"Of Mice and Men" Play Guide

JANUARY 19 - FEBRUARY 21, 2016 | QUADRACCI POWERHOUSE

www.MilwaukeeRep.com | 414-224-9490

By John SteinbeckDirected by Mark Clements

Associate Producers:Carol and Rob Manegold

James Pickering’s Performance is Sponsored by:Linda and John Mellowes &

Donna and Tony Meyer

Jonathan Gillard Daly’sPerformance is Sponsored by:Pati and Jim Ericson

2 Of Mice and Men - PlayGuide

Mark ClementsARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Chad BaumanMANAGING DIRECTOR

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PLAY GUIDE WRITTEN BYKelsey Ingle

Education Coordinator

Abby SteinEducation Intern

PLAY GUIDE EDITED BYJenny Toutant

Education Director

Amanda GarriganEducation Resident

Lisa FultonDirector of Marketing and Communications

GRAPHIC DESIGNEric Reda

Table of Contents Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Cast and Creative Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Production History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 John Steinbeck Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Banned Books. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The Era of the Great Depression. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Timeline of the Great Depression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Steinbeck Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Of Mice and Men Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Featured Artist: Doolittle and Hawkeye . . . . . . . . . 8 To a Mouse, by Robert Burns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Outcasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 About our Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Visiting The Rep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

JANUARY 19 - FEBRUARY 21, 2016 | QUADRACCI POWERHOUSE

Executive Producers:Jackie Herd-Barber & Michael Barber

By John Steinbeck | Directed by Mark ClementsAssociate Producers Carol and Rob Manegold

James Pickering’s Performance is Sponsored by:Linda and John Mellowes & Donna and Tony Meyer

