study guide - South Coast Repertory

STUDY GUIDE
Prepared by Associate Literary Director Andy Knight
Pinocchio • South Coast Repertory •1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part i: the play
The Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Meet the Playwright: Greg Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Going by the Book: An Excerpt from The Adventures of Pinocchio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Author Carlo Collodi and His Little Puppet’s Lasting Appeal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Pinocchio’s Many Adaptations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Five Questions for Director Jeremy Aluma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Bringing Pinocchio to Life: Meet Four Clowns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
part ii: classroom activities
Before the Show
Questions for Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Words, Words, Words!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
After the Show
Discussion About the Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Discussion About the Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
part iii: at the theatre
Welcome to the Julianne Argyros Stage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Theatre Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Student Tips for Theatre Trips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
part iv: education station
California Visual and Performing Arts Framework. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Five Strands of Art Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Basic Theatre Vocabulary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
part v: resources
The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
More About This Adaptation of Pinocchio and Playwright Greg Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
More Information About Four Clowns and Four Clowns Jr.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2 • South Coast Repertory • Pinocchio
Part I: The Play
the characters
The actors play members of a stage crew who tell the story of Pinocchio, with each actor assuming the following roles:
Actor 1: plays Geppetto, Punch, Fairy, Coachman
Actor 2: plays Cricket, Showman, Fox, Bully 2, Donkey, Girl
Actor 3: plays Policeman, Ticketman, Cat, Sailor 1, Bully 1, Boy, Old Man
Actor 4: plays Pinocchio
Actor 5: plays Bookseller, Judy, Sailor 2, Lampwick, Fairy 2
the story
F
ive members of a stage crew enter an empty
theatre, ready to begin their work for the day.
But when they turn on the lights, they realize
they are not alone: you (yes, you!) and others
are in the audience, waiting to see a performance of Pinocchio, based on the 19th-century story
by Carlo Collodi. Not wanting to disappoint, the crew
decide to perform the play themselves, with only the
few supplies left on stage to help them create the world
and tell the tale.
The story of Pinocchio begins in the tiny home
of Geppetto, a poor and lonely old man whose only
friend is a little cricket. One day, Geppetto discovers a
piece of talking wood and carves it into a puppet boy,
whom he treats like a son and names Pinocchio. Pinocchio is a special marionette: he has no strings, but he
can move around and even talk on his own, almost like
a real boy. And that is what Pinocchio wishes for more
than anything in the world: to be real.
Pinocchio is an energetic, sometimes naughty puppet and his mischievous behavior gets him in all kinds
of trouble. After Cricket tricks Pinocchio with a series
of riddles, the puppet tries to squash the insect. Then,
in the hopes of becoming more intelligent (perhaps
even clever enough to be a real boy), Pinocchio decides to attend school. Geppetto, proud of his son’s
ambition, sells his coat to buy Pinocchio a book and
then sends the little marionette off to the schoolhouse.
But Pinocchio never makes it there because, not
too long after leaving home, he stumbles upon a
grand puppet show not long after leaving home. With
no money for the entrance fee, Pinocchio offers the
ticket seller the school book that Geppetto gave him
in exchange for a ticket. During the performance, The
Showman, who controls the puppets on stage, notices
Pinocchio and, thrilled to see a marionette that can
move all by itself, gives Pinocchio a job as a performer.
But later, when Pinocchio tries to leave, The Showman
locks the little puppet in a cage.
To help him escape, the other puppets teach Pinocchio how to cry. Although Pinocchio’s tears are
fake—after all, puppets cannot cry real tears—The
Showman feels pity for him. And so he sets Pinocchio
free, gives him five gold coins and then sends the puppet home to his papa.
On his way home, Pinocchio meets the sly Fox and
the not-so-sly Cat. Fox and Cat, who hear the jingle of
Pinocchio • South Coast Repertory •3
the five coins in the little puppet’s pocket, pretend to befriend
Pinocchio so that they can steal his money later. When they find
Pinocchio again, Fox and Cat both wear disguises, successfully
rob the little puppet of his coins and then tie him to a tree as
they escape. Alone and bound, Pinocchio begins to freeze in the
cold night.
Just before he freezes to death, a kind fairy appears and
saves Pinocchio. She asks him to explain why he is not at school
and Pinocchio, embarrassed by the truth, tells a series of lies.
But with each lie, his nose grows longer and longer. When Pinocchio finally admits the truth, his nose shrinks again. Before
she disappears, The Fairy advises Pinocchio to go home to his
papa.
