Student Study Guide - Florida Studio Theatre · Student Study Guide to Butler by Richard Strand...

Student Study Guideto Butler by Richard Strand

Richard Hopkins, Producing Artistic Director

Table of ContentsVocabulary... 3

Other Works Based on the Civil War... 4The Fugitive Slave Act... 5

Military Fashions... 6-7The Masks We Wear... 8

Negro Spirituals... 9Post Show Quotes and Questions... 10-11

Bibliographer... 12

Cast and Crew of Butler List(in order of appearance)

General Benjamin Butler | Eric Hoffmann*Lieutenant Kelly | Joe Ditmyer*Shepard Mallory | Shane Taylor*

Major Cary | Jim Sorensen*

Director | Jason CannonStage Manager | Rebekah Small*

Scenic Designers | Isabel & Moriah Curley-ClayCostume Coordintor | Donna Riggs

Lighting Designer | Richard T. Chamblin IIIDialect Coach | Eric Zivot

Dialogues on Diversity Steering Committee Kate Alexander, Associate Director of FST, Forums Director

Chief Judge Charles E. Williams Circuit Judge of the 12th Judicial CourtWillie Charles Shaw, Mayor of Sarasota

Tom Tryon, Opinion Editor - Sarasota Herald-TribuneTrevor Harvey, President of the Sarasota NAACP

Michéle Des Verney Redwine, Community Artist and Diversity Education Consultant, Special Counsel from: Dr. Ed James II, Executive Producer and Host of Black Almanac, ABC 7 – WWSB


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Cabinet: A group of people who act as advisors to the leader of a country.

Contraband: Goods that are not allowed to be imported or exported.

Fugitive: A person who runs from the law.

Sanctuary: A sacred place where fugitives can’t be arrested.

Civilian: A person who is not employed in the government or the military.

Loophole: an opportunity to legally avoid an an unpleasant responsibility, usually because of a mistake in the way rules or laws have been written.

Convoluted: Difficult, or complicated, to understand.

Brash: Tastelessly or offensively loud or showy.

Incarcerated: Imprisoned.

Protocol: The customs and regulations in handling certain situations.

Artillery: Large weapons, such as cannons and missile launchers that are operated by crews.

Embellishment: An elaborate addition to a statement; a decoration.

Fortification: Also known as fort. A permanent army post.

Asylum: A place offering shelter and safety.

Provision: The acting of providing something; a requirement in a law, rule, agreement, or document.

Adjutant: An assistant.

Sovereign: Self-governing; independent.

Impound: To place in legal custody.

Scurrilous: Vulgar, coarse, or abusive.

Jackanape: An arrogant person; it used to mean a monkey or ape.

Conscript: To force into service.

Hoosegow: Jail.

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Vocabulary Words Used in Butler


Arguably the most significant event in American History, the American Civil War has inspired countless books and films. Here is only a small list of them:

Gone with the Wind by Margaret MitchellThis enduringly popular novel by Margaret Mitchell was later adapted into an Academy Award-winning film. It tells the story of a spoiled Southern Belle whose way of life is disrupted when the Civil War erupts, and how she survives the devastated postwar South.

Cold Mountain by Charles FrazierThis 1997 Nation Book Award-winning novel tells of a Confederate soldier who embarks on an epic journey across the ravaged American South to return to Ada, the woman he loves. Meanwhile, Ada, tries to keep her father’s farm operating among economic and social uncertainty.

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen CraneKnown as the first great American war novel, this 1895 novel tells the story of a young Civil War soldier who is seduced by the glory of war, but comes face to face with the realities of war.

Little Women by Louisa May AlcottFour sisters grow up in Civil War-era New England while their father is away at war. A classic novel of New England girlhood that explores the poverty and worry brought on by the Civil War. This book was also adapted into a hit Broadway musical.

March by Geraldine BrooksLittle Women tells the story of four sisters who wait for their father to return from the war. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel focuses on their father’s experience on the battlefield.

DISCUSSION: Have you seen or read any of these stories (in either book or film form)? How do they discuss army life? The treatment of slaves? The war’s impact civilian lives?

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Other Works based on the Civil War


The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was passed on September 18th of that year as part of the Compromise of 1850 between the slave-holding South and the anti-slavery North. The Congress of the United States -- the very Congress created by the wonderful and epoch-making Constitution of the United States - is nevertheless capable of creating truly horrendous laws. The most oppressive law in United States history was arguably the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850,

The law stated that a slave, if captured, must be returned to his or her master, even if they’re caught in a Northern state. It wasn’t only escaped slaves that were affected by this law, though. Any African American man or woman could be accused of being an escaped slave based on the oral testimony of a slave owner. African Americans were denied the right to testify on their behalf, and anyone assisting them faced a $1,000 fine and six months in jail. Some slave catchers weren’t even hired by a slave owner, but were trying to make a profit off of runaway slaves.

While this law appealed to Southerners, the abolitionists in the North were appalled by this ruling. They, along with the free black communities of the North, provided sanctuary for escaped slaves. The amount of escaped slaves increased upon the passing of this act, and traffic through the Underground Railroad increased by 50%-75%.