Jonathan Gillard Daly’s Performance is Sponsored by:Pati and Jim Ericson

A Co-Production with Arizona Theatre Company

www.MilwaukeeRep.com 3

SYNOPSIS CASTBernard Balbot - Curley

Jonathan Gillard Daly - Boss

James D. Farrugio - Slim

Sean Patrick Fawcett - Carlson

Kelley Faulkner - Curley’s Wife

Scott Greer- Lennie

Chike Johnson - Crooks

James Pickering - Candy

Jonathan Wainwright - George

CREATIVE TEAMMark Clements

DirectorTodd Edward Ivins

Scenic DesignerRachel Laritz

Costume Designer Jesse Klug

Lighting Designer Joe Cerqua

Original Music and Sound DesignerJamie Cheatham

Fight Choreographer Leda HoffmannAssociate Director

Nabrashaa NelsonAssistant Director

JC ClementzCasting Director

Richelle Harrington CalinStage Manager

Kimberly CarolusAssistant Stage Manager

Jennifer Lynn AndersonAssistant Stage Manager

Rivka KellyStage Management Intern

Friends since childhood, and driven from their home by economic hardship during The Great Depression, George and Lennie travel together from farm to farm as migrant workers. It is uncommon to see two men traveling together in general, but is particularly unusual because of Lennie’s childlike mental ability. However, George and Lennie have a plan that sustains them: to buy their own farm, raise their own food, and live off the fat of the land. Lennie’s large stature and his simple mind caused trouble for the pair at previous farms, so they are traveling to a new ranch to find work. Instead of pushing on to the ranch that night, they set up camp along the Salinas River. George warns Lennie that should anything bad happen at this new farm, Lennie is instructed to meet at their campsite and wait for George to find him.Once they arrive on the ranch, George and Lennie meet a few important characters: Candy, the one-handed old swamper and his sickly dog; Curley, the hot-headed boss’s son who feels threatened by Lennie’s size; and Curley’s Wife, a dangerous flirt and the only female on the ranch. Lennie has a penchant for small, soft, and pretty things. He takes an immediate liking to Curley’s Wife, but George protectively warns him to stay away from her.At the end of the workday, the other farm hands return to the bunkhouse. One of the workers, Slim, announces that his dog just had a litter of puppies. Lennie is very excited by this news, so Slim gifts him a puppy and permits him to go to the barn to see them. At this point, George confesses to Slim that Lennie’s innocent, impulsive nature got him accused of rape by a woman at the last farm. Another farm worker, Carlson, complains about the stink from Candy’s senior dog. The men convince Candy that the time has come to put the animal out of its misery. Candy allows Carlson to take the dog out and shoot it. To distract themselves from the depressing situation, George tells Lennie the story of their future life on their very own farm. When Candy hears this, he offers to give them money towards the purchase price as long as he can go with them. For the first time, it seems their dream is within their reach.Later, Lennie, who has gone to the barn to see his new puppy, comes across Crooks, the only African-American farm worker. When Lennie eagerly tells him of their plan to buy their own place, Crooks belittles their dream, even though Crooks tries to join them at one point. Looking for Lennie, Candy and George join the two in Crook’s room. Once again, Curley’s Wife shows up. The men persist in their efforts to get her away from them by insisting her presence is not appreciated.The next day, Lennie is in the barn with his puppy that we find he has accidentally killed. When Curley’s Wife discovers Lennie with the dead pup and sees how distraught he is, she allows him to pet her soft hair out of sympathy. Lennie feels her hair, but is too rough, hurts her, and when she screams, he panics. While trying to keep her quiet by covering her mouth he accidently snaps her neck, killing her. Lennie flees to the spot George told him to remember.When Curley discovers his dead wife, the whole ranch sets off to hunt Lennie down. George hurries ahead of the pack to the meeting place. Aware of what awaits Lennie if he is discovered by the mob, George takes matters into his own hands…

Jonathan Wainwright.Photo by Michael Brosilow.“Of Mice and Men is a concerto of

loneliness and misery against the backdrop of the Dustbowl.”

– Director, Mark Clements


PRODUCTION HISTORYOf Mice and Men started as a novella written by John Steinbeck and was adapted for the stage by the same man. Originally, Steinbeck had hoped to create a new literary form that would read as both a play and a novelette. As justification of this new fictional category, Steinbeck said, “To read an objective novel is to see a little play in your head. All right, why not make it so you can see it on a stage?” At its first performance, in San Franscisco, the play/novelette fell flat, but after revisions from the famous director, George S. Kaufman, to make it more stage worthy, it became a commercial success on Broadway. The novel was original titled Something that Happened which is intentionally vague, and does not place blame on anyone in the novel for what occurred.

Of Mice and Men won “Best Play in 1938” from New York Drama Critics’ Circle. (Image Credit: dramacritics.org)

In November of 1937, Of Mice and Men made its Broadway debut, directed by George S. Kaufman and featuring the first African-American member of the Actors’ Equity Association, Leigh Whipper, as Crooks. (Image Credit: Actor Credit)

Of Mice and Men returned to Broadway in 2014 for a limited 18-week engagement starring James Franco as George and Chris O’Dowd as Lennie. (Image Credit: NY Times)

The first film adaptation was released in 1939, just two years after the publication of the novella. It starred Lon Chaney Jr. as Lennie and Burgess Meredith as George. It was nominated for four Oscars. (Image Credit: TV Movie Review)

Mark Clements, the director of the production at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, also directed an award-winning 2007 production of the play Of Mice and Men at Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia. Scott Greer (Lennie) will reprise his role from this same production.

Another film version was made in 1992, directed by Gary Sinise, he also played the role of George. John Malkovich played Lennie. They had originally portrayed these roles in 1980 at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. (Image Credit: imdb.com)

David Tennant starred in a broadcasted BBC radio play of Of Mice and Men in March of 2010. (Image Credit: BBC)

In 1974, a Broadway production was mounted with James Earl Jones playing the role of Lennie.

Steinbeck was determined to create the story in his own time so that he did

not do a disservice to the characters. During his writing in 1936, half of his manuscript was destroyed by his dog,

setting him back even farther.

The novella and play is coming up on its 80th anniversary next year.

