2017/18RESOURCE GUIDE

ONSTAGE

DA

VID

DO

UBILET

ABOUT OVERTURE CENTER

FOR THE ARTS

Overture Center for the Arts fills a city block in downtown Madison with world-class venues for the performing and visual arts. Made possible by an extraordinary gift from Madison businessman W. Jerome Frautschi, the center presents the highest-quality arts and entertainment programming in a wide variety of disciplines for diverse audiences. Offerings include performances by acclaimed classical, jazz, pop, and folk performers; touring Broadway musicals; quality children’s entertainment; and world-class ballet, modern and jazz dance. Overture Center’s extensive outreach and educational programs serve thousands of Madison-area residents annually, including youth, older adults, people with limited financial resources and people with disabilities. The center is also home to ten independent resident organizations.

RESIDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society Children's Theater of Madison

Forward Theater Company Kanopy Dance Company

Li Chiao-Ping Dance Company Madison Ballet

Madison Opera Madison Symphony Orchestra

Wisconsin Academy’s James Watrous Gallery Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra

Internationally renowned architect Cesar Pelli designed the center to provide the best possible environment for artists and audiences, as well as to complement Madison’s urban environment. Performance spaces range from the spectacular 2,250-seat Overture Hall to the casual and intimate Rotunda Stage. The renovated Capitol Theater seats approximately 1,110, and The Playhouse seats 350. In addition, three multi-purpose spaces provide flexible performance, meeting and rehearsal facilities. Overture Center also features several art exhibit spaces. Overture Galleries I, II and III display works by Dane County artists. The Playhouse Gallery features regional artists with an emphasis on collaborations with local organizations. The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters’ Watrous Gallery displays works by Wisconsin artists, and the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art offers works by national and international artists.

RESOURCE GUIDE CREDITS

Executive Editor Writer/Designer

Meri Rose Ekberg Danielle Dresden

Symphonie Dramatique Overture Center – OnStage 1 

Dear Teachers,

In this resource guide you will find valuable information that will help you apply your academic goals to your students’ performance experience. We have included suggestions for activities which can help you prepare students to see this performance, ideas for follow-up activities, and additional resources you can access on the web. Along with these activities and resources, we’ve also included the applicable Wisconsin Academic Standards in order to help you align the experience with your curriculum requirements.

This Educator’s Resource Guide for this OnStage presentation of Symphonie Dramatique is designed to:

• Extend the scholastic impact of the performance by providing discussion ideas, activities and further reading which promote learning across the curriculum;

• Promote arts literacy by expanding students’ knowledge of music, science, storytelling and theatre;

• Illustrate that the arts are a legacy reflecting the values, custom, beliefs, expressions and reflections of a culture;

• Use the arts to teach about the cultures of other people and to celebrate students’ own heritage through self-reflection;

• Maximize students’ enjoyment and appreciation of the performance.

We hope this performance and the suggestions in this resource guide will provide you and your students opportunities to apply art learning in your curricula, expanding it in new and enriching ways.

Enjoy the Show!

Table of Contents

About Symphonie Dramatique .................. 2

About Contemporary Dance .................... 3

William Shakespeare & Romeo and Juliet ....5

Activity #1 Preparation for Adaptation .......6

Activity #2 Rewrite! ................................. 7

Academic Standards ................................8

About Live Performance ..........................9Social Emotional Social StudiesLanguage Arts

Curriculum Categories

Symphonie Dramatique

We Want Your Feedback!

OnStage performances can be evaluated on-line! Evaluations are vital to the future and funding of this program. Your feedback educates us about the ways the program is utilized and we often implement your suggestions.

Survey: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3753286/2017-18-OnStage-Post-Show-Survey

Symphonie Dramatique Overture Center – OnStage 2 

About Symphonie DramatiqueIn this contemporary dance version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet eight dancers pay tribute to the original tale with impetuous, contagious energy. Embodying external conflict and inner turmoil, the piece evokes images of seduction, desire, passion, and death. With a soundtrack by composer and sampler Martin Tétreault, the production includes musical references to Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and other composers who set the tragedy to music. It’s important to note that although Symphonie Dramatique brings to life the world of Romeo and Juliet, it is a free adaptation, and the story of these star-crossed lovers may seem quite different in this version.