Discussion: The South believed they had a right to their slaves, while the North disagreed with human enslavement. By law a Northerner was obligated to return an escaped slave to his Southern owner, even if he/she disagreed with slavery. Are there any laws today that you believe to be unfair or unjust, but follow despite your belief?

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The Fugitive Slave Act: the most horrendous law in U.S. history


During the Civil War, Union and Confederate soldiers wore distinctive uniforms to show which side of the battle they were on. Soldiers were issued free uniforms, while officers were expected to purchase uniforms that met the military requirements. Each outfit differed depending on a soldier’s rank, and had Chevrons to identify whether they were an enlisted man or an officer:

A typical Union Uniform consisted of a forage cap, a dark blue flannel sack coat, wool trousers, and leather brogans for footwear. The North was a primarily industrial culture at the time of the Civil War, thus allowing the uniforms to be mass-produced and distributed.

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Military Fashions

Union Uniforms


At the time of the Civil War, The South was a largely agricultural society. Cotton was a widely available crop so Confederate uniforms were made of cotton. Since cotton was a limited resource, eventually the crop ran low and the South was unable to produce sufficient uniforms for all the soldiers. Union soldiers often called them Butternuts due to the yellow-brown color of their uniforms.

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Confederate Uniforms


Insignia is a badge or a mark that would distinguish which military rank a soldier was.

A Union Soldier’s rank would be distinguished by insignia on their epaulettes (shoulder decorations) for formal occasions, and on the shoulder straps for field duties. One example is the gold stars, which would distinguish types of Generals. Three stars would distinguish a Lieutenant General, two stars a Major General (which is what Benjamin Butler would have worn), one star for a Brigadier General.

Insignia

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We wear the mask that grins and lies,It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, -

This debt we pay to human guile;With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, whileWe wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our criesTo thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vileBeneath our feet, and long the mile;But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

Discuss the poem above by Paul Laurence Dunbar.

The Masks We Wearby Paul Laurence Dunbar

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Music is an important part of life and in turn an important element in the theatre. Early Negro spirituals were inspired by early African Hymns, but were later taken from the hymns written by English minister Dr. Isaac Watts. African-American slaves would turn to these songs to cope with the trials and hardships of slavery. Many of these dealt with praising the Lord, as well as the hope of freedom. One feature of these spirituals is the “call and response” chant, in which the preacher would sing one line, and then the congregation would sing the next.

Spirituals were also used for communication among the Underground Railroad. They frequently had coded meanings in their lyrics so that white slave owners wouldn’t know their slaves’ plans to escape. Lyrics such as “a band of angels is coming after me” would refer to the conductors of the Underground Railroad coming to take slaves to freedom. Another example is the spiritual “Wade in the Water”, which instructed runaway slaves to step into a river because the hunting dogs wouldn’t pick up their scent.

A more in-depth explanation is given here:

http://www.pbs.org/video/2181639247/

Audio examples of Negro spirituals:

All God’s Chillun Got Wings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StRzrTywUaM&list=PLJ3X0XM_SmvPutsT59kVxNHE1Y9B8kcR-

Roll Jordan Roll (Clip from the film 12 Years a Slave)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oFcFzJT7Tw&list=PLUCSU0WaWqtAb4XM1T5d5YZat0Mt3KMPI

Summertime and Motherless Child

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc2vVPV_ZTQ

Negro Spirituals

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“In order for America to understand history, it must first understand African-American history. It’s a play such as the Bulter that tells the story of the Civil War, which ultimately exposes the unfair treatment

of slaves. However, the play puts it into a comfortable format that all can understand and have wholesome dialogue.”

- Trevor Harvey, President of Sarasota NAACP

“Historian and author Shelby Foote is quoted as saying, “In order for anyone to ever understand modern America – they must have a thorough understanding of the Civil War.” One of the most important aspects of the war was the treatment of slaves who were caught literally – in the middle of it. Butler tells us this

important aspect of the Civil War in an entertaining and educational way.” - Chief Judge Charles E. Williams Circuit Judge of the 12th Judicial Court

1. Did anything in the play surprise you? Did you discover anything about slaves or Civil War history that you didn’t know before you saw the play?

2. “I was always a friend of Southern rights but an enemy of Southern wrongs.” - Major General Benjamin ButlerIn this quote, Butler acknowledges that the South has a right to their way of life, but not if it comes at the cost of other people’s dignity. Is it possible to be both friend and enemy to a group of people you disagree with, especially if what they’re committing is completely legal? Does a group of people really have a right to something if it is wrong in the eyes of another group of people?

3. Question from Shane Taylor, actor, played the role of Shepard Mallory in Butler by Richard StrandIf given the opportunity to go back in time and speak to Shepard Mallory what would you tell him about life as a young person today? Why?

4. Question: Earlier in this guide we talked about other portrayals of American Civil War history in American media. Compare and contrast Butler with another play, movie, or book covering the same era. Discuss difference in tone, portrayals of military life, and any bias on the part of the writer.