Since Of Mice and Men was such a success, Steinbeck adapted both Tortilla Flat and The Moon is Down for the stage. Other playwrights in later years adapted more of Steinbeck’s work, like East of Eden and Cannery Row. (Image Credits: steinbeck.org)

This play is a co-production with Arizona Theatre Company. After its run in Milwaukee, it will move on to Phoenix and Tucson. (Image Credit: Arizona Theatre Company)


A Brief Biography of JOHN STEINBECKBorn in Salinas, California in 1902, John Steinbeck developed an early passion for writing. Creating short stories and poems consumed most of his adolescence. Enrolling at Stanford University, he studied creative writing until leaving in 1925 without a degree. He moved to New York City and worked as a laborer and free-lance journalist to support himself, but eventually moved back to California. He worked in a fish hatchery after completing his first novel Cup of Gold, which proved unsuccessful. However, his 1935 novel, Tortilla Flat earned him both critical and financial success. He would go on to write In Dubious Battle (1936), Of Mice and Men (1937), and The Grapes of Wrath (1939), among others.

He was a compassionate author who drew inspiration from experience of hardship, not just observation. Growing up in California farmland, Steinbeck personally appreciated the social and economic realities of our country during the 1920’s and 1930’s. His work, for the most part, reflects the Dust Bowl, labor, westward migration, and migrant workers.

Although The Grapes of Wrath won a Pulitzer Prize, due to its pro-labor themes, Steinbeck was suspected of communist inclinations. As a result he was not allowed in the armed forces. However, to prove his patriotism to the FBI, during World War II he wrote war propaganda and documented the training of Bomber Teams. The New York Herald Tribune hired him as a war correspondent and stationed him overseas.

Steinbeck married three times, fathered Thomas and John Steinbeck Jr. and died in New York in 1968. He is remembered as an engaged and empathetic writer to this day.

John Steinbeck (Image Credit: Steinbeck.org)

BANNED OR CHALLENGED BOOKSBecause the American Library Association is strongly committed to the First Amendment, it does not commonly censor books, but it does record any attempts to either challenge or ban certain books from libraries. A book challenge is when a person or group files a complaint about a book based on aspects of its content. A challenge is, in other words, a plea for libraries and schools to remove this book from their catalogue. However, a ban is the actual removal of said material by the American Library Association. The most frequent reason given to ban books is to protect children from certain ideas or information. According to the American Library Association’s records, Of Mice and Men has been banned or challenged 54 times nationally and internationally since 1954. Here are some other challenged or banned books with which you might be familiar: Book/ AuthorThe Great Gatsby, by F. Scott FitzgeraldThe Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. SalingerThe Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck To Kill a Mockingbird, By Harper Lee

The Color Purple, by Alice Walker

The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding

Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck

Animal Farm, by George Orwell

Gone with the Wind, by Margaret MitchellThe Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

“language and sexual references”“obscene” “anti-white"“vulgar words”“profanity” “psychological damage to the positive integration process”“sexual and social explicitness” “rough language”“smut““racist… recommended that it be removed from all schools”"demoralizing inasmuch as it implies that man is little more than an animal""profanity and using God's name in vain"“derogatory towards African Americans, women, and the developmentally disabled” Political theoriesUse of the phrase “masses will revolt""Orwell was a communist"The use of derogatory language towards slaves“satanic”

A Selection of Content Reasons Book was Challenged


THE GREAT DEPRESSION ERAThe Great Depression started with the stock market crash in 1929 and led to a huge change in the fortunes of America after the roaring prosperity of the late 1920s. Only ended by the USA’s involvement in World War II, The Great Depression spanned more than a decade. Of Mice and Men is set in some of the worst years before President Roosevelt’s election into office.

