Dracula. PLAY Guide. Actors Theatre Education Department. The Hearst Foundation, Inc.

Transcription

1 Dracula About the dracula PLAY Guide This play guide is a standards-based resource designed to enhance your theatre experience. Its goal is twofold: to nurture the teaching and learning of theatre arts and to encourage essential questions that lead to enduring understandings of the play s meaning and relevance. Inside you will find history/contextual information, vocabulary and worksheets that lay the groundwork of the story and build anticipation for the performance. Oral discussion and writing prompts encourage your students to reflect upon their impressions and to analyze and relate key ideas to their personal experiences and the world around them. These can easily be adapted to fit most writing objectives. The Bridgework connects theatre elements with ideas for drama activities in the classroom as well as integrated curriculum. We encourage you to adapt and extend the material in any way to best fit the needs of your community of learners. Please feel free to make copies of this guide, or you may download it from our website: We hope this material, combined with our pre-show workshops, will give you the tools to make your time at Actors Theatre a valuable learning experience. Actors Theatre Education Department Steven Rahe, Education Director Jacob Stoebel, Associate Education Director Lee Look, Playwriting in the Schools Coordinator Stone Nelson,Julie Mercurio and Jeffrey Mosser, Education Interns Table of Contents Synopsis...2 Cast of Characters...2 Vlad the Impaler...3 Bram Stoker...4 Vampire Survival Kit...5 Dracula on Stage and Screen...6 Theatre-in-the-Round...7 Bridgework Word Scramble...10 Discussion & Themes...11 Writing Portfolio...12 Dracula matinee and play guide address specific Ky Core Content: AH-1.3.1: Students will identify the elements of drama DOK 2 Fund for the Arts Members Agency The Hearst Foundation, Inc. AH-2.3.1: Students will analyze how time, place and ideas are reflected in drama/theatre DOK 2 AH-3.3.1: Students will explain how drama/theatre fulfills a variety of purposes DOK 2 If you have any questions or suggestions regarding our play guides, please contact the Director of Education, at (502) Play Guide compiled by Aurelia Clunie, Sarah Lunnie, Jess Jung and Katie Blackerby Weible.

2 Synopsis Trouble is brewing when the curtain rises on William McNulty s new adaptation of Dracula. Dr. Abram Van Helsing has arrived at the estate of his old friend, Dr. Seward, who is desperate for help. Seward s beloved Mina has recently died of a sudden and mysterious illness. Her horrific symptoms have proved baffling to the bereaved doctor: sudden loss of blood; bouts of sleepwalking in the cemetery; and strange puncture wounds on the neck. To make matters worse, Mina s friend, Lucy, has begun to display the same symptoms! Seward hopes that Van Helsing, a noted expert in exotic medicine, will be able to uncover the cause of Lucy s illness, and save her before it s too late. Meanwhile, Count Dracula, a strange and imposing man from Transylvania, has taken up residence in nearby Carfax Abbey. And Lucy s fiancé, Jonathan Harker, has mysteriously vanished. A solicitor who helped arrange the sale of the Abbey, Harker traveled to Transylvania a few months ago to finalize business matters with the Count and never returned home. At Seward s estate, Renfield, a mental patient, is becoming more wild and unruly by the day, almost as though he were possessed. Lucy s symptoms continue to grow worse. And how to account for the sudden onslaught of howls, coming by night from up the hill? Van Helsing believes the problem they face is a grave one: My diagnosis is there is no disease! The symptoms are real. But the cause is not internal. He believes that Mina, and now Lucy, have suffered at the hands of a vampire. To save Lucy s life, they will have to uncover the identity of the life-sucking demon, and destroy him. But the endeavor is a dangerous one. A vampire is a fearsome enemy, and the risks are greater than death. Should the doctors perish in their pursuit, they too will become vampires, spending an eternity preying upon the bodies and souls of those whom once they dearly loved. Will Seward and Van Helsing find the vampire and save Lucy s life? Or is the monster about to claim yet another victim? Cast of Characters Dr. Seward Count Dracula Seward s new neighbor; recently moved from Transylvania Professor Abram Van Helsing Old friend of Seward; comes to help Lucy Mina: Love of Seward recently died of a mysterious illness Lucy: Mina s friend displaying same symptoms Jonathan Harker Lucy s fiancé; missing after trip to Transylvania Renfield mental patient; receiving treatment from Seward Miss Sullivan the maid Mr. Briggs Seward s employee 2

