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Kennedy High School presents

This fish-out-of-water musical comedy, is based on the New Line Cinema production of Elf,. It follows Buddy the Elf in his quest to find his true identity. Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and that his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family & help remember the true meaning of Christmas.

PART 1: KNOW ABOUT THE PLAY

1) Characters & The Story 2) The Author & The Composer 3) Basic Theatre Vocab & Etiquette

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PART 2: LEARNING ACTIVITIES 1) “Pre-Show Prep” 2) “After the Show” Follow-Up Fun

PART 3: RESOURCES 1) Websites 2) Books

ADULTS: This guide is designed to… Assist you to ENGAGE & INSPIRE your students as they prep for attending the performance

Provide guidance afterwards as students REFLECT on what they saw and heard at the theater

Be a MENU of possible lessons/activities that you can choose from to fit the needs of your students

Connect with IOWA CORE standards and expectations across a variety of academic subjects & grades Enjoy the Learning!

PLAYTIME POPPY AUDIENCE GUIDE

The Contents

DECEMBER 2016

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PART 1: KNOW ABOUT THE PLAY

THE AUTHOR The play is based on the NEW LINE CINEMA FILM

Written by

David Berenbaum

David Berenbaum is a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He is best known for writing the 2003 Will Ferrell Christmas comedy classic, "Elf". He also wrote "The Haunted Mansion" for Disney, based off the famous theme park ride; the film starred Eddie Murphy.

THE STORY begins at the North Pole as Santa

Claus and his Elves are working in the shop but are interrupted by the arrival of Buddy the Elf, who, despite an abundance of enthusiasm, falls short in his toy-making abilities. Charlie, the boss, expresses disappointment, but the elves quickly chime in to make Buddy feel better. Charlie tells Buddy to take a break and asks Shawanda to pick up the extra slack. Unaware that Buddy is listening, they reveal that Buddy is, in fact, a human and not an elf. Buddy then sets off from the North Pole to New York City to find his real dad. Upon arriving there, Buddy is surrounded by the sights and sounds of the city. Asking a passing teenager where to find the Empire State Building, Buddy sets off to meet his father. Buddy bursts in, excited to meet his father for the first time. Stunned with Buddy's declaration that he is Walter's son, Walter demands that the Security Guards escort Buddy out, dropping him at the Macy store's Christmas department. Buddy falls in love at first sight with Macy's elf, Jovie, and inspires other Macy's Employees to decorate with some Christmas Spirit. But then runs into troubles at the store, with his dad and his new friends. In the end Buddy helps everyone get back into the Christmas spirit, with a little help from the real Santa, and everyone gets what they want for Christmas!

The Characters

Santa Claus Buddy The Elves,

including Charlie, Shawanda and Jovie New Yorkers:

(Jogger, Teenager, Police, etc.) Walter Hobbs (Dad) & his family Macy Employees: (Saleswoman, Manager, Security, etc.)

THE COMPOSER The music was composed by

Matthew Sklar

A composer from Westfield, New Jersey, his works have appeared on Broadway as well as in regional theatres. He was nominated for the 2006 Tony Award for Best Original Score for The Wedding Singer. Sklar credits his start in composing to his music teacher, Kristine Smith-Morasso at Edison School, who asked him to write a song for his 8th grade graduation. On a whim, he sent the song to Walt Disney Productions, which recorded it for the Mickey Mouse Club. He graduated with honors in 1991 from the Juilliard School Pre-College Division as a composition major. His piece Symphonics, for full orchestra, was premiered at Lincoln Center by the Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra, conducted by Sklar. He then studied at New York University from 1991-1995. He has been a pianist, conductor, and dance music arranger for many productions including Shrek, 42nd Street, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, Nine and Caroline, or Change. He has been working on Broadway since the age of eighteen.

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BASIC THEATRE VOCABULARY

Acting-the process by which an individual interprets & performs the role of an imagined character Adlib- to improvise or make up parts of dialogue Articulation- speaking clearly so that every word is understandable Backstage – The space behind the acting area, unseen by the audience Blocking- the actor’s movement from place to place and action on stage Character- the role played by an actor as she or he develops and portrays another by creating a different voice, body and personality

Choreography-the art of creating and arranging dances on the stage Costume- carefully selected or specially designed clothing worn by the actors Cue – a signal (dialogue or action) that indicates something else is to happen Dialogue- the stage conversation between characters Diction –the clarity with which words are pronounced Director- the person who oversees the entire process of staging a production Downstage-the part of the stage closest to the audience Ensemble-a cast of actors working together to present a performance Green Room-a room near stage where actors await to go on stage Make-up -cosmetics and hairstyles that actors wear on stage to emphasize characterizations Narrator –a character who tells the story of the play directly to the audience Projection- speaking loudly so your voice can be heard in the back of the theater space Props –all the stage furnishings, including furniture that are used by the actors Set-all the scenery that makes up the physical environment of the world of the play Strike- dismantling all of the pieces (sets, costumes, props, etc.) at end of the run of a show Upstage –the area of the stage farthest away from the audience and nearest the back wall

THEATRE ETIQUETTE The performers have worked hard to prepare this play.

