This page (Page #7)
has creative ideas
for directing a fun, successful play or musical. Check
out these examples used in ArtReach popular titles: Princess
and the Pea, The Sword in the Stone.
Don’t forget, a Teachers Guide will come with your School Play
Package and contain many other ideas and inspirations!
GCS
SPRING PLAY IS IN FULL SWING
Director Shares
Thoughts Before & After: ArtReach's Princess
and the Pea
In
an exciting development for theater enthusiasts, The GCS Theater
Department has announced that they are beginning rehearsals for their
upcoming production, ArtReach's The Princess and the Pea by Kathryn
Schultz Miller. The show, set to take place in the South Campus
gymnasium, promises to showcase talented students and dedicated staff.
"The
show showcases talented students and dedicated staff."
James A.
Garfield Middle School (OH) - ArtReach's The
Princess and the Pea
The
play, which has been chosen for its wit and appeal to younger
audiences, will feature a cast of students from 6th through 12th
grade. The school's drama department has been hard at work preparing
all aspects of a play, from sets to costumes to character development.
Director
Aleta Jones, a member of the school's staff with several years of
experience in theater, expressed her excitement about starting
rehearsals. "We have an incredibly talented group of students
dedicated to bringing this production to life," she said. "I
am confident that this will be a showcase of their hard work and talent."
During
rehearsals, the cast will work on honing their skills in preparation
for the play. During the next few weeks, they will spend countless
hours studying the script, practicing their lines, and working with
the director to perfect their performances.
In
addition to the cast, the crew is equally dedicated to making this
production a success. From the lighting technicians to the
stagehands, everyone is working tirelessly to ensure their
performance is flawless.
As
the rehearsals progress, the excitement among the cast and crew is
palpable. The production promises to be a must-see for anyone
interested in the arts, and the school is eagerly anticipating
opening night. Tickets for the production will be available to
the public on March 19th and can be purchased at www.gcstheater.org.
"A
cast of students from 6th through 12th grade."
James A.
Garfield Middle School (OH) - ArtReach's The
Princess and the Pea
Director's
Note, Dear Audience,
I
am thrilled to be directing this production of ArtReach's "The
Princess and the Pea" for our GCS community. This adaptation is
a fun take on the classic fairy tale, and I am confident that we have
brought it to life with passion, creativity, and a lot of fun.
Our
talented cast and crew have worked tirelessly to bring this story to
you. They have put in countless hours of rehearsal, and their
dedication and commitment to their craft is genuinely inspiring. I
have been blown away by their talent, creativity, and enthusiasm, and
I am so proud of everything they have accomplished.
As
you watch this play, I hope it will be an unforgettable experience,
and I hope you will feel the same joy and pride that I do when I see
these students shine on stage.
Thank
you for joining us and enjoy the show!
"This
adaptation is a fun take on the classic fairy tale."
James A.
Garfield Middle School (OH) - ArtReach's The
Princess and the Pea
Historical
Note: "The Princess and the Pea" is a popular fairy
tale that originated in Denmark in the mid-19th century. It was
written by Hans Christian Andersen and first published in 1835.
Andersen's tale became popular throughout Europe and eventually
worldwide, inspiring numerous adaptations in literature, theater, and
film. The story's enduring appeal lies in its themes of true love,
perseverance, and the power of a seemingly insignificant event to
have a profound impact. "The Princess and the Pea" remains
a beloved classic that continues to captivate audiences of all ages.
From
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis'
Study Guide for ArtReach's Sword
in the Stone
What's
the Story?
There is magic all around. At
least, that's what the magician Merlin believes, even though his
country is in the midst of a terrible war. As the play begins, Merlin
devises a way to save his beloved England, that is, as long as
everything goes according to his plan for a baby named Arthur.
Several years later, Arthur is
a young man, helping his older brother Kai prepare to become a knight
by practicing his swordsmanship. Even though Arthur is younger than
Kai, he is also bigger and better at just about everything. Kai's not
so fond of getting beat up on by his younger brother, so he decides
to throw in the towel for the day and head off for swim and then a
nap. Arthur, however, has other plans. He wants to keep practicing.
"Magic
is in - the earth, wind, water and fire."
