Teacher’s Resource Guide - NYU...

Teacher’s Resource

Guide

Tales of the Lost Formicans TEACHER’S RESOURCE GUIDE

2

MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS PROFESSIONS Program in Educational Theatre Joseph and Violet Pless Hall Annex – 82 Washington Square East, 2nd Floor New York, New York 10003 - 212 998 5868 – [email protected] www.steinhardt.nyu.edu/music/edtheatre

Dear Teacher: Welcome to Educational Theatre at NYU. Now in our 50th year, our award-winning program is dedicated to developing the next generation of theatre artists and educators for careers in schools, cultural institutions, and various community settings. We have a long and established track record of producing the most innovative theatre educators in New York State and beyond. Our undergraduate, masters and doctoral students develop their artistic praxis in traditional and non-traditional performance spaces, and they learn how to apply their craft in educational and outreach sites. Students study with notable theatre educators from New York and the world. They learn about the transformative power of theatre, and how to implement and evaluate dynamic theatre arts programs. At NYU Steinhardt's Educational Theatre program, you have access to:

Greenwich Village and New York City, the cultural capital of the world Carefully supervised teaching placements and internships in New York's finest schools and

cultural institutions study abroad programs with the world's greatest innovators numerous opportunities to develop your skills in such core areas as drama education, theatre for

young audiences, play production, and applied theatre an internationally renowned and dedicated faculty a comprehensive and balanced curriculum in theatre art and pedagogy a richly diverse and multicultural community committed to social justice

All of these opportunities take full advantage of a warm and collegial Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions that promotes the development of a grounded aesthetic and permits program electives in numerous disciplines across the University, including drama therapy, musical theatre, and performance studies. To speak to us personally, or to arrange a visit, please contact our office at [email protected] or 212 998 5868. David Montgomery, PhD Director Program in Educational Theatre

http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/music/edtheatre/people/faculty/


3

Dear Teacher: We have been working for many weeks to prepare this resource guide for you and we hope that you find it useful when helping your students learn from our production of Tales of the Lost Formicans, either before or after seeing the show.

Formicans is unapologetically theatrical, encompassing humor, empathy, heartbreak, and hope. Congdon, through rapidly paced scenes, and dreamlike sequences, embraces irony, tension and the clash of opposites. Set in the late 1980's and dealing with aliens, Alzheimer’s, teenage angst, the disintegration of the family, middle-class apathy, and the salvation of the species, the play allows us, as readers and audience members, to evaluate ourselves and our lives in a compellingly different light. The main concept behind this guide are a series of pre- and post-show activities. We hope that you will review these activities and consider using the pre-show activities in your classroom before you attend the performance. It is not necessary to complete these activities in order to understand the work, but the more information the students have before they see the show, the richer their experience will be at the performance. Each individual activity concludes with a series of reflective discussion questions which will help the students to process their experiences as well as allow them to demonstrate achievement towards the New York State Learning Standards for the Arts. Please pay particular attention to the Theatre Etiquette piece on page 7 and review this information with your students before attending the performance. Thank you for bringing your students to our production and we hope that you will consider coming again in the future. Sincerely,

Jonathan Jones, PhD Program Administrator NYU Steinhardt Program in Educational Theatre


4

Table of Contents

Director’s Notes 5 New York State Learning Standards for the Arts 6 The Playwright: Constance Congdon 7 Theatre Etiquette 7 Tales of the Lost Formicans: Characters 8

Pre-Show Activity: Alien Talk Show 9 Tales of the Lost Formicans: Themes 10 Pre-Show Activity: Thematic Scenes 10 Tales of the Lost Formicans: Creating Strangeness 11 Pre-Show Activity: Creating Strangeness with the Nacirema 11 Design: Costume 14 Pre-Show Activity: Costume Design 14 Design: Lighting 15

Pre-Show Activity: Lighting Design 16 Design: Sets 17

Pre-Show Activity: Set Design 18 Design: Sound 19

Pre-Show Activity: Sound Design 19 Post-Show Activities Response Letters 20 Alternate Ending 20 Discussion Questions 21 References 22


