HIGH SCHOOL MATINEE STUDY GUIDE

Transcription

1 HIGH SCHOOL MATINEE STUDY GUIDE

2 High School Matinee Wednesday, October 20, 2010 Featuring: Sharon Bakker -- Mary Terri Cherniack -- Margaret John B. Lowe -- Father Murphy Laura Olafson -- Melissa Director: Robert Metcalfe Set & Costume Designer: Brian Perchaluk Lighting Designer: Scott Henderson Stage Manager: Karyn Kumhyr Assistant Stage Manager: Candace Maxwell Study Guide by: Lisa Martin The High School Matinee Program is generously supported by: Prairie Theatre Exchange is a not-for-profit theatre and an active member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), and engages, under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, professional artists who are members of the Canadian Actors Equity Association. Prairie Theatre Exchange gratefully acknowledges the generous support of: The Manitoba Arts Council, The Canada Council, The City of Winnipeg, The Winnipeg Foundation, The Prairie Theatre Exchange Foundation Trust.

3 About The Play SETTING Savannah, Georgia present day. The play takes place in Mary and Margaret s home. The action takes place over the period of a week. PLAY SYNOPSIS Mary and Margaret are sisters, in the middle to late years of their lives. They have a comfortable, if not fancy, existence together. Mary used to be married, but no longer; Margaret has never been married. The only gentleman who regularly visits their house is their priest, Father Murphy. Mary is an outspoken, sharp woman, while Margaret is known for being meek and sweet-natured. When a young woman begins frequenting their doorstep in order to save their souls, they have very different reactions to her offer of aid. We re Catholic here, Margaret informs her nicely. If I catch you on my property again, I ll call the police! screams Mary. But Melissa has been training to be a missionary, one who specializes in converting Catholics to true Christianity. And when Margaret begins to doubt her faith, Mary invites Melissa back to the house to have some questions answered but also invites Father Murphy to partake in the theological debate. We ll see who s going to hell, Mary quips. And so the discussion begins...but is it really about which religion is the right one? What we believe, what we take for granted, and how we live our lives, are all bound together in this very funny play about four people having a chat after dinner on a Thursday night in Savannah. Style: issue-oriented comedy/drama Time: present Themes: Religion / faith, truth vs. fiction, relationships and making connections (with family, with community, with God), belief systems, values, self-reflection, the role of the missionary. Warnings: Issues surrounding religion are explored and questioned.

4 About The Playwright Evan Smith was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, where he attended Benedictine Military School. He has a BA in English from Vassar College and an MFA in playwriting from the Yale School of Drama. He wrote his first play at 17, and had it produced off-broadway. His play Servicemen was produced by the New Group in New York City and New York Stage and Film in Poughkeepsie, New York. Both The Uneasy Chair and Psych were produced by Playwrights Horizons in New York City. The Uneasy Chair was recently revived in a new and improved version by 1812 Productions in Philadelphia Productions also produced his play Daughters of Genius in His television pilot Debs was produced in Los Angeles by Naked TV, a joint venture of Fox Television and Naked Angels. His plays have been published by the Grove Press, the Dramatists Play Service, Smith & Kraus, Dell Books and soon by Playscripts.com. He is a recipient of a 2002 Whiting Award. He was resident at the William Inge Center in Director's Notes Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother. Kahlil Gibran The play that you re seeing is, for the most part, a comic look at the conflict that erupts when the dogma of one set of beliefs crashes headlong into the doctrine of another. Playwright Smith raises questions about why we believe what we believe, and how simple, strong, faith is often needed to overcome the inevitable uncertainties that arise both in the copies of copies of copies of religious texts that we might use to guide us, and in our dealings with everyday life. When faced with a reminder of the finite time that we have on the planet, holding on to that faith in the face of a challenge can be a struggle. In the case of The Savannah Disputation, the results of that struggle are, happily, fun to watch. At the centre of our story are four people combating the loneliness inherent in the human condition, which threatens to overtake them. It s this battle with their feelings of isolation, and disconnection from each other and the universe, that leads them to both doubt, then ultimately find solace in, the structures that their respective faiths provide. In the end, it s their shared story which serves to build enough of a sense of order and community to allow them to move forward and face the uncertainties which lie ahead. And who doesn t need that? Robert Metcalfe, Director

