FY17_FrogAndToad

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School

University of Massachusetts, Amherst *

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100

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English

Date

Oct 30, 2023

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pdf

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Uploaded by ChefInternetReindeer34

1 A Year With Frog And Toad Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 10am Study Guides for Teachers are also available on our website at www.fineartscenter.com - under On Stage select Global Arts — Performances for Schools, then select Resource Room. UMass Fine Arts Center Concert Hall The University of Massachusetts Fine Arts Center Global Arts Performances for Schools Program is underwritten in part by PeoplesBank, A passion for what is possible.

1 Welcome Information for Teachers and Parents Our goal is to offer high quality performances for young people in a safe and comfortable setting. Please help us by following the below guidelines. Please arrive early. Arrive at the theatre 30 minutes prior to the noted start time. Allow for travel time, parking, being seated and bathroom visits. It is important that we begin our performances on time so that all schools can meet their lunch and dismissal times. Be sure to check the location of the performance when making your bus reservations. Performances take place in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall or Bowker Auditorium in Stockbridge Hall. Please see the map at the end of this guide for driving and drop-off instructions. Upon arrival your group will be greeted by an usher either at your bus or in the lobby. We do not issue individual tickets for performances. Your usher will direct your group to their reserved seats. Both theaters are accessible for Mobility Impaired members. An infrared listening system is available in both theaters. Access parking is available adjacent to the theaters. An Access permit should be clearly visible in the parked vehicle. To better meet your needs, please inform us of any special seating requirements one month prior to the performance by calling 413-545-2116. For the comfort of all our seated patrons, we request that backpacks, lunches and other gear be left on the bus. Also, please remove all hats when seated in the theater. Food, drinks other than water, smoking, candy and gum are all not allowed in the theater. The use of cell phones, portable music players, cameras or any other recording device, including non-flash photography and cell phone cameras, is strictly prohibited. PLEASE BE SURE TO TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES. Any teasing, disruptive and rude behavior by students towards each other or to others seated close-by during a performance is not acceptable. Teachers and chaperones will be held responsible for any such incident reported to the Fine Arts Center staff. All complaints received will be forwarded to the schools involved. Repeated offences from the same school/s may result in cancellation of future reservations for shows.

2 Please review the following information with your students. We expect everyone to be a good audience member. Good audience members...  Are good listeners  Keep their hands and feet to themselves  Do not talk or whisper during the performance  Do not eat gum, candy, food or drink in the theater  Turn off all cell phones and do not use portable music players, cameras or any other recording devices  Stay in their seats during the performance  Do not disturb their neighbors or other schools in attendance “ Theatre is not theatre without an audience .” Live theatre differs from watching television or movies. Remember that performers can see and hear you. As an audience member you are a vital contributor to the performance experience that you and those around you will have. How you behave and how you react to the show will affect the artists’ performances. That is why each performance is a unique experience, it will never be repeated exactly the same. Talking to your neighbor, sending text messages, and other similar behaviors are distracting to the rest of the audience and to the artists. Please be respectful of the artists on stage performing for you by listening quietly. Of course, it is appropriate to react to what you are seeing – some things may make you laugh, gasp out loud, or you may be asked to respond by answering questions from the performers, singing along or clapping. Most of all, it is important to be present “in the moment” by being attentive and enjoy the performance. And of course – show your enthusiastic appreciation with applause at the end! Curriculum Frameworks This performance and guide provide opportunities for your students to explore a variety of topics. For your convenience we’ve listed applicable Massachusetts learning standards. This list is by no means exhaustive. Please use this list as a guide to assist with creating lesson plans. Curriculum Connections: Communication and Language Arts, Literature, Music, Theatre, Relationships and Family, ELA/Writing, Science, Technology Theater Etiquette Connections 6. Purposes & Meanings in the Arts. Connections 7. Roles of Artists in Communities. Connections 8. Concepts of Style, Stylistic Influence, and Stylistic Change.

3 A Year With Synopsis: A hit on Broadway, A Year With Frog And Toad was nominated for 3 Tony Awards including Best Musi- cal. Based on Arnold Lobel's well - loved books and featuring a hum- mable score by Robert and Willie Reale, this whimsical show follows two great friends -- the cheerful, popular Frog and the rather grumpy Toad -- through four, fun - filled seasons. Waking from hiber- nation in the Spring, Frog and Toad plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, go sledding, and learn life lessons along the way. The two best friends celebrate and rejoice in their differ- ences that make them unique and special. Part vaudeville, part make believe, all charm, A Year With Frog And Toad tells the story of a friendship that endures, weathering all seasons.

4 Ask students to make predictions about the play they are going to see based upon their knowledge of the source texts, as well as other works by Arnold Lobel they may have read or seen on stage or film. Not every character or event in the books appears in the play. Which ones do you expect to see on stage? How do you imagine the scenery, costumes and props ? What does friendship mean? Do you think that there will be music ? If so, how will it sound? There are only animal characters in the play. Have students brainstorm ways they think the animals will be portrayed by the actors. Remind them to consider techniques such as movement, voice, costume and makeup. A Year with Frog and Toad takes place over the course of one year. Discuss the four seasons and their characteristics, especially with regard to more extreme climates in other regions of the country students may not have visited in person. Discuss how the students ’ lives change from year to year. What is different from year to year? What stays the same? Pre-Show

5 Project 1: Animal Interviews 1. Imagine that you are a reporter interviewing one of the characters in the play. 2. Brainstorm a few facts about the character using a mind map similar to the one included in the resources at the end of this packet. Include facts you remember from the show as well as facts you may know about the character ’ s species, such as its habitat and what it likes to eat. 3. Think of some imaginative questions to ask them! Examples include: What do they like to do for fun? What is their favorite season? Who are their best friends and why? 4. Write a short blog post or magazine article about the character you “ interviewed. ” Make sure to include some of the facts you recalled as well as your imaginary content! 5. Share your article aloud with a friend or to your class. Activities

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