5

Director’s Note

I was immediately drawn to Tales of the Lost Formicans as a director because of the wild contrast of humor and tragedy in the play. The characters experience a rich interplay of emotional challenges, from struggling with divorce, confronting aging, dealing with adolescent rebellion, to trying to find love -- all the while hoping for better connection and communication. Two and a half decades after the play was written, these notions are still universal human themes of our times. In this production we have tried to embrace trends of the late 80’s when economic conditions became more hopeful, right before the technological age of the 90’s. Our characters are increasingly dependent on answering machines, pay phones and television to reach out and communicate with each other. One might ask, are the characters of the Formicans “lost,” either in their own generational struggles or in their suburban world? Indeed, is the decade of the 80’s underestimated historically? Congdon’s play also embraces memory, the passage of time, and change -- as several generations try to maintain sanity and stability in a disconnected and chaotic world -- amidst speculation about otherworldly effects on everyday life. Their human dramas are observed and studied by a cadre of aliens, who are bemused by the emotional excess, strange furniture, and linguistic exclamations. These voyeurs from outer space create a metaphorical atmosphere where every action, emotion and choice is analyzed, creating a strange world of magical realism. Ironically, the quickly changing scenography has allowed our ensemble, through stylization, physical theatre and a complex sound design, to view ourselves and our actions in a compellingly different light. Constance Congdon, an award winning playwright, is a peer of Paula Vogel and Tony Kushner, and has taught playwriting for 25 years and written over 30 plays. Kushner has called her “one of the best playwrights this language has produced.” He also states that Congdon inspired him to arrive at a new, postmodern theatrical space, which is exemplified in Formicans, wherein the playwright, through rapidly paced scenes, and dreamlike sequences, embraces irony, tension and the clash of opposites. Nan Smithner, PhD

* * *

Synopsis teaser: Aliens visit the Earth to study a human community. One of the aliens, Cathy, has been there before and proceeds to show the rest how she lived in the year 1988. On earth, Cathy represents “Everywoman.” When she catches her NYC husband having an affair, she moves back home to Colorado, answering the pleas of her mother Evelyn, to help with her father, Jim, who is exhibiting strange behavior. Cathy’s high school age son, Eric, rebels against the move, threatening to go back to his father’s Manhattan home. Cathy hangs out with her high school friend, Judy, and meets a neighbor, Jerry, who is well versed in all kinds of secrets and conspiracy theories. What will happen to these various personalities as they encounter challenges and contemplate their passage through space and time? You will indeed have your own interpretation as you watch the story unfold.


6

New York State Learning Standards for the Arts Excerpted from:

Learning Standards for the Arts New York State Education Department, April 1996

Available online: www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/arts.html

STANDARD 1: Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts.

STANDARD 2: Knowing and Using Arts Materials and Resources Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in the arts in various roles.

STANDARD 3: Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.

STANDARD 4: Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the Arts Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.

Theatre Key Ideas

1: Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts Students will create and perform theatre pieces as well as improvisational drama. They will understand and use the basic elements of theatre in their characterizations, improvisations, and play writing. Students will engage in individual and group theatrical and theatre-related tasks, and will describe the various roles and means of creating, performing, and producing theatre.

2: Knowing and Using Arts Materials and Resources Students will know the basic tools, media, and techniques involved in theatrical production. Students will locate and use school, community, and professional resources for theatre experiences. Students will understand the job opportunities available in all aspects of theatre.

3: Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art Students will reflect on, interpret, and evaluate plays and theatrical performances, both live and recorded, using the language of dramatic criticism. Students will analyze the meaning and role of theatre in society. Students will identify ways in which drama/theatre connects to film.

4: Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the Arts Students will gain knowledge about past and present cultures as expressed through theatre. They will interpret how theatre reflects the beliefs, issues, and events of societies past and present.


7

What was your inspiration when you wrote TALES OF THE LOST FORMICANS?

