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Children’s Theatre of Elgin School Shows Instructions Dear Educator, Thank you for making arrangements for your students to see our production! Below is important information for you to know before you attend this live‐theatre performance. THEATRE LOCATION* *Please note that the theatre location is NOT the same as our office address where you sent your ticket payments. Hemmens Cultural Center: 45 Symphony Way, Elgin, IL 60120 (Corner of Symphony Way and Grove Avenue) Directions to Hemmens: http://www.hemmens.org/geninfo.html Upon your arrival, please have an adult check in with our school show coordinator then your group will be ushered directly to their seats. Seating is on a first‐come‐first‐served basis. (Exceptions for special‐
needs groups if we know class size in advance) You may arrive up to thirty minutes prior to time of performance. Parking: Free parking is available on the east side of the theatre in the parking garage or lot. Police officers will direct buses to parking in front of the theatre and parking lot just north of the theatre. THEATRE ETIQUETTE Please prepare your students for the performance by discussing our study guide information and these rules so they know what to expect as well as what is expected of them. 1) Do not bring any food, drink or gum into the theatre. If students have lunches for later, please let us know and we will provide a bin for them. 2) Please do not allow your students to be a distraction to other students or our actors. 3) No intermission is planned during the performance. If a student needs to use the restroom during the show, he or she must be accompanied by an adult. 4) Turn off all cell phones and pagers during the performance; they interfere with our microphones. 5) All cameras and video equipment are prohibited. Thank you so much for your support of Children’s Theatre of Elgin. We hope you enjoy the show! If you have any questions, please call us at 847‐214‐7550. E‐mail: [email protected] Website: www.cteelgin.com The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin CLASSROOM STUDY GUIDE FOR Dear Educator, Children’s Theatre of Elgin is proud to present The Legend of Hercules! As you know, live‐
theatre presentations can be a valuable tool for learning so we strive to make this experience educational for your students. This guide has been created to supplement the curriculum for a broad range of age groups. The questions in this study guide are based on the following Illinois Learning Standards: •
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English Language Arts State Goal 2A, 3B and C, and 4A, 5A Social Science State Goals 16D, 18 Fine Arts Drama 25 and 27 This study guide contains four basic sections: •
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Pre‐ and post‐show discussion ideas Background information about Greek/Roman mythology List of characters and synopsis of play Related assignments and resources ‐Plot and other literary elements ‐Mythology in modern culture ‐Mythical creatures and our imagination ‐Mythology in literature and the media ‐Legend of Hercules “Sum It Up!” and crossword puzzle and key ‐Greek Hoops game and comedy/tragedy mask page We hope you will find these activities and questions worthwhile and meaningful for your students. Feel free to adapt the guide in a way that works for your needs. Thank you for attending our show! Taking a leading role in musical theatre by children and teens ages 7‐15 years Children’s Theatre of Elgin is a 501(c)(3) not‐for‐profit organization in‐residence at the Elgin Community College Arts Center. The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin PRE‐SHOW DISCUSSION: •
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Have you ever heard of anyone being called a hero? What kinds of things do heroes do? How do they behave? Are they always physically strong? (They are brave; sometimes they save people’s lives and sometimes they are just average people with average strength making a sacrifice for others) Teacher and students might share stories of heroes that they are familiar with How about “superheroes”? Can you name any? (Superman, Spiderman, Batman, etc.) What makes a superhero any different than other people? (Special and unique superhuman powers) Who do you think was the first superhero? (Correct answer: Hercules) What do you already know about Hercules? If you are not already working on a mythology unit, we recommend that you familiarize your students with the basics of Greek mythology as outlined below. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT GREEK MYTHOLOGY WHO WAS HERCULES? We need to examine Greek mythology to understand how and why Hercules was created. Initially, Hercules was a mythical character, who was half god/half man (a demigod), and later became a Greek god. ANCIENT GREEK STORIES The ancient Greek people existed as long ago as 2000 B.C. They used stories to help them understand their world. They believed their stories were true. In fact, the stories became a part of their religious belief. Over the centuries, people told the stories over and over again. Since few people could read or write the stories were memorized by storytellers who often added events and details to make the stories more exciting. This resulted in many different versions of the same tale. It is important to note that when the ancient Romans heard stories of the Greek gods and goddesses, they quickly adopted them as their own, using Roman names. MYTHOLOGY: An organized collection of stories or “myths” We call these stories myths because no one believes them now. A myth is really a story with a purpose. Myths often tell of gods or goddesses doing magical or impossible tasks and their interaction with many strange and powerful creatures. There are two basic types of myths that were told by the Greeks: ‐EXPLANATION MYTHS: To explain natural events such as why certain stars are grouped together or why storms occur. ‐QUEST MYTHS: To describe a character’s search for something and the adventures and dangers they faced in completing their quest. Quest myths were not only exciting to listen to, but they taught people to be brave and endure hard times. The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin HISTORY OF THE GODS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY Out of Chaos came Earth and Heaven, who were the oldest gods. They had many children, including giants with 150 hands, cyclopes (one‐eyed giants), and titans. A titan named Cronus conquered Heaven and became the ruler. He married his sister Rhea. Since Cronus did not want any of his children to grow up and conquer him, he swallowed them, all but one: Zeus. Rhea hid Zeus from Cronus, and even substituted a rock in a baby blanket for him to swallow instead. After Zeus grew up, he was given a special potion from one of the Titans along with instructions to put it in Cronus’ drink. When he did, the potion made Cronus spit out Zeus’ brothers and sisters, now fully grown! All of Cronus’ children combined forces to fight him and finally won. Zeus became the new ruler along with his brothers and sisters. Some of them married each other and had children, who became the main characters in Greek mythology. GODS AND GODDESSES "God" is different from mythological gods and goddesses. Mythological deities were not omniscient, omnipotent, or omnipresent, as in Western religion, even though the people did worship and pray to them. Some gods and goddesses had greater powers than others, so they often fought each other for power and importance. Mount Olympus is the tallest mountain in Greece, and people believed the most powerful gods and goddesses lived on its top. Other less important gods and goddesses lived throughout the earth, sea, and sky. What were the gods and goddesses like? They were much like humans and far from perfect. They could be kind, brave, and loving or cruel, greedy, and jealous. However, with their magical powers they could also do amazing things such as change themselves into different people, animals, or shapes, create objects, storms, creatures, or people. One of their most powerful characteristics was that they were immortal—they could not die. CHILDREN’S THEATRE OF ELGIN PRODUCTION OF When you attend The Legend of Hercules presented by Children’s Theatre of Elgin, you will be seeing a play with people, places, and objects from Greek mythology blended together to make a brand new story. THINGS TO WATCH FOR IN THE PRODUCTION: 1)
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Examples of Hercules behaving like a hero. Are there any other heroes in the story? What is the main conflict in the story and how is it resolved? How costumes and props help tell the audience about the characters and their personalities How the use of light, darkness, and color on stage help set the mood and tell the story POST‐SHOW IDEAS • Do one or more of the activities outlined below • Compare our story with other Greek or Roman myths • Write letters to the actors telling them what they liked and why. Send to: Children’s Theatre of Elgin, 1700 Spartan Drive VPA 141A, Elgin, IL. The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin MAIN CHARACTERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO GREEK MYTHOLOGY 3 Fates –Medusa’s friends; in mythology they control life: One spins the thread, another measures it, and the third one cuts the thread, signifying death Andromeda – Beautiful but not too bright; a princess from a neighboring land Aphrodite ‐ Is proud of her beauty and likes to play matchmaker; Goddess