Pinocchio, ashamed that he has lost his gold coins, fears
Geppetto will be angry with him. But just as the little puppet
tries to cry (although still without real tears), a crowd interrupts
him: they have spotted an old man stuck in a little boat on the
treacherous sea. Pinocchio recognizes the man: it is Geppetto,
searching for his lost puppet. But suddenly, a giant wave swallows the little boat, and it disappears. Heartbroken, Pinocchio
vows to be good and to honor his father by attending school.
At the schoolhouse, the students bully Pinocchio, save for
one boy named Lampwick, who befriends the puppet. Lampwick tells Pinocchio of Playland, a place where little boys spend
all day having carefree fun, and asks the little puppet to join him
there. Pinocchio agrees, and the two friends leave for Playland
on a stagecoach pulled by a donkey.
For months, Playland is everything Pinocchio could have
imagined: long days filled with all kinds of fun. But one day,
Lampwick turns into a donkey. And then Pinocchio does, too.
Because they haven’t used their minds, they’re no better than
animals—and so that’s what they’ve become. To escape a life
of pulling stagecoaches, Pinocchio flees and flings himself into
the sea.
In the sea, fish nibble away at Pinocchio’s donkey features
until he returns to being a puppet. But as he swims away, a
giant whale swallows the puppet whole. In the whale’s belly,
Pinocchio finds Geppetto, alive and well. Father and son are
overjoyed to see each other again, but must concoct a plan to
escape. Pinocchio, in a moment of inspiration, tickles the roof
of the whale’s mouth with a feather. Suddenly, the whale lets
out a great sneeze that blows Pinocchio and Geppetto back into
the sea.
When Pinocchio and Geppetto make it to shore, Geppetto
is weak and in need of some milk for strength. The Fairy appears again, ready to aid with magic. But this time, her magic
does not work. Instead, it is Pinocchio’s hard work—lugging
an old man’s buckets of water in exchange for milk—that saves
Geppetto.
After his adventure, Pinocchio continues to work hard; the
little puppet learns to read and write and earns money to buy
Geppetto a new coat. And then one morning, Pinocchio awakens to find that he has gotten his greatest wish: he has become a
real boy. He cries with joy—and, finally, the tears are real.
With Pinocchio’s happy ending, the stage crew thank the
audience for coming and resume their day’s work.
4 • South Coast Repertory • Pinocchio
meet the playwright:
greg banks
P
laywright and director Greg Banks
has gained an international reputation with his work for young audiences and their families. Banks
studied theatre at Dartington
College of Arts in England and, in 1979,
cofounded the successful Dr. Fosters Travelling Theatre, which toured and brought
new work to rural audiences in the United
Kingdom throughout the 1980s. In 1991,
Banks became a freelance writer and director and has traveled around the world to
work on various theatrical productions.
Banks’ plays include Tir Na N’og (Travelling Light Theatre Company, New Victory
Theater, Seattle Children’s Theatre), Why
the Whales Came (Plymouth Theatre Royal,
Theatre Alibi, West End), The Snow Queen
(Norden Farm Centre for the Arts) and
Huck Finn, Antigone, Robin Hood and the
upcoming adaptation of The Jungle Book
(Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis). His adaptation of Pinocchio premiered
at Children’s Theatre Company in 2013 and
has subsequently been produced at Seattle Children’s Theatre and Arden Theatre
Company, among others.
South Coast Repertory audiences may
remember Banks’ adaptation of Robin
Hood, which was presented as a part of
the theatre’s 2012-13 Theatre for Young
Audiences season. Like SCR’s upcoming
production of Pinocchio, Robin Hood was
directed by Jeremy Aluma and featured performers from Aluma’s Los Angeles-based
clown troupe, Four Clowns.
going by the book: an excerpt from the adventures of
pinocchio by carlo collodi
An excerpt from chapter 9: Pinocchio sells his A-B-C book to pay his way into the
Marionette Theater.
S
ee Pinocchio
“I’d like to read, but
hurrying off to
somehow I can’t today.”
school with his
“Oh, really? Then
new A-B-C book
I’ll read it to you.
under his arm!
Know, then, that
As he walked along, his
written in letters of
brain was busy planning
fire I see the words:
hundreds of wonderful
GREAT MARIONETTE
things, building hundreds
THEATER.”
of castles in the air….
“When did the show
As he talked to
start?”
himself, he thought he
“It is starting now.”
heard sounds of pipes
“And how much does
and drums coming from
one pay to get in?”
a distance: pi-pi-pi, pi-pi“Four pennies.”
pi…zum, zum, zum, zum.
