THE LITTLE PRINCESTUDENT GUIDE

Created by Taylor Steigmeyer, Sophomore Butler Theatre/Psychology Major

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Table of Contents2. Plot Summary3. Character List4. About the Author5. About the Director6. About the Costumes7. Comprehension Qs8. Critical Thinking Qs

PLOT SUMMARYWe first meet the Little Prince in the desert, who has traveled to Earth from a far away

planet. Upon landing, he meets a Snake who talks to the prince in riddles. Their conversation is interrupted suddenly when an Aviator crashes his plane nearby. The Little Prince prattles on about his planet as the Aviator tries to fix his crashed plane. The Prince eventually draws the Aviator away with his tales of his Rose, visiting planets and meeting many different people such as a King, a Businessman, a Very Important Person, a Geographer, and finally a Lamplighter.

The Little Prince remembers in detail meeting the Fox. He recalls how he mistakenly tamed the Fox, even though he knew that one day he would have to leave him to return to his home. After this story, the Aviator discovers that his canteen is empty, so he and the Prince begin to search for water. A well appears out of nowhere and they rest, happily drinking the water. The Little Prince seems happy to think that he has finally taught the Aviator everything he knows. He sends the Aviator away to his now miraculously fixed plane, and when the Aviator returns, the Prince is speaking to the snake about his plans to return home. The Aviator tries to convince the Little Prince to stay, but the Little Prince tells the Aviator he will always be there, in the stars.

CHARACTERS (CAST)• The Aviator (Zane Franklin)

• The Little Prince (Abby Glaws)

• Snake (Mary Hensel)

• Fox (Lexy Weixel)

• Rose (Kitty Compton)

• Very Important Person (Kitty Compton)

• The Geographer (Ryan Moskalick)

• The Lamplighter (Ryan Moskalick/Kitty Compton)

• King (Mary Hensel)

• Businessman (Ryan Moskalick)

ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY - AUTHOR

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was born in Lyon, France, on June 29, 1900. After trying (and failing) to be accepted to the French Naval Academy, he studied architecture at a fine arts school in Paris. When he was 21, he enlisted in the French air force, where he became a pilot. He had a successful aviation career, with a brief pause in the United States from 1940 to 1943. While in the United States, he wrote Le Petit

Prince a story he meant for adults to teach them that the best things in life are the simple ones.

Unfortunately, in 1944, he took off on a reconnaissance mission from Corsica, and he was never seen again. In 2004, wreckage was found near Marseille and identified as his plane.

ELAINA ARTEMIEV - DIRECTOR

• What made you want to direct The Little Prince at Butler?

• We sometimes do children’s plays and I remembered this story from my childhood. I think this story is universal and many people know it and also grew up with it. My goal is to bring families together with this story. I think everybody can find something that resonates with them.

• What is your favorite scene and why?

• I do not have a favorite scene, but I enjoy the scenes that have small lessons. An example is with the Fox, when they say “The only thing you truly understand are the things you tame. People haven’t time to truly understand anything.”

• How has the process of putting this together changed your view of the play?

• Put literature into action changes it. There is a different point of view between reading the book and watching the play. It was a large challenge.

WENDY MEADEN – COSTUME DESIGNER• What was your inspiration for the costumes for this

show?

• The book illustrations, but also animals and roses and children’s fashions of the early –mid 20th century.

• Which costume is your favorite and why?

• Tough question…I like them all! I love the flappy aviator costume – such cool boots and the coat which one of our students made for this show. I also love the simplicity of the little prince – with the stars we printed on the cuffs and borders. The fluid snake, the silly geographer, the double decker lamplighter….and definitely the lively fox with her tailcoat, ears, and tail. I love these characters, and the ways they are being interpreted in this specific production.

• Which costume was the hardest to translate from character description to costume?

• Probably the rose – she is young, and innocent, and sweet, but also wants love and attention. We did not want a “rose” costume, but to show her character.

• I learned to sew growing up, and I’ve always loved to draw. I did lots of theatre (mostly acting) in high school, but when I got to college I got a job in the costume shop, and my professors encouraged me to design. I worked at lots of theatres, dance, opera, film and museums doing different shows. I have a graduate degree in costume design and technology from IU Bloomington, was a draper at IRT for ten seasons then came to Butler.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (AGES 4-10)

• WhodoestheLittlePrincemeetfirst?

• Afterhisplanecrashes,whatdoestheAviatordo?

• HowbigistheLittlePrince’splanet?

• WhatdoestheLittlePrinceLOVEtowatch?

• HowdoestheLittlePrincetreattheRose?Whatdoeshedoforher?

• HowmanyplanetsdoestheLittlePrincetelltheAviatorhehasvisited?

• Whoareontheseplanets?

• WhathappenswiththeLittlePrincemeetstheFox?

• HowdoestheFoxdefinetheword“tame”?

• Doesthepiloteverfindhiswayoutofthedessert?

• Whowasyourfavoritecharacter?Why?

• Whatisthemoralof“TheLittlePrince”?

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS

• Whatdifferentiatesadultsandchildrenin“TheLittlePrince”?

• WhydoestheLittlePrincetravel?Doyouthinkthiscouldbeametaphor?

Whatfor?

• Thisplay,“TheLittlePrince”isanEnglishadaptationofaFrenchnovel.How

doyouthinktheexperienceofseeingthisstoryperformedwoulddiffer

fromreadingthebook?

• WhatdidthepeopleontheplanetsthattheLittlePrincevisitedhavein

common?

• AccordingtotheLittlePrince,“Whatmakesthedesertbeautifulisthat

somewhereithidesawell.”Whatdidhemeanbythis?

• Whatdoyouthinkthemainconflictofthestoryis?

• Whatisthemoralofthisplay?