About Cas Public

Cas Public, which means public case in French, was founded by award-winning choreographer Hélène Blackburn in 1989. The name reflects both her drive to move beyond the role of the all-knowing choreographer and her convictions regarding the artist’s role in society. With intense physicality and an innate sense of theater, Cas Public strives to revive the movement vocabulary of contemporary dance. The Company has strong ties to its roots in Québec, and an international touring history. While they still create pieces for general audiences, Cas Public first began making dances for young audiences in 2001, and has since reached thousands of young people at festivals and in theaters around the world.

Symphonie Dramatique

Symphonie Dramatique Overture Center – OnStage 3 

Pre-Show Discussion Questions

• Have you ever been so happy you could jump? Or so sad you wanted to crawl into a hole?

• Discuss with students how dance uses physical movement to tell stories and express feelings.

• Gestures can tell you a lot about what a person is feeling. Describe or demonstrate different ways you can communicate through movement and body language.

Post-Show Discussion Questions

• Describe movements and gestures that you noticed in the performance. Why did you notice them? How did they make you feel?

• Was the story easy or hard to follow? Why?

About Contemporary DanceIn Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare famously asked, “What’s in a name?” In the play, the question shows how silly last names and family feuds can seem to two young people in love and highlights the absurdity of putting up barriers due to terminology.

This could easily make you wonder why Cas Public calls itself a contemporary dance company, and not a modern dance company. Aren’t the two the same thing?

And the answer is no, not exactly.

In general, the term modern dance refers to a specific aesthetic and style of dance which developed in the late 19th and early 20th century and established itself as something distinct and altogether different from classical ballet. Groundbreaking choreographers like Isadora Duncan sought to break free from the strict movement patterns and costumes of classical ballet and pursue greater freedom in movement. Later, Martha Graham and José Limon developed movement techniques that were uniquely their own.

Contemporary dance is much more recent and reflects the blurring of boundaries and increasing diversity of life in the 21st century. Contemporary dance may include elements from many different styles, including ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, and non-Western forms, such as Butoh and African dance. In order to perform these eclectic works, contemporary dancers are typically trained in many different techniques, from modern dance to dance improvisation to contemporary ballet.

Contemporary dance does have a lot in common with modern dance, in part because Merce Cunnningham, frequently described as one of the first contemporary dance choreographers, came from the modern dance world. But he had an independent attitude towards the form, and that independence is an essential element of contemporary dance. Other key characteristics include:• Contemporary dance doesn’t always tell a story, it can

be abstract• Meaning is created through an emotional response to

imagery and movement• The rhythm, speed, and direction of dancers can

change suddenly• Many different actions may take place at the same

time on stage• Dancers can move independently of music• Floor work, improvisation, contract and release, and

fall and recovery movements are frequently used in compositions

• Dancers combine the leg work of ballet with modern dance’s emphasis on the torso

Symphonie Dramatique

Symphonie Dramatique Overture Center – OnStage 4 

Background of Merce Cunningham

Merce Cunningham played a major role in shaping American dance. He lived to be 90 years old and for 70 of those years he was working as a dancer and choreographer. During this time he consistently pushed the boundaries of dance and tried new things, working with colleagues across the disciplines of music, the visual arts, and technology. He worked very closely with his life partner John Cage, a leading avant-garde (forward thinking, experimental or radical) music composer. Cunningham got his first professional dance job at age 20 and danced as a soloist with the ground-breaking Martha Graham Dance Company for six years. In 1954 he formed his own company and named it after himself – the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. He went on to choreograph more than 150 dances and 800 “events.” Dancers who trained with Cunningham, including Paul Taylor, Trisha Brown, and Lucida Childs, later went on to form their own companies and make their own unique contributions to the world of dance.

Contemporary Dance Resources and Activities

• These videos will help you and your students know what to expect from Symphonie Dramatique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar_megpZZOM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ptXVvRBSNo

• A brief description of contemporary dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-0cfsJMAwY

• Ask your students to describe the differences and similarities between this piece and Symphonie Dramatique.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkEQgg6Srkk

• More information on modern & contemporary dance: http://www.dancemagazine.com/modern_vs_contemporary-2306900829.html

• In contemporary dance, dancers may speak. Discuss the differences between conveying a character with movement and speaking. http://www.dancemagazine.com/when_dancers_speak-2306951655.html

• Great moments in dance history enacted by Legos. Invite students to make their own creations describing great moments in performance. http://www.dancemagazine.com/8-iconic-dance-history-moments-as-told-through-legos-2412820878.html

About Contemporary Dance (continued)

Merce Cunningham

Symphonie Dramatique Overture Center – OnStage 5 

William Shakespeare & Romeo and JulietBackground of William Shakespeare

To this day, William Shakespeare is the most produced playwright in the world and the roughly 38 plays he wrote have been translated into every language. Even though he lived and died a long time ago (born April 26, 1564 and died April 23, 1616) his work still has a powerful influence. Many people quote Shakespeare without realizing it, since he wrote such famous sayings as, “All that glitters is not gold,” “Pure as the driven snow,” “all’s well that ends well,” “You’ve got to be cruel to be kind,” and many more.