“Will you give
He stopped to listen.
me four pennies until
Those sounds came from
tomorrow?”
a little street that led to
“I’d give them to you
a small village along the
gladly,” answered the
shore.
other, poking fun at him,
“What can that noise
“but just now I can’t give
be? What a nuisance that
them to you.”
I have to go to school!
“For the price of four
Otherwise…”
pennies, I’ll sell you my
There he stopped,
coat.”
very much puzzled.
“If it rains, what
He felt he had to make
shall I do with a coat of
up his mind for either
flowered paper? I could
one thing or another.
not take it off again.”
Should he go to school,
“What about my hat?”
or should he follow the
“Fine bargain,
pipes?
indeed!
A cap of dough!
The title page of a 1902 edition of the novel, published in the
“Today I’ll follow
The mice might come
original Italian.
the pipes, and tomorrow
and eat it from my head!”
I’ll go to school. There’s
“Will you give me
always plenty of time to
four pennies for the
go to school,” decided the little rascal at last, shrugging
book?”
his shoulders.
“I am a boy and I buy nothing from boys,” said
No sooner said than done. He started down the
the little fellow with far more common sense than the
street, going like the wind….
Marionette.
Suddenly, he found himself in a large square, full
“I’ll give you four pennies for your A-B-C book,”
of people standing in front of a little wooden building
said a ragpicker who stood by.
painted in brilliant colors.
Then and there, the book changed hands. And to
“What is that house?” Pinocchio asked a little boy
think that poor old Geppetto sat at home in his shirt
near him.
sleeves, shivering with cold, having sold his coat to buy
“Read the sign and you’ll know.”
that little book for his son!
Pinocchio • South Coast Repertory •5
author carlo collodi and
his little puppet’s lasting
appeal
C
arlo Lorenzini was born in 1826 in Florence,
Italy, where his father and mother worked
for an aristocratic family as a cook and
a chambermaid, respectively. Although
Lorenzini was born into humble means, he
received an education in his mother’s hometown, the
Tuscan village of Collodi, from which the writer later
took his pen name, Carlo Collodi.
Collodi, passionate about freeing Italy from
foreign control, enlisted in both the 1848 and 1860
wars of Italian independence. In 1853, he founded the
satirical newspaper, Il Lampione, but its publication
was short-lived due to censorship. Collodi continued
to write, however, and quickly gained a reputation for
his novels and plays.
In 1876, Collodi published his first work of
children’s fiction, a translation of fairy
tales written by French author
Charles Perrault. In 1881,
after a number of
Above, author Carlo Collodi and left, an illustration of Pinocchio and Lampwick from the 1902 edition of the novel.
successful children’s books, Collodi published The
Story of a Puppet as a series of 15 installments in a
children’s newspaper.
Although written for young readers, The Story
of a Puppet, which featured Pinocchio depicted a dark
world and was full of strange, sometimes frightening
episodes. In fact, the final installment ended with
Pinocchio’s death at the hands of two robbers.
But the outcry from readers eventually brought
Pinocchio back to life: Collodi continued the series
under a new title, The Adventures of Pinocchio, and
the puppet lived after being saved by a fairy—and, in the
end, became a real boy.
In 1883, The Adventures of Pinocchio was published
as a novel, seven years before Collodi’s death in
1890. The first English translation of Pinocchio
was published in 1892 and—with its exciting
adventures and lessons about honesty and
bravery—the story of the little wooden
puppet has remained popular ever
since, with countless theatrical and film
adaptations.
6 • South Coast Repertory • Pinocchio
pinocchio’s many adaptations
M
any Americans know Pinocchio from the Disney film, first
released in 1940. In the animated musical, Collodi’s story
received a lighter treatment, with some of the more severe
plot twists removed or changed. The Disney film, however,
is just one of many adaptations of the classic story. Here
are some other examples of famous takes on the puppet’s story from
around the world.
1
2
Pinocchio from the 1940 Disney film.
3
1. Pinocchio, 1911 silent film
This Austrian film, released in 1911, was the first film adaptation of
the novel.
2. Un burattino di nome Pinocchio, 1972 animated film
A very successful Italian animated film that featured rich imagery
and the voices of some of the country’s greatest actors.
3. Mokku of the Oak Tree, 1972 anime series
This 52-episode anime series premiered on Japanese television and
captured some of the darker themes explored in Collodi’s original
novel.