HOOVERVILLES: President Herbert Hoover was convinced that the economic downturn was a fleeting condition and would fix itself without government interference. When the government failed to provide relief, Hoover was blamed for his rigid financial policies. In a mockery of his regime, any of the shantytowns that were set up outside of large cities were named Hoovervilles. Desperate Americans who had lost their savings and subsequently their homes had to build their own temporary lodgings constructed of anything they could find: glass, cardboard, tin, and discarded lumber. The largest Hoovervilles sprung up outside of Washington D.C., New York City, and St. Louis.

MENTAL DISABILITIES IN THE 1930S: There was a small range of “cures” for a wide variety of mental illnesses, and therefore many illnesses were administered the exact same procedures. Depression was treated the same as Schizophrenia. Horrible atrocities were enacted upon the mentally ill, such as insulin-induced comas, lobotomies, and electroshock therapy. People with mental disabilities in the 1930s were not attended to with understanding or compassion. Since economic productivity was so important during this time, if they could not work, they were regarded as a burden.

DUST BOWL: Drought had plagued the Great Plains states in America since the beginning of the thirties. Combined with high winds and weakened crop roots, the light soil of Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico was whipped up into repeated dust storms. These infertile lands and a dying agricultural income drove almost 60% of the population from the area, which by 1940 meant that more than 2.5 million people had fled the Great Plains.

MIGRANT WORKERS: Much of the agricultural labor migrant workers provided on farms in the early 20th century has now been replaced by machines and new technology. But in the 1930s, men and women traveled hundreds of miles to find a job, walking for days without food, carrying everything they owned, some riding on the top of freight trains. They arrived at farms to found low wages and wretched living conditions on ranches that relied on their low cost labor to keep the price of their products down. Hundreds of thousands of farmers migrated to California to find work during The Great Depression. They were called “Okies” since as much as 20% of the workers came from the Oklahoma panhandle. Employment came and went, and since there was such a surplus of workers, any misconduct would not be tolerated. Migrant workers were unfairly treated with scorn and distaste since they were normally poor and dirty.

FDR believed that government should be responsible for the well being of its people. This was in opposition to his predecessor, Herbert Hoover. Intending to focus on the upwards of 13 million unemployed, FDR implemented experimental programs to meet his citizens basic needs. This included the Works Progress Administration, which employed people to build infrastructure such as bridges, schools, roads, and parks and the Civil Conservation Corps, which employed young men by sending them into the forests to dig ditches, build reservoirs and plant trees.During his time in office, FDR put in place several measures designed to establish a safer America. Social Security was established to guarantee pensions. The FDIC insured banks. National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) and the National Recovery Administration (NRA) regulated work hours and banned child labor. The Agricultural Adjustment Act subsidized farmers and provided them loans. The Home Owners’ Loan Corporation helped people with home foreclosures. Roosevelt served an unprecedented three terms in office and suffered from Polio.

A “Hooverville” shanty town outside of Seattle, Washington. (Image Credit: Washington.edu)

Black Tuesday, a crowd gathers outside the New York Stock Exchange in October of 1929. (Image Credit: Library of Congress)

A Bergonic Chair, designed to administer Electroshock Therapy. (Image Credit: Otis Historical Archives National Museum of Health and Medicine)

A dust storm approaches. (Image Credit: PBS)

Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange.(Image Credit: National Archives)

October 29, 1929, historically known as Black Tuesday, sent the country spiraling into a decline called, “The Great Depression.” Franklin D. Roosevelt, our 32nd President, would enter office during this time of social and economic misery. In his 1933 inaugural address, he assured the American Public that he would apply his campaign promise of a New Deal and bring the country out of this crisis. In his speech he reassured Americans that, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”


TIMELINE OF THE GREAT DEPRESSIONOctober: The stock market crashes on October, 24th (Black Tuesday), and plunges the country into The Great Depression, ending six years of unparalleled prosperity of the late 1920s. By the end of the year, more than $30 billion dollars will have disappeared in stock values. Banks struggled and were forced to foreclose on mortgages and reclaim loans.

