Eric Johnson - La Jolla Playhouse

2014
P O P To u r R e s o u r c e G u i d e
La Jolla Playhouse
THEATRE
UDENTS!
ounty Schools
R. 4, 2014
By Fineg
an Kruck
emeyer
Directed
by Eric J
ohnson
58) 550-1070 x101
By: Finegan Kruckemeyer
Directed By: Eric Johnson
Artistic Director Christopher Ashley
Managing Director
Michael S. Rosenberg
L a J o ll a P l ay h o u s e M i s s i o n
La Jolla Playhouse advances theatre as an art form and as a vital social, moral and political platform
by providing unfettered creative opportunities for the leading artists of today and tomorrow.
With our youthful spirit and eclectic, artist-driven approach we will continue to cultivate
a local and national following with an insatiable appetite for audacious and diverse work.
In the future, San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse will be considered singularly indispensable
to the worldwide theatre landscape, as we become a permanent safe harbor for the unsafe and
surprising. The day will come when it will be essential to enter the La Jolla Playhouse village
in order to get a glimpse of what is about to happen in American theatre.
E d u c at i o n & O u t r e a c h M i s s i o n
The goal of the Education & Outreach department of La Jolla Playhouse is to supply exceptional arts education opportunities
that provide our community with a heightened awareness and understanding of the theatrical process as well as explore
ways in which theatre may be used as a catalyst for creative expression.
The Education & Outreach department does this in the following ways:
• We introduce young people to the joy of live theatre through student matinees at La Jolla Playhouse and
POP Tour performances on-site at their schools.
• We bring quality arts education to San Diego area schools through in-school programs that engage both
teachers and students in the creative learning process.
• We provide intensive theatre training through YP@LJP and master class programs.
• We offer internships to build professional experience for the audacious next generation of theatre
practitioners.
• We deepen the relationships with existing patrons through pre-show conversations, post-show discussions and audiodescribed and American Sign Language interpreted performances.
Through these programs, we enhance the current work on our stages and position the institution as essential to the cultural
well-being of the San Diego community and the field of American Theatre.
La Jolla Playhouse directly impacts 30,000 children and adults a year through our education and outreach programing and
positively affects hundreds of thousands more through our teacher training efforts.
La Jolla Playhouse is supported by grants from City of San Diego Commission for
Arts and Culture, the County of San Diego and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Thanks to the supporters of La Jolla Playhouse Education & Outreach Programs:
Corporate support provided by Qualcomm Foundation, US Bank, San Diego Gas & Electric, Bank of America, Cox Communications, ResMed Foundation,
Union Bank, Jack in the Box Foundation, Allianz Global Investors, Macy’s Foundation, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation,
The Employees Community Fund of Boeing California and the Target Foundation. Foundation support provided by The William Hall Tippett and Ruth
Rathell Tippett Foundation, William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Escondido Charitable Foundation, Sidney E. Frank Foundation, Ellen Browning
Scripps Foundation, San Diego Scottish Rite Community Foundation, The Farrell Family Foundation, The Favrot Fund, The Crawford Smith Foundation,
The Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation, Price Family Memorial Fund, John and Marcia Price Family Foundation, Samuel I. and John
Henry Fox Foundation, The Sutherland Foundation, The Arthur and Jeanette Pratt Memorial Fund and La Jolla Kiwanis Foundation. Government
support provided by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, the County of San Diego, City of Chula Vista Performing and Visual Arts
Grant and the City of Encinitas and Mizel Family Foundation Community Grant Program.
Table of Contents
About the Play
Synopsis ......................4
Characters .....................4
Artistic Team...................5
Dramaturgical Notes
Parts of a Ship................6
Nautical Vocabulary.......7
Curriculum Connections
Grades K-2
Theatre Arts...................9
English Language Arts..12
Science ........................14
Grades 3-5
Theatre Arts.................16
English Language Arts...18
Science ........................20
History of the Playhouse.........22
History of the POP Tour...........22
Dear Educators!
Thank you for booking the 2014 POP Tour! This year we will be touring
“Suzette Who Set to Sea” by playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer. This exciting performance is guaranteed to bring out a sense of adventure in your students and
encourage their storytelling skills.