4
4. The Adventures of Pinocchio, 2007 opera
A two-act opera that premiered at Opera North in Leeds, England,
and received its American premiere at Minnesota Opera.
5. Shrek film franchise, 2001-2010
The character of Pinocchio appeared in all four Shrek films as one
of the ogre’s friends. Pinocchio also is a featured role in the musical
based on the film, which had a Broadway run in 2008.
6. “Once Upon a Time,” current television series
The popular American television show, set in a fictional town in
Maine, brings together characters from various fairy tales. The adult
Pinocchio has a recurring storyline on the series.
5
6
Pinocchio • South Coast Repertory •7
bringing pinocchio to
life: meet four clowns
W
Jeremy Aluma.
five questions for director
jeremy aluma
J
eremy Aluma, Pinocchio’s director, is Four
Clowns’ founder and artistic director and returns to SCR after directing Robin Hood in
2012. Aluma took some time to answer a few
questions about clowning as an art form, Pinocchio
and Four Clowns’ rehearsal process.
What is clowning?
For me and my company, Four Clowns and Four
Clowns Jr., clowning is serious business! Our style
of clowning is highly physical, aims to create humor
from honest emotions, embraces absurd characters
and interacts with the audience. Our clown actors
have toured shows all over the United States and
across the globe. We all trained at The Clown School
where we developed our skills. We use choreography, comedic language, improv, mime and acrobatics in our productions. We believe bringing the audience into the action of the play is crucial to the
storytelling.
What aspects of the art form excite you most?
I am most excited by continually experimenting with
8 • South Coast Repertory • Pinocchio
ith this production of Pinocchio,
South Coast Repertory is pleased to
welcome back the Los Angeles-based
Four Clowns.
Four Clowns, a nationally and internationally touring clown troupe formed in 2010, is
dedicated to entertaining audiences and shining a light on humanity. Four Clowns combines
physical theatre, text, music and dance in all
of its performances—and the use of audience interaction invigorates its productions in fun and
surprising ways.
Although Four Clowns is only in its sixth
season, it has already earned many accolades—
including top nods at the Los Angeles, Minnesota and San Francisco fringe festivals—and performed at a number of notable venues, including
La MaMa in New York and the Stanislavsky Institute in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
In 2012, Four Clowns began Four Clowns
Jr., which allowed the company to expand its
family friendly entertainment initiative as a complement to its programming for adult audiences.
SCR first presented the work of Four
Clowns (with the aptly titled production Four
Clowns) in April 2012, as a part of the Studio SCR
Series. And in November 2012, SCR collaborated
with Four Clowns on the Theatre for Young Audiences production of Greg Banks’ adaptation of
Robin Hood.
Members of Four Clowns, Julia Davis, Raymond Lee, Kevin Klein, Alexis Jones, Daniel Hopkins and Amir Levi, in South Coast Repertory’s Theatre for Young Audiences production of Robin Hood by Greg Banks in 2013. Photo by Henry DiRocco/SCR.
how our shows can interact with our audience. Theatre is the easiest performance art in which to pull
the audience into the process. In this digital age, I
believe the role of theatre is more important than
ever for the public. We encourage our audience to
share how they feel and play along with our actors.
What drew you to the story of Pinocchio?
I was immediately struck by the rich and epic world
of the story. Pinocchio has many built-in lessons
about life and how our choices have consequences.
It’s not a traditional children’s story with a good guy
and a bad guy. Although characters do trick Pinocchio, ultimately his fate is in his own hands. It’s a
perfect metaphor for our own lives and the choices
that we make.
What goes on in rehearsals for a show like
Pinocchio? How do you and the ensemble bring
the physicality, text and music together to tell a
story?
The cast (Tyler Bremer, Jennifer Carroll, Dave Honigman, Kevin Klein and Joe DeSoto) and I work together collaboratively to bring the show to life. We
start by interpreting the text and then do research
on the time period and situations. After that, we
discuss the motivations of the characters in depth,
trying to understand why each character makes the
choices that he or she does.
I begin there with a basic physicality in mind. Typically, I will have a sense of the style of each moment
and scene and we work together to pick the best
jokes and refine them. The music is developed separately. Similar to the physical aspects, I start with
an idea of tone and genre and then the actors play
music according to those prompts. From there, we
hone and solidify. The process takes a lot of work,
but hearing the audience laugh is the reward.
What do you hope audiences will take away from
Pinocchio?