January: 4–5 million Americans unemployed.February: Food Riots start to break out in US cities as average citizens starve.June: A drought in the Great Plains states of America begins and will last 7 long years.December: New York’s Bank of the United States collapses, and with its $200 million dollars in assets, it is the single largest bank failure in the nation’s history.

June: The Revenue Act of 1932 is the largest peacetime tax increase in US history.August: “In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town” from the movie The Crooners becomes a hit as Hoovervilles pop up all over the country.

March: Franklin Delano Roosevelt is elected as president of the United States in a landslide over Herbert Hoover. In his first hundred days in office, he introduces enormous emergency measures to help the American people. He calls them The New Deal.April: In an emergency measure, FDR orders the nation off the gold standard.May: Agricultural Adjustment Act passed, which pays farmers not to grow crops to reduce a food surplus and drive up prices.August: The Soil Erosion Act is enacted to control drought conditions in the Great Plains states.October: The Civil Works Administration is established to employ workers to construct hospitals, bridges, airports, schools, etc.

May: A huge dust storm is whipped up from the West and Southwest and gains momentum over three days, making it all the way to the east coast.August: “Li'l Abner” comic strip by cartoonist Al Capp begins, featuring an impoverished rural family and satirizing the Dust Bowl, The Great Depression, and the America Federal Surplus Relief Corporation.

August: The Social Security Act is signed into law.

October: John Steinbeck publishes a series of articles called “The Harvest Gypsies,” that expose the hardship of migrant workers and those living in labor camps. It is a precursor to many of his works.

February: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is published.May: Confidence in Roosevelt’s New Deal slips, and the US Economy enters a second depression when the government backs off of its stimulus tactics.July: The Farm Security Agency (FSA) sets up labor camps for migrant farm workers, provides medical care, and helps with job placement.

June: Fair Labor Standards Act regulates a national minimum wage law.

April: Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is published.

November: Roosevelt is elected to an unprecedented third term as president as the nation faces potential involvement in a brutal overseas war.

December: The USA enters WWII which effectively ends The Great Depression by jump-starting America’s industry.

1929

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Li’l Abner, a plain-spoken unemployed “yokel,” created by Al Capp.(Image Credit: Webcomic Overlook)

A local Farm Security Agency meets with members of the “Cannery,Agricultural, and Packing Allied Union” who are asking for food, loans,and work for their members. (Image Credit: Library of Congress)

Herbert Hoover,31st President of the United States.

The Grapes of Wrathby John Steinbeck.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt,32nd President of the United States.


FEATURED ARTISTS: HAWKEYE AND DOOLITTLEThe dogs are running away with the show! Two canine cast members are making a big splash at The Milwaukee Repertory Theater for their role in the play, Of Mice and Men. But how these pups are being treated, you may well believe it to be called Of Dogs and Men. Hawkeye and Doolittle are certainly getting the star treatment.Hawkeye is a Flat Coat Retriever and Doolittle is a German Short Hair Pointer. They are both senior dogs and are playing the same role of Candy’s Dog on alternating performance nights. Candy, played by James Pickering, is their onstage owner, but Hawkeye belongs to Jac Amerell and Barb Davies is Doolittle’s human (her words).Both dogs have a storied career behind them. Amerell has had Hawkeye since he was a puppy, and wants to make it clear that he is named after the University of Iowa mascot, a favorite of the breeder. Early in his career, Hawkeye was considered a conformation dog, which means his features conformed to most of the items of

OF MICE AND MEN COLLOQUIALISMS Every era has its unique slang. The Great Depression was no different. Below are samples of colloquialisms and terminology extracted from the script.“You get a kick out of that don't you?” – You like that, don’t you?“You ain't gonna put nothing over on me?” – You can’t trick me“work up a stake” – Earn some money“poundin' their tail” – Work very hard“on the wheeler's butt”– On the rump of the wheel horse, the horse harnessed nearest the front wheels of a vehicle“she got the eye” - Said of Curley's wife, meaning that she flirts and is interested in men other than her husband“roll your hoop”- A reference to a child's game. Candy is saying Curley's wife is just a child"to bind her" - To make a down payment“An’ I bet he’s eatin’ raw eggs and writin’ to the patent medicine houses” - Here, meaning that Curley is writing to mail-order businesses for medicines that increase sexual performance“S’pose he took a powder” - Ran away; left“Live off the fat of the land” - To have enough money to live in a very comfortable way without having to do much work

