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Based on the Book by Richard and Florence Atwater Book by Robert Kauzlaric Music and Lyrics by George Howe
V I R G I N I A R E P E R T O R Y T H E A T R E
STUDY GUIDE
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
About Adaptations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
ACTIVITIES
The 5 W’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Where . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
When . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Why . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
About Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE114 W. Broad St. Richmond, Virginia 23220
VIRGINIAREP.ORG (804) 282-2620
Amber Martinez Arts in Education Nanager [email protected] 804-783-1688 ext.1142
©Virginia Repertory Theatre, 2018
THE AUTHORS
Richard Atwater was a professor and writer for
newspapers such as the Chicago Tribune, the Daily
Post, and the Evening Post. In 1932, after watching
a documentary about Richard Byrd’s Antarctic
expedition, he began writing a children’s book called
Mr. Popper’s Penguins. After suffering a stroke a few
years later, he was forced to stop writing and so his
wife, Florence, continued working on the book.
In 1938, Mr. Popper’s Penguins was published to critical
acclaim, and won the 1939 Newbery Medal and the
1940 Young Reader’s Choice Award.
The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the
Association for Library Service to Children, a division of
the American Library Association, to the author of the
most distinguished contribution to American literature
for children.
Since 1940, young readers in the Pacific Northwest
have been participating in the Young Reader’s Choice
Award (YRCA). The award was established in 1940 by
Harry Hartman, a Seattle bookseller, who believed every
student should have an opportunity to select a book
that gives him or her pleasure. The Young Reader’s
Choice Award is sponsored by the Pacific Northwest
Library Association and continues to be the longest-
running children’s choice book award. It is also the only
international award with young readers in both the
United States and Canada participating in the program.
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 3
WHERE DID THIS STORY COME FROM? About Adaptations
Where did the story come from? In a theatrical adaptation,
material from another artistic medium (such as a novel or
a film) is re-written and turned into a play or musical.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a children’s book written by
Richard and Florence Atwater. It was published in 1938
and tells the story of a modest house painter named Mr.
Popper, and his family, who live in a small town called
Stillwater. Mr. Popper loves to spend his spare time reading
about Antarctic exploration. He is astounded one day
when a surprise package arrives from explorer Admiral
Drake. When the package arrives and a penguin waddles
out, Mr. Popper is thrilled!
Mr. Popper’s Penguins found a new audience through the
2011 Hollywood film starring Jim Carrey. Now it is time for
the Popper family and their penguins to take the stage in
this musical adaptation with book by Robert Kauzlaric and
music and lyrics by George Howe. Filled with adventure
and silly antics, this unlikely family will prove that with a
positive attitude, even the peskiest issues can be solved in
the end.
Special Note: The stage musical of Mr. Popper’s Penguins
contains additional elements that are derived directly from
the fiction of Richard and Florence Atwater. Therefore,
the theatrical version is not a direct transfer from the
Hollywood film to stage. It contains new characters,
stories, and songs.
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 4
THE STORY
The charming musical follows a restless house painter
who dreams of Arctic adventures. But everything
changes with the unexpected arrival of a spirited
penguin named Captain Cook.
Caution:
This is a synopsis of the play, so it is full of spoilers.
In the small town of Stillwater, Mr. Popper enjoys life as
a house painter. Mr. Popper has an active imagination
and while he is working, the colors of his paint inspire
his daydreams about traveling around the world.
However, at the end of every day, he is still in Stillwater.
In his spare time, Mr. Popper loves reading books
about Arctic adventures. He loves to learn about the
arctic through books, movies, and Admiral Drake’s
radio broadcast from Antarctica. One evening, Mr.
and Mrs. Popper are listening to the radio broadcast
when Admiral Drake addresses Mr. Popper directly
and announces that he has sent Mr. Popper a special
surprise.
When the package arrives, a real live penguin waddles
out! Mr. Popper is thrilled and decides to name him
Captain Cook. Mrs. Popper is nervous about having a
penguin as a pet but decides it is okay as long as the
penguin follows the rules. Captain Cook makes the
fridge his bedroom, where it is nice and cold.