The most important thing for us is to make our audience laugh throughout the story and feel included in
the play itself. We hope the audience leaves feeling
aches in their sides from laughing so hard—and as if
they were a part of the journey that Pinocchio goes
through.
Pinocchio • South Coast Repertory •9
Part II: Classroom Activities
before the show
1. Ask the students if they’re familiar with the story
of Pinocchio. If they are, ask them how they
know the story and to identify their favorite parts
of the plot.
2. Read excerpts of Carlo Collodi’s novel, The
Adventures of Pinocchio, out loud to the
class. (You can find the full text online on the
Resources page of this study guide.)
a. Ask the students to identify Pinocchio’s
character traits.
b. Ask the students to identify how
Pinocchio’s actions affect what
happens to him next.
c. Ask the students to determine the
story’s themes and underlying
messages.
3. SCR’s production of Pinocchio features
Four Clowns, the Los Angeles-based clown
troupe. Discuss physical/slapstick humor
with the students, and ask them to identify
examples of slapstick humor that they’ve seen
in film, television or theatre. Then ask them to
describe some of their favorite examples to the
class.
4. Explore what it means to adapt
literature from one form to another,
specifically from fiction to drama. For
Pinocchio, what are the various ways in
which the content of the book might have
to change in order to be suitable for staging?
5. Discuss the concept of suggestion and how
theatre asks an audience to use its imagination.
Then have the students make predictions about
how moments from the novel will be brought
to life on stage. How will the actor playing
Pinocchio, a puppet, behave on stage? What
might the giant whale that swallows Geppetto
and Pinocchio look like?
An illustration of Pinocchio’s growing nose in the 1902 edition
of The Adventures of Pinocchio.
10 • South Coast Repertory • Pinocchio
6. Discuss all the different jobs involved to bring a
production like Pinocchio to life. Have students
research the occupations on this list and share
what they find with the class.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Actor
Director
Playwright
Designer
Stage manager
Stage crew
words, words, words!
Match the vocabulary words with their correct definition, and then listen for them during the performance.
1. ______ Rap
a. To burn or glow in an unsteady way
2. ______ Tarantella
b. Something interesting or enjoyable that people would like to see
or do
3. ______ Clever
4. ______ Timber
c. A sharp or loud knock
5. ______ Shirtsleeves
d. A large cart or carriage that is usually pulled by horses
6. ______ Attraction
7. ______ Dervish
8. ______ Tremendous
9. ______ Lame
10. ______ Perch
11. ______ Stagecoach
e. Physically injured or disabled in a way that impairs free movement
f. An Italian folk dance
g. Wide open and often very large
h. To sit on something in such a way that it is easy to fall off
i. One that whirls around with an excess of energy
j. To make a noise that sounds like spitting
k. Very excellent or very large
12. ______ Splutter
l. A large piece of wood used for building
13. ______ Gaping
m. Smart and able to learn quickly
14. ______ Flicker
n. Wearing only a shirt without a jacket
Answers: 1c, 2f, 3m, 4l, 5n, 6b, 7i, 8k, 9e, 10h, 11d, 12j, 13g, 14a
word scramble
Try to unscramble the vocabulary words below!
1. Rimbet __ __ __ __ __ __
2. Panggi __ __ __ __ __ __
3. Phrec __ __ __ __ __
4. Trulsept __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
5. Mela __ __ __ __
6. Ereclv __ __ __ __ __ __
7. Sehrvid __ __ __ __ __ __ __
8. Relifck __ __ __ __ __ __ __
Answers: 1. Timber, 2. Gaping, 3. Perch, 4. Splutter, 5. Lame, 6. Clever, 7. Dervish, 8. Flicker
Pinocchio • South Coast Repertory •11
after the show
Discussion About the Theatre
Hold a class discussion when you return from the performance and ask the students about their experience
attending live theatre.
1. What was the first thing you noticed about the
theatre? What did the stage look like?
2. Discuss the technical elements of the production—the set, the costumes, the lighting and the
sound. Ask the students what they liked best and
why. How did these elements help to tell the story
of Pinocchio and his journey?
3. Discuss the ways in which the play was surprising.
Was the story told in the same way that you imagined it would be?
4. What did the
songs in the
play add to
the storytelling?
5. An ensemble of five actors plays a stage crew who
take on many different characters while telling
the story of Pinocchio. Discuss how the actors
differentiated their many roles using their voices,
physicality and simple costume pieces.
6. How is attending a live performance different from
attending a movie? How does your experience
change when you know that the story is being
performed live and that the actors can see and
hear you? Did you enjoy it when the actors asked
you to participate in the play from your seats in the
audience?