This year’s production explores the ideas of breaking old conventions and
trusting what you are passionate about. Just because something has never been
done before, doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. Suzette is someone who just
knows in her heart that she is meant for the sea, no matter what the village history
was; she knew and she trusted her instinct. When faced with challenges at sea, Suzette overcomes her fears and shows her innate leadership skills. Her legend lives
on as one of the greatest “knowers of the sea there ever was.” This Teacher Resource Guide contains information about the production
and includes multiple examples of cross-curricular arts integration connecting theatre based activities with Common Core ELA and Next Generation Science Standards. Please feel free to make copies and use this guide as you see fit; preparing
your students for the production or to reinforce some of the topics raised by the
show. Our complimentary pre-performance workshop is an engaging and interactive way to expand upon the information in this guide. Please contact the Education Department at 858-550-1070 x 101 to schedule your workshop today!
Thank you for making live theatre an important part of your curriculum,
and enjoy the show!
With Warmest Regards,
Alison Urban
Associate Director of Education & Outreach
LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE EDUCATION & OUTREACH DEPARTMENT
Stephen McCormick
Director of
Education & Outreach
Alison Urban
Associate Director of
Education & Outreach
Erin Hanehan
Education & Outreach
Coordinator
Alison Norwood
Education & Outreach Intern
Synopsis
In a small seaside village where men build boats and women do not, young Suzette
knows she is different—she longs for the sea and believes she is meant for more than
a life on land. When one morning the men of the village are missing, presumed lost at
sea, Suzette is faced with the opportunity to break with tradition. Using a boat she built
herself in secret, she leads the woman of the village on a journey to find the lost men.
Along the way Suzette is faced with challenges that can only be found at sea. Not even
encountering the dreaded ‘Bone Holder’ frightens Suzette. But when it looks as though
the women are at the end of their rope, Suzette maintains her level head and is able to
guide the women safely home. Much to their surprise, the men had returned while they
were away. Suzette’s family is reunited, and the people of the village no longer see why
only men do certain things. Suzette shows that anyone can grow up to become anything
they want! We learn that sometimes it only takes a single person to change everything.
Characters
Captain - She is a strong and brave woman who was taught how to be a captain by one of
the best around. She has sailed with Pete for about 6 years and they have had many sea
adventures. Captain has a perfect record for bringing her crew home every time.
One Leg Pete Jr. - He does not speak, and is named after his father One Leg Pete Sr. Pete
has been sailing with the Captain for about 6 years. He is comfortable at sea, and up for
whatever adventure they encounter.
Conroy - A new and younger crew member. He is new to the Captain’s ship and skeptical
of a woman captain. Conroy has a weak stomach for “icky” things.
The Musician - She supplements the action on stage with music and sound effects. She
helps to create the mood for different parts of the story.
4
The Artistic Team
Finegan Kruckemeyer has had 52 commissioned plays performed on five continents, and
was an inaugural recipient of the $160,000 Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship. In 2012,
20 works by Kruckemeyer (including nine premieres) were performed worldwide, with
seasons in Argentina, Australia, China, England, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland
and the United States, at such invited programs as New Visions New Voices (The Kennedy
Center), New Plays for Young Audiences (New York University) and the IPAY American
Showcase. Kruckemeyer received the 2010 Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award, 2010 Best
New Work Ruby Award, 2009 Australian Writers Guild Award (AWGIE) for Best Children’s
Play in Australia, 2009 Mystate Young Tasmanian Artist Award, 2009 Ruby Award For
Innovation, 2008 Best Children’s Theatre Playwright Oscart, 2007 Best Playwright Oscart,
2006 Jill Blewett Playwrights Award and 2002 Colin Thiele Scholarship.
Playwright
The playwright is responsible for writing the script. He/she creates the
world of the play including the characters and the setting. The playwright
not only writes the scripted dialogue, but will offer some stage directions
so that the director and actors have an idea of the playwright’s vision.
Eric Johnson is entering his eighth season as the Artistic Director of Honolulu Theatre
for Youth (HTY) where he has dramatically increased the company’s commitment to
new work, including the first season of entirely new work in the company’s 58 year
history. Prior to HTY, Johnson was an Artistic Associate at the Fulton Opera House and
the Founding Artistic Director of Blue Shift Theatre Ensemble. His work has toured
nationally and internationally throughout Spain, France, Belgium and Switzerland. As a
freelance director Johnson’s credits include Actors Theatre of Louisville, Center Theatre
Group, Childsplay, Imagination Stage and the Kennedy Center New Visions/New Voices
Festival. He is a proud alumnus of the TCG/NEA Early Career Directors Program and the
Princess Grace Fellowship, and in 2010 was named one of Pacific Business News’ 40
Best Business Leaders Under Forty.