of beauty and love Ares – Sarcastic and negative; God of war Athena – Always wears battle armor and her symbol is the owl; Goddess of war and wisdom Crius ‐ a Titan who thinks he’s really something Cupid – Son of Aphrodite and helps her in her matchmaking; people shot with his bow and arrow fell in love with next person they see Delphi – The Oracle of Mount Parnassus who can look into the future Hera – Motherly leader; Queen of the gods and goddesses Hercules – A hero known for his incredible strength; a demigod, the Son of Zeus and a mortal mother Medusa – Evil sorceress with snakes for hair; people who look directly into her eyes turn to stone Narcissus – Proud of his good looks; has a problem with mirrors Pandora – Beautiful and kind but not always respected by the gods; 1st mortal woman created by gods; entrusted with a box of evil powers Perseus – Brave demigod who likes Andromeda; Son of Zeus and Hercules’ half brother Phoenix and other Firebirds ‐ Magical birds Sea Monster – Wicked creature who obeys Medusa Sirens – Half human/half bird sea nymphs who lure sailors to their death with an enchanted song Zeus – Carefree and unpredictable; King of the gods and goddesses The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin SYNOPSIS OF This synopsis is provided to give teachers access to the plot and assist in the pre‐ and ‐post show discussions and assignments. We do NOT recommend telling students the whole story before seeing the show. SETTING: A modern museum The museum curator captures the interest of the students by describing the stories behind the objects from Ancient Greece. He explains that after Zeus took away Medusa’s evil magical powers and placed them in a box, Zeus entrusted the faithful Pandora with the box for safekeeping. SETTING: The Island of Crete, Greece Many gods and goddesses are excitedly awaiting the arrival of the hero Hercules following his adventures traveling around the world and fighting monsters for the previous seven years. Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, is busy helping Andromeda, a not‐too‐bright princess, in her quest to win Hercules’ heart the moment he arrives. When Athena, Goddess of War, expresses disdain with Andromeda’s “battle strategy” Ares, God of War, picks a fight with Athena about it. Hera, Queen of the Gods and Goddesses, is handing out advice to all who will listen. Pandora, the first mortal woman created by the gods, is there along with Cupid, Aphrodite’s son, who longs to do more than shoot love arrows at people. Narcissus, a hunter from a neighboring territory, and Perseus, Hercules’ half brother and a demigod, are also with the group. Hercules arrives and the celebration begins, with everyone vying for his attention. SETTING: Medusa’s cave The wicked Medusa and the three Fates craft a plan to lure Hercules to her cave by capturing Pandora so he will come to save her, opening the box to retrieve her powers, and then destroying Hercules. SETTING: Mount Olympus at a party of the gods During the party, the gods and goddesses socialize, argue, and become jealous of each other. A misunderstanding develops between Hercules, Pandora, and Andromeda. Elsewhere Cupid and Crius plot to make Narcissus fall in love with Aphrodite, but their plot backfires when Cupid’s arrow hits Narcissus and instead of looking at Aphrodite, he sees himself in the mirror and falls instantly in love. Also at the party, Delphi, the Oracle of Parnassus, is asked to look into Hercules’ future but instead she sees Medusa and a fear and darkness settling over Olympus. In a discussion with Hercules, Zeus reveals that Medusa’s powers were not destroyed but placed in a box and guarded by someone he could trust. SETTING: The coast of Crete When Hercules realizes that Pandora has the box, he tells her to get it and meet him on the coast so they can take it to a safer place. Before long Andromeda, full of jealousy, catches up with them and the three of them argue. Pandora stomps away and Hercules chases after her. At the same time, Medusa magically transports herself to the shores of Crete using a Phoenix feather and lands next to Andromeda. Andromeda, not realizing who the stranger is, tells her that Hercules is on the island then shows her Pandora’s box and unwittingly helps free Medusa by letting her open the box and regain her magical powers. The evil Sirens immediately return to the waters and Medusa kidnaps Andromeda, takes her to her cave, and ties her to a rock. The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin SETTING: Back to Mount Olympus The gods travel to the coast to find Hercules and also find out that Andromeda has been captured. They return to Mount Olympus to come up with a strategy for rescuing her. After the Oracle Delphi sees Medusa, Andromeda tied up, and