Mr. and Mrs. Popper begin to notice that Captain Cook
does not seem happy. He will not eat and has become
ill due to his new environment and the warm weather.
The London Zoo ends up hearing the news of Captain
Cook and they send Greta, another penguin suffering
from loneliness, to live in the Poppers’ home. Greta
does the trick and Captain Cook bounces back in
no time. Penguins are social creatures and love each
other’s company.
Finally, winter begins to settle in and the penguins enjoy
the change in climate. The two penguins are too big
to both fit in the refrigerator, so Mr. Popper decides to
open all of the windows to make the entire house cold
like the Arctic. Before long, the entire house has been
transformed into a winter wonderland complete with
an ice skating rink.
Before long, Greta lays ten eggs! Mr. Popper needs to
find ways to generate more income and decides to
put the penguins to work in his painting business. The
penguins spend more time playing than helping, so
Mr. Popper schedules them to audition with a theatre
producer and the penguins are hired to go out on tour.
The penguins walk on a giant ball, lift dumbbells, and
perform acrobatics. You truly have never seen a show
like Mr. Popper’s Performing Penguins.
Admiral Drake decides to pop by for a visit and to see
the penguins’ performance. At the end of the night, he
tells Mr. Popper that it is time for the penguins to go
back home to their natural habitat. Mr. Popper is sad
but understands, so he begins to say a sad, heartfelt
goodbye. That is when Admiral Drake explains that he
expected the Popper family to come with them, much
to the Mr. Popper’s delight! They all travel to Antarctica
for a fabulous adventure.
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 5
THE CHARACTERS
BIRDS AND BEASTS
HUMANS
Mr. PopperA painter and interior decorator; a
dreamer and a romantic
Mrs. PopperA homemaker and part-time
bookkeeper; a realist,
and a caretaker
Mr. JohnsonA friendly neighbor
BarberAn excitable business owner
GentlemanAbout to experience the
craziest shave ever
ReporterA real up-and-comer
PolicemanTwo days away from retirement
CuratorA sympathetic administrator
Bus DriverIn a situation way above
his pay grade
PassengerA lost cog in the
twentieth century grind
Theater ManagerCapable and efficient
Mr. GreenbaumA big-shot entertainment magnate,
rather self-important
Cab DriverA workin’ Joe
Copper A big city policeman who
ain’t messin’ around
Sven SvensonA swarthy, swanky Swedish
entertainer and thug
Captain CookA male penguin
GretaA female penguin
SteffanA belligerent seal
Mrs. CallahanA fussbudgety neighbor
Admiral DrakeA famous explorer, not particularly
science-minded
Delivery GuyOne cool cucumber
Nelson, Columbus, Louisa, Jenny, Scott, Magellan, Adelina, Isabella,Ferdinand and Victoria
Baby penguins
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 6
ACTIVITIES
This study guide serves as a springboard to learning about and
enjoying Mr. Popper’s Penguins and the theatrical process.
The following pages include activities designed to give students a
better understanding of the story’s themes and the play’s artistry-
preparing them for an informed experience of the show. We
encourage you to use it as a resource both before and after your visit
to the live performance.
The study guide can be an invaluable tool to help:
– Foster creativity and discussion
– Develop interactive projects
– Reference to curriculum-linked activities
Each activity promotes a deeper learning in various disciplines
(Theatre, Language Arts, Music, Visual Arts, Math, etc.) and references
related to Standards of Learning.
Use these activities to help bring the show to life beyond the stage.
The 5 W’sA good way to assess any story is through the 5 W’s.
WHO?Who are the different
characters?
WHAT?What happens in the story?
WHERE?Where does the story
take place?
WHEN?When does the story
take place? What happened
when?
WHY?Why do the
characters behave as they do?
Why do certain events take place?
?
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 7
WHO? Who are the different characters?
English Language Arts: Character Maps
Mr. PopperPhysical/Character Traits
How does this character change over time?