Director
A director has responsibility for the overall interpretation of
the script. Directors work closely with the costume, set and
lighting designers, the actors and the producer to create a
performance that connects with the audience.
5
Parts of a Ship Diagram
The Star of India
Star of India is the world’s oldest active sailing ship. She began her life on the stocks at Ramsey Shipyard in the Isle of Man in
1863. Iron ships were experiments of sorts then, with most vessels still being built of wood. Within five months of laying her
keel, the ship was launched into her element. She bore the name Euterpe, after the Greek muse of music and poetry.
MAIN MAST
FORE MAST
CROWS NEST
MIZZEN MAST
OUTER
JIB
JIB
BOOM
MAIN DECK
BOWSPRIT
‘TWEEN DECK
GALLEY
JIB BOOM
FIGURE HEAD
RUDDER
BOW
HULL
STERN
Fun Facts about this incredible ship:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Docked in San Diego Harbor
Launched five days before Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
Sailed twenty-one times around the world
Never fitted with auxiliary power
Went aground in Hawaii
Became an “American” ship by Act of Congress
Trapped in ice in Alaska
Still sails in the ocean by a volunteer crew each November
Star of India graphic and information provided by
Maritime Museum of San Diego.
6
Nautical Vocabulary
A
Abandon ship!
Aboard Adrift Ahoy All hands Anchor Avast Aye Leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent danger. It is usually the last resort after all other actions have failed.
On or in a vessel (see also close aboard).
Afloat and unattached in any way to the shore or seabed. It implies that a vessel is not under control and therefore goes where the wind and current take her.
A cry to draw attention. Term used to hail a boat or a ship, as “Boat ahoy!”
Entire ship’s company, both officers and enlisted personnel.
An object designed to prevent or slow the drift of a ship, attached to the ship by a line or chain; typically a metal hook-like or plough-like object designed to grip the bottom under the body of water.
Stop, cease or desist from whatever is being done.
Reply to an order or command to indicate that it is heard and understood.
B
Bow The front of a vessel.
C
Capsize Captain Chock-a-block
Convoy Crow’s nest
D
Dinghy
When a ship or boat lists too far and rolls over; this often results in the sinking of the ship.
An informal title of respect given to the commander of a naval vessel regardless of his or her formal rank.
Rigging blocks that are so tight against one another that they cannot be further tightened.
A group of ships traveling together for mutual support and protection.
The area at the top of the main mast where a lookout keeps watch.
A type of small boat, often carried or towed as a ship’s boat by a larger vessel.
F
Figurehead A symbolic image at the head of a traditional sailing ship or early steamer.
First mate The second-in-command of a commercial ship.
G
Galley Give-way H
Head Hull The kitchen of a ship.
Where two vessels are approaching one another so as to involve a risk of collision.
The toilet on the ship.
The body of the boat.
K
Know the Ropes A sailor who ‘knows the ropes’ is familiar with the miles of ropes involved in running a ship.
L
Lifeboat Loose cannon
Small boat kept on board a vessel and used to take crew and passengers to safety in the event of the ship being abandoned.
An irresponsible and reckless individual whose behavior endangers the group he or she belongs to. A loose cannon, weighing thousands of pounds, would crush anything and anyone in its path.
Continued on next page...
7
Continued from previous Page
Nautical Vocabulary
M
Man overboard! A cry let out when a seaman has gone ‘overboard’ (fallen from the ship into the water).
Mast A vertical pole on a ship which supports sails or rigging.
N
Nay
“No”; the opposite of “aye”.
P
Parley Pipe down
Piracy Poop Deck
A discussion or conference, especially between enemies, over terms of a truce or other matters.
A signal requiring lights (and smoking pipes) to be extinguished and silence from the crew.
An act of robbery or criminal violence at sea by the occupants of one vessel against the occupants of another vessel.
A high deck on the aft superstructure of a ship.
R
Rigging
The system of masts and lines on ships and other sailing vessels.
S
Safe harbor A harbor which provides safety from bad weather.
Sally ship!