Bindle: A bundle, as of bedding, carried by a wandererBale: A large bundle of raw or finished material tightly bound with cord or wire and often wrappedBucking: Throwing Booby Hatch: An institution for the mentally illCandy Wagon: A farm cart used to transport peopleEuchre: A card gameGraybacks: Lice

Doolittle, a German Short Hair Pointer. Hawkeye, a Flat Coat Retriever.

STEINBECK COUNTRY The central coastal farming valley of California includes Steinbeck’s birthplace, Salinas, and is host to many settings for his novels. He was very fond of the area, and in 1933 and even said, “…I can see how I would like to do it so that it would be the valley of the world.” Because he made the landscape famous, the Salinas Valley and beyond is tenderly known today as Steinbeck Country. Here is a look at the stories that are set in Monterey Bay County, including Of Mice and Men.

Tiflin Ranch, setting for The Red Pony (1933)Salinas, setting for East of Eden (1952)Salinas Valley, setting for The Chrysanthemums (1937)Tortilla Flat, setting for Tortilla Flat (1935)Monterey, setting for Cannery Row (1945) Corral de Tierra Valley, setting for Pastures of Heaven (1932)Soledad, setting for Of Mice and Men (1937)

Salinas River

MontereyBay County,

California

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Liniment: A liquid or semi fluid preparation that is applied to the skinLuger: The pistol used by Germany through both World WarsLynch: To execute without due process of law, especially to hang, as by a mobManila Goo-Goo: A derogatory reference to the Philippine people competing for the limited jobsNail keg: Little barrelTart: A promiscuous womanSwamper: A general handyman and person responsible for cleaning out the barn

OF MICE AND MEN SCRIPT TERMINOLOGY


To A Mouse, On Turning HerUp In Her Nest With The Plough by Scottish poet Robert Burns,1785This beautiful, compassionate poem is about a man who inadvertently ploughs up a mouse’s nest. Seeing the creature terrified, he tries to comfort it. But the comforting turns to a realization that, sad as it is how humans dominate other beings, those mortals are not burdened by regrets of the past and fears of the future. They live in the present only. Experts agree that the stanza inspiring the title Of Mice and Men is number seven. In it, Burn’s human character realizes that all creatures, human and not, have the best plans that never make it to fruition, just as George and Lennie dream and plan for their future property.

Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,O, what a panic's in thy breastie!

Thou need na start awa sae hasty,Wi' bickering brattle!

I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,Wi' murd'ring pattle!

I'm truly sorry man's dominion,Has broken nature's social union,

An' justifies that ill opinion,Which makes thee startle

At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,An' fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!

A daimen icker in a thrave'S a sma' request;

I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,An' never miss't!

Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!

An' naething, now, to big a new ane,O' foggage green!

An' bleak December's winds ensuin,Baith snell an' keen!

POEM TERMINOLGY:Ensuin - resultingFoggage green - green grassBaith snell an' keen! - both ("baith") biting ("snell") and sharp ("keen")Cranreuch - frostNo thy lane, - not aloneSchemes- plansGang aft agley - often go awry

Doolittle meeting members of theMilwaukee Repertory Theater’sfront of house staff.