3 The Real Dracula: Vlad the Impaler Vlad Dracula, later named Vlad the Impaler after his favorite form of torture, was a 15 th century prince who ruled with an iron fist. This infamous ruler controlled his subjects with such violence that he is now referred to as the bloodiest ruler in history. Vlad was born in Transylvania in 1430 or His father, the warrior Vlad Dracul, was a member of a secret society of knights called the Order of the Dragon. This society was formed to fight and defeat the Turks, as well as secure the throne of Wallachia (a town located in presentday Romania). The Order brothers dressed in long green capes except on special occasions in which they would wear long black capes and drape gold dragon medallions around their necks. Young Vlad was nicknamed Dracula after his father. In Romanian, Dracul translates to dragon or devil, and the a stands for son of. So Dracula literally translates to son of the dragon or son of the devil. In 1444 Dracul was traveling with Dracula and his youngest son across the Danube River when they were captured by the Turks. Dracula was imprisoned for four years. These years are thought to be the beginning of Vlad Dracula s violent nature. It wasn t long before Dracul was assassinated and Dracula s brother was buried alive by the ruler of Hungary, Jamos Hunyadi. Fearful for his life, Dracula joined Hunyadi who taught him cunning and severe military tactics that would soon secure Dracula the throne of Wallachia. As Prince, Vlad Dracula continued to battle the Turks. Those taken hostage were impaled (a large pole was driven through their body). But it was not only Dracula s enemies who suffered. Many townspeople were also subject to his wrath. One story tells of Dracula noticing a peasant man who was wearing a shirt that was too short. When Dracula asked the man s wife why the man was improperly dressed, she said she was too busy cooking and cleaning to sew. She was immediately impaled. Graciously, Dracula chose a new wife for the man. He made sure to show the new wife what had happened to the old so that she would not make the same mistake. Dracula died in battle in He was promptly decapitated by order of the Turkish sultan. His head was then sent to the sultan who displayed it, fittingly, on a stake for all to see. Although gone, rumors of Vlad Dracula and his relentless temper spread throughout Europe. Stories of his villainy were published, read, and reread, and it was these stories that led Bram Stoker in creating the infamous Count Dracula we know today. 3

4 Bram Stoker: The Man Behind the Monster Bram Stoker always liked scary stories. He was born near Dublin, Ireland on November 8, 1847, but was sick during most of his childhood. He read in bed a lot and liked to listen to the stories his mother Charlotte told. Her stories were sometimes creepy, like the ones about victims of the 1832 Irish cholera epidemic who were buried before they were entirely dead. As he grew up, Stoker got stronger and even played sports and joined clubs when he went to Trinity College. He still liked to read strange stories like the influential 1871 vampire novel Carmilla by Le Fanu. Stoker tried writing his own horror story, The Chain of Destiny, which appeared in a magazine in Stoker s first book was pretty boring. The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland didn t raise hairs on the backs of readers necks, but was a really useful resource for other clerks. Stoker first worked for the Irish government, but loved putting his imagination to use and loved the theatre. In college he saw The Rivals, starring Henry Irving, and was blown away. The show inspired Stoker to write a theatre review column for the newspaper the Dublin Mail. Years later, he wrote a good review about Henry Irving s performance in Hamlet, and the actor invited him backstage. The two began a close friendship and Stoker moved to London with his young wife to become the Business Manager of Irving s Lyceum Theatre. Stoker continued writing fiction while working at the Lyceum. He published a collection of scary children s stories called Under the Sunset in In the 1890 s, he wrote some romantic novels, but was working on his vampire thriller. Stoker painstakingly researched places, superstitions, and myths while writing Dracula. He visited many of the locations he wrote about in the book, including the Regent s Park Zoo where he observed animals that would appear in Dracula. Stoker stayed up nights discussing dark 4 matters with his friends. Diary entries, letters, newspaper articles, verbal testimonies and other first hand accounts form Stoker s frightening narrative. He creatively used many fictional sources to make the story seem more authentic. When Dracula finally reached readers in 1897, reviewers generally praised it. They Bram Stoker enjoyed its ingenious and gruesome details and how exciting it was for readers. Stoker had successfully written a thrilling horror novel that would terrify generations. He wrote other novels before he died in 1912, but none could compete with the legend he created in Dracula.