A method of freeing a vessel grounded on mud. The crew forms a line and runs back and forth to rock the ship back and forth, breaking the mud’s suction and freeing her. The crew is given the order “Sally ship!”
Scuttlebutt A barrel with a hole on the side used to hold water that sailors would drink from.
Shipyard A facility where ships or boats are built and repaired.
Stern The back part of a ship.
Stowaway
A trespasser on a ship; a person aboard a ship without permission and/or without payment, who usually boards undetected, remains hidden aboard, and jumps ship just before making port.
T
True north
The direction of the geographical North Pole.
W
Weigh anchor To heave up (an anchor) preparatory to sailing.
Y
Yarr Acknowledgement of an order, or agreement. Also aye, aye.
8
Drama Warm Up Games & Activities
K-2 Lesson: Theatre Arts
Use these activities to introduce the topic of the play “Suzette Who Set To Sea”. They can be played prior to the start of any lesson and as a way to focus the group’s attention.
All drama activities can be modified to the level of the students’ ability.
IN THE OCEAN, ON THE SHORE
Objective: To be the last crew-member standing!
Introduction:
The caller or leader for this activity is always the Captain, and should play to that role. Students are the
crew. Challenge students by increasing speed and variation of combinations.
Materials: N/A
Directions:
• Stage students in either one long line or in an open area. Students imagine they are standing on the edge
of the shore.
• When the Captain calls out “IN THE OCEAN!” everyone jumps forward into the open space or “ocean.”
• When the Captain calls out “ON THE SHORE!” everybody has to jump backwards onto the shore.
• If the Captain calls out anything other than those two sentences (even some variation of those
commands) and someone moves, they are “out.”
• Last crew standing wins!
Variation:
Objective is to make to the other side of the ocean (playing space) without being “out.” Students stand in
one line shoulder to shoulder; when you call “IN THE OCEAN” everyone steps forward. When you call “ON
THE SHORE” everyone steps back. First student to make it all the way across the ocean to the other shore
where the Captain stands wins.
9
K-2 Lesson: Theatre Arts
CAPTAIN SAYS!
Objective: To be the last crew-member standing.
Introduction:
The teacher is the Captain and the students the crew. Any order you call out, the crew must do!
Game is played the same as “Simon Says.”
Materials: N/A
Directions:
• Students can be individually at their desks or grouped together in an open area.
• Any command the captain calls the crew must do, but only if “Captain says” is prior to the
instruction.
• E.g.: “Captain says: ‘Thumbs up’” which, of course, all obey. However, if you say “Thumbs down!” it should not be obeyed, because the order did not begin with “Captain says.”
• Crew that makes a mistake must “walk the plank!” (act out walking the plank and jumping into a
designated area).
• When students show comfort with the activity, choose someone to switch and become the
Captain to call commands to the crew.
Variation:
Use this activity for transitions between activities or lessons to break up
the day, or as a way to refocus the group prior to a difficult task.
Discussion:
What does it mean to be the Captain?
Does the Captain have a lot of responsibility or a little?
What kinds of things is the captain responsible for?
What makes a good Captain?
Design credit: Erick Sundquist
10
K-2 Lesson: Theatre Arts
CAPTAIN’S COMING!
Introduction:
Refer to the diagram of the Star of India and review the nautical vocabulary. The classroom is a huge
ship and the students all the crew. As the crew gets better at listening to instructions, the crew duties
get more difficult.
Materials: N/A
Prep:
Students can be individually at their desks or grouped together in an open area. Choose the appropriate
commands based on your playing space.
Directions:
• It’s time for the Captain to inspect the crew! Everyone must be ready to sail.
• When the Captain calls out “CAPTAIN’S COMING!” everyone stands at attention (the Captain looks closely at the students, moving in and around the class, trying to make them laugh).
• When the Captain calls out “STERN!” everyone runs to the back of the room.
• When the Captain calls out “BOW!” everyone runs to the front of the room.
• When the Captain calls out “SWAB THE DECK!” everyone crouches down and washes the floor.
• When the Captain calls out “LAND HO!” everyone grabs their telescope and search for land.
• When the Captain calls out “TO THE CROWS NEST!” everyone climbs a ladder of the mast to the lookout.
Variation:
As a group, create some new commands that the Captain could call out to the crew. What would the
actions be?