description for his breed’s standards, which meant he would be a good show dog, but after an injury, Hawkeye turned his attention to more athletic pursuits. He has won awards in both local and state Agility Competitions, has worked as a Therapy Dog, and contended in Fastest Retriever Competition Courses. Doolittle has been Davies’ companion since he was six and still walks 5-8 miles a day. He is a tennis ball fanatic, and is a retired Field Trial Dog. As a pointer, Doolittle competed in Field Trials that required him to flush out as many birds as he could in an 80 acre range within 30 minutes. In his off time, Doolittle enjoys watching National Geographic and the Dog Whisperer.This is the debut onstage performance for both Doolittle and Hawkeye. Their audition was simple, they were required to walk the room and demonstrate basic commands. In their role as Candy’s Dog, they will have an old, raggedy collar and guide leash, and appear onstage for a few scenes.The Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Rivka Kelly will be their wrangler for the performance so Amerell and Davies will not be required to be backstage at all times. Both owners have received a tremendous amount of interest from friends and family about when their pooch will appear onstage.We hope that Of Mice and Men leaves your tails wagging!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,An' weary winter comin fast,

An' cozie here, beneath the blast,Thou thought to dwell—

Till crash! the cruel coulter pastOut thro' thy cell.

That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!

Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble,But house or hald,

To thole the winter's sleety dribble,An' cranreuch cauld!

But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,In proving foresight may be vain;

The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'menGang aft agley,

An'lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,For promis'd joy!

Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' meThe present only toucheth thee:

But, Och! I backward cast my e'e.On prospects drear!

An' forward, tho' I canna see,I guess an' fear!

OUTCASTSThere is a theme of isolation and loneliness that runs through Of Mice and Men. George and Lennie have insulated themselves from loneliness by sticking together, but other characters are excluded for a variety of reasons.Candy: After he lost his hand, he is no longer viewed as a productive worker and his livelihood is threatened. The other bunk-mates feel like they are superior to him and bully him into doing things he does not want to. “When they can me here I wisht somebody’s shoot me. But they won’t do nothin’ like that. I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs.” - Candy

Crooks: As the only black man on the farm, Crooks is required to sleep in the barn alone, is not allowed in the bunkhouse, and is separate from the other men. “A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you.” - CrooksCurley’s Wife: She is the only female on the ranch and so is bored and idle. She wants someone to pay attention to her and make her feel special. “I’m just looking for somebody to talk to. Don’t you never just want to talk to somebody?” – Curley’s Wife

ABOUT OUR PRODUCTION

The watering hole in the set is made by placing a recessed pan into the base of the stage which

is covered by a plug when it is not in use. To make the pool look more naturalistic, glass stones were added to reflect light and the bottom of the

basin is painted to look sandy.

The keyword in the costuming of this play is, “distressing.” The costume pieces that started out in good condition will be distressed with

layers of dirt, grime, and wear to make it look like the character only has a few pieces of clothing, and is engaged in back-breaking

work six days out of the week.

Keep an eye out for Curley’s Wife’s clothing. The costume

designer drew inspiration from porcelain dolls and prostitutes. She is intentionally supposed to look out of place on the ranch.

Real fire is used onstage to imitate the campfire! Fireproof metal rods that surround the fire will be painted to look like wood, but will not burn. The actor will light a flammable paste that is hidden within a compartment in the biggest log. During rehearsals, the props

department will be able to time how long the fire needs to burn and will use the exact

amount of paste needed so that the fire is burning low at the end of the scene. When the

scene change occurs, just close the fire compartment door, and the flame will be

extinguished.

Listen carefully during transitions! Joe Cerqua composed original pieces to be used just for this play. He wanted the songs to sound like cowboy

music, which means a lot of harmonicas and guitars. However, most cowboy music is written in a major key which does not fit the play’s dramatic

and sorrowful nature. To counteract the major key, Cerqua added a vocal element to add a brooding

tonality to the music.

The dirt that is used onstage for the horseshoe scene is not real dirt! It is made from many different shades of

pulverized rubber, the kind of material you may see on a blacktop road or

playground. To add texture to the mix, grape vine roping was cut and added.

The set designer and lighting designers worked closely together to

light the stage from both the front and back. It was important to the design

team to make sure light could penetrate through the barn walls.