I don’t believe in inspiration, altho’ it has been known to strike WHILE I’m writing and sometimes it’s good. I had just come off of a huge adaptation project and decided that my next play would be for me. I also had started thinking about what culture was I from? Well, I’m from Formica.

What are you hoping teenage audiences, or any audience, will take away from seeing this play?

I hope any audience member would enjoy and be moved by it. It’s about transience.

The Playwright: Constance Congdon

It is essential that students understand that the experience of going to the theatre requires a certain kind of interaction between audience members and the cast of a show. In order to present a successful show, we ask that all audience members: 1) Be respectful to the performers by not talking to others during the show. 2) Stay seated during the performance. 3) Turn off all cell phones. 4) Refrain from eating and drinking in the theatre. 5) Remember that photography and video are not allowed in the theatre. 6) Feel free to laugh, cry, and applaud when appropriate. 7) Enjoy the show!

Theatre Etiquette

As you celebrate the 25th anniversary of the publication of the play, has its meaning changed over time?

You know, it has remained a true picture of this time in which we are living.

What advice would you give to young people interested in a future career as a playwright?

First of all, “career” is the wrong word. Would you talk about someone’s career as a poet? Playwriting is a calling. What to do? Just write plays and don’t judge them. Enjoy your own work. Genius is just doing your work on a particularly lucky day. Persistance. And fun.

Do you have other plays that may be appropriate for young audiences?

They are published by Smith and Kraus and are in the many volumes that Craig Slaight of the Young Conservatory of American Conservatory Theater has published over the years. He’s gotten many major playwrights to write for young audiences. Mine are: MOONTEL SIX; THE AUTOMATA PIETA; NIGHTENGALES.


8

Tales of the Lost Formicans: Characters

Cathy – early 30s, single mother of Eric, moved from NYC to Colorado to live with parents

Eric – angsty, rebellious 15-year-old son of Cathy, has trouble

adjusting from city life to suburban life

Jim McKissick – early 50s, father of Cathy, grandfather of Eric,

engineer, sweet and loving but experiencing early stages of

Alzheimer's

Evelyn McKissick – early 50s, supportive and caring wife to Jim, mother of Cathy, grandmother of Eric, worried about Jim, complicated relationship with Cathy

Jerry – early 30s, McKissicks’ neighbor, has many radical opinions

on the government and media, intrigues the aliens more than

anyone else

Judy – early 30s, Cathy’s best friend, single mother of two, quick to open up to people and falls in love easily, has a reputation as being rather promiscuous

Jack – Jim’s boss, sleeps with Jim’s wife

Aliens – four very different characters who work as one unit to

observe and experiment with the humans


9

Pre-Show Activity: Alien Talk Show

Procedures:

1. The teacher asks for four volunteers: one talk show host, two aliens, and one

interpreter. The rest of the students will be the audience for the talk show. 2. The talk show host will ask questions about the aliens’ lives, home planet, personal

tastes, etc., and the interpreter must translate the questions (in gibberish) to the

aliens. 3. The aliens will respond together nonverbally, trying to communicate as clearly as

possible using only physical movement and gesture. 4. The student acting as interpreter will try his/her best to understand the physical

response of the aliens and translate it into English for the talk show host.

5. After the talk show host has asked three questions, the teacher should choose four new volunteers, rotating the performers until everyone has had a chance to go.

Discussion Questions:

As an audience member, how did it feel to listen and try to comprehend the different languages/methods of communication?

As the aliens, how did it feel to communicate with only your body?

How did it feel if the interpreter or host misunderstood your response? What strategies did the aliens use to make the interpreter’s job easier?


10

Tales of the Lost Formicans: Themes

Tales of the Lost Formicans is a play about groups of people and their connections to other people: people of different generations, technology, and extraterrestrial connections. The play also deals with how we think of memory. How memories change us and what they mean in reference to the connections with other people. Also how time causes change and what time really represents.

Warm Up: Making Connections

1. Students will stand or sit in a circle.

2. Someone will start with a ball of yarn*, saying something that applies to them, such as: “I

like dancing.”