a terrible beast being formed, Zeus puts a plan in motion to send some of the gods to release her. SETTING: A return to Medusas cave On the way to Medusa’s cave the men are captured by the magical spell of the Sirens’ song, but luckily they are rescued by Athena, Aphrodite, and Pandora. Hercules defeats the sea monster and Perseus turns Medusa to stone by putting Narcissus’ mirror in front of her face. Everyone returns to the party on Mount Olympus to celebrate. RELATED ASSIGNMENTS AND RESOURCES PLOT AND OTHER LITERARY ELEMENTS ASSIGNMENT: Using the story synopsis included in this study guide, divide students into seven groups and assign each group one of the story settings and the paragraph synopsis about it: Modern Museum, Island of Crete, Medusa’s cave, Mount Olympus, Coast of Crete, Back to Mount Olympus, and A Return to Medusa’s Cave. Give each group a piece of large paper and have them work together to draw the main events that occurred during that scene. When finished, post the papers in order and have a representative from each group explain their portion of the story. DISCUSSION: Discuss with students the literary elements involved and the purpose of events occurring at each location. Guide the discussion to include the following points: 1) Modern museum: Communicate the idea that Greek mythology is very ancient but still exciting 2) Island of Crete/”Airport”: Introduce the characters and their personalities; create minor conflicts of male vs. female 3) Medusa’s Cave: Create conflict of good vs. evil 4) Mount Olympus: Further development of characters and minor conflicts between them; set up situations useful to later events in the story such as Narcissus’ mirror in the cave 5) Coast of Crete: Conflict increases 6) Back to Mount Olympus: Protagonists develop a plan for resolving conflict of good vs. evil 7) A Return to the Medusa’s Cave: Story reaches climax and resolution is achieved The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin MYTHOLOGY IN MODERN CULTURE Mythology is definitely about ancient civilizations but maintains a very strong presence in our modern culture. Even Illinois has at least 10 cities whose names come from mythology: Atlanta, Aurora, Crete, Flora, New Athens, Olympia Fields, Orion, Sparta, Thebes, and Troy! ASSIGNMENT: Many modern‐day items have also been given names derived from Greek or Roman mythology. Assign students to choose from the list below and research information about the background behind the word and describe why they think the name matches the product or event. Examples are provided in the box. Ajax Cleanser Midas Muffler Amazon.com Nike shoes Apollo Theatre Olympus cameras Apollo Space Program Olympics Atlas maps (not a company) Orion Pictures Atlas Van Lines Pegasus logo ‐ Tri‐star Pictures Electra cars (Buick) Pegasus logo – Mobil Oil Hercules Tire & Rubber Company Saturn cars Mars candy company Titanic ship Medusa Cement Company Titan trucks (Nissan) Mercury cars (Ford) Trident gum Mercury ‐ FTD Floral Venus razors BRAND NAME MYTHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND WHY CHOSEN Examples: Olympus cameras Mt. Olympus was the home of the gods. It was high above the earth so they could see everything that was going on. Apollo Theatre Apollo was the god of the sun, the arts, and Theatre is part of the arts so people might healing. think the shows would be of high quality if the theatre was named after Apollo, god of the arts. People would think of this kind of camera as powerful and could capture a good photo, even from far away. Related Assignments: ‐Students research an item then write a persuasive commercial to sell it, using the mythological connection as their main selling point. They might include a drawing of the logo or bring the actual item itself as part of their commercial. ‐Students select a god, goddess, creature, or location from Greek or Roman mythology and match it to an appropriate product of their choice and write a persuasive paragraph to sell it. ‐Give extra credit points to any student who discovers evidence of Greek or Roman mythology in the world around them. The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin MYTHICAL CREATURES AND OUR IMAGINATION The creatures from Greek and Roman mythology were often strange and magical combinations of two or more animals or had multiple heads or other body parts. The list below contains a few of these creatures. DISCUSSION: Why would a storyteller create a new creature from two different species? (Possible answers might include 1) strengths of both species would make the new creature more powerful and seem impossible to combat, 2) creature would be better able to serve the needs of the main characters, 3) combined creatures would be more strange or frightening than ones that actually