William Shakespeare was born at Stratford-upon-Avon in England. His mother, Mary Arden, was one of the daughters of Robert Arden, a farmer of Wilmcote. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glove maker and wool dealer of good standing who held the office of Bailiff of the Borough in 1568.

From age 7 to about 14, William attended Stratford Grammar School. At 18, he married Anne Hathaway, who was seven years older than he was. They had three children, Susannah and twins Hamnet and Judith.

Shakespeare eventually moved to London to become an actor with the Lord Chamberlain’s Company, later renamed the King’s Company. He became actor-manager and part-owner in the Blackfriars, and afterwards the Globe Theatres. Shakespeare returned to Stratford-upon-Avon for his latter years, where he died 3 days before his 53rd birthday. He is buried in a special grave at Holy Trinity Church.

Romeo and Juliet According to Cas Public

The noble families Montague and Capulet live in the city of Verona. They have had an argument, and are enemies, so all their servants are enemies as well. The young men who work for the Montagues and the Capulets get into gangs and fight each other in the street. Because it is fashionable to carry a sword, sometimes they get badly injured. Verona is ruled by Prince Escalus. He tells the Montagues and the Capulets that they have to stop fighting or they will be punished, but it is very difficult to control the young men.

Montague has only one child, a teenage boy called Romeo. Capulet also has only one child, a beautiful daughter called Juliet. They do not know each other, because Juliet never goes anywhere without her maid. Romeo and his friends go to a masked ball at the home of the Capulets, where he meets Juliet and they fall in love. Their love should heal the problems between their families, but because Juliet’s parents want her to marry a cousin of the prince, they fear getting into trouble. Instead they hide their romance and get married in secret. Because of this, a lot of things happen which bring about many deaths. The unhappy families of Montague and Capulet are finally brought together in sorrow.

Engraving of William Shakespeare circa 1600

Symphonie Dramatique

Symphonie Dramatique Overture Center – OnStage 6 

Activity # 1 Preparation for AdaptationAges 10-18

Romeo and Juliet has been adapted for stage, screen, opera, and ballet. These many versions speak to the story’s timeless appeal, and show there is always room for more new versions.

Objective

Help students make the most out of their attendance at Symphonie Dramatique by increasing their familiarity with the art and practice of adaptation.

Materials

• Computers with Internet access for Web-based research

Directions

1. Tell the students that they will soon attend a contemporary dance show freely inspired by the mythical couple of Romeo and Juliet.

2. Divide the students into groups and invite them to search the Internet for different versions of the story.

3. Ask the students to present on each version they found and lead a discussion on the similarities and differences. How would you describe the different versions, (romantic, unconventional, modern, silly?) Which versions spoke to you?

4. Inform the students that the show does not strictly tell the story of Romeo and Juliet, but is inspired by it.

Symphonie Dramatique

Symphonie Dramatique

Symphonie Dramatique Overture Center – OnStage 7 

Activity # 2 - Rewrite!Choreographers, painters, musicians, writers and artists of all kinds don’t always make things up out of thin air. They find inspiration in all kinds of places, including history, current events, mythology, and other works of art. Symphonie Dramatique is one example of the many works of art inspired by Shakespeare’s play. Sometimes, especially when the original text is set in a different time and place, writers draw on the works of other writers to make something uniquely their own by adapting another writer’s work and making it relevant to their time and place.

Objective

Understand the process and value of adapting an existing text. Materials

• The prologue from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

• Writing materials

Directions

1. Review and discuss the story of Romeo and Juliet.

2. Introduce and discuss the ideas of adaptation and re-writing. Note what has changed since Shakespeare’s time and what hasn’t. Remind students that Shakespeare’s works are considered in the public domain, because they are hundreds of years old, and so it is legal to re-write them.