What challenges does the character face?
Captain Cook and GretaPhysical/Character Traits
How does this character change over time?
What challenges does the character face?
Mrs. PopperPhysical/Character Traits
How does this character change over time?
What challenges does the character face?
Admiral DrakePhysical/Character Traits
How does this character change over time?
What challenges does the character face?
Mr. GreenbaumPhysical/Character Traits
How does this character change over time?
What challenges does the character face?
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 8
WHAT? What happens in the story?
Creative Problem Solving; Writing
Use the space to the right to answer
these questions:
1. Mr. Popper had his fair share of problems
when he began raising penguins! Although
the situation was challenging, he did not
give up. Instead, he created a plan to solve
the problems.
a. List 3-5 problems that the Popper
family encountered when raising
penguins.
b. Write a couple of sentences stating
their plan to address the problem.
c. Do you think that this worked?
Why or why not?
2. Why does Mr. Popper want a penguin for a
pet? Why doesn’t his wife want one? What
exotic animal would you like for a pet?
How would you design a special space for
your pet? What would it look like?
3. What does Mr. Popper train his penguins
to do? What would you train your pet to
do? Make a list of the various acts you
would teach your pet to perform.
4. Is Mr. Popper’s solution for keeping the
penguins a good or practical idea, with
windows open in November in a blizzard?
How would you keep two penguins?
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 9
WHERE? Where does the story take place?
Animal Adaptations: Science & Environment
Animal
Where is this animal’s habitat?
What is the weather like in this animal’s
habitat?
How does this animal find
shelter?
How does this animal find food?
Does this animal have any
predators?
What behaviors show this animal has “adapted” to its environment?
Penguin
Chipmunk
Brown Bear
Lion
Rabbit
Polar Bear
Here are some terms and definitions:
Continent - a large landmass on Earth
Climate - the normal weather conditions in a particular area
Habitat - the normal environment in which an organism lives
Predator - an organism that lives by eating other organisms
When Captain Cook came to stay
with the Poppers, they quickly
realized that penguins weren’t
adapted to the environment in
London.
Use this chart to write down what
we learn about the characters
through their songs, and how the
songs move the story forward:
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 10
WHERE? Where does the story take place?
Map Exploration: Social Studies
Mr. Popper wanted to see the world. He dreamed of seeing tigers in India, climbing the mountain peaks
of the Himalayas, diving for pearls in the South Seas, and visiting the North and South Poles. Let’s explore
some places you would like to explore, too!
Take a look at the United States map below.
1. On your map, draw a circle around the state where
you live.
2. Now, draw a star on 3-5 places you want to visit
around the country.
3. Put a number 1-3 (up to 5) next to the stars. This is
the order in which you will visit these locations.
4. Plan your route by drawing an arrow from your home
to Location 1, to Location 2, and so on, until you draw
a final arrow from your last location back home.
5. Look at each arrow and determine the best means of
transportation to get from one point to the next. Are
you travelling across the whole country? Maybe you
want to take a plane. Are your two locations close
to one another? Maybe you can drive a car or take
a train. Write your mode of transportation next to
each arrow.
6. Share your journey with a classmate or partner, and
make sure to listen to their journey! Share with each
other why you want to visit each place and why you
decided to use a certain type of transportation.
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 1 1
WHEN? What happened when?
Sequencing and Science
Place the number next to the correct event in order of sequence.
CREATIVE ANSWERS
The story begins in September and goes for nine
months. During this time period, we get to experience
winter in London.
What did you think of all the snow inside the house? Do
you know how snow is formed? Snow is formed when
ice crystals in a cloud bump into each other and stick
together. If the temperature of the air below the cloud
is cold enough, snow falls. If the ground temperature
is not cold enough, the snow will melt. All snowflakes
have six sides, and some snowflakes have as many as
100 ice crystals. You will never find two snowflakes that
are alike.