5 Vampire Survival Kit everything you need to know for your encounter with the undead. The vampire is an ancient and mythic figure. There s a good chance you ve heard the Dracula tale, made famous by Bram Stoker s novel and by countless classic film remakes based on his book. But less widely known, perhaps, is the fact that countries all over the world have their very own vampire stories each one stranger and more frightening than the next! What is a vampire? Stories vary from country to country, but all of the dark tales share certain things in common: A vampire is neither human, nor dead, but rather undead: a being from beyond the grave, who destroys life in order to continue its own unnatural existence. In most cultures, vampires are said to feed on human blood in order to sustain themselves usually with a quick bite to the neck! Where do vampires come from? Depending on who you ask, you ll find many different stories about where a vampire comes from. But many cultures believe that the arrival of a vampire in town means a social taboo has been broken. In Macedonia, people once believed vampires (known as vrykolakas), turned up when someone didn t respect local burial rituals, or because of the death of an unbaptized child. In Portugal and Russia, people attributed the arrival of a vampire to the practice of witchcraft. How do you kill a vampire? There are lots of stories about where a vampire comes from, but even more opinions on how to do away with him. Wreathes of garlic around the neck, holy water, and stakes to the heart are well-known vampire remedies, but there are others you may not be familiar with. Here s what you need to know if you re expecting a late-night encounter: To kill a vampire in Albania, Romania, and Russia, you can stab it in the heart with a knife and cut its throat. (Please be careful: in Russia there s no room for error. If you strike more than once, it will come back to life.) In Bavaria and Russia, cut off his head! Ditto for Greece and Crete but afterwards, you ll have to boil it in vinegar. In Macedonia, Hungary and Serbia, drive a nail into his head, neck or navel. In Ireland, place stones on top of his grave to prevent him from escaping. In Poland, bury the vampire face downward. He ll become confused, and spend eternity digging for freedom in the wrong direction. 5

6 Dracula on Stage and Screen Actor s Theatre of Louisville has been performing a stage adaptation of Dracula every year for the last 13 years. An adaptation is any work that was originally written in one form (say a book) and rewritten for use in a new form (say theatre or film). This year William McNulty has written a new adaptation of Stoker s old classic. Actors new Dracula follows a long tradition of stage and film adaptations of Stoker s novel. May 18, 1897 Stoker s novel was quickly adapted and performed for one night only to protect the copyright to the play. It was read at the Lyceum Theatre in London and was four hours long! Stoker s good friend, Henry Irving, said this version was Dreadful F. W. Murnau directed a silent film adaptation titled Nosferatu, A Symphony of Terror. He changed many of the character and place names, but still told the same story. February 14, 1927 A new stage adaptation opened at the Little Theatre in London. This version was written by Hamilton Deane, who also played Van Helsing. October 5, 1927 An American stage adaptation opened on Broadway. This play was adapted by Hamilton Deane and John Balderston and set in the 1920s. Bela Lugosi starred as Count Dracula The Horror of Dracula was made by Hammer Films. This English version was the first color version and starred Christopher Lee as the Count. It began another series of Dracula-themed films that include The Brides of Dracula and Dracula, Prince of Darkness Count Dracula starred Christopher Lee again as the Count and claimed to tell the Dracula story as Bram Stoker really wrote it Frances Ford Coppola directed Bram Stoker s Dracula. He took an original view of Stoker s story and incorporated new historical information about Vlad Tepes. It starred Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder and Anthony Hopkins Dracula opened at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Though not the first time Actors had ever done the show, this production started our tradition of scaring audiences every year Bela Lugosi returned as Count Dracula in the film Dracula by Universal Pictures. It was adapted from the play by Balderston and Deane and is the film many people think of when the think of Dracula. Universal made a series of movies including Dracula s Daughter and House of Dracula based on this first film. 6