exist. ACTIVITY: Each student will create an all‐new creature by combining two different species and write a couple of detailed, descriptive sentences about their creature’s name, appearance and habits. Have students exchange papers and draw the other student’s creature. POST‐ACTIVITY DISCUSSION: Have the students compare the drawings with the description they wrote. Did your description contain enough details to paint a complete picture of it in the artist’s imagination? Does the drawing capture the essence of what you wanted your creature to be? Explain that good authors visualize a creature like this in their own minds then carefully select words to describe it so that readers can actually see it in their own minds as well. Do you think it is more difficult to communicate with words or with pictures? MYTHICAL CREATURES NAME Siren Satyr Minotaur Centaur Hound of Hades Pegasus Griffin Hydra water serpent Man‐eating birds Dragon Ladon Lion of Nemen Cyclop or Cyclope Ferocious Giant CHARACTERISTICS Half woman/half bird Half man/half goat Half man/half ox Half man/half horse 3 heads, poison saliva, tail with scorpion's sting Horse with wings Face, beak, talons, and wings of eagle/body of a lion Multiple heads re‐grow 2 more when severed, poison breath and blood Arrow‐head tipped feathers that shoot; wings, beak, claws of brass 100 heads Supernatural strength, impenetrable skin One‐eyed monster 3‐heads and bodies resting on 2 legs Related activity for younger students: ‐Discuss different kinds of beings that might be interesting to combine. Give each student a blank piece of paper. Have them fold it into thirds. Keeping work covered, first person draws a head and folds it back so it can’t be seen; second person draws a body and folds it back; third person draws the feet. Open up the drawings to see what kinds of creatures were created. The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY IN LITERATURE AND THE MEDIA Below are some of the books used in the preparation of this study guide, but you may find other age‐
appropriate ones at your local library: The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin POPULAR LITERATURE AND MEDIA Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a best‐selling fantasy and adventure series by Rick Riordan. Percy Jackson is a 12‐year‐old boy who discovers not only the continued existence of the Olympian gods and goddesses, but that he is actually the son of Poseidon. The five books are set in United States and provide an interesting mix of ancient and modern. For example, Hermes/Mercury the messenger has winged gym shoes rather than sandals and the Olympians live on the mythical 600th floor of the Empire State Building. Percy’s adventures help acquaint readers with people, creatures, and events in mythology throughout the books. References to the main character being diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, which Percy actually uses to his advantage in the stories, were inspired by the author’s son being diagnosed with these same challenges and his desire to help him cope. What began as bedtime stories soon became full‐fledged novels which Mr. Riordan first published in 2005. The first book, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, was made into a very successful movie in 2010 with a PG rating. Fablehaven is also a top‐selling five‐book fantasy and adventure series that was written by Brandon Mull. It is also set in contemporary times but is based on the premise that there are secret nature preserves that provide sanctuary for mythical creatures at various locations around the world. The creatures are interesting and abundant and mostly drawn from Greek and Roman mythology. The main characters are siblings aged 11 and 13 at the beginning, but the stories are very exciting and suitable for family reading of all ages. Disney’s Hercules movie from 1997 is an entertaining version of the stories of Hercules with a G rating. This story is similar to our version in that it is a compilation of a variety of mythological events and characters combined to create a brand new story. ONLINE RESOURCES There are some excellent additional resources and lesson plan ideas online. Here are just a few: •