Post Show Quotes

Discussion Questions



NEW YORK (AP) — Scholastic is pulling a new picture book about George Washington and his slaves amid objections it sentimentalizes a brutal part of American history.

“A Birthday Cake for George Washington” was released Jan. 5 and had been strongly criticized for its upbeat images and story of Washington’s cook, the slave Hercules and his daughter, Delia. Its withdrawal was announced Sunday.

“While we have great respect for the integrity and scholarship of the author, illustrator and editor, we believe that, without more historical background on the evils of slavery than this book for younger children can provide, the book may give a false impression of the reality of the lives of slaves and therefore should be withdrawn,” the children’s publisher said in a statement released to the AP.

The book, which depicts Hercules and Delia preparing a cake for Washington, has received more than 100 one-star reviews on Amazon.com. As of Sunday evening, only 12 reviews were positive. The book also set off discussions on Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere on social media.

While notes in “A Birthday Cake for George Washington” from author Ramin Ganeshram and illustrator Vanessa Brantley-Newton had pointed out the historical context of the 18th century story and that Hercules eventually escaped, some critics faulted Ganeshram and Brantley-Newton for leaving out those details from the main narrative.

“Oh, how George Washington loves his cake!” reads the publisher’s description of the story. “And, oh, how he depends on Hercules, his head chef, to make it for him. Hercules, a slave, takes great pride in baking the president’s cake. But this year there is one problem — they are out of sugar.”

The trade publication School Library Journal had called it “highly problematic” and recommended against its purchase. Another trade journal, Kirkus Reviews, had labeled the book “an incomplete, even dishonest treatment of slavery.”

In a Scholastic blog post from last week, Ganeshram wrote that the story was based on historical research and meant to honor the slaves’ skill and resourcefulness.

“How could they smile? How could they be anything but unrelentingly miserable?” Ganeshram wrote. “How could they be proud to bake a cake for George Washington? The answers to those questions are complex because human nature is complex. Bizarrely and yes, disturbingly, there were some enslaved people who had a better quality of life than others and ‘close’ relationships with those who enslaved them. But they were smart enough to use those ‘advantages’ to improve their lives.”

Sunday’s announcement comes amid an ongoing debate about the lack of diversity in publishing, although the collaborators on “A Birthday Cake” come from a variety of backgrounds. Ganeshram is an award-winning journalist and author born to a Trinidadian father and Iranian mother and has a long history of food writing. Her previous works include the novel “Stir It Up” and the nonfiction “FutureChefs.”

In The NewsRead the article from the Huffington Post below.

(continued on the next page) 11

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In The News(continued article)

DISCUSSIONDiscuss the article above.

How can we discuss slavery with students youngerthan you in a way that they can understand it?

Brantley-Newton, who has described herself as coming from a “blended background - African American, Asian, European, and Jewish,” has illustrated the children’s series “Ruby and the Booker Boys” among other books. The editor was Andrea Davis Pinkney, also an author who in 2013 won a Coretta Scott King prize for African-American children’s literature.

The pulling of the Washington book also recalls a similar controversy from last year. “A Fine Dessert,” written by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, was criticized for its cheerful depiction of a 19th century slave mother and daughter as they prepared a blackberry recipe. Jenkins apologized, saying that her book, which she “intended to be inclusive and truthful and hopeful, is racially insensitive.” (“A Fine Dessert,” released by the Random House imprint Schwartz & Wade, remains in print).

Copies of “A Birthday Cake for George Washington” were not easy to find even before Scholastic’s decision. The print edition on Amazon.com, ranked No. 13.202 earlier Sunday, was listed as shipping within “2 to 4 weeks.” Several Barnes & Noble stores in Manhattan did not have the book in stock. Scholastic spokeswoman Kyle Good said she could not provide an immediate reason for delays in the book’s availability.

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Underground Railroad: The William Still Story. Dir. Laine Drewery. PBS, 2012. Film.

The Official Site of the Negro Spirituals, antique Gospel Music. (n.d.). Retrieved December 21, 2015, from http://www.negrospirituals.com

The Fugitive Slave Acts. (n.d.). Retrieved December 21, 2015, from http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/0history/SlaveActs.html

Civil War Uniform - Civil War Academy - American Civil War. (2015). Retrieved December 21, 2015, from http://www.civilwaracademy.com/civil-war-uniform.html

Where Did That Fried Chicken Stereotype Come From? (2013, May 22). Retrieved December 21, 2015, from http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/05/22/186087397/where-did-that-fried-chicken-stereotype-come-from

Richeson, M. (2009). Sex, Drugs, and... Race-to-Castrate: A Black Box Warning of Chemical Castration’s Potential Racial Side Effects. Retrieved December 21, 2015, from http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/blj/vol25/95-132.pdf

West, C. M. (2008). Mammy, Jezebel, Sapphire, and their homegirls: Developing an “oppositional gaze” toward the images of Black women. In J. Chrisler, C. Golden, & P. Rozee (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (4th ed., pp. 286-299). New York: McGraw Hill.

IBDB.com. (n.d.). Retrieved December 21, 2015, from http://www.ibdb.com/Production/View/9073

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