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Study Guide for Teachers Seth Reichgott In Chariot of the Sun presented by Young Audiences (866) 500-9265 www.yanj-yaep.org BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS The history of ancient Greece can be divided into five periods: 1200-700 BC, The Dark Ages (when Homer lived); 700-500 BC, The Archaic period; 500336 BC, the Classical Period (probably the best known); 336-331 BC, the Hellenistic Period (Alexander the Great); and The Decline of Ancient Greece. It was during the last century BCE that the Roman Empire became more powerful than Greece; however, at the same time, it was greatly influenced by Greek culture. Greek myths have been popular for centuries and have had an enormous influence on Western Civilization. Today, they continue to gain attention in both academic research and popular culture. The Greeks communicated and celebrated their myths in honor of the god Dionysus. Early on, spectators sat on the side of a hill as performers danced and sang below in front of an altar. Eventually, theaters were constructed out of stone and were capable of seating thousands of spectators. By 450 BCE, theater had reached an ideal form, achieving a unique interconnection and balance between the following: 1. The theatrical artistry (which includes the works of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes) 2. The subject matter (the Greek myths) 3. The relationship society had with its theatre ABOUT THE PROGRAM Chariot of the Sun introduces young children to the heroes, gods, and monsters of Greek mythology. Performed in-the-round, the show utilizes comedy, masks, creative costuming and, at times, audience members, to bring the classic myths to life. The show presents three separate myths--including the story of Helios and Phaethon, in which a boy attempts to drive his father’s sun chariot across the sky. LEARNING GOALS Students will: • Be introduced to Greek mythology through a live theatrical performance • Share ideas about Greek mythology • Be inspired to learn more about ancient Greek and Roman culture BEFORE THE PROGRAM VOCABULARY WORDS 1. Set up a chart on the board listing what students Know about ancient Greece, what they Want to Know, and leave a blank column for what they Learned to fill in after the show. 2. Make sure to discuss the cosmology of the ancient world if students do not include it in the previous exercise. Especially important is the idea that the ancient Greeks believed in many gods, and each god controlled some aspects of life on earth. 3. Read several Greek or Roman myths as a class, or individually. Discuss the ancient world as presented in the myths. What can they now add to their chart under “Learned”? 4. Discuss how they might act out one or more of the myths that they read. What aspects of the myths might be difficult to convey on stage? How might they solve the problem of staging the supernatural aspects of the myths? 5. Make sure to talk about the difference between seeing a live performance and watching a performance by an actor on television or in the movies. Students need to know that they are an important part of the show they are about to see. The actor gets energy from them, so they need to make sure to give their full attention during the performance. Aphrodite: goddess of love and beauty Apollo: god of the sun, a skilled musician Ares: god of war Artemis: goddess of the moon Athene: goddess of wisdom and war Demeter: goddess of earth and harvest Dionysus: god of wine and the theater Hades: god of the Underworld Hera: wife of Zeus, queen of the gods Hermes: messenger god Pandora: first woman, is given a box by Zeus Poseidon: god of the ocean Zeus: king of the gods, ruler of Olympus Atlanta: a human heroine, killed the Caldonian Boar Centaur: a mythical creature; half man, half horse Chimera: a mythical creature with the head of a lion, middle of a goat, tail of a poisonous snake Cyclops: one-eyed giant Gorgon: a dragon-like creature with wings who turned people to stone Griffin: a creature with the body of a lion, and head and wings of an eagle Hydra: nine-headed monster Minotaur: half bull, half human Odysseus: fought in the Trojan War, hero in The Odyssey Perseus: cut off head of Medusa Theseus: hero of Athens, killed the Minotaur Chariot: a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle Chiton: a garment worn by men and women Lyre: a stringed instrument, similar to a harp River Styx: river of the unbreakable oath by which the gods swear; the river of death. AFTER THE PROGRAM ARTIST INFORMATION 1. Discuss the myths that you heard in the program. Did you hear any of the ones you read? How were they different when you saw them acted out? 2. Add to the “Learned” column of your chart above. 3. Talk about the ways that Seth Reichgott was able to convey aspects of the story that were difficult to stage. How did he portray the monsters in the myths? How did he portray the supernatural elements? 4. Have students draw a picture (or create a diorama) depicting a scene from their favorite myth. Then, have them present their pictures to the class and explain why this was their favorite part. 5. Have students write about a personal encounter they have with an ancient Greek god. They could begin with something that really happened to them and add in a meeting with the god who caused the situation, or they could make up all aspects of the story. After writing, have them illustrate their tale. 6. Share pictures of buildings that have Greek or Roman design elements. Discuss these elements (arches, types of columns, etc.). Then, have students keep an architectural notebook where they document all the Greek or Roman design elements they can find in their school, neighborhood or homes. Seth Reichgott was a member of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble from 1992 to 1999, where he was part of more than fifty productions as actor, director, or writer. Seth was an original member of the touring street theatre troupe Le Pamplemousse, and his award-winning slapstick clown show, Man Plans, has toured extensively in the United States and Canada. Seth has written several children’s plays about science, and recently appeared in The Arden Theatre Company’s production of The Baker’s Wife in Philadelphia. He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and The Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. RESOURCES Favorite Greek Myths by Mary Pope Osborne Usborne Illustrated Guide to Greek Myths and Legends by Cheryl Evens and Anne Millard The Wanderings of Odysseus: the Story of The Odyssey by Rosemary Sutcliff The MacMillan Book of Greek Gods and Heroes by Alice Low