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This study guide will help your students learn about the theatrical production, as well as, the historical background.
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TheatreWorksS I L I C O N V A L L E Y
FOR SCHOOLS
Our Partners in EducationTheatreWorks thanks our generous donors to the Education Department, whose financial support enables us to
provide in-depth arts education throughout Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. During the 2012/13
season alone, we served over 38,000 students, patients, and community members, making over 90,000 educational
interactions.
CORPORATE & FOUNDATION
Applied Materials
Avant! Foundation
Crescent Porter Hale Foundation
Dodge & Cox Investment Managers
Luther Burbank Savings
Microsoft
The David & Lucile Packard Foundation
SanDisk
Kimball Foundation
The Leonard C. and Mildred F. Ferguson Foundation
Wells Fargo
INDIVIDUAL
Anonymous (2)
Toni Bassett
Matty Bloom
Joan Bowersock
Stephen Carney
Rebecca Carter
Cheri Chapman
Evelyn Comstock
Frances Escherich
Daniel Fourrier
Alice Frayne
Seth Leslie
Bruce Lonie
Russ Louthian
Barbara McArthur
Lewis Miller
Guido Neels
Sharon Perl
Audrey Perlman
Valerie Pierce
Nancy Ruskin
Judith Schwartz
Frank Shifrin
Debra Summers
Lisa Walker
Patricia Workman2
“We don’t live for society.
We live for what we have inside
of us. We live to expand our minds.
Fulfill our dreams. Engage in
passionate exchanges.”
Jo March, from the musical Little Women
Table of Contents
For Teachers and Students• For Teachers: Using this Study Guide 4• For Students: The Role of the Audience 5
Exploring the Play • Little Women: The Broadway Musical Plot Summary 6–7• Understanding Plot: Sequencing Events 8• Self-Discovery in Little Women 9
Activity: Role on the Wall 10Activity: Cause and Effect 11Activity: Bio Poems 12
• An Introduction to Musical Theatre 13• Louisa May Alcott 14• About the Setting: The American Civil War 15• Adapting a Story 16
Activity: Adaptations: From Page to Stage 17• Gender and Society 18
Activity: Gender Stereotypes: Then and Now 19
Resources• STUDENT/Student Matinee Evaluation• TEACHER/Student Matinee Evaluation
3
How to use this Study Guide
This guide is arranged in worksheets. Each worksheet or reading may be used independently or in conjunction
with others to serve your educational goals. Together, the worksheets prepare students for the workshops, as
well as seeing the student matinee of Little Women produced by TheatreWorks, and for discussing the
performance afterwards.
Throughout the guide you will see several symbols:
Means “Photocopy Me!” Pages with this symbol are meant to be photocopied and handed directly to students.
Means “English Language Arts.” Pages with this symbol feature lessons that are catered toCalifornia State English Language Arts standards.
Means “Theatre Arts.” Pages with this symbol feature lessons that are catered to California State Theatre Arts standards.
Means “Social Studies.” Pages with this symbol feature lessons that are catered to California State Social Studies standards.
For Teachers
Student matinee performances of Little Women will be held on December 12 & 18, 2013 at 11:00 am, at the Lucie Stern
Theatre in Palo Alto. The production is approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, with one 15 minute intermission. The
performance will be followed by a discussion with actors from the show.
Student audiences are often the most rewarding and demanding audiences that an acting ensemble can face. Since we
hope every show at TheatreWorks will be a positive experience for both audience and cast, we ask you to familiarize
your students with the theatre etiquette described on the “For Students” pages.
4
All the work that goes into a production would mean nothing if there wasn’t an audience for whom to perform. As the
audience, you are also a part of the production, helping the actors onstage tell the story.
When the performance is about to begin, the lights will dim. This is a signal for the actors and the audience to put aside
concerns and conversation and settle into the world of the play.
The performers expect the audience’s full attention and focus. Performance is a time to think inwardly, not a time
to share your thoughts aloud. Talking to neighbors (even in whispers) carries easily to others in the audience and to the
actors on stage. It is disruptive and distracting.