11
K-2 Lesson: English Language Arts
ELA CC Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.3; .RL.K.7; .W.K.1; .W.K.3
BUILDING A STORY
“Suzette Who Set to Sea” is a story within a story! As the Captain, Pete and Conroy tell the tale of Suzette they
include some very important and fascinating parts of the adventure. Using the Scene Squares, instruct students to
think about the events and the order they occurred.
Directions:
Color the 3 squares at the bottom of the page.
Cut them out and paste them in the correct order below.
BEGINNING
MIDDLE
END
My favorite part of the play is ________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
cut here
12
BUILDING A STORY:
SCENE BY SCENE
K-2 Lesson: English Language Arts
ELA CC Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.2; .W.1.3; .RL.2.3;.RL.2.5; .SL.2.2
It’s not easy to remember everything that happens in a story.
1) Using the scene squares as a starting point, draw the important parts of the story that are missing.
2) Using the lines below each box, describe what happened in each moment represented.
BEGINNING
MIDDLE
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
END
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
13
K-2 Lesson: Next Generation Science
BUOYANCY!
Teacher Background
NGSS Standards:
K-2-ETS1 Engineering Design
K-2-ETS1-1.; K-2-ETS1-2.; K-2-ETS1-3.
Gravity is the force on Earth that pulls everything toward its center. This force becomes concentrated at each
objects center of gravity. Our center of gravity is that point where perfect balance is found.
Buoyancy acts in the opposite direction of gravity and causes an object to become lighter. These two forces
working against one another work in favor of boats!
WHAT FLOATS YOUR BOAT
NGSS Standards:
K-PS2 Motion & Stability: Forces and Interactions
K-PS2-1. K-PS2-2.
Suzette, like the men in her village, loves the sea. She studied her father’s books to learn all about the ocean and the
science and art of ship building. What kind of information would she need to know to build her own ship?
Objective:
Provide students with materials to build their own boats and conduct a floating/sinking experiment. Students will
strengthen science, math, creative thinking and problem solving skills as they explore boat making and experiment
with buoyancy.
Introduction:
Engage children in a discussion about boats. Encourage them to share what they know about boats. Brainstorm
different kinds of boats (rafts, tug boats, aircraft carriers).
Review the names of the different parts of a ship with the class and model that usage throughout the activity. Use
the ‘Star of India’ worksheet as a reference point if necessary.
Ship Building Materials:
-Buoyancy item examples: e.g. a potato, ice cube, pen cap, ball of clay
-Building Materials: aluminum foil, sponges, Styrofoam cups, cardboard box, egg cartons, plastic containers, straws, tape,
construction paper, scissors
-A water table or large basin
-A small fan
Directions: Building the Ships
• Introduce the various materials available to choose from for boat building. Discuss as a group. What properties
make the best materials for building? How can this be tested?
• Let students decide which materials they would like to use to create their boats. Give them time to experiment
with the materials. When finished, students bring their boats to the water area or table to test it.
• Explain to students that some boats may float and others may not. If their boat does not float, what can he/she
change to make it seaworthy?
Discuss:
Encourage students to make observations about the boats that float and the boats that sink.
Compare and contrast the floating boats with the ones that sank. What do they notice about the boats?
Are the boats that float made of similar materials or are they similar sizes?
Does the size of the boat matter?
14
K-2 Lesson: Next Generation Science
VARIATION ONE:
A SHIP A’SAIL!
NGSS Standards:
2-PS1 Matter and its Interactions
2-PS1-1; 2-PS1-2 ; 2-PS1-3; 2-PS1-4
Objective:
Students will determine whether the force of the air is “pushing” or “pulling” the boats.
Materials: Straws, a small battery fan, hand fans, car vacuum
Directions:
• With the already-built boats in place, invite the class to think of ways that they can make their boats move
without touching them.
• Provide them with materials to investigate: plastic straws, a small battery-powered fan, a paper fan or anything
you see fit that moves air in the same way a sailboat is propelled to move.
• Students test which method of air-based boat propulsion is best by racing them across the waterway. This
activity can be done in pairs.
Discuss:
Encourage students to identify the best equipment for moving the boat.
The fan moves air on its own. The straw can’t move air on its own. What must happen for the straw to work?
VARIATION TWO:
A SHIP SUNK!
Objective:
Add mass to each boat to see how much it can hold without it sinking. Explore the shapes of boats and construction
techniques that may work for holding large loads.
