making noises with the mouth, snapping,

clapping, anything that they like as long as they can produce the sound using their own voice and/or

body. Students then lay down in the circle with their heads all pointing to the center of the circle

and their feet to the outside of the circle. Teacher instructs students to close their eyes and one at

a time add their unique sound to the circle. When all have added their sound, the teacher can side

coach students to listen to the new sound that the class has created. The teacher can end the

exercise when all students have had a chance to participate. This can be repeated with students

choosing a new sound.

When the exercise is done, bring students back to circle and debrief the exercise by asking about

their experience while doing the exercise.

Vocal Orchestra

Arrange students in a group facing the teacher. Teacher asks each student to create a vocal sound

that is unique to the student. If teacher points to student, they must continue making their sound

until teacher gives them a stop signal. Teacher conducts students as if they were an orchestra

bringing students into the orchestra at the same time, bringing small groups at the same time,

having single students bringing their sound in. Teacher can use dynamics of louder, softer, faster,

slower, to help direct orchestra.

When the exercise is done, bring students back to circle and debrief the exercise by asking about

their experience while doing the exercise.

Pass the Rhythm

Arrange student in a circle. Teacher claps out a rhythm and passes it to the student on the right.

The student must then clap the same rhythm and pass it to the next student. This continues as each

student claps out the rhythm and passes it to the next student until it has gone all the way around

the circle. The teacher increases the difficulty of each rhythm pattern.

To make this exercise into a game students must clap the exact rhythm pattern or they will be elimi-

nated and must sit in the middle of the circle. The last student standing is the winner.

When the exercise is done, bring students back to circle and debrief the exercise by asking about

their experience while doing the exercise.

22

Movement Activities

Pass the Movement

The teacher gathers students in a standing circle. The teacher comes up with a gesture or

movement that is simple enough for all of the students to do. The teacher begins by showing the

students the movement. The teacher then passes the movement to the student next to them.

Each student in turn, passes the movement to the next person in the circle. The teacher

challenges the students to receive the movement exactly as they received the movement and

pass the movement on in the same way.

Variation: Instead of passing the movement to the student next in order, the teacher may use the

movement that they have created to move across the circle, continuing the movement as they

travel and pass the movement to the student across the circle. Each student in turn must pass the

movement to someone across the circle, using their movement to propel them across the room.

The teacher should make sure that each student has a chance to participate.

When the exercise is done, bring students back to circle and debrief the exercise by asking about

their experience while doing the exercise.

Sculptures

The teacher stands at the front of the room and spreads out the students in 4 lines facing the

front of the classroom. Have lines 2 and 4 take one step to the right or left so that all students can

see the teacher and the teacher can see all students. The teacher creates a calm, quiet space and

tells students that this is a quiet exercise and that each student must respect each other’s

personal space. Dimming the lights and/or adding music can help to create the right mood. The

teacher asks the students to close their eyes and the teacher gives the students a word. Students

are asked what image comes to mind when they hear that word. Students are then asked to open

their eyes and using their body, create a frozen sculpture of that word. Students are encouraged

to use their hands, arms, legs, facial expressions. Students are encouraged to try new levels.

Once students find their position, they are asked to freeze so that the teacher can view the

sculpture garden.

You can add many levels to this exercise, depending on the age of the class.

Students can work in pairs to create their word. Students can work in groups to create their word.

The teacher can give students a series of words and have each group of students perform each

word sculpture one after another so it looks as if it is a dance or story.

The teacher can also use phrases from texts of literature that they are working on to create

longer, sculpture movement stories. Sculpture words from Rosalynde & the Falcon are included

on page 23.

23

Art Activities

Design your own Mask

The Ancient Greeks used masks in their theatrical productions. Masks can hide or reveal our true

selves and masks can also help actors create or delineate characters.

Teachers can create mask templates using their own designs of find design templates on-line for

coloring or to create actual masks for students to decorate and wear. Teachers can also find mask

making supplies in local craft stores. Decorate with crayons, markers, paints, feathers, beads, se-

quins and anything else you can think of. Use yarn or elastic to tie masks on students.

Create your own Puppet

Puppets also date back to ancient civilizations and were also very popular during the Renaissance.