3. While holding the yarn, the person will throw the ball of yarn to someone else who identifies

with the statement, so that there is a visible connection between the two people.

4. This process will continue until it looks like a web in the middle of the circle, or until the

yarn runs out.

*Modification: If there is no yarn, have students link arms. Main Activity: Short Scenes

1. Brainstorming: Write the word connection on the board. Ask the students think about the

connections in their lives. Some guiding questions include: How do you connect to your

environment; how do you connect to people; places; things. After providing think time, ask

the students to share some ideas and list them on the board.

2. Next have the students pick a topic from the board to use as a springboard for a short scene.

The scenes must show:

a. A “connection” and a “disconnection” b. Must have a means of communication (i.e . social media, phone, letters, etc.) c. Must incorporate another connection as directed by the teacher. These connections

can be from the themes of the play, or from themes or other material you have worked on in class.

3. Students will be broken up into groups of 3-4

4. Students will create a scene using the criteria from above

5. Students will perform their scenes in front of the class


What connections did you see?

Why did you choose these connections?

How were the connections similar or different amongst all the groups?

Do you have an emotional response to this activity? Has it evoked anything within you that

might spark change?

How does technology impact the way humans interact? Do you think it has a positive or

negative role in society? List the pros and cons.

Pre-Show Activity: Thematic Scenes


11

Tales of the Lost Formicans: Strangeness

In the widely produced Tales of the Lost Formicans, Constance Congdon splits some characters into humans/aliens. This bifurcation allows the audience to discover the absurdity of human objects as seen through the aliens’ fresh eyes. Through this double-indemnity bifurcation, Congdon focuses our attention on the “strangeness” we take for granted in our everyday lives:

CATHY/ALIEN:…The cushions of the chair are covered in a substance made to mimic the epidermis of the sitter, but treated to hold a sheen which is kept polished by friction of the buttocks against the surface. The significance of the hole in the backrest is unknown to us at this time. It was perhaps, symbolic: a breathing hole for the spirit of the sitter, or even the ever-present eye of God.

The alien “other” allows us to “see” the chair beyond its limited function. This foregrounding is an example of theater’s capacity to transform a mundane object into an object f fascination and wonder. By splitting the characters, Congdon has established this essentially monologic speech in a kind of dialogue with the human half of the character, who is continually present. The alien’s awestruck way of seeing is part of the delight of Tales of the Lost Formicans, and trademark of Congdon’s distinctive theatrical voice (162). Castagno, Paul C. New Playwriting Strategies: A Language-Based Approach to Playwriting. New York, NY:

Routledge, 2001.

Procedures:

1. Students are split into four small groups.

2. Each group receives and reads one of the short excerpts about the rituals of the “Nacirema”

(American spelled backward) found on pages 12 and 13 of this guide.

3. The groups read the excerpt and discuss cultural awareness and assumptions.

4. Each group creates three tableaux of key moments described in their excerpt.

5. The tableaux are presented to the class while the corresponding paragraph is read aloud.

6. Following the sharing, the teacher reveals that the Nacirema are actually Americans. The

teacher facilitates a class discussion to unpack the activity using the discussion questions

that follow.


Were you surprised when you figured out who the Nacirema were? Why or why not?

How do the excerpts help us understand how other people may view our culture?

What assumptions might we make about other people’s cultures?

What techniques can we use to notice when we are making assumptions about others, and how might we avoid this?

Pre-Show Activity: Creating Strangeness


12

The Nacirema Adapted from Horace Mitchell Miner’s satirical paper, "Body Ritual among the Nacirema," published June 1956 edition of American Anthropologist

Excerpt 1:

The Nacirema tribe utilizes strange objects in order to barter for goods. While negotiating an

exchange, the tribe members will reach inside a sack and pull out a smaller pouch. This pouch

holds many small talismans, made out of hard, polyvinyl chloride, embossed with characters in

varying patterns. To complete the exchange, the tribe member will hand the talisman over a

counter for a moment, and then it is returned to them, after a rigorous swipe inside a crevice.