Audience members can show respect by demonstrating the following:

1. Arrive at the theatre on time.

2. Visit the restroom before the performance begins.

3. Silence cell phones to minimize disruptions to the actors and other audience members.

4. Applaud! It’s welcomed and encouraged at appropriate times to show your appreciation of the performers’ hard work.

5. Participate (sing, speak, move etc.) when the performers invite you to do so.

6. Be a good listener and keep your focus on the performance. You won’t want to miss any of it!

*You can practice your audience skills before attending the performance…

Divide up into small groups. Each group creates a short skit, practices, and then performs it.

When watching the groups perform you can practice being a good audience member!

AUDIENCE

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PART 2: LEARNING ACTIVITIES

“Pre-Show Prep” Before You Go You Can …

Literacy Skills: Elf Letters! Discover your inner “elf”! Imagine you are one of Santa’s elves. Write a letter to a classmate, friend or family member. Give compliments and praise in your letter…let the person know what you appreciate about him/her. Sign it with your “elf” name.

Be a Researcher Research the origins of the historic folklore associated with Santa, elves, the North Pole, etc.

*Where did these holiday symbols and characters come from and why? *How have they changed over time?

Use a graphic organizer to keep good notes with your findings. Then create a report with your information. Share what you learned with your class or family.

*You could create an iMovie or video of your information too.

Science: Candy Cane Science

Explore how candy canes dissolve: Add water to each of your containers at different temperatures (hot/warm/cold) Make a prediction. Then add a mini candy cane to each of the containers. Start your stopwatch and/or record the start time. Observe what happens. Check your experiment every so often and note any changes. Time how long it takes the candy cane to dissolve. What did you discover? Chart your results. Be sure to keep a science journal with your discoveries.

Maple Syrup Buddy loves maple syrup. Explore the importance of maple syrup with the Indian Creek Nature Center!

Take note: ICNC will be hosting an interactive table prior to the public performances of this show where you can create a maple seed helicopter and taste ICNC’s homemade maple syrup!

During the month of March, maple syrup is a favorite food at the nature center.They collect sap from maple trees and boil it into syrup. Be sure to attend the annual ICNC spring Maple Syrup Festival!

Research how trees produce syrup and create an iMove or PPT about it. Watch this video for ideas: http://iptv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/wpsu09.sci.life.stru.wpsumapsyr/maple-syrup

(*Teachers attending the School Matinees can contact the Nature Center Education staff at http://indiancreeknaturecenter.org/

to find out more about taking your class on a Study Trip to the ICNC!)

In Elf Jr, Buddy’s father Walter Hobbs seems to be a workaholic & has lost the Christmas spirit -but is he really so bad? Holidays are the perfect time to think about the good in all people!

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Math Skills: “Snow” Much Fun

Use images of real snowflakes, have students explore various lines of symmetry and geometric shapes identifiable in each of the snowflake images. Then have students create their own snowflakes out of paper using various geometric shapes and symmetry.

Make your own snowballs out of real snow or other items (marshmallows, cotton balls, etc.). Predict how far you can throw them. Then measure the distance you actually can throw them. How close did you come? What was the difference?

Present Math Make a list of five favorite holiday gifts. Research the cost of each.

What is the total of all the gifts together? The North Pole Toy Company has produced 4,500 video games. The demand was so great

though that Santa asked the elves to double the number of video games for delivery this year. How many more games did the elves need to make? How many video games in total did Santa need for delivery this year?

In the workshop this year the first elf used 10 feet of wrapping paper, the second elf used 14 feet of wrapping paper and the third elf used 12 feet of the wrapping. Santa wants to know how many total feet of wrapping paper were used by these three elves. (Can you figure out how many inches that would be? What about in yards?)

Social Studies:

Travel Map Make a Travel Map of Buddy the Elf’s travels.On a globe, locate the North Pole, and then find New

York City. Trace Buddy’s path from Santa’s workshop to the United States. Then plot out part of Santa’s trip around the world. Pick two countries and create a path from one

to the other. What countries, continents, and bodies of water are between the originating location and the final destination? Describe the view from overhead – do you see deserts? Rain forests? Any physical landmarks like the Great Wall of China?

Holiday Culture & Traditions Interview another person in your class about the specific holiday traditions that may be unique to their family. Then have that person interview you about your own holiday traditions. Share your findings with the class and discuss the similarities and differences.