7 Theatre-in-the-round Bingham Theatre Theatre-in-the-round, or an arena stage, is a space in which the audience surrounds the playing area. The stage is usually a simple shape such as a circle, square, or triangle, with the audience rising up from all sides (think of a bowl: the bottom is the stage and the sides are the audience). The first professional American theatre-in-theround company, Theatre 47 in Dallas, was established in You will witness a theatre-in-the-round production when seeing Dracula in the Actors Theatre of Louisville s Bingham Theatre. The cast and crew use the round space to add extra fright to the production. So be careful! No matter where you sit, there might be something lurking Can you name the other two types of theatre stages? What does each look like? 7

8 BRIDGEWORK: Building Connections between Stage and Classroom The following exercises combine creative drama, theatre concepts and core content to connect the theatre experience with drama activities in your classroom. By exploring drama as a mode of learning, students strengthen skills for creative problem solving, imagination and critical thinking. Core Content Connection (Core Content 4.1) The activities are designed using the Elements of Drama: Literary Elements, Technical Elements and Performance Elements. AT YOUR DESK Activities Theme Lines Choose a character s line(s) from the script that reflect an important theme of the play. Write a brief thought of your own that expresses that theme. What does it mean to you? Read both the script line and your own thought aloud to the class. Journal Entry Stoker begins his novel, Dracula with a journal entry of John Harker s: 3 May. Bistritz. Left Munich at 8:35 P.M., on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early morning; should have arrived at 6:46, but train was an hour late. Buda-Pesth seems a wonderful place from the glimpse which I got of it from the train and the little I could walk through the streets. I feared to go very far from the station, as we had arrived late and would start as near the correct time as possible. The impression I got was that we were leaving the West and entering the East Think about which characters might be the protagonist and the antagonist in the play. Write a journal entry in the voice of either character (or both). Explain his objective or goal and describe reasons for wanting it (motivation). What actions does this character take to achieve his goal? Remember to justify every action and thought of your character. Create a Sound Design The technical element of sound creates mood and places us in a specific time and place. Assume the role of sound designer for your own contemporary production of DRACULA. Make a list of sound effects and music you would use. music: classical, spooky Halloween, jazz, etc. Be sure to leave time for reflection. What did it feel like? Were some pieces of music easier than others? Why? How can music inform a character? How can music add to the tone of a production? Round and Round We Go. Simulate performing and directing for theatre-in-the-round (or areana theatre). Have students place desks in a circle. Give volunteer actors a scene (from DRACULA or another play) and have a volunteer director lead the movement. After the scene is completed, discuss the challenges of this type of stage. What do actors and directors have to think about? What might a set look like in this space? What type of plays do you think would be best performed in the round? Interview with a Vampire Hot Seating Choose one student to play Dracula. Have the rest of the class take on the roles of townspeople in London who have heard rumors of his evil. They pose questions and interrogate him about the events that have happened and choices he has made. Dracula should explain and justify his actions. Text Work Read the following lines of dialogue. Notice who said them and to whom they are spoken. Write a short essay about each, stating whether you agree or disagree with the thought. Give reasons to support your position, citing examples from your own life as well as observations. Your essays could serve as a start for a personal narrative or persuasive paper. ON YOUR FEET Activities Warm-up Sound/Motion Circle Players in circle. First person starts a scary sound and motion around circle. Person to his/her right imitates sound/motion and passes it to next person on right. When sound/motion makes it all the way around, person standing to left of first person starts new sound/motion. Repeat until all players have had a turn. Get Your Freak On When auditioning for DRACULA, some of the actors are asked to do their best creepy moves. Ask your students to walk around the room. Tell them you are going to play different pieces of music. When they hear the music, ask them to change their body movement. Ask them to visualize a character that fits the tone of the music and to embody that character. Students should focus only on nonverbal expression. Use several different types of 8 Van Helsing: (to Seward) My friend, adventure is a term most often used in hindsight. An adventure as one is experiencing it is usually referred to as trouble. Dracula: (to Van Helsing) Sometimes good and evil are just a matter of perception. Dracula: Come, Professor, who does not have the Beast within? Humans are so hypocritical; they deny their lust for blood. I am a free creature. I hunt; kill without mercy or conscience to spoil my enjoyment. Van Helsing: Humans seek to distinguish themselves from the animals. That is our destiny.