Food is not allowed in the theatre. Soda, candy, and other snacks are noisy and, therefore, distracting. Please keep
these items on the bus or throw them away before you enter the audience area. Backpacks are also not allowed in the
theatre.
Walking through the aisles during the performance is extremely disruptive. Actors occasionally use aisles and stairways
as exits and entrances. The actors will notice any movement in the performance space. Please use the restroom and
take care of all other concerns outside before the show.
Cell phones and other electronic devices must be turned off before the performance begins. Do not text during
the performance, as it is distracting to the audience members around you.
What to bring with you:
Introspection
Curiosity
Questions
Respect
An open mind
What to leave behind:
Judgments
Cell phones, etc.
Backpacks
Food
Attitude
The Role of the Audience
5
It is January 1865 in New York City. In the bustling
boarding house run by Mrs. Kirk, Jo March receives her
22nd rejection letter from a story publisher. In the letter,
the publisher advises her to “Return home and have
babies. That is what women are made for.” She asks her
neighbor, Professor Bhaer, if she might read her story
aloud to get his feedback. She does so with dramatic
flair, acting out all of the characters and events.
Professor Bhaer interrupts Jo and asks, “What is it you
are writing here?” Jo tells him that she’s written a
“blood n’ guts” story, which is all the rage. Professor
Bhaer asks why someone so unique would want to write
trendy “blood and guts” stories. Frustrated, Jo wonders
whether her writing was better when she was home with
her sisters, and she’s catapulted into memories of home.
The action jumps back in time two years, to December
1863. The March household in Concord, Massachusetts
is bustling with energy on Christmas Eve. Amy, the
youngest sister, complains of being picked on at school
and of how sad it will be to spend Christmas without
their father. Meg, the oldest, laments her role as a
governess, believing it is keeping her from meeting
eligible men. Beth, the second youngest, tells her sisters
that Jo has a surprise for them; Jo’s written an Operatic
Tragedy and they are going to perform it on Christmas
day. On top of this, Jo has decided to become a world-
renowned writer: “I shall write great books and earn
barrels of money. And I’ll give you all everything you’ve
ever dreamed of!” The sisters are skeptical at first, but
quickly become absorbed in rehearsal. Jo plays the
dashing Rodrigo and saves the family Christmas by
chopping down a Christmas tree across the street.
Unfortunately, she chops down a tree on grumpy Mr.
Laurence’s property. Marmee, their mother, returns
home and is shocked to discover what Jo has done.
Mr. Laurence arrives, furious that Jo has stolen a tree
from his property. Jo agrees to plant twelve more trees
and to chop firewood for him for the next few weeks.
The girls notice a young man with Mr. Laurence who
introduces himself as Theodore Laurence the Third, or
Laurie. He has come to live with his grandfather, Mr.
Laurence. Jo asks Laurie to deliver the Christmas tree
6
Hayden Tee, Maureen McVerry, & Mindy Lym / Photo by Tracy Martin
to the Hummels, a less fortunate family who live in the
neighborhood. Laurie happily agrees. When peace is
restored, Marmee reveals a letter from their father.
Mr. March is away serving in the Civil War as an army
chaplain for Union forces, and he deeply misses his wife
and daughters. The letter makes the March sisters miss
their father even more, and Marmee cheers them by
reminding them of the Operatic Tragedy they are going
to perform. Once alone, Marmee tries to respond to her
husband’s letter and reveals how sad she is without him.
Next we jump to January 1864. Jo arrives at Aunt
March’s stately house, and Aunt March scolds her for
being late to work. Jo helps her aunt with chores
around the house and she reads books aloud to her.
Aunt March bemoans Jo’s unladylike behavior, telling
her that she’s headed in the wrong direction. “You are
what happens to a girl when she has no father,” she
scolds. Aunt March doesn’t approve of Jo’s father
serving in the war. She wants Jo to marry well and be
powerful in society, but Jo doesn’t want to marry, ever.
Aunt March reveals that she had considered taking Jo
to Europe, but now she knows Jo isn’t ladylike enough
for such a trip. Devastated, Jo quickly works to convince
Aunt March otherwise. She dreams of traveling the
world like all great writers do. Aunt March says she will
reconsider if Jo demonstrates that she can be a lady.