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Ancient Greece for elementary school: http://www.proteacher.com/090083.shtml Ancient Greece for Teachers: http://greece.mrdonn.org/lessonplans.html Greek Mythology online field trip and activities: http://www.adifferentplace.org/mythology.htm Project: Baseball cards using mythical gods and goddesses http://www.brighthub.com/education/k‐12/articles/6314.aspx Lesson plans and activities from Mythweb: http://www.mythweb.com/teachers/tips/tips.html Hercules stories, drawings, links: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/index.html The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin SUM IT UP! After attending The Legend of Hercules, complete this review sheet to see what you can remember. Use the most descriptive and interesting words you can. Directions: Choose one of the characters from the play and follow the instructions to fill in each blank line. _______________________________ Name of character _____________________ ________________________ 2 words that describe the character’s personality ____________________ _____________________ _______________________ 3 words that describe one of the settings __________________ _________________ __________________ ___________________ 4 words that describe a scene with the character ________________ _______________ _________________ _________________ ______________ 5‐word sentence to summarize the play Note to teacher: This summary would also be suitable as a whole group exercise. The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin Across: 2. Country where Greek mythology began 4. Medusa’s home 5. Queen of the Greek gods 9. Demigod (half‐god) known for his strength 12. Home of the gods and goddesses 15. Crius was one of these 16. Medusa’s hair 18. Fell in love with himself when he looked in mirror 19. Delphi was this and could see into the future Down: 1. Andromeda was born as this 3. King of the Greek gods 6. Beautiful goddess of love 7. Ares was the god of this 8. A symbol of Athena, goddess of war and wisdom 10. Zeus trusted her to guard a special box 11. A type of bird that has a magic tail feather 13. Sea nymphs who sang an enchanted song 14. Saved Andromeda from the evil Medusa 17. Cupid shot these to make people fall in love The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin Word Choices: Aphrodite arrow cave Greece Hera Hercules Narcissus Olympus Oracle owl Pandora Perseus Phoenix Princess Sirens snakes Titan war Zeus Hercules crossword puzzle key The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin GREEK GAMES:
Hoops Place of Origin: Greece Skills: Ages: Players: Materials: Concentration, quick and accurate reflexes 6 and older 10 or more 2 Hula‐hoops Balls, bean bags, or other objects for throwing Outdoor playing area or indoor gymnasium About the Game Hoop games have been popular since 300 B.C. Over the years, hoops have been used in many different ways: Hippocrates prescribed hoop rolling to cure the weak; American Indians used rolling hoops to sharpen young boys' aim; Chugach Eskimos competed by throwing long poles through a moving hoop; European boys and girls participated in hoop‐rolling races. In the United States, hula‐hoops became a fad of the 1960s. The Greek philosopher Artemidorus once wrote: "If you dream about rolling a hoop, it means that you have come to the end of your troubles, and abundant happiness will follow." Playing the Game 1. Divide players into two teams. Pick one person from each team to be the roller. These two should stand at one end of the playing area. 2. As the rollers roll the hoops past their team, their teammates should try to throw a ball or any pre‐
selected object through the hoop without touching its sides. Winning the Game The team who makes the most successful throws, wins.
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The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin GREEK MASKS: COMEDY AND TRAGEDY Have you ever seen happy/sad masks? They are actually comedy/tragedy theatre masks. On this page are several examples, including the one on the Children’s Theatre of Elgin and Fox Valley Theatre Company former logo. Ever wondered what they mean? They actually date clear back to the ancient Greek theatre. Comedy and tragedy were the two primary types of theatre in ancient Greece. There were often traveling theatre festivals that visited Greek towns to present their plays. There is evidence of the use of masks in Greek theater dating back to the fifth century B.C. In Greek theater, actors always wore masks. Their use enabled actors to play multiple roles, including female roles. The masks helped audience members identify the emotions onstage. The mouths were enlarged in order to allow the actors to speak more easily and the facial expressions were exaggerated to make sure even those seated clear in the back could still understand what was going on in the front. So the next time you see one of these masks, remember that they represent the comedy and tragedy performed in theatre and have been around for thousands of years. You might even try making one out of clay or paper to hang in your bedroom to remind you of the ancient Greeks and the excitement of attending a live‐theatre performance! http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1941981 The Legend of Hercules Study Guide – Children’s Theatre of Elgin