BIBLIOGRAPHY"American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2016."Franklin D. Roosevelt." The White House. The White House, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2016."John Steinbeck Biography." John Steinbeck Biography: National Steinbeck Center, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2015."John Steinbeck Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2015."John Steinbeck - Biographical." Http://www.nobelprize.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2015. "New Deal." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2016.Shmoop Editorial Team. "John Steinbeck: Biography." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008.

Web. 22 Dec. 2015.IMAGES:Critic's Circle. Digital image. Drama Critics. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Jan. 2016. Crowd of People Gather around the New York Stock Exchange after the Crash of 1929. Digital image. Library of

Congress. N.p., 2012. Web. 1 Jan. 2016."Burns' To A Mouse: The Poem We Love but Few Understand." BBC. com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.El Santo. "Know Thy History: Li'l Abner." Webcomic Overlook. N.p., 3 Mar. 2011. Web. 1 Jan. 2016. "Home."

The Library of Congress. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2016.Hooverville. Digital image. US History. Online Highways LLC, n.d. Web. 28 Dec. 2015.Jim G from Silicon Valley, CA, USA. "File:DSC28372, Cannery Row, Monterey, California, USA."

Wikimedia.org. N.p., 31 march 2013. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.Krulwich, Sara. Best Laid Plans. Digital image. NY Times. N.p., 4 Apr. 2014. Web. 3 Jan. 2016.Leigh Whipper. Digital image. Actor Credit. Avelyman, n.d. Web. 1 Jan. 2016."National Steinbeck Center." Steinbeck.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Dec. 2015. Of Mice and Men. Digital image. IMDB. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Jan. 2016."Steinbeck’s Salinas Valley." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2016."The Steinbeck Institute." The Steinbeck Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2016.Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Dec. 2015. POEM:Robert Burns. "POEMS AND SONGS OF ROBERT BURNS." Http://www.gutenberg.org. N.p., january 25, 2005.

Web. 2 Dec. 2015.Shmoop Editorial Team. "Of Mice and Men What’s Up With the Title?" Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc.,

11 Nov. 2008. Web. 02 Dec. 2015.Shmoop Editorial Team. "To a Mouse." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 21 Dec. 2015.MISC:"About Banned & Challenged Books." About Banned & Challenged Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2015."Banned Books: Reasons for Banning Books." Reasons for Banning Books. Butler University, n.d. Web. 22

Dec. 2015. "Banned & Challenged Classics." Http://www.ala.org. American Library Association, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2015.Crum, Maddie. "7 Reasons Your Favorite Books Were Banned." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com,

n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2015."History.com." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2016.Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2015."Of Mice and Men Study Help Full Glossary." Cliffsnotes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.TheFreeDictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2015."The Great Depression." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2016.Urban Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Dec. 2015."What To Do?" http://pabbis.org/. Parents Against Bad Books in Schools, n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2015.BOOK HISTORY AND TITLE:Shmoop Editorial Team. "Of Mice and Men What’s Up With the Title?" Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc.,

11 Nov. 2008. Web. 21 Dec. 2015."Where Did the Name Of Mice and Men Come From?" www.cliffsnotes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2015.

Since the story is set in the dust bowl, there will be pockets of “dust” made from ground cork that will be kicked up

onstage. It is important not to use real dirt because it may irritate members of the audience or tamper with the

expensive electronics used in the theater.

This production will be traveling to Arizona after it is mounted here, but you will only see the header

of the barn at The Milwaukee Rep. The two theaters in Phoenix and Tucson both have higher

stages that make the header unnecessary.

During scene changes, if you think the set is moving by itself, you may be right! An

automation technology called Spikemark Software is used to move three different set

pieces in the barn scenes.

Take a peek at the cubbies of the workers in the bunkhouse. You will see props that differentiate their

personalities, like straight razors, magazines, and home remedies. The actors were allowed to request

props from our prop master that they felt may better reflect their characters.


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David and Julia Uihlein Charitable Foundation

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VISITING THE REP

Documents

"Of Mice and Men" Play Guide