Then the tribe member can leave with both the objects they intended to barter for, and their

talisman.

Excerpt 2:

The people of the Nacirema tribe also have a strange habit of ingesting fellow carbon-based life

forms as fuel for their bodies. The Nacirema has gotten quite bored however of ingesting those

life forms most easily accessible to them, and will go through great lengths to import exotic new

life forms from the far reaches of their planet. If this proves too exhausting on their economy,

they will instead find creative ways to morph their local energy-beings into new, exciting forms.

Many of the Nacirema will do this in the solitude of their own homes, but almost all of the

Nacirema will find this too tiring of a daily ritual and will instead turn to designated alimentary

temples to accomplish this task for them in return for more talismans. The priests at these

temples regard the energy-beings as pure life-sustainers and take every pain to keep the

energy-beings pure although they are dead. Hands may not touch the energy-beings, only

special metal tools which aid in their heating, cooling or shaping. Cows are turned into flat hot

slabs for instance. Or grains from the ground into soft pillows used for encasing the cows. This

is only one example of the way the energy-beings can take form. Those visiting the temple

however seem to have a strange power over the priests. If they find that their energy supply has

been delivered in an unsatisfying way, they may lose their temper and refuse to hand over their

talismans. Many times, though they will only send the energy back to the altar to be fixed

rather than going to a shop down the street that will sell them all they need to complete the

ritual themselves.


13

Excerpt 3:

Nacirema who are surrounded by smaller humans also seem to have a strange ritual each

evening when the sun goes down. Having watched these small beings all day, the adults use

long coded tones of voice to hypnotize the children into stillness. Under this hypnotism the

child is forced to close their eyes and lie down for around 8 or 9 hours. To ensure they do not

escape, the adult secures them from the neck down with fabric. In cases of extreme resistance

adults sometimes use the milk of an animal, which is most likely drugged, since the child

immediately becomes stiller after consuming. The adults then perform a similar ritual on

themselves, though this one does not require the voice. They simply lie down and willingly

entrap themselves in similar fabric that they call “blanket.” Perhaps this blanket is some form

of protection, for they remain underneath it for the duration of the ritual.

Excerpt 4:

The Nacirema people, in honor of the days getting shorter, begin a ritual known as Neewollah.

This is when every small community slowly stops cleaning their living spaces so that cobwebs

begin to accumulate in corners and around their tracks of land. Additionally, several elders

within the smaller communities start collecting offerings to the Neewollah gods, such as

colored sugar pieces or idols in the gods’ images. There are several such gods including but

not limited to: the grandmother, with her green skin, symbolic of the spring to come, the

gaseous one, symbolic of the ever-changing future, and the pale man, who hibernates during

the day as a means of reminding the people of the dangers of sunburn. The rituals come to a

head on the final day of Neewollah where smaller troops of younger members of the tribes are

sent of on a spiritual, coming-of-age journey. They reenact the lore of the tradition, where the

assorted gods go from home to home and visit each family. The communities all lend each

child a small token for a safe return. After several years of taking part in this tradition,

children eventually cease to perform this ritual and instead attend a rather large ceremony,

honoring the gods with traditional garb and celebratory drink.

The Nacirema – continued


14

Design: Costume

Warm Up:

1. The teacher divides the class up into small groups.

2. Each group must design a costume for each of the following iconic characters, spending

about one minute on each:

Dorothy (The Wizard of Oz) in the 80s Peter Pan in the 80s Cinderella in the 80s Frankenstein Monster in the 80s

Main Activity:

1. The teacher divides the class up into small groups.

2. Have the students refer to the character descriptions on page 8 of this resource guide.

3. Have the students cut out clothing from magazines and create outfits for each character

based on the description.

4. Glue the images to a piece of paper and have the students present them.


How can a costume change the audience's first impression of a character? What can a costume change tell you in the middle of the show? When making your collage, what aspects did you consider? What can the costumes tell you about an environment or time period?