Discussion About the Play
1. Discuss Pinocchio’s use of a framing device—that
is, having the stage crew assemble on stage at the
top of the play and then decide to tell the story to
the audience. What did that add to the storytelling? Ask the students to identify other examples of
stories, plays or movies that do this.
2. What was the funniest moment in the play? What
was the scariest? What was the most surprising?
3. What lessons did Pinocchio learn that eventually
led to him to become a real boy? How can these
lessons apply to your own life?
4. What words would you use to describe Pinocchio’s
personality at the beginning of the play? What
words would you use to describe his personality at
the end of the play?
5. Which characters tricked Pinocchio during the
course of the play? Which characters helped him
on his quest to become a real boy? Did any characters do both?
6. Many characters save Pinocchio from various
mishaps throughout the play. At what point does
Pinocchio start saving himself?
7. At the end of the play, Pinocchio works hard to get
a glass of milk to save Geppetto. What are some of
the ways in which you help your parents or friends?
8. What advice would you give Pinocchio about being
a real boy (or girl)?
An illustration of Pinocchio and Geppetto from the 1902 edition of The Adventures of Pinocchio.
12 • South Coast Repertory • Pinocchio
activities
1. In SCR’s production of Pinocchio, five actors use everyday stage supplies and other
tools in imaginative ways to bring the story
to life. Have the students retell the story
using objects available in the classroom as
props. Encourage them to use these objects
in unexpected ways. (For example, what
could they use to represent Pinocchio’s
growing nose?)
2. Have the students write a new episode in
Pinocchio’s journey.
3. Perhaps the little puppet meets a new character along the way. Would he or she cause
Pinocchio to forget to go to school again? If
so, how?
4. Have the students share their additional
scene from the play with the class.
5. Pinocchio is a marionette, made entirely of
wood (but without the traditional strings).
Have the students research puppets and
then design their own. What materials
would it be made of? What kind of puppet
would it be?
6. Although Pinocchio’s sets and costumes
are simple, the actors are able to bring the
play’s many strange and exciting locations
to life. Have the students illustrate what one
of these places looks like in their imagination:
letters of thanks
W
rite letters of thanks to South Coast
Repertory describing the most memorable aspects of attending a performance
of Pinocchio, and what they enjoyed most
about their visit to SCR.
South Coast Repertory
Attn: TYA
PO Box 2197
Costa Mesa, CA 92628-2197
Pinocchio by Enrico Mazzanti (1852-1910—the first illustrator of Le
avventure di Pinocchio (1883).
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Geppetto’s house
The grand puppet show
The school house
Playland
The belly of the whale
Have the students consider what characters
might be in these locations and include them in
their illustration.
7. Have the students research the animals that appear in Pinocchio and share some of the interesting facts they find with the class.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Cricket
Fox
Cat
Donkey
Whale
Pinocchio • South Coast Repertory •13
Part III: At The Theatre
welcome to the argyros
T
Julianne Argyros Stage
he 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage
opened in 2002 with a huge celebration
and we are delighted that thousands of
Orange County school children fill this
state-of-the-art facility each season to enjoy
our Theatre for Young Audiences productions.
The Argyros is a proscenium theatre designed
to provide audiences a feeling of intimacy,
with no seat more than 39 feet from the stage.
theatre etiquette
T
heatre is an art form that depends
on both the artists and the audience.
A performance is influenced by an
audience, just as an audience is
influenced by a performance. The artists and
staff of South Coast Repertory are creating
a special new world for you to visit. When
Julianne Argyros Stage.
you walk into the theatre, you will have a
sense that behind the curtain lies the secret
of that new world which is about to come to
life before your eyes. Sometimes it’s so exciting that • Absolutely no chewing gum, eating or drinking
you can barely hold still. But remember that once the
in the building.
play begins, you have a very important job to do. • No backpacks, cameras or electronic devices are
Everybody in the theatre is a part of the play. You are
permitted in the theatre.
connected to all the other people in the audience, as • Feel free to talk quietly in your seats before the
well as to the actors on the stage. Remember, you’re
show.
all in the same room. The actors can SEE you, HEAR • Show your appreciation by clapping for the
you and FEEL you, just as you can SEE, HEAR and
actors at the end of the play.
FEEL them. Your attention, involvement, responses • After the lights come back up, wait for the
and imagination are a real part of each and every
ushers to escort your group out of the theatre.
performance. The play can actually be made better
because of you!
programs
student tips for theatre trips
• Stay with your group at all times and pay
attention to your teachers and chaperones.