5 Play Etiquette When young people attend a live theatrical performance for the first time, they often come into the theatre without the understanding how different it is from watching TV or a movie that as well as the audience can hear the performers, the performers can hear the audience! Please remind your students that: The actors would appreciate a quiet audience that means no talking, eating or drinking, which is distracting not only for the actors, but also for the rest of the audience members in a small theatre like PTE. Cell phones must be turned off even if the ringer is silent, the light from phone screens during texting and other functions is really disruptive and distracting. Imagine waving a flashlight around in a darkened room! They need to remain in their seats once the play has started there will be an intermission for bathroom and cell phone breaks. Once the play has started, latecomers will not be admitted. If someone leaves during the show, they will not be able to get back into the theatre. Active Viewing To make the most out of watching this live performance, please encourage your students to not only watch the play for the story, but to also pay attention to the set, costumes, music and lighting. These aspects are an important part of a live performance and will enhance later discussions about the play and the students experience watching it. After the Show The actors invite the student audience to remain seated they will come back onto the stage to answer questions about the play, and about acting in general.

6 Related Background Information (and interesting tidbits...) o There are over 50 different versions of the Bible in English alone. o In the scholastic system of education of the Middle Ages, disputations (in Latin: disputationes, singular: disputatio) offered a formalized method of debate designed to uncover and establish truths in theology and in sciences. Fixed rules governed the process: they demanded dependence on traditional written authorities and the thorough understanding of each argument on each side. o A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to carry on ministries of the word, such as evangelism and literacy, or ministries of service, such as education, social justice, health care and economic development.the word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin missionem (nom. missio), meaning "act of sending" or mittere, meaning "to send". o In 2002, the American Institute of Parapsychology named Savannah America s Most Haunted City. Based on Savannah s history of fires, plagues, wars and voodoo, they determined Savannah was the perfect place for supernatural activity. o A new evolutionary theory suggests that we're hard-wired for religion as a way to bind individuals together into a society. o The word Catholic comes from the Greek word for universal. From left, Dana Ivey, Kellie Overbey, Reed Birney and Marylouise Burke in The Savannah Disputation at the Playwright s Horizons Theatre, New York.

7 By The Numbers In the play, the main disputation is between different religious experiences, with each side certain that their version of what is true, and their own beliefs, are the "right" ones. But when you look at the number of "major religions" in the world, who is "right" becomes a very complicated question! One way to define a major world religion is by the current number of current adherents. Population numbers by religion are computed by combination of census reports and population surveys (in countries where religion data is not collected in census, for example USA or France), but results can vary widely depending on the way questions are phrased, the definitions of religion used, and the bias of the agencies or organizations conducting the survey. Informal or unorganized religions are especially difficult to count. This listing does not draw distinctions between organized world religions, which have a single belief code and religious hierarchies, and informal world religions, such as Chinese traditional religions, which are a mix of different informal religious ideas. Christianity 2 billion Roman Catholicism: 1.1 billion Protestantism: 360 million Eastern Orthodoxy: 220 million Anglican: 84 million Other Christians: 280 million Islam 1.3 billion Sunnism: 940 million Shiism 120 million Hinduism 900 million Secular / Nonreligious / Agnostic / Atheist 850 million Buddhism 360 million Chinese traditional religion 225 million Not a single organized religion, includes elements of Taoism, Confucianism, and traditional non-scriptural religious observance. Primal indigenous 150 million Not a single organized religion, includes a wide range of primarily Asian traditional or tribal religions, including Shamanism and Paganism.