Plot Summary Little Women: The Broadway Musical
LITTLE WOMEN ON BROADWAY
7
Now it is the evening of February 14th, 1864. The
March household is bustling again as Meg and Jo get
ready to attend their first ball. Amy is furious that Jo
gets to go the ball instead of her, because Jo hates
dances and doesn’t care about society. Nervous, Meg
asks her mother what she should do if someone asks
her to dance. Marmee replies, “Just smile and say, ‘I’d
be delighted.’” At the ball, Meg meets Laurie’s tutor,
John Brooke, and is instantly smitten. Laurie tells Jo he
needs a friend and asks her to “take a chance on me.”
She does!
Upon returning home, Jo discovers that Amy has burnt
her story in retaliation for not getting to go to the ball.
Jo is furious and ignores Amy for days. Then, one fateful
afternoon, Amy follows behind Jo and Laurie as they go
ice skating and the ice breaks beneath her. Laurie saves
her, she and Jo reconcile, and Jo makes Laurie an
honorary member of the family. Everyone swears to stay
together and sings, “We’ll be five for all forever from
now on!”
Time marches on and Marmee learns that their father is
very ill. Jo sells her hair to finance Marmee’s trip to
Washington, D.C., where she will take care of her hus-
band. Aunt March is appalled by Jo’s unladylike behav-
ior and tells her she will not be taking her to Europe. Amy
readies herself to go live with Aunt March while
Marmee is away, and John Brooke proposes to Meg. Jo
realizes that her sisters are slowly leaving her. On top of
all this, Laurie visits Jo a few weeks later to tell her that
he’s leaving for college and that he wants to marry her.
Jo is appalled by his proposal, telling him that she
never, ever wants to marry. She had considered him her
friend and doesn’t know what to make of his behavior.
Laurie leaves, heartbroken.
Act II begins in June, 1864 in New York City. Jo bursts
into Mrs. Kirk’s boarding house with the wonderful
news that Weekly Volcano Press has agreed to publish
her Operatic Tragedy. We learn that she took Professor
Bhaer’s earlier feedback and made her story better.
Plot Summary, continued
Sadly, her joy is interrupted by a telegram saying that
Beth has fallen ill with scarlet fever. Jo rushes home.
That summer Jo endeavors to take good care of her
sister. Mr. Laurence gives Beth his piano, and the two
sing and play together while Jo writes Professor Bhaer
a letter telling him how things are and asking him how
he is doing. She uses her small earnings from her writing
to take Marmee and Beth to the Cape Cod seashore.
While on the beach, Jo assures Beth that she will heal
and recover, but Beth sings, “Some things are meant to
be.” The two have a moving conversation about how
much they love each other.
We jump to winter 1865 and learn much has changed.
Meg and John Brooke, married, are expecting their first
baby. Beth has passed. Amy and Aunt March return from
their European tour with many stories to tell and with
Laurie in tow. Jo learns that Amy and Laurie are
engaged. Laurie tells her he was “never meant to fly on
golden wings” like Jo most certainly is. Jo goes up to
her old writing space in the attic and is filled with deep
sadness at having lost Beth. Marmee consoles her and
tells her, “You must fight to keep her there within you.”
At this, Jo sits down to write her first novel, Little
Women. The story pours out of her.
Now, we find ourselves in Spring of 1866 on Amy and
Laurie’s wedding day. The March house is again bustling
with energy and life. We learn that Meg and John have
had twins and that Mr. March is coming home today in
time for the wedding. It is a happy scene. Jo is surprised
when Professor Bhaer pays her a visit, not knowing that
it is her sister’s wedding day. They talk at first about the
weather and then Professor Bhaer professes his love to
Jo, and she does the same. They discuss the ways in
which their love is unique and not like other examples of
love. They argue and disagree, but they ultimately admire
each other’s individuality. “Though we are not at all
alike, you make me feel alive,” they sing. In a moment to
herself before the wedding, an incandescent Jo wonders
at how astonishing life can be.