Mount Hood Community College,
Gersham OR - ArtReach's Sword
in the Stone
As Arthur practices, Merlin
appears and tells Arthur that he is a magician. Arthur wants to see
some tricks, but Merlin insists that magic isn't quite like he might
have imagined. Magic doesn't involve pulling a rabbit out of a hat,
but instead is found in everything around us-the earth, wind, water
and fire. Arthur is skeptical, but Merlin proves his point in his
very first lesson. The young squire will first learn about the wind,
as Merlin turns them both into birds and they take to the sky.
As they fly, Arthur is amazed
to see the kingdom from so high above. They fly over the forest and
his father's land, and then they fly over what appears to be a large
group of men. Arthur thinks it looks beautiful, but as they get
closer, he realizes that it is a war. Merlin explains that, like many
of nature's creatures, men believe that the strongest should rule.
However, the strongest are not always the best rulers.
For Merlin's next lesson, the
two become fish in a moat outside Arthur's family castle. As Merlin
is teaching Arthur how to swim and how to avoid the moat's biggest
predator, the pike named Spike, they realize that Arthur's brother
Kai has accidentally been transformed as well. The fishy Kai doesn't
want to listen and swims too close to danger. Merlin takes the
opportunity to teach another lesson, and he leaves the young squire
to find a way out of the situation. Arthur uses cunning and bravery
to save himself and his brother from Spike, learning that it isn't
just strength that a ruler needs, but also intellect.
"Will
he be able to get
the sword in time?"
Mount Hood Community College,
Gersham OR - ArtReach's Sword
in the Stone
After their adventure, the two
boys return home and find a stranger, the princess Guenever. She has
arrived because her father has arranged for her to marry Kai, but
that is certainly not what she wants to do. Arthur tries to comfort
the young lady, and in doing so, seems to gain a new admirer. Merlin
appears with yet another lesson, this time about fire. He teaches
Arthur that fire isn't only found in the breath of dragons, but also
in the heart of a man in love.
Kai soon arrives with some bad
news-he has been called to battle. Arthur must fulfill his duty as
Kai's squire and assist his brother in preparing to depart. He helps
Kai get into his armor and gather his supplies, but wait-Kai's sword
is missing! Desperate to find his brother a sword before he leaves,
Arthur comes upon a sword lodged in a stone. Will he be able to get
the sword in time?
Words
to the Wise
A villain
has evil plots and motives and is the bad guy of a story. Merlin
provides Arthur with Excalibur, a legendary
sword that only a king can carry. When Arthur pretends to be a
knight, he celebrates great triumphs, or great
victories and achievements.
"Valor
is great courage in the face of danger."
Mount Hood Community College,
Gersham OR - ArtReach's Sword
in the Stone
Kai needs to learn to joust,
a sport in which men attempt to knock each other off their horses
using long wooden weapons called lances. Someday Kai will become a knight,
a job for men who serve the king as brave soldiers.
Arthur believes his destiny is to become a squire,
an attendant or helper to a knight. You might shout "Confound
it!" if something didn't go your way, sort of like
"Darn it!"
In Arthur's time, a hermit
was a person who lived all alone, totally separated from
everyone else. Chivalry is a knight's code of
conduct and includes qualities like honor, courage, courtesy and
readiness to help those in need. Valor
is great courage in the face of danger. A knight is gallant
if he shows chivalry, and is brave, grand and heroic.
Something that is majestic
shows great beauty and dignity. If something occurs miraculously,
then it happened almost by magic as if supernatural powers are
involved. Virtues are morally good and
desirable qualities. To proffer is
another way to say to offer something. Kai thinks turning into a fish
is absurd, or a crazy, wild and unreasonable
thing to do. If something is ghastly, it is
awful, frightening and terrible.
Sir Ector's castle has a moat
around it, or a large ditch filled with water that is a form of
protection for the people inside the castle. Spike is a pike,
which is a kind of fish with a pointed snout and large teeth.
In Arthur and Guenever's time, a dowry was
money or gifts that were given to a man from his bride's father.
It's not very nice to call someone an imbecile,
which is like calling them dumb or stupid.
Directing Tips
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