All stage costumes must meet certain requirements. First, they must readily reveal to the audience a character’s personality, taste, age, wealth, and social position. In addition, a costume must enable the audience to differentiate between the characters. Costumes should reflect the mood and style of the production. In comedies, actors usually dress in bright colors and light weight fabrics. In tragedies, colors are subdued to denote gloom, and fabrics are often heavy. Costumes for fantasies are generally stylized with the setting. In period plays, they must conform to the fashion, line, and material used in that particular time. Accessories for period costumes need careful selection to be appropriate for the time and to be in harmony with the outfit. There must be an acceptable reason for using each costume piece and only necessary accessories should be utilized. Since costumes are important in adding period atmosphere, the costume designer should provide something that looks authentic. (Introduction adapted from Basic Drama Projects by F. A. Tanner, 1982)

Pre-Show Activity: Costume Design


15

Design: Lighting

Audience enjoyment of a production depends a great deal on the show’s lighting. It is important, therefore, that stage lighting meet four basic requirements:

1. Provide Visibility 2. Establish Emphasis 3. Create Mood 4. Suggest Light Source

Visibility and Emphasis: Comfortable visibility in the theatre is the prime requisite for stage lighting as too much light glares and too much darkness strains. Light intensity must be carefully balanced to allow the audience to see what they are supposed to see without their being unduly aware of the lights. Emphasis is created by utilizing bright light for dominant stage areas and dim lights for subordinate areas. The light intensity draws the viewer’s eyes toward what is important. Mood: To achieve mood, the lighting designer must blend together a variety of light sources using color. If the play is a comedy, the designer might choose a mix of bright lights in predominantly warm colors. If the play is a tragedy or serious drama, blending should create a medium to low tone, throwing shadows and casting cool colors. Light Source: The lighting designer in a realistic play will work to suggest to the audience obvious sources of light such as the sun, moon, table lamps, candles, fireplaces, etc. By suggesting the source, they can convey the time of day and the weather conditions. A cool daylight blue of low intensity apparently coming through a window may suggest early morning. A bright warm amber light streaming through French doors may indicate late afternoon on a warm, sunny day.

(Introduction adapted from Basic Drama Projects by F. A. Tanner, 1982)


16

Warm Up:

1. The students lie on the floor and are told to think about different colors and light

intensity. The teacher cycles through a variety of colors and levels of light intensity

while the students listen and visualize.

2. What do those colors and light intensity make them think? How do they make them

feel?

3. How do the colors and light intensity influence the student and his or her perspective?

4. Following the activity, the teacher asks the students to share some of their thoughts.

Main Activity

1. The teacher breaks the students into small groups of 3-4

2. The teacher distributes two consecutive pages from the script to each group (ie. group 1

gets pages 1-2; group 2 gets 19-20; group 3 gets 44-45; etc.)

3. The groups must create a list of themes, focal points, and a numbered list of lighting

cues for their excerpt from the play.

4. Following the group work, each group will share their work and discuss their choices

Discussion Questions

How can preshow lighting help influence the show? How does different lighting make you feel? Are there specific lighting designs that you are expecting?

Pre-Show Activity: Lighting Design


17

Design: Sets

The types of scenery used for a play depend upon the stage facilities, the available technicians and crews, the play’s budget, and the time available for making scenery. Regardless of the setting a set designer chooses, it must meet the following requirements. First, the setting should provide a suitable background for the play’s action. There must be adequate space for movement, including several areas or levels to provide variety and interest and to motivate the actors into using the whole stage in the course of the play. There must be adequate doors, windows, and stars. Furthermore, the color of the setting should contrast with the actors faces so that the actors will be readily seen. Second, the setting must communicate adequate information about the play. The locale, the time and the period, the cultural, social, and economical status of the characters must all be revealed in the set. Third, the play’s style and mood must be suggested. From observing the scenery with its particular color and line design, the audience should immediately be able to tell at the rise of the curtain whether the play is comic, tragic, fantastic, realistic, etc. Fourth, the setting must be technically practical or useable. Doors and windows must open if they are to be used. Stairs, platforms, and ramps must be built firmly if they are to bear the actor’s weight. If there are set changes, scenery must be planned for quick shifts. Fifth, the setting should be aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Thus, all elements must be unified. In tragedy, the setting may be heavy and massive with dark and somber colors. In comedy, the scenery may be frivolous with curved lines and light colors. The setting must also be balanced. If there is a big fireplace on one side of the stage, there should be something on the other side to convey equal weight.