8 African Traditional and Diasporic 95 million Not a single organized religion, this includes traditional African beliefs such as Yoruba as well as Diasporic beliefs such as Santeria and Vodoun. Sikhism 23 million Juche 19 million Not considered a religion by adherents. Juche is the political ideology taught by North Korean communists; some have argued it constitutes a religion. Spiritism 14 million Not a single organized religion, includes a variety of beliefs including some forms of Umbanda. Judaism 14 million Bahá'í Faith 6 million Jainism 5 million Shinto 4 million Cao Dai 3 million Tenrikyo 2.4 million Neopaganism 1 million Unitarian Universalism 800,000 Rastafarianism 700,000 Not an organized religion Scientology 600,000 Zoroastrianism 150,000

9 ACTIVITIES Pre- or Post-show: o What types of reasons bring people to our door at home? Make a list of different types of people who might show up at our door. How do we react when someone we don t know rings our doorbell? Why do we have these reactions? o Related dramatic activity: improvise, perhaps with a real door, a series of scenarios that begin with a knock at the door. The person knocking at the door comes with a reason why they re there, and the person answering must decide how they will react to this person. The scene goes on as long as the door stays open! o What makes a good argument? When two people argue a point, is it the person who knows the most who wins, or are there other factors involved? o Choose simple arguments based on one or more of the resolutions below, and prepare a debate. For ideas and formal debate structure, visit 1) Circumstances make the man 2) There are no more heroes 3) We should forgive and forget 4) Money matters most 5) We should question authority 6) When in doubt, run 7) All the world is a stage 8) We have too much freedom 9) Good fences make good neighbours 10) Every man has his price -General Resolutions-

10 Pre-Show Discussion o Can you imagine a world in which everyone believed the exact same things? Would this be a paradise, or a disaster? Explain your opinion. o This could be done in essay format. o Why do we, as human beings, have a need to believe in something? How do you think that has changed how members of a society or group might relate to each other? Why does having our beliefs challenged cause such a visceral response? o Is it difficult to admit you re wrong? o Write a short story (or, in a sharing circle, tell the story out loud) about a time when you felt sure of something, only to find out you were wrong. Did you admit it and say sorry, or did you remain stubborn and admit nothing? o What do you believe happens to us after we die? What do different cultures and religions believe? How important or unimportant is this to how you live your life? o Define religion in your own words, then compare this to what it says in the dictionary. How close was your definition? o How can understanding different religions help us better understand our world and the people in it? o What impact has religion (and religious differences) had on the world over the past years? Discuss wars, major events, immigration (to Canada, for example), etc. o Where are different religious groups represented, from a global perspective? o On a map of the continents, do a visual representation of the major world religions, and where they reside in larger numbers.

11 Post-Show Discussion: o The issues addressed in the play are ones that are usually viewed as very serious, sometimes contentious and controversial -- yet the play is very funny. Why do you think the playwright chose to use this approach? Was it effective, in your opinion? o Listening to Melissa talk, Margaret begins to doubt her beliefs. Why does this happen? What makes us doubt ourselves? o Has anyone ever changed your mind about something you strongly believed? How did they accomplish this? o Why is Father Murphy hesitant to join the discussion about religion? o While the debate about religion is a key element in the play, it's really about four very lonely people trying to connect. What role do you think their beliefs and faith plays in that effort? o What is the relationship between Mary and Margaret, beyond the fact that they re sisters? Look at the positive and negative aspects of their living situation. o If you were to describe the four different characters in the play by personality, what words would you choose to describe each one? How does this make for a volatile and interesting series of events in this play?

12 Further Reading Baron, Renee. What Type Am I? The Myers Briggs Type Indicator Made Easy, Penguin Books, Keirsey, David and Bates, Marilyn. Please Understand Me Character and Temperament Types, Prometheus Book Co., Del Mar, CA. Smith, Huston. The World s Religions, HarperOne, Snider, Alfred and Schnurer, Maxwell. Many Sides, Debate Across The Curriculum, International Debate Education Association, The Big Religion Chart Other Plays by Evan Smith Available through Dramatists Play Service Inc. Psych, Remedial English, The Uneasy Chair A Cautionary Tale In Three Volumes, 1999.