When the penguins are at Mr. Popper’s home, what kind
of fun do they get into? What kind of trouble do they
encounter? When it snows in your town, do you like to
play outside? What kind of activities do you enjoy?
Mr. Popper gets Captain Cook a companion named Greta.
Mr. Popper admires the penguins and explorers of the North
and South Poles.
Captain Cook and Greta have ten children.
Admiral Drake sends Mr. Popper a surprise: a pet penguin
from the South Pole.
Mr. and Mrs. Popper join Admiral Drake and the penguins on
an exploration to the North Pole.
The Poppers and the penguins join the theatre and perform in
cities across the country.
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 12
WHY? Why do the characters behave as they do? Why do certain events take place?
Critical Thinking & Reasoning
1. Why do penguins look and act the way they do?Penguins look as if they are wearing little black and white tuxedos. It’s
important for a penguin to be black and white. Find out why below.
When a penguin gets cold, it can turn its back to the sun and
absorb heat.
Penguins’ contrasting colors are important for hiding from predators.
They have a special defense called countershading. When swimming,
a penguin’s white front blends with the sunlight, making it difficult
to be seen from below. Its black back blends with the dark waters,
making it difficult to be seen from above.
2. Why do penguins have ‘wings’ if they can’t fly?Penguins DO fly — under the water! Penguins are great swimmers.
Their ‘wings’ are called flippers and they help the penguins ‘fly’
through the water at rapid speed, reaching 25 miles per hour!
3. Why do penguins waddle?Penguins glide through the water with ease, but on land, they look
a bit awkward. Because they have short legs and big feet, waddling
helps them move faster than if they tried to use their tiny leg muscles.
4. Why do penguins live in groups?Penguins are very social animals and spend most of their lives with
large groups of other penguins. This group is called a ‘rookery’. They
do everything together: swimming, eating, hunting, and nesting. By
living and working together, penguins increase their chances for
survival (power in numbers).
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 13
ABOUT US
Virginia Repertory Theatre is a nonprofit, professional theatre company
and the result of the 2012 merger of Barksdale Theatre and Theatre
IV. With a budget of $5.5 million, four distinct venues, an educational
touring arm, and an annual audience over 530,000, Virginia Rep is the
largest professional theatre and one of the largest performing arts
organizations in Central Virginia.
For over 60 years, Virginia Rep has served Virginia’s adults, children,
families and schools and contributed to the cultural, educational, and
economic life of our city and region.
Our Signature Season operates under an annual contract with Actors
Equity Association.
Virginia Rep is a member of TCG and National New Play Network NNPA.
MISSION
Virginia Repertory Theatre creates professional productions of the
great comedies, dramas, and musicals – past, present and future. We
embrace the art form in its entirety, presenting plays of all genres and
national origins, serving an audience of all ages and backgrounds. In
keeping with the legacies of Barksdale and Theatre IV, the hallmark of
our nonprofit company is community engagement. To that end, we
seek national caliber excellence in the arts, education, children’s health,
and community leadership.
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS | 14
RESOURCES AND SOURCES
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Mr. Popper’s Penguins (the musical), book by Robert Kauzlaric,
music and lyrics by George Howe, based on the book by Richard and
Florence Atwater
KidsConnect “Penguin Facts and Worksheets”
Mr. Popper’s Penguins A Study Guide
Mr. Popper’s Penguins Unit Guide:
https://www.homeschoolshare.com/poppers_penguins.php
The Newbery Medal:
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/
newberymeda
Young Reader’s Choice Award: https://pnla.org/
BOOKS ABOUT PENGUINS
My Penguin Osbert by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Penguins! National Geographic Kids
Penguin Problems by Jory John and Lane Smith
Pierre the Penguin: The True Story by Jean Marcello and Laura Regan
BOOKS ABOUT EXPLORERS
Antarctica by Helen Cowcher
Antarctic Researchers by Out of the Lab Books
Explore Antarctica by Nature Watch
Ice Queen: Exploring Icebergs and Glaciers by Anna Prokos
You wouldn’t want to be a Polar Explorer by Jen Green