9 CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS English/Language Arts 1) Locate and read several British newspaper articles from How are they written? In what ways is the language and style different from ours? Imagine that you are a reporter from 1897 London. You have been sent to write a story about Count Dracula. What has been seen and heard about this mysterious man? Write your story in keeping with the flavor of the time period. 2) Folk songs from the late 19th century are sung by various characters to comment on character, plot and theme. Analyze the following song lyrics from Ghost Lover sung by Dracula. Why does he sing this song? What is Dracula communicating to the others about himself? Can you identify the metaphors? What is the mood of the poem? She feels he is as cold as the clay. She said, my dearest dear, if I only had my wish, This long night would never turn to day. Oh, where is your soft bed of down, my love? Where is your white hall and sheet? And where is the fair maid who watches over you, As you lie in your long dreamless sleep? The sea is my soft bed of down, my love, The sand is my white hall and sheet, And the long hungry worms they do feed off of me, As I lie every night in the deep. Geography Locate Transylvania on a map (hint- it s in Romania). What are the 16 present-day counties it encompasses? What are the most populated cities? Find other interesting facts about the region. Now locate London. How far did Dracula have to travel to inhabit his new castle? Social Studies DRACULA is classified as a Gothic novel. Many scholars consider Horace Walpole s novel The Castle of Otranto (1764) to be the first Gothic novel. Gothic novels generally focus on mystery and horror and often contain supernatural elements. The Gothic style of architecture flourished in Europe during the late medieval period (think of great cathedrals, abbeys and castles). The Gothic style enjoyed revivals in the late 1800s and 1900s. In contemporary culture, the Gothic or Goth movement is popular among some young people. How would you describe the Goth style? How does it relate to historical gothic elements? What is our fascination with the dark side? 9

10 DRACULA S POWERS WORD SCRAMBLE 1) SESruVVi no oldbo fo EoSHrT 2) CnA PAPErA SA itsm 3) runts CTViSim noit EmSAVrPi 4) lotnteyialp TmlrimAo 5) nca nrtu nito A AbT 6) ntshgret fo nwttey Enm 7) CnA yosphtnie mivicts 8) STCAS on oadhws 9) SAH on TrnfoElCEi 10) ACn Trun Tnio A fwlo AnSwErS: 1) SuRVIVeS on the blood of others; 2) can APPeAR AS MISt; 3) turns VIctIMS INto VAMPIReS; 4) PoteNtIALLY IMMoRtAL; 5) can turn INto A bat; 6) StReNGth of twenty MeN; 7) can hypnotise VIctIMS; 8) casts No ShAdoW; 9) has No ReFLectIoN; 10) can turn INto A WoLF