• Listen carefully to the SCR staff member who will
board your bus with last-minute tips.
• Take your seat in the theatre before going to the
bathroom or getting a drink of water.
• Make yourself comfortable while keeping
movement to a minimum.
• Do not stand up, walk around or put your feet
on the seat in front of you.
14 • South Coast Repertory • Pinocchio
E
veryone who attends a Theatre for Young
Audiences performance at SCR receives a program,
also called a playbill. Patrons at weekend public
performances receive their programs from the
ushers upon entering the theatre. At the conclusion of
each weekday matinee, teachers will be given programs
for their students which can be distributed back in the
classroom. In addition to the customary information
about the play and the players, the program contains
features and activities that students will have fun
working on after the show, either in class or at home
on their own.
Part IV: Education Station
Here are some of the California state standards that apply to attending this performance of
Pinocchio and doing the activities in this study guide.
from visual and performing arts:
Theatre Content Standards for Grade Four
For other grades, see http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/.asp
1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION
Processing, Analyzing and Responding to Sensory
Information Through the Language and Skills
Unique to Theatre
Students observe their environment and respond,
using the elements of theatre. They also observe
formal and informal works of theatre, film/video and
electronic media and respond, using the vocabulary
of theatre.
Development of the Vocabulary of Theatre
1.1 Use the vocabulary of theatre, such as plot,
conflict, climax, resolution, tone, objectives,
motivation and stock characters, to describe
theatrical experiences.
Comprehension and Analysis of the Elements of
Theatre
1.2 Identify a character’s objectives and motivations
to explain that character’s behavior.
1.3 Demonstrate how voice (diction, pace and
volume) may be used to explore multiple
possibilities for a live reading. Examples: I want
you to go. I want you to go. I want you to go.
2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Creating, Performing and Participating in Theatre
Students apply processes and skills in acting,
directing, designing and script writing to create formal
and informal theatre, film/videos and electronic media
productions and to perform in them.
Development of Theatrical Skills
2.1 Demonstrate the emotional traits of a character
through gesture and action.
Scott Johnson and Timothy Landfield in SCR’s 2005 production
of Pinocchio.
Creation/Invention in Theatre
2.2 Retell or improvise stories from classroom
literature in a variety of tones (gossipy,
sorrowful, comic, frightened, joyful, sarcastic).
2.3 Design or create costumes, props, makeup or
masks to communicate a character in formal or
informal performances.
3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL
CONTEXT
Understanding the Historical Contributions and
Cultural Dimensions of Theatre
Students analyze the role and development of theatre,
film/video and electronic media in past and present
cultures throughout the world, noting diversity as it
relates to theatre.
Pinocchio • South Coast Repertory •15
Jason Guess, Scott Johnson and Daniel Blinkoff in SCR’s Theatre for Young Audiences 2005 production of Pinocchio.
Role and Cultural Significance of Theatre
3.1 Identify theatrical or storytelling traditions in the
cultures of ethnic groups throughout the history
of California.
History of Theatre
3.2 Recognize key developments in the
entertainment industry in California, such as
the introduction of silent movies, animation,
radio and television broadcasting and interactive
video.
4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING
Responding to, Analyzing and Critiquing Theatrical
Experiences
Students critique and derive meaning from works of
theatre, film/video, electronic media and theatrical
artists on the basis of aesthetic qualities.
Derivation of Meaning from Works of Theatre
4.3 Describe students responses to a work of theatre
and explain what the scriptwriter did to elicit
those responses.
5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS,
APPLICATIONS
Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Theatre,
Film/Video and Electronic Media to Other Art Forms
and Subject Areas and to Careers
Students apply what they learn in theatre, film/video
and electronic media across subject areas. They
develop competencies and creative skills in problem
solving, communication and time management that
contribute to lifelong learning and career skills. They
also learn about careers in and related to theatre.
Connections and Applications
Critical Assessment of Theatre
5.1 Dramatize events in California history.
4.1 Develop and apply appropriate criteria or
rubrics for critiquing performances as to
characterization, diction, pacing, gesture and
movement.
5.2 Use improvisation and dramatization to explore
concepts in other content areas.
4.2 Compare and contrast the impact on the
audience of theatre, film, television, radio and
other media.
5.3 Exhibit team identity and commitment to
purpose when participating in theatrical
experiences.
16 • South Coast Repertory • Pinocchio
Careers and Career-Related Skills
basic theatre vocabulary
Acting The process by which an individual interprets
and performs the role of an imagined character.