Materials: weights - 100 pennies, or 100 nickels
Directions:
• Using pennies or nickels, begin to add weight to the boats while in the water.
• Observe which boats float and which ones sink. What do they notice about the boats? Are the boats that float
made of similar materials or are they similar sizes? Does the size of the boat seem to matter?
• After the students have designed and built their boats, invite them to discuss the different kinds of cargo that
ships carry. Talk about the different types of boats that carry cargo (e.g., a canoe, aircraft carrier, tug boat, etc).
Discuss:
Engage students in a discussion about why some of the boats sank and why the others remained afloat. Encourage
them to take notice of different types of materials, the various sizes of boats and the weight of those building
materials.
15
3-5 Lesson: Theatre Arts
Drama Warm Up Games & Activities
Use these activities to introduce the topic of the play “Suzette Who Set to Sea.” They can be played
prior to the start of any lesson and as a way to focus the group’s attention. All drama activities can be
modified to the level of the students’ ability.
SHARK ATTACK!
Introduction: The playing space is the ocean and all the students are castaways from a ship that has sunk. Oh no!
There are hungry sharks in the water!
Objective: Save yourself and a friend from the sharks.
Materials: Multiple newspaper halves placed in no particular order around an open playing space.
Directions:
• As students mill about the playing space they act out swimming. They must avoid the ‘wreckage’ (sheets of
newspaper).
• At random intervals the lookout (teacher) will shout out “SHARK ATTACK!” at which point the castaways must
rush to a piece of wreckage floating around.
• Note: No body parts can touch the floor! If this happens, they are ‘shark bait’ and now assist the lookout.
• After everyone is safe, the caller calls out “ALL CLEAR!” and everyone swims again. While everyone is swimming
the lookout removes and/or rips newspaper into smaller pieces making less wreckage available.
• This continues until there are minimal scraps of newspaper left on the floor and eventually everyone is eaten!
Discussion:
What was challenging about this activity?
How did you attempt to solve or conquer those challenges?
What did it take to survive as long as you did?
16
3-5 Lesson: Theatre Arts
BOMB’S AWAY!
Introduction: The classroom is a huge ship and the students all the crew. As the crew gets better at listening to
instructions, the crew duties get more difficult. Refer to the diagram of the Star of India and review the vocabulary.
Materials: N/A
Prep:
Students can be individually at their desks or grouped together in an open area of a classroom or multipurpose
space. Choose the appropriate commands based on your playing space.
Directions:
The Captain calls different commands and, as quickly as they can, students rush to complete the tasks.
When the Captain says:
•“CAP’N’S COMIN’!” everyone stands at attention and salutes.
•“SWAB THE DECK!” everyone crouches down and washes the floor.
•“BOW!” everyone runs to the front of the room.
•“STERN!” everyone runs to the back of the room.
•“PORT!” everyone runs to the left of the room.
•“STARBOARD!” everyone runs to the right of the room.
•“LAND HO!” everyone grabs their telescope and searches for land.
•“TO THE CROWS NEST!” everyone climbs a ladder of the mast to the lookout.
VARIATION ONE:
To increase complexity of activity, add these commands; they require multiple people to participate.
When the Captain says:
•“LAND AHOY!” - one person steers the ship, while another on the team stands behind him and looks through a periscope.
•“MAN OVERBOARD!” - two people get down on one knee, join hands and make a “rail” while another person pretends to fall over it with the fourth person yelling “man overboard.”
•“SHARK INFESTED WATERS” - one person is in the middle, making a scared face while the other three act like sharks and swim around the person in the middle.
•“ROW YE SCURVY SCUM!” - all 4 people sit in a straight line, one in front of the other and “row” their boat.
•“READY THE CANNON!” - 2 people join hands and make a circle with their arms to form the mouth of the cannon. Another person stands next to them and pretends to light the cannon. The last person has to pretend to be the cannonball shot from the cannon.
•“BONE HOLDER!” - all 4 people join hands in the center and wave their hands outside of the circle like a giant octopus.
VARIATION TWO:
And just for kicks, at the Captain’s discretion, any crew-member is subject to having to walk the plank.
If a person has to walk the plank, have a few sturdy chairs set up and have students individually walk to one end and
say, “AARRR…me name is [Bob] and I’s be a pirate! Keep yer hands off me booty!!” and then jump off.