Understanding Plot: Sequencing EventsLittle Women is a story that jumps around in time and place. Read the plot summary included in this guide, and underline the 6 most important events in the story. Then number them 1-6 and assign them to a box. Draw a small picture of the event in the box and write a description in the lines below.
8
1
3
5
2
4
6
Throughout Little Women, many characters change and discover their true selves. Jo discovers that though she wishesshe could be with her sisters all the time, she can’t. Laurie discovers that he wasn’t meant to live happily ever after withJo. Aunt March generously decides to leave her house to Jo. Explore the idea of identity with your students. Here aretwo lesson plans to do with students, one for elementary grades and one for middle and high school grades. The worksheets are on the following pages.
9
Self Discovery in Little Women
Elementary: Role on the Wall
Time: 60 minutes (can be extended into two days)
Materials: Role on the Wall worksheet
1. Ask students to define the word “identity.” You
might ask the following questions:
• Who are YOU?
• What are the things that make up “you,”
inside and out?
• What things in your life, whether it be your
parents or a book or movie, influence you
and point you in a certain direction?
• Is there anything in your life that inspires you to act?
2. Hand out the Role on the Wall worksheet. Using
the answers to the questions above, have students
fill in words and pictures that describe them. Inside
the body outline, students should write internal
information ––hopes, dreams, likes, dislikes, etc.
Outside the body outline, students should write
external information––where they live, who their
family members are, etc.
3. Have students present these poems and drawings to
the class.
EXTENTION: Do this for each character at the
beginning of the play and at the end of the play and
then compare/contrast the two. Who changes the
most? Who changes the least?
Middle/High School: Cause and Effect
Time: 60 minutes (can be extended into two days)
Materials: Cause and Effect and Bio Poem worksheets
1. Discuss the characters in the play. Who changed and
who stayed the same? Make a list of who changed
and who didn’t change.
2. For actors an important part of character research
is understanding what events caused changes in
characters. Have your students do some character
research by completing the Cause and Effect
worksheet. They should identify the specific events
that caused measurable changes in particular characters.
3. Have students choose a character from Little Women
and complete the Bio Poem worksheet from his or
her perspective.
4. Students perform their Bio Poems for the class as
monologues or spoken word pieces.
10
External CharacteristicsExamples: Who are his/her family members?
Where does he/she live? What is his/her job?
Internal CharacteristicsExamples: What are his/her likes?
What are his/her dislikes? What are his/her hopes and dreams?
Role on the Wall
11
Cause and EffectThe characters in Little Women experience many transitions during the play. But none of these changes happen on theirown. There are several agents throughout the play that move the characters to change. Below, examine some of theseevents—what happens and how does it change the character?
CAUSE EFFECT
fl
fl
fl
fl
fl
Jo chops down
Mr. Laurence’s tree.
The March family meets the
Laurence family when a furious
Mr. Laurence pays a visit.
12
Bio PoemsChoose a character from Little Women and answer the following questions based on that character’s perspective.
If you can’t find the answer, use your imagination and creativity to imagine what your character might be like.
(Line 1) First name
(Line 2) Four words that describe you
(Line 3) Important relationship (son/daughter/sister of...)
(Line 4) Resident of (place where you live)
(Line 5) Who reads (four books)
(Line 6) Who likes (three things you like)
(Line 7) Who loves (three things you love)
(Line 8) Who wishes (three things)
(Line 9) Who admires
(Line 10) Who needs
(Line 11) Who aspires to
(Line 12) Last name
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Example:
Jo
Bold, Ambitious, Independent, Energetic
Daughter of Marmee
Resident of Concord, Massachusetts
Who reads Much Ado About Nothing,
Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth
Who likes blood and guts stories, dreaming, writing
Who loves her family, imagining, theatre
Who wishes to publish a book,
meet famous writers, have a job
Who admires authors
Who needs to write
Who aspires to travel in Europe
March
13
Theatre is generally divided into two categories, playsand musicals, each with many subdivisions. Each type of show can have a great deal of music, but in a musical,the music not only supports the play, but major emo-tional moments are sung.