The Arts: Be a Designer Pick a character from the play. Design the character’s costume. A costume rendering is a drawing which shows a characters costume drawn on a human form, and

often includes attached samples of fabric used in the costume. Draw the picture and explain your costume ideas.

Be a Composer Use a familiar tune (such as Jingle Bells) and write your own lyrics to a song about yourself. In the

play Buddy discovers information about himself. What unique qualities do you have? What are you good at? Can you play the song on an instrument? Teach it to your friends and have them sing along!

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PART 2: LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

“After the Show” Follow-up Fun!

The Arts:

Be a Designer Pick a character from the play. Design the character’s costume. A costume rendering is a drawing which shows a characters costume drawn on a human form,

and often includes attached samples of fabric used in the costume. Draw the picture and explain your costume ideas.

Be a Composer Use a familiar tune (such as Twinkle Little Star) and write your own lyrics to a song for the play. Your song could be about giant insects or the sea voyage or even about peaches. Can you play the song on an instrument? Teach it to your friends and have them sing along!

Be a Sculptor

Make a sculpture of your favorite insect in the show. Be sure to put in all the correct body parts Use junk materials (old nut, bolts, tins cans, etc.)

and wire them together. Or use food items (marshmallow, pretzels, etc.)

Imagine Own Story

Choose one of these writing prompts. Use your imagination. Write down your ideas! If I were one of Santa’s elves I would… I would like to be Buddy because… You are filling out a job application for Santa’s workshop. You should be hired as an

elf because…

Write a Letter

Write a review of the performance or thank you letter and send it to the Kennedy High School Drama Department, and/or Playtime Poppy Children’s Theatre.

Act It Out

Choose one small scene from the play. Work in a small group. Assign each person a character and act out the scene for your classmates. Discuss how your movements and expressions helped convey the character’s emotions.

Be a Set Detective

Create a list of the geometric shapes found in the architecture of the sets of the performance. What math and science skills did the KHS set designers need to build all the sets for this performance? Draw a sketch of your favorite set from the show.

Do some Reflecting

Discuss and take notes on your answers to the following questions after you see the performance:

1) Who are the main characters from the play? 2) Where does the story take place? 3) What conflicts/problems happened? 4) How were the conflicts/problems solved? 5) What was your favorite costume, set or props used in the play? 6) Was there any music in the play? If so, how does it affect the mood of the story? 7) Were there any surprises in the play? 8) What was the best part of going to the performance?

Celebrate your Learning!

Share your learning with family or friends. Tell them about your experience and show them your work (project, writing, etc.).

Make an edible “elf hat” treat to celebrate. Check it out at: http://www.designdazzle.com/2014/11/edible-elf-hats or http://ediblec rafts.craftgossip.com/elf-hat-snack

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PART 3: RESOURCES

WEBSITES:

Playtime Poppy Children’s Theatre http://www.playtimepoppy.org Indian Creek Nature Center http://indiancreeknaturecenter.org Kennedy High School Drama Department http://www.kennedyactivities.com/theatre

Elf and Holiday craft websites with related lesson plans and activities:

http://www.kiwicrate.com/projects/Crafty-Christmas-Elf/894

http://www.northpole.com/academy/activities

http://www.craftymorning.com/elf-crafts-kids-make-christmas

http://www.playideas.com/25-awesome-elf-crafts-for-kids

http://www.craftionary.net/best-elf-crafts

Kids’ Drama Activities http://www.kidactivities.net/post/drama-introduction-and-menu.aspx http://www.kinderart.com/drama https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/how-to/tipsheets/five-easy-drama-

games

BOOKS The Shelf Elf by Jackie Mims Hopkins & illustrated by Rebecca McKillip Thornburgh (2004) How Does the Show Go On: An Introduction to the Theatre by Thomas Schumacher & Jeff Kurtti (2007) Backstage Cat by Harriet Ziefert & illustrated by Jenni Desmond (2013) Maple Syrup Season by Ann Purmell & illustrated by Jill Weber (2008)

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SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Kennedy High School Drama Department Directors Nick Hayes & Steven Tolly Student Cast & Crew

Season Sponsor:

Matinee Sponsors:

Show Sponsor:

Media Sponsors:

Playtime Poppy Board of Directors & Volunteers

Don’t forget to learn the

Playtime Poppy Song!

For the lyrics and music go to: http://www.playtimepoppy.org/about/playtime-poppy-song/

Playtime Poppy has been serving the Cedar Rapids community since 1951, bringing the stage to life with children’s theatre and a love of the performing arts.

Playtime Poppy’s song has been sung by generations of children, parents and grandparents, spreading smiles with its fun melody.

“The best way to spread Christmas

cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.”

-Buddy the Elf