17
3-5 Lesson: English Language Arts
GETTING TO KNOW
THE CHARACTERS
ELA CC Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3; W.1.3; .RL.4.3;
RL.5.3
Each of the characters in “Suzette Who Set to Sea” is very distinct. How they look, act and speak can tell us a lot
about who they are.
1) Select two characters from the play and design new costumes using the models below. Think about their role on
the ship and how their personality might influence their style.
2) Using the lines next to the silhouette, describe their main characteristics. What did you learn about them from the
play? How did they interact with the other characters?
Character:________________________
Character:________________________
3) Compare & Contrast One Leg Pete and Conroy on the lines below.
18
3-5 Lesson: English Language Arts
REMEMBER THAT ONE TIME?
ELA CC Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3; W.4.3a; W.4.3b; W.4.3c; W.4.3d; W.4.3e
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3; W.5.3a; W.5.3b; W.5.3c; W.5.3d; W.5.3e
Script Selection
Captain: […] One Leg, how many years you and I sailed the seas for?
Pete raises six fingers.
Captain: And what adventures we seen in that time?
Pete signs something.
Captain: Oh yeah – the scurvy outbreak! And the sea monster too, that’s right.
Conroy: Funny – I thought you just said sea mo/
Captain: /Ha! The Bermuda Triangle – and the tornado that picked us up! Yeah, I forgot that one.
Conroy: The what? With the what? And you forgot about this!?/
Captain: /And how many times, One Leg Pete (out of all that big long list of calamities and life-threateningnesses)
have I ever failed to bring my crew back safe?
Pete smiles. He makes a zero sign.
Directions:
One Leg Pete reminds the Captain of some of the harrowing adventures they have shared. Choose one of the
situations mentioned above and create your own version of that adventure.
To think about: Who will be telling the story? How did they get into this situation? How did they get out of it? Was anyone else
involved? Where did this adventure take place? Use additional sheets of paper if necessary.
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3-5 Lesson: Next Generation Science
GET DRAWN TO MAGNETS
NGSS Standards:
3-5.Engineering Design
3-5-ETS1-1.; 3-5-ETS1-2.; 3-5-ETS1-3.
Teacher Background
The lodestone was the first discovered magnetized iron ore. Today a magnet is anything that produces a
magnetic field. They can push or pull some things. They move things that are made of metal. Magnets can
also be things in space, such as planets. The Earth is and sun are magnets. The North Pole and South Pole
are where Earth’s push or pull is the strongest.
Each end of a magnet is called a pole. Magnets have two poles. The poles are called positive poles and
negative poles.
If a negative pole and a positive pole touch, they pull together. If two negative poles are put together, they
push away. Two positive poles push away from each other, too.
BUILD A COMPASS
3-PS2 Motion and Stability: Forces & Interactions
3-PS2-1.; 3-PS2-2. ; 3-PS2-4.
Objective: Students will create their own magnet and identify where North is.
Materials: a needle or wire made of steel, something that floats (cork, Styrofoam, plastic lid), another magnet.
Directions:
•
•
•
•
Turn the needle into a magnet by stroking another magnet along the needle 10 - 20 times in the same direction.
Place your newly-created magnet onto the floating material.
Place your float in a shallow dish of water.
Identify which direction the tip of the needle is pointing. You’ve found North!
BE THE BOAT
Objective: Two teams of students will physicalize the directional navigation of ships
using a compass.
Materials: 6ft piece of rope, a compass, an old game board spinner, chalk or paper,
a life jacket
Prep:
• Use an old game spinner to select the directions. On the spinner, make sections for North, South, East, West.
• To increase the complexity, add Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest.
• Draw a large 15-20 foot circle with North, South, East and West indicated. Place a chalk mark at the
center of the circle where a person wearing a life jacket stands.
• Attach 4 lines of rope to the life jacket and stretch them out to each of the directional points where one of four
people holds the end of the line.
Directions:
• Each person in the appropriate position is labeled as BOW, STERN, STARBOARD and PORT.
• Spin the spinner and whatever direction it lands on, the BOW of the ship must head in that direction. The entire
boat must work as a team, always keeping the tension of the ropes taught.
• To increase complexity, once students are moving as a ship, add various numbers of steps to each directional
call. This will create a moving ship.