Action The core of a theatre piece; the sense of forward
movement created by the sequence of events and
the physical and psychological motivations of
characters.
Ad-Lib To improvise stage business or dialogue; to make
it up as you go along.
Apron The area of the stage that extends toward the
audience, in front of the main curtain.
Backstage The space behind the acting area, unseen by
the audience.
Balcony An upper floor of seats projecting out over the
main seating area of a theatre.
Blocking The movement and stage business, designed
by the director and performed by the actors.
Boxes Seats separated from the main seating area
located on the upper level near the stage.
Box Office A windowed space at the front of the theatre
building where tickets are sold.
Business Any action performed on stage.
Character The role played by an actor as she or he
assumes another’s identity.
Choreography The art of creating and arranging dances
onstage.
Conflict The problem or incident that creates the action
and is resolved by the end of the play.
Costume The carefully selected or specially designed
clothing worn by the actors.
Cross The actor’s movement from one stage location to
another.
Cue The last words or action of an actor
immediately preceding the lines or
business of another actor.
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 theatrical production.
Downstage The part of the stage
closest to the audience. At one time
stages were raked, or sloped, with
the lower (“down”) part closest to the
audience, and the higher (“up”) part
further away.
Ensemble A cast of actors working
together effectively to present a
theatrical performance.
Flats Canvas or wood-covered frames that
are used for the walls of a stage setting.
Green Room A room near the stage where actors
await entrance cues and receive guests. The room’s
name comes from Elizabethan times, when actors
waited on a real “green” (or patch of grass).
Improvisation The spontaneous use of movement and
speech, made up by an actor to create a character.
Lobby The public waiting area outside the theatre space.
Mezzanine Lower level seating area beneath the balcony
overhang.
Monologue A solo speech during which the character
reveals personal thoughts.
Narrator A character who tells the story of the play
directly to the audience.
Orchestra Lower-level seating area immediately in front
of the stage.
“Places” Direction given by the Stage Manager for actors
to be in position before each act begins
Plot The “what happens” in a story: beginning (the
setting, characters, and problem); middle (how the
characters work to solve the problem); and the
ending (resolution of the problem).
Project To speak loudly so the entire audience can hear
you.
Props All the stage furnishings, including furniture, that
are physically used by the actors.
Proscenium Stage A traditional theatre with the audience
seated in front of a proscenium arch framing the
stage. SCR’s Argyros Stage is a proscenium stage.
Run Length of time the play will be presented (i.e two
weeks, two months, two years).
Script The text of the play, including dialogue and stage
directions, all written by the playwright.
Set All of the scenery that makes up the physical
environment of the world of the play.
Stagecraft The knowledge and skills required to create
the physical aspects of a production; i.e. scenery,
lighting, costumes, props and
recorded sound and music.
Stage Left That part of the
stage to the actor’s left
when the actor faces the
audience.
Stage Manager The person
who supervises the physical
production of a play and who is
in charge of the stage during the
performance.
Stage Right That part of the stage
to the actor’s right when the actor
faces the audience.
Strike Dismantling the set, costumes and
props at the end of the run of a show.
Theme The central thought, idea or
significance of the action of a play.
Upstage The area of the stage farthest
way from the audience and nearest to the back
wall.
Pinocchio • South Coast Repertory •17
Part V: Resources
the adventures of pinocchio by carlo collodi
• Full text online: http://fathom.lib.uchicago.edu/2/72810000/72810000_pinocchio.pdf
• Brief biography of Carlo Collodi: http://www.nyrb.com/collections/carlo-collodi
• “Bad Things Happen to Bad Children” from The Slate Book Review (geared towards adult readers):
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2011/10/carlo_collodi_s_pinocchio_why_is_the_original_pinocchio_
subjecte.html
more about this adaptation of pinocchio and
playwright greg banks
• Official website of Greg Banks: http://www.gregbankstheatredirector.co.uk/
• Seattle Children’s Theatre study guide for
their 2014 production:
https://sct.org/Assets/Files/Docs/2013-2014/
SCT-Active-Audience-Guide_Pinocchio.pdf
• Arden Theatre Company study guide for their 2013
production:
http://www.ardentheatre.org/media/2013_pinocchio_
studyguide.pdf
more information about four clowns
and four clowns jr.
• Official website: http://fourclowns.org/
An illustration of Pinocchio from
the 1902 edition of the novel.
18 • South Coast Repertory • Pinocchio