(Introduction adapted from Basic Drama Projects by F. A. Tanner, 1982)


18

Pre-Show Activity: Set Design

Warm Up:

1. Students read the document about set design from the previous page

2. In pairs, students discuss different set design concepts from plays they may have seen

before. The discussion is framed by the following: how does the set affect how audiences

see the world of the play?

3. The pairs share aspects of their discussion with the whole class

Main Activity:

1. Based on what students may know about Tales of the Lost Formicans, students will

create a set design

2. Students will be assigned a specific theme, so that they can incorporate that theme into

their design sketch:

- 80’s

- Medieval Times

- Under the sea

- Space

- Wild West

- Jungle

3. Have students share their design concepts and explain how they incorporated the theme

into their sketch.


The Tales of the Lost Formicans will be performed in a black box theatre. How might that

impact the set?

Where do you think the set designers might draw inspiration from when creating the

set?

As there are aliens in the show, how would you use the set to enhance alien qualities?


19

Design: Sound

Not so many years ago, sound in the theatre was fairly simple. If the director wanted some preshow music, you got some records and approximated the mood and spirit of the play and played them over the auditorium public-address system for about ten minutes before the curtain went up. You might get daring and play them again during the intermission. If the script called for special sound effects such as doorbell or a telephone ringing, you either made the sounds live or consulted your sound-effects library, composed of low-fidelity 78-RPM records. If you used library effects, you either recorded them on you wire or tape recorder, or you cued the records up and played them just the way a disc jockey would. Sound in the theatre has changed substantially since the bad old days. Instead of being an afterthought, sound is now frequently an integral part of the production concept. Increasing numbers of productions are giving credit to sound design as well as to the more traditional scenic, costume, and lighting design. Theatre sound can be subdivided into three categories: music, effects, and reinforcement. Music is often used to reinforce the mood or atmosphere for a play. Effects create an aural backdrop of appropriate sounds for the environment of a play. Reinforcement is used whenever there is a need to boost the loudness level of actors’ voices, as when the acoustics of an auditorium are not good or during musicals when the singers can’t be heard over the orchestra. (Introduction adapted from Theatrical Design and Production by J. Michael Gillette, 2000)

Warm Up: Spectrum of Time

1. The teacher plays short clips of a few songs from different time periods

2. The students listen to the song clip and try to identify the time period the song may

come from and/or a time in their life that the song reminds them of

3. Students share and defend their responses

Main Activity: Music Inspired Tableaux

1. Working in small groups, the students select a song or lyric from the warm up and

create a tableau based on it

2. The teacher may need to provide lyrics from the songs or replay them

3. The students share their tableau

4. Spectators reflect on the tableau using a “See/Think/Wonder” protocol

Discussion Questions

What elements of songs/music remind you of certain time periods? Why? Discuss differences in tableaux → may lead to discussion on differences in time periods Do the lyrics affect the song’s impact on the listener more than the beat or rhythm?

Why or why not?

Pre-Show Activity: Sound Design


20

When watching this or any play, there is certain to be some disagreement among audience members about the events of the play and the reasons certain characters behaved the way they did. The purpose of this activity is to try to illuminate the spectrum of understanding that exists within the class. At the end of Tales of the Lost Formicans, Jim has died and there is said to be a fire at the mall. The characters respond to these events in a variety of ways. Following the end of the play, what would any of the characters say about the events we have witnessed? To whom would he or she say it?