Puppets are great for story telling in the classroom. Puppets can be made out of socks, lunch bags,

clothes pins, gloves, tongue depressors, paper and much, much more. Puppet templates can also

be found at your local craft store.

Make Your Own Percussion Instruments

See page 17 for Recycled Percussion

Apple

Bat

Best Friend

Cape

Charity

Crone

Crown

Dance

Deer

Disguise

Drum

Falcon

Family

Flute

Fool

Forest

Funny

Gift

Gold

Happy

Harmony

Hero

Hide

King

Mask

Moustache

Poor

Pride

Queen

Rich

Secret

Squirrel

Steal

Thief

To Dance To Give

To Hide To Laugh To Play To Run To Sneak To Steal Wise

Witch

Sculpture Words for Rosalynde & the Falcon

24

TITLE OF STORY LESSON TO BE LEARNED

CHARACTERS

OPENING OF STORY

1ST INCIDENT

COMPLICATION 1

COMPLICATION 2

COMPLICATION 3

CONCLUSION

25

Writing Activities after seeing Rosalynde & the Falcon

For Younger Students

1. Make a list of acts of kindness or charity that can be done everyday.

2. Draw a columns on a piece of paper. Make a list of character traits that make someone a true hero.

Discuss how we can practice these traits in our own life.

3. Pick a character from Rosalynde & the Falcon and draw a picture of the character. Next to the

picture, list 5 words that describe that character.

5. Draw a self-portrait. Write 5 words that describe your best character traits.

6. Create your own hero, like the Falcon. If you were a hero, what would you do? Who or what

would you help? (i.e. people, animals, the planet) Write a few sentences that describe your hero.

For Older Students

1. Pick a character from the production of Rosalynde & the Falcon. Write a series of diary entries for

each day describing the character’s journey through the play. Start each page with Dear Diary, or

Dear Journal. Then write about your day from a first person’s point of view, as if you were really

the character having these adventures.

2. Create a Newspaper. Divide students into groups and have each student write a story for their

group newspaper. The stories should center around a new adventure the Falcon has had, or maybe

a new person he has helped. Students may use pictures or illustrations to make their newspaper

come to life.

3. Divide students into small groups. Each student thinks about a story they would like to tell about a

hero saving the world. Students vote on which story needs to be told the most. Students write a

story that demonstrates the hero’s bravery. Students rehearse and perform story. Students may

add props and costumes if desired. (use page 20 activity and page 24 template)

5. Have students write a play review of Rosalynde & the Falcon. Talk to students about what it

means to critique a play. Have students write about what they liked best and what they might

change. Students may include favorite actors, moments in the play, costumes, sets and music.

26

Discussion Questions after seeing Rosalynde & the Falcon These questions can also be used as Writing Prompts

1. Rosalynde leaves home all by herself. What do you think she felt like? Have you ever had to do any-

thing that made you feel brave? Anything that made you nervous at first?

2. How did wearing a disguise change Rosalynde? Did it teach her anything? What is it like wearing a

costume? Does wearing a costume do anything to your personality or attitude? If you could do

anything you want in disguise, what would you do? If you could be anyone or anything in the

world for a day, who/what would you be?

3. Do the thieves in the story learn anything?

4. Does the King learn anything? Is it easy for you to apologize if you have done something wrong?

5. Rosalynde pardons the king at the end of the story. Do you think this was easy to do? Is it im-

portant to forgive someone who has wronged you? Is it easy to forgive someone who has

wronged you? Is it important to forgive someone who has wronged someone you love?

Is it easy to forgive someone who has wronged someone you love?

6. Roland doesn’t do very well keeping Rosalynde’s disguise secret from his father. Is it easy to keep a

secret? Can secrets be kept forever? Are you good at keeping a secret? Is there a difference be-

tween keeping your own secret or a friend’s secret? Even though Roland doesn’t keep Rosalynde’s

secret is he still a good friend?

7. If you won the lottery, how would you spend the money?

8. Why do you think Rosalynde’s mother, the Queen, stayed away? Why didn’t she try to return to

her kingdom?