There are several types of songs in the score of a musicaland each serves a different purpose. For example, characteridentification songs tell who a character is and whatthey want. Chorus songs usually set the scene and giveexposition. There are also comic songs and love songsthat can be about a specific individual or love in general.
But why perform a musical as opposed to a play?Within a musical the emotions are heightened by thescore. Like in Shakespeare, the emotions of the characterscan be so large, so explosive, only poetry or song willexpress their feelings. Musicals create a heightened reality and can move in and out of poetry very easily.
There are many styles of musicals and these days almostany subject can be the basis for a musical. Little Womenis traditional and classic, but you may also see a revuewhere the works of a single composer or a period arecombined in a piece with little or no plot. There are alsoshows like Rent and American Idiot called rock operasdue to their use of rock and roll music.
An Introduction to Musical Theatre
CONNECTION:
Break off into small groups or pair groups. Recall the musical moments from stage shows or movies or from TVshows like Glee. Have one person for your group record these moments along with a short phrase describing whythe character is singing.
Try to answer the following questions in your group:• How are musicals and plays different from each other?• Generally, which do you like better: musicals or plays? Why?• What benefits does telling a story as a musical give to a writer? What disadvantages? • Because it is a musical, what features do you expect to see in Little Women?• Based on its subject and themes, what do you expect the music for Little Women to sound like?• What moments in Little Women would you expect to have songs added to them?
JUSTIN BUCHS AND SHARON RIETK
ERK / PHOTO
TRACY MARTIN
14
Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott was born on November 29th, 1832 in
Germantown, Pennsylvania, but she grew up in Boston and
in Concord, Massachusetts. Alcott had much in common
with her fearless protagonist, Jo March. She, too, was the
second oldest of four sisters, and she, too, was a tomboy.
It is rumored that Alcott once said, “no boy could be my
friend till I had beaten him in a race,” and “no girl if she
refused to climb trees, leap fences…”. Her father was a
Transcendentalist philosopher, abolitionist, and teacher,
and he educated all of his daughters. Transcendentalism
was a literary and philosophical movement popular in the
19th century and grounded in the work of Ralph Waldo
Emerson. It sought to defy and question Victorian societal
norms and to explore spirituality and religion in a world
that was becoming more and more materialistic. Though
not considered a Transcendentalist, poet Emily Dickinson
was a huge fan of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and he of her.
Though Alcott’s father valued education, her family struggled
with poverty throughout her life. She found solace in her
writing. Just like the March sisters, Alcott and her sisters
would enact her melodramatic stories for fun. Her first
novel, Flower Fables, was published when she was only 22,
and she went on to publish thirty books and collections—
quite a remarkable feat for a woman during this time.
Alcott wrote Little Women when she was 35, right after the
Civil War. Her publishers wanted a story that would appeal
to young girls, and so she wrote the first half of the novel
that we know today. However, her fans loved the book so
much that they requested another installment that chronicled
what happened to the sisters and who they married. Alcott
then wrote Good Wives, giving her fans exactly what they
wanted. Both installments are now combined into one
novel, Little Women.
Jo March is one of the first female protagonists in American
literature, bravely daring to follow her heart rather than
societal norms. Because of this and many other reasons,
Little Women has remained a beloved classic for over a
century.
Unlike Jo March, Louisa May Alcott never married. She
died in 1888, two days after her father passed away.
CONNECTION:
Break off into small groups to discuss the similarities and differences between Louisa MayAlcott and Jo March.
What are some similarities between Alcott and Jo?
Do you feel Alcott was writing about her own family in Little Women?
What would you say are differences between thecharacter Jo March and Alcott?
Why do you think Alcott decided to write Little Women?
15
Little Women takes place in Concord, Massachusettsand in New York City from Winter 1863 to Spring 1866,at the end of the Civil War. The Civil War was one of thedeadliest wars and one of the most important events inAmerican history, beginning in 1861 and lasting fouryears. Six hundred thousand lives were lost in this war inwhich the southern Confederate states sought to secede,or break away, from the Union. Though many eventslead to the Civil War, slavery was a root cause of the war.