3. Explain issues of copyright law as appropriate for your students’ age group.

4. Have each student re-write the prologue from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet by setting it in contemporary times and making it understandable and appropriate for today’s teenagers.

5. Ask for volunteers to share their work, and discuss.

Prologue from Romeo and Juliet

Two households, both alike in dignity,

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;

Whose misadventured piteous overthrows

Do with their death bury their parents’ strife.

The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love,

And the continuance of their parents’ rage,

Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove,

Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage;

The which if you with patient ears attend,

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Symphonie Dramatique

Symphonie Dramatique Overture Center – OnStage 8 

Common Core State Standards

English Language Arts & Literacy

Speaking & Listening Standards K-5, 6 - 12

1. Engage effectively in collaborative discussion

2. Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a presentation

3. Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker

Dance

Critical Thinking

E.4.1 Identify how dance movement is similar to and different from ordinary movement

E.8.2 Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior while watching dance performances, and discuss their opinions about the dances with their peers in a supportive and constructive way

E.8.4 Identify possible criteria for evaluating dance (such as skill of performers, originality, visual and/or emotional impact, variety, and contrast)

Communication & Expression

F.4.4 Interpret and react to dance through discussion

F.8.4 Use and explain how different accompaniments (such as sound, music, and spoken text) can affect the meaning of a dance

F.8.5 Demonstrate and/or explain how lighting and costuming can contribute to the meaning of a dance

Making Connections

H.4.4 Study dance from a particular culture and/or time period

Theatre Education

Play Reading & Analysis

A.4.1 Attend a live theatre performance and discuss the experience

• Explain what happened in the play

• Identify and describe the characters

• Say what they liked and didn’t like

• Describe the scenery, lighting and/or costumes

A.8.1 Attend a live theatrical performance and be able to analyze, evaluate, and create personal meaning from the experience through small group discussion

• Say what they liked and didn’t like, and why

• Explain what happened in the play and discuss why they think the playwright made particular choices

• Explain how the technical aspects of the play helped to present the message of the play

• Explain the message of the play

Academic Standards

Symphonie Dramatique Overture Center – OnStage 9 

About Live PerformanceTheater, unlike movies or television, is a LIVE performance. This means that the action unfolds right in front of an audience, and the performance is constantly evolving. The artists respond to the audience’s laughter, clapping, gasps and general reactions. Therefore, the audience is a critical part of the theater experience. In fact, without you in the audience, the artists would still be in rehearsal!

Remember, you are sharing this performance space with the artists and other audience members. Your considerate behavior allows everyone to enjoy a positive theater experience.

Prepare: Be sure to use the restroom before the show begins!

Find Your Seat: When the performance is about to begin, the lights will dim. This is a signal for the artists and the audience to put aside conversations. Settle into your seat and get ready to enjoy the show!

Look and Listen: There is so much to hear (dialogue, music, sound effects) and so much to see (costumes, props, set design, lighting) in this performance. Pay close attention to the artists onstage. Unlike videos, you cannot rewind if you miss something.

Energy and Focus: Artists use concentration to focus their energy during a performance. The audience gives energy to the artist, who uses that energy to give life to the performance. Help the artists focus that energy. They can feel that you are with them!

Talking to neighbors (even whispering) can easily distract the artists onstage. They approach their audiences with respect, and expect the same from you in return. Help the artists concentrate with your attention.

Laugh Out Loud: If something is funny, it’s good to laugh. If you like something a lot, applaud. Artists are thrilled when the audience is engaged and responsive. They want you to laugh, cheer, clap and really enjoy your time at the theater.

Discover New Worlds: Attending a live performance is a time to sit back and look inward, and question what is being presented to you. Be curious about new worlds, experience new ideas, and discover people and lives previously unknown to you. Your open mind, curiosity, and respect will allow a whole other world to unfold right before your eyes!

Please, don’t feed the audience: Food is not allowed in the theater. Soda and snacks are noisy and distracting to both the artists and audience.

Unplug: Please turn off all cell phones and other electronics before the performance. Photographs and recording devices are prohibited.

SPONSORSHelp make arts experiences real for hundreds of thousands of people at overture .org/ sup port

Series funder American Girl’s Fund for Children with additional support from the DeAtley Family Foundation, Kuehn Family Foundation, A. Paul Jones Charitable Trust, Promega Corporation, Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts, Stoughton Trailers, LLC, Nancy E. Barklage & Teresa J. Welch and by contributions to Overture Center for the Arts.

DA

VID

DO

UBILET