9. Why didn’t Rosalynde want to be queen?

27

Theater Glossary from Ohio Academic Content Standards

dra-ma \'dräm-.\ the-ater \'the-.t-.r\ n : a formal or informal process where the drama/

theatre experience (process) is tantamount to the performance (product); drama: plays, dramatic

literature and the works of authors providing literal dramatization of life; theatre: production

activities—acting, directing, designing, scene construction, operating and managing—in synthesis

for performance.

Action The unfolding events of a drama.

Actor A performer in a dramatic/theatrical work.

Art forms Forms (structures) germane to the fine arts—dance, drama/theatre, music and visual art.

Audience Those who participate in drama as spectators.

Basic acting skills Abilities such as changing voice, posture, movement and language, that are

fundamental to creating a character in a dramatic/theatrical work.

Block To determine the placement and movement of actors in a dramatic/theatrical

work.

Cast To assign the parts or roles of a play to actors (verb); the actors in a dramatic/

theatrical work (noun).

Character One of the people within a dramatic/theatrical work; the part or personality an

actor portrays.

Choreographer One who arranges or directs the movements and details of a dance or other

performance.

Conflict The struggle between opposing forces that brings about the action in a dramatic/ theatrical

work or story; can be internal (within a character) or external (between a character and an

outside force).

Costume designer A person who designs costumes.

Critique To evaluate a work (verb); an evaluation of a work (noun).

Design components Components such as clothing, props, sound or lighting that create the environment for a dra-

matic/theatrical work.

Dialogue A conversation between two or more characters in a work that is used by writers to give in-

sight into the characters themselves.

Director The person responsible for making decisions about the artistic interpretation and presenta-

tion of a dramatic/theatrical work.

Dramatization Events or actions presented in a dramatic manner or for theatrical presentation.

Elements of theatre The ingredients of dramatic/theatrical activity including space, time, imitation, action, lan-

guage and energy.

Exposition The information given to the audience about the characters and setting of a play.

Improvisation The spontaneous, unscripted use of words and actions to create a character or

represent an object.

Lighting designer A person who plans the lighting.

Makeup designer A person who designs an actor's makeup.

Monologue A scene written for one actor in which the actor speaks aloud to him/herself, to

another character or to the audience.

28

Theater Glossary from Ohio Academic Content Standards (Continued)

Mood The feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for a reader; a reflection of an

author's attitude toward a subject or theme; the feeling or atmosphere created by a dramatic/

theatrical work.

Pantomime Acting without speaking.

Playwright A person who writes plays.

Plot pyramid A sequence of events that includes rising action, climax, falling action and

resolution.

Presentational Theatre Works of drama in which the audience is recognized, perhaps by actors speaking

directly to the audience.

Production staff Persons responsible for the design and production of a dramatic/theatrical work.

Prompt A cue or suggestion for action.

Properties master A person who selects props.

Props From the word properties. The objects used on stage to enhance the believability of charac-

ters and action.

Reflection The process of thinking about one's own thinking, thought processes and actions or products.

Resolution The point in a dramatic/theatrical work when the main conflict is resolved.

Scenic designer A person who designs the setting.

Script Written dialogue and directions for a dramatic work.

Setting Time and place of the action of a dramatic/theatrical work; the scenery used to

represent a time and place.

Sound designer A person who plans sound effects.

Stage directions Directions in a script written to tell how to perform the action on stage.

Stage manager A person responsible for maintaining the stage.

Tableau A scene or picture depicted by silent and motionless actors.

Technical crew A group of people responsible for technical aspects of production such as sound

and lighting.

Technical elements Components, such as scenery, sound, lighting, costume design, props and makeup, which are

used to develop setting, action and characters in dramatic/theatrical works.

Theme Meaning or message of a literary or dramatic work.

Time period A time period recognized for its distinct characteristics. In drama, recognized

historical time periods include Origin, Greek/Roman, Medieval, Renaissance,

Restoration, 17th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century and

Contemporary.

Resource Guide prepared by Lisa Ortenzi, TCT Board Member

And Katelyn Cornelius, Director of Education, TCT

Email: info@talespinnerchildrenstheatre.org

Phone: 216.264.9680

Mailing Address: The Reinberger Auditorium

5209 Detroit Ave.

Cleveland, Ohio 44102