Once the students have written their letters, ask them to get into small groups and read their letters to each other. Once they have all shared, use the discussion questions to debrief the activity. Discussion Questions:

What do we think the characters want to express? Why didn’t they express these thoughts before the end of the play?

What do these letters reveal about the character?

What can the class as a whole learn from this experience?

Post-Show Activity: Response Letters

Post-Show Activity: Alternate Ending

The students should reflect on their understanding of Takes of the Lost Formicans and contemplate alternative outcomes. Option A: Narrative or Dramatic Writing Each student is asked to think about a possible alternative ending or extension to the play, and is given some time to write a narrative or short scene of their new ending. Option B: Improvisational Acting

The class is broken into groups and each group is responsible for improvising (that is, making up a scene without a script) that resolves the play in a new and interesting way. The students should share their work. For the narrative activity, small group sharing is best. For the improvisational options, they can show their scenes to the class. Use the discussion questions that follow to reflect on the activity. Discussion Questions:

Do the alternative endings seem reasonable? Why or why not?

Are there other possible endings that we have not heard? What might they be?

Why do you think the playwright ended the play in this way?

What might the playwright want the audience to do after seeing the play?


21

Post-Show Activity: Discussion Questions

Various elements of the plot of Tales of the Lost Formicans pose powerful questions for the audience to consider. As such, the students may have a number of questions about the production (beyond those they addressed to the cast after seeing the show) and it may be worthwhile to allow them a space to talk about these lingering questions. Some questions you might consider exploring are:

What do you think the aliens are like after observing the Formicans? Why?

How do you think the characters would feel about being studied or watched? Why?

How do you think Cathy feels about Jim’s actions? Why?

What do you think happened to Eric after the play? Why?

If other characters looked back, what or whom might they blame for their own behavior?

If you took the place of one of the characters in the play, would you behave the same way that he

or she did or might you act differently? Why?

What other plays, stories, movies, or television shows did this play remind you of? Why?

What do you think we can learn from a play like Tales of the Lost Formicans?

Find a good definition of the word drama and make an argument: Tales of the Lost Formicans is or is

not a drama.

What do you think Tales of the Lost Formicans says about gender roles? Why?

What do you think Tales of the Lost Formicans says about stereotypes? Why?

What do you think Tales of the Lost Formicans says about personal connections? Why?

Production Related Questions:

If you were directing the show, how would you choose to enhance alien qualities?

How did the black box theatre limit what could be done with the set?

How do you think the costume/lights/set/sound designers allocated the budget for

the show?

Where do you think the costume/lights/set/sound designers drew inspiration from?


22

Castagno, Paul C. New Playwriting Strategies: A Language-Based Approach to Playwriting. New York, NY: Routledge, 2001. Print.

Congdon, Constance. Tales of the Lost Formicans and Other Plays. New York, NY: Theatre Communication Group, 1994. Print.

Gillette, J. Michael. Theatrical Design and Production. Fourth Edition. New York, NY:

McGraw Hill, 2000. Print.

Miner, Horace Mitchell. "Body Ritual among the Nacirema." American Anthropologist.

Arlington, VA: American Anthropologist Association, 1956. Print. Tanner, Fran Avert. Basic Drama Projects. Pocatello, ID: Clark Publishing Company,

1982. Print.

Special thanks to the students in the Educational Theatre Undergraduate Collegium who

contributed the pre-show activities in this guide. Students include: Shayna Blecherman, Jason Boxer, Amanda Briskin-Wallace, Will Carlson, Madison Coe, Leah Cohen, Liana Costable, Jessie Delgado, Kordell Draper, Amanda Fahey, Chelsea, Flores, Cassie Holzum, Jacqui Horn, Callie Llewellyn, Alexis Lounsbury, Liz Lozado, Oriana Miles, Alex Richardson, Melanie Ridgway, Trina Roen, Sam Rosenblatt, Sarah Smith, Kathleen Turner, Emma Vissicchio, and Charlie Wright.

References

Date post:	07-Mar-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	vannhu
View:	229 times
Download:	2 times

Teacher’s Resource Guide - NYU...

Documents