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3-5 Lesson: Next Generation Science
MAGNETIC BOATS
Objective:
Students will create a boat that floats and will maneuver its direction without using air propulsion.
Introduction:
Using what you learned about magnets, how can they be applied to this design problem?
Ship Building Materials:
-Buoyancy item examples: e.g. a potato, ice cube, pen cap, ball of clay
-Building Materials: aluminum foil, sponges, Styrofoam cups, cardboard box, egg cartons, plastic containers), straws, tape,
construction paper, scissors
-A water table or large basin
Directions: Part One
• Introduce the various materials available to choose from for boat building. Discuss as a group: What properties
make the best materials for building? How can this be tested?
• Let students decide which materials they would like to use to create their boats. Give them time to experiment
with the construction. When finished, students bring their boats to the water area or table to test it.
• Explain to students that some boats may float and others may not. If their boat does not float, what do they
need to change to make it seaworthy?
Students may suggest wind power (a fan), blowing on them or creating “waves” in the water to move the boat. Ask:
can you think of a way that you could use a magnet to move the boat?
Directions: Part Two
• Each student selects a boat that floats best and attaches paper clips to the “bow” and “stern” (front and back).
• Use a magnet to try to pull the boat across the water.
(Note: They cannot touch the magnet to the paper clips, or aid the boat with their hands or by blowing on it.)
• When they have completed their test run, students design two additional boats and test them.
• Encourage students to investigate whether their boat moves better when more than one paper clip is placed at
the bow and stern.
Discussion:
Was one boat building material easier to manipulate and direct using the magnet?
Did the boat’s center of gravity affect how it moved through the water?
In what other ways are magnets used in our lives?
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History of the Playhouse
La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel
Ferrer, and was revived in 1983 under the leadership of Des McAnuff, who served as
Artistic Director from 1983 to 1994. McAnuff was succeeded by Michael Greif, who served
as Artistic Director from 1995 to 1999. McAnuff returned to lead from 2001 to 2007. The
theatre is currently led by Artistic Director Christopher Ashley and Managing Director
Michael S. Rosenberg.
Under inspired leadership, La Jolla Playhouse has earned its place in the international theatre scene. The
Playhouse’s brilliant and innovative productions of classics, new plays and musicals, including 70 world
premieres, 30 West Coast premieres and seven American premieres, have merited over 300 major honors
including the 1993 Tony Award as America’s Outstanding Regional Theatre.
From Broadway to Moscow, a long list of the Playhouse’s productions have gone on to other stages
around the world. These include Roger Miller and William Hauptman’s Big River, The Who’s Tommy,
Lee Blessing’s A Walk in the Woods, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with Matthew
Broderick, Tony Kushner’s Slavs!, Lifegame, Lisa Kron’s 2.5 Minute Ride, Jessica Hagedorn’s Dogeaters,
Randy Newman’s Faust, the West Coast premiere of Rent, the American premiere of Jane Eyre, the world
premiere of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays, the Pulitzer Prize-winning I Am My
Own Wife, Cry-Baby, and the currently running Tony Award-winning Broadway hits Memphis and Jersey
Boys. The Playhouse also presents a wide range of education programs that enrich the community and
serve thousands of children, students and adults each year.
The Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre in residence on the magnificent campus of the
University of California, San Diego, located on the corner of La Jolla Village Drive and Torrey Pines Road
in La Jolla, California.
History of the POP Tour
La Jolla Playhouse is committed to advancing theatre as an art form and as a vital social,
moral and political platform by providing unfettered creative opportunities for the leading
artists of today and tomorrow. The Playhouse’s Education and Outreach department
works in close collaboration with the artistic department to create an appetite for this
work by providing an aesthetic vocabulary and theatre experiences for young audiences
that are pertinent to issues and challenges inherent in their experience of the world.
Each year the Playhouse’s Performance Outreach Program commissions a new 45-minute play geared for
young audiences from an established or emerging playwright with a bold theatrical vision. This piece is
developed in a one-week workshop with an accomplished director, professional actors and a Playhouse
dramaturg. The final draft of the play is then ready for the rehearsal process and ultimately staged as a
fully-produced work that tours the schools, community centers and libraries of San Diego.
These world-class theatre artists exude a youthful and eclectic spirit and create works that provide young
audiences with the highest-quality theatre experiences. These young people are ensured to have a culturallyessential opportunity to be a part of the magic that live theatre has to offer.
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