Though we don’t hear many details of the war duringLittle Women, we know that Mr. March is serving in thewar as an army chaplain for Union forces. On Wednesday,December 6th, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment is ratified by the States and slavery is abolished—this isaround the time that Amy returns from her Europeantrip. The next spring, Mr. March returns from the war intime for Amy and Laurie’s wedding.
Here are some of the most important historical eventstaking place during Little Women:
• November 8th, 1864: Abraham Lincoln is reelected to presidency
• April 8th, 1865: Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate army, surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomatox Court House.
• April 15th, 1865: President Abraham Lincoln is assassinated. Vice President Andrew Johnson becomes president.
• December 6th, 1865: The Thirteenth Amendmentis ratified by the States.
• December, 1865: The Black Codes are establishedin Southern states, restricting the rights of African-Americans.
• April, 1866: The Civil Rights Act of 1866 grants citizenship to African-Americans and guarantees equal rights.
About the Setting: The American Civil War
CONNECTION:
Using the events above that take place during Little Women, break into groups and discuss how Jo and her sistersmight react to each of these events.
Would they be aware of the events?Would their father send a letter discussing any of these events?
Adapting a Story
16
Identify what grabbed you emotionally about the story.Before you start to form the plot and characters, decidethe feeling you want to invoke in the audience.
Decide when and where you’re setting your adaptation,if you’re departing from the original. Changing thesetting to modern times may make a story more accessible to today’s audiences, while maintaining theoriginal setting can teach us important things about thehistory and context of that time.
Pare down the story to only the most important plotpoints. When you’re writing for the stage or screen, youmust be able to tell your story in roughly two hours. Ifyour source material is a novel you may have hundredsof pages of story that must be condensed. Which partsof the plot are the most important? What is extra, andmight be cut out?
Decide which characters and locations are needed to tell the story. The number of characters in a stage or film production should be kept small. Hiring more actors is not only costly, but too many characters can be confusing to the audience in a story only two hourslong. If a character has a minor part and doesn’t affectthe story much, leave that character out. When writingfor the stage, do the same thing for locations: only usethe most essential settings. A play can be very successfulin only one place—no need for set changes! Films havea little more freedom because scenes can be shot inmany different locations.
Consider the conventions of your medium. A novel is not likely to include songs, but a musical adaptationcertainly would. If you’re writing a screenplay, you mightshow the passage of time through a montage. Keep inmind the different ways that you can convey emotion or plot points that are different from the way they’represented in a book.
Many of the movies and plays you see today are actually adaptations, meaning they are based on a story already written. An adaptation may simply present the characters and plot points of a novel or play as they were originally written, or it may change the setting and situation of the story. For example, the musical Little Women is an adaptationof Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel of the same name, but with music added and some events omitted. The steps belowoutline how a writer might go about creating an adaption for stage or screen.
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Adaptations: From Page to StageLittle Women is just one example of a novel adapted into a stage production. Can you think of other examples of adaptations, either on stage, on TV, or in film? What stories might you like to see adapted into stage productions? Why?
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Choose a book that you’d like to adapt into a play or musical. What would it be like? Make a list of ideas. Consider:
• What characters would be included?• When would it take place?• What would the set be like?• What events would you include? What would you omit?• What would the music/sound design be like?• What kind of costumes would the actors wear?• How would you want the audience to feel after seeing the production?
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Working in groups of five, select one of your favorite books and choose five important scenes from the story Each member of the group will “direct” the others to create a tableau, or still image, of one of the scenes using your bodiesand any props needed. Then perform your living tableaux for the class. After sharing, discuss the following questions:
• Was it difficult choosing five scenes? If so, why?• Was it difficult making tableaux, or still images? If so, why?
18
Gender and Society“My advice to you is to return home and have babies. This is what women are made to do.” – F. Putnam
Throughout Little Women, Jo March constantly struggles with what society asks her to be and what she wants to be.Aunt March voices society’s expectations of women when she tells Jo, “With a good marriage, you can have power. You can take your place in society.”
What similarities, if any, do you find between Jo’s stories and her life? What changes does Jo make to her tales of Rodrigo and Clarissa?
