In this musical adaptation of the Charles

Transcription

1 on the Hearth Based on the story by Charles Dickens Book and lyrics by Bruce Miller Richmond Cincinnati Classroom Study Guide on The Hearth In this musical adaptation of the Charles Dicken's Christmas story, kindly toymaker, Caleb Plummer, his blind daughter Bertha, and their lucky Cricket live together in a modest home next to Tackleton's toyshop. Mr. Plummer is employed by the curmudgeonly Mr. Tackleton. The toymaker and his daughter live an ideal life, thanks to the "rose-colored" world that Mr. Plummer has created for his daughter through his descriptions of their possessions, their home and even the intentions of the gruff Mr. Tackleton. This holiday, the Plummer's have opened their home to a kindly stranger in need of shelter from the cold. In the days before Christmas, the gentle stranger and the lucky Cricket work together to create holiday magic that changes hearts and lives forever. What is a rose colored world? Do you know people that look at life this way? What do you think the phrase holiday magic means? Write a description of what that phrase meanse to you. What types of holiday magic have you experienced? The Plummer s celebrate Christmas. What other holidays are celebrated in December? At the library, research ways that Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are observed. How are they similar? Different? How does your family celebrate the holidays? Share your holiday traditions with your classmates - maybe you will learn something new that you can do at home this holiday season

2 Paint a Picture with Words In the musical, on The Hearth, the toymaker's blind daughter, Bertha believes that she lives in a colorful home with portraits of angels painted in silver and gold on the ceiling. Her father has told her about their home so many times, she feels as though she can see it herself. To paint the picture of their home for his daughter, Bertha's father uses describing words, or adjectives. What kind of holiday pictures can you paint by adding some descriptive words to the following sentences? Color the picture that you have described. Page Two 1. I am wrapping this present with paper that is and and has pictures of on it. 2. The cookies were my favorite. 3. It was a, and day, just right for celebrating the holidays. 4. During the holidays our house is decorated with. Paint a picture for your family by describing the set of in detail.

3 Meet the Author Throughout his life, Charles Dickens wrote fifteen books and countless short stories. He was an author, an artist, an editor, and an entertainer. Charles Dickens was the first great author to perform his own works for an audience. He enjoyed presenting readings from some of his most well known books including, A Christmas Carol and David Copperfield. Each time Dickens held a performance he remembered his poor childhood and made sure that affordable tickets were available. Page Three Dickens Timeline Born on February 7th in Portsmouth, England Starts school at William Giles School Family moves to London Father put in jail for owing too much money to people Dickens removed from school Dickens working as a reporter for the Morning Herald First story, A Dinner at Poplar Walk, published Marries Catherine Hogarth Oliver Twist published Dickens first visit to America A Christmas Carol published Writes Cricket Second American visit Charles Dickens dies on June 9th. Interesting World Events Stores in America first begin advertising for Christmas Shopping Clement Clarke Moore writes "A Visit From St. Nicholas." Stamps cost one penny in Great Britain. - Photography is invented. 1840's - Holiday greeting cards are sent for the first time Thousands of children visit life-size model of Santa Claus in Philadelphia Shop Britain's Queen Victoria and family are sketched standing around a Christmas tree. After this is printed in a British magazine the Christmas tree gains popularity in U.S. and Britain Christmas is declared federal holiday. Charles Dickens had many different jobs. What kind of job do you want to have? What do you think you will need to do to get this job? Make a list of jobs you might want and things you will have to study in order to get this job. Read another Charles Dickens classic holiday story, A Christmas Carol on line at

4 From Page to Stage Theatre IV's production of Cricket on the Hearth was adapted for the stage from the classic Charles Dickens story by Theatre IV artistic director, Bruce Miller. Adaptations are created by playwrights who work hard to recreate the mood of the original story while creating exciting theatrical productions. To do this, the playwright may have had to change a character's thoughts or parts of the story into events and actions that happen on stage. Additional scenes and characters may have been added or cut to make the story the best play it could be. This production of Cricket on the Hearth is a musical, which is a play with music and sometimes dancing. Page Four adapt - to change so as to fit a new or specific use or situation Behind the Scenes It takes many people to put together a production like including the: playwright - the person who writes a musical or play director - tells the actors where to move on the stage and oversees the work of everyone involved in the play. actor - people who perform the story on the stage. costume designer - plans the clothing that the actors will wear. set designer - plans the scenery for the play. prop master - the person in charge of the objects used by the actors, such as a newspaper, or needle and thread. Theatre IV is a touring theatre company, which means that we present this show for children all across the country. Along with putting on a great show, our actors are responsible for driving a van to each place that the show is performed, and for setting up the set when they arrive at the theater, school, or other performance space. Each year Theatre IV actors perform for over 1 million children

5 Superstitions Bertha Plummer and her father consider themselves very lucky because they have a cricket living on the hearth. This is an example of a superstition. Superstition is a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, or trust in magic. People all over the world believe in superstitions that will bring them good luck, and bad luck. Here are some common superstitions having to do with other bugs and things. Page Five If there are flies in the house at Christmas let them survive till New Year's Day, and they'll bring luck to the house. If you kill a spider, you kill your luck. If you kill a cricket in the house, you will have bad luck. Finding a beetle will bring you good luck. A cricket singing inside the house is good luck. If a spider lets himself down on you from the ceiling - good luck for you Do you believe in any superstitions? (What about "Don't step on a crack, you'll break your mother's back," or making a wish on your birthday candles?) How do superstitions get started? Find books about superstitions and their origins in the J398 (Dewey Decimal) or BF1775 (Library of Congress) section of your local or school library. 114 West Broad Street Richmond, Virginia " Eastern Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio This study guide and the text-contained herein are the property of Theatre IV. Photocopying of the study guide is permitted. Any other use of the contents must be accompanied by the phrase: "Text used with permission from Theatre IV - Richmond, VA. Theatre IV

6 Holiday Word Search Activity Page Page Six #C LOE DERTI ABERTHA HEAPXOMN TOYMAKERDER APTYKIMENBROD MUSADAPTATIONWR REPAPGNIPPARWEATH BREAHSTRANGERECRIKLE CHARLESDICKENSWRLOEZUV VQUATEPOLDOLLSEODRSDRELW CRICKETPRODENTHARTUBUNDMUS HTRAEHWRIGTALPOOTUBLEAADODOM MAGWALTOYMAKERHOCORNREAVIRTHEC DREFILMUSICALBRHUBOFFSTLOTACKLETONECI CHARLES DICKENS CRICKET HEARTH TOYMAKER STRANGER MUSICAL ADAPTATION DOLLS BERTHA TACKLETON WRAPPING PAPER

7 Identify the Christmas Carol Can you recognize all the Christmas Carols depicted here? After you identify these popular carols, make up some drawings for other Holiday songs (don't forget Hanukkah and Kwanza). Share your drawings with the class and see if they can guess the right song. A Christmas Carol Activity Page Page Seven ABCDEFGHI JKMNOPQR STUVWXYZ O OO OOO OOOO OOOOO OOOOOO x December For solutions see page five.

8 A Christmas Carol Teacher Pages Page Eight