Based on what you see and hear in Little Women, what does it mean to be a woman in 1860s America?
Elementary
Time: 60 minutes (can be extended into two days)
Materials: Gender Stereotypes worksheet
Have your students complete the Gender Stereotypes
Venn Diagram. Ask them to list stereotypes of men and
women in 1868 that they notice in the musical. Then ask
them to list stereotypes of men and women in 2013.
Encourage them to explore similarities and differences
between the two times.
Middle/High School: Cause and Effect
Time: 60 minutes (can be extended into two days)
Materials: Gender Stereotypes worksheet, fashion
magazines
1. Have your students complete the Gender Stereo-
types Venn Diagram. Ask them to list stereotypes of
men and women in 1868 that they notice in the musical.
Then ask them to list stereotypes of men and women
in 2013. Encourage them to explore similarities and
differences between the two times.
2. Ask students to look through current fashion
magazines and choose an advertisement they feel is
geared toward women and an advertisement they
feel is geared toward men.
3. Have students present their advertisements and
explain why they feel the advertisement is gender-
specific. Ask them to keep in mind:
• Vocabulary used in the advertisement
• Fonts used in the advertisement
• Background images used in the
advertisement
• Colors and/or lighting used in the
advertisement
1886
2013
Ge nde r St er eot ype s: Th en a nd Now
19
Student Matinees/ STUDENT Feedback
Name____________________________________Grade_____________School_________________________________________
Performance Tasks based CA State theatre arts standards
Select and complete one of the following activities:
1. Rewrite the ending of the play. How would you like to see it end? Why?
2. Pick a moment in the play that affected you. Describe the stage elements that created that moment for you
(the script, acting, lighting, music, costumes, set design, sound design and/or direction).
3. Write a review of the play or an actor.
4. Describe something you would change in the production. Describe what benefit that change create in the
production and why.
5. Identify and describe how this production might affect the values and behavior of the audience members who
have seen it.
6. Write about any careers you learned about in attending this production. (example: stage hands, set designers,
actors, etc.)
Assessment Survey
No Maybe Yes Really Yes
I learned a lot from this experience 1 2 3 4
I would like to do this sort of project again 1 2 3 4
I will remember what I learned 1 2 3 4
STUDENT evaluation (cont)
Finish the following statements:
The most important thing I learned from this play was:
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Besides getting out of school, the best thing about attending this student matinee is:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Learning through the theatre is different from my regular class because:
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If I could change something about attending a student matinee, I would:
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I'm going to use what I learned, saw, or experienced by:
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Student Matinee/TEACHER Evaluation
Name_____________________________________________________________________School___________________________
Please rate your Student Matinee experience below:
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Planning
I received sufficient and timely information 1 2 3 4
from TheatreWorks before the matinee
TheatreWorks maintained communication with 1 2 3 4
me and/or involved administrators at my school
It was clear to me that the production and study 1 2 3 4
guide incorporated curriculum standards
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Matinee Workshops
Supported other curriculum areas/subjects 1 2 3 4
Targeted students' educational needs 1 2 3 4
Provided a grade-appropriate experience 1 2 3 4
Engaged students' interest and attention 1 2 3 4
I would like to learn how to lead more of these 1 2 3 4
kinds of activities on my own in the classroom
Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Post-Matinee
Students were engaged in this experience 1 2 3 4
The experience was valuable to my students' 1 2 3 4
education
The "Performance Tasks" were useful in helping 1 2 3 4
my students understand their experience
I would be interested in bringing more drama 1 2 3 4
related activities into my classroom
TEACHER Evaluation (cont)
For your classrooms please list the strengths of watching a student matinee.
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In terms of your teaching, did this particular Student Matinee give you any arts integration ideas foryour curriculum?_________________________________________________________________________________________
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We are very interested in your feedback. What worked for you about this experience? _________________________________________________________________________________________
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What did not work for you?_________________________________________________________________________________________
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Additional Comments:
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TheatreWorks student matinees tend to fill up quickly. Information about next season will beavailable in February—keep us updated with your current contact information to receive showannouncements and booking information. Also, let us know if you have friends who would liketo be added to our mailing lists!