11 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Pre-show Questions 1) Before you enter the Bingham theatre, picture a stage in the center with seats all around (arena stage). Think about the world of Bram Stoker s story. What kind of set do you expect to see? What style and colors? What elements do you think will set the mood? How? 2) How is seeing a play different from seeing a movie? As an audience member, what types of things do you need to keep in mind when going to see a live performance? THEMES GOOD vs. EVIL SALVATION & DAMNATION BLOOD SCIENCE vs. SUPERSTITION DREAMS & NIGHTMARES Post-show Questions 1) During the show (and in the opening scene specifically), how did the technical elements create the mood that evoked fear from the audience? What sounds, lighting effects and costumes do you recall? 2) What themes are present in DRACULA? As this is fundamentally a story about good and evil, which characters are good and which are evil? Do any characters show traits of both? Which force ultimately wins? 3) Why do you think Vlad the Impaler was Bram Stoker s inspiration for DRACULA? Where did you see examples of Vlad in the production? Do you think using history to create a story is a valuable writing tool? Why or why not? What are some examples? 4) Do you feel any empathy for the evil characters? What parts of their existence might evoke pity? 5) Why do you think vampires are ingrained in pop culture? Why are vampires in the movies, on TV, popular Halloween costumes, etc.? Trace the evolution of the vampire in literature and film. (Compare/ contrast Bela Lugosi s characterization to Brad Pitt s in Interview with a Vampire, for example). How has our perception of vampires changed over the years? How has it stayed the same? 11

12 Writing Portfolio Note for teachers: All Writing Portfolio prompts have been designed to correspond with Kentucky Department of Education Core Content for Writing Assessment. PERSONAL EXPRESSIVE What was the scariest thing that ever happened to you? Write a story narrating the event for your reader. Lead the reader through the experience moment-by-moment in detail, using clear, descriptive images. Why was this a memorable moment in your life? LITERARY WRITING Dracula ends leaving the story open to the audience s interpretation. What you think happens? This is your chance to continue writing the play! If you could imagine one more scene at the end of our Dracula what would it be? Which characters would be in it? What do they still need to do? Be creative! TRANSACTIVE WRITING After seeing Dracula, write a theatrical critique of the production. Pretend you are writing for a local newspaper. Describe three elements that stood out to you (maybe an actor s performance, the set, the costumes, etc.). Why should or shouldn t someone go see this production? Need more help? Check out our Young Critics Workshops! Have an Actors Theatre teaching artist visit your classroom to give your students the inside scoop on how to write a theatrical critique. Students who have written a critique on an Actors Theatre production may submit their work to be posted on our website!! To submit online, please send all critiques as attachments to jstoebel@actorstheatre.org with the subject heading Young Critics Contest. Please be sure to include your name, school, teacher, grade, and contact information. actors theatre of louisville n 316 West Main Street n Louisville, KY Box office n Group Sales n Business Office ActorsTheatre.org

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14 Includes music and everyday noises technical built on stage to create environment Includes hand and set enhances focus by creating areas of light and dark What actors wear Elements of Drama Test your knowledge! used to enhance actor s facial features Performance Includes gestures, facial expression, and movement Includes vocal expression, projection, and diction use of face, body, and voice to portray a character Another term for story line one character speaking conversation between characters beginning Middle and end Literary the players of the story the tension of the play Plot conflict Speaking Props dialogue Lights characters Make-up Directions: cut out the following terms and paste in the appropriate box Set costumes Acting Monologue Sound Story organization Nonverbal expression

15 DRACULA S POWERS WORD SCRAMBLE 1) SESruVVi no oldbo fo EoSHrT 2) CnA PAPErA SA itsm 3) runts CTViSim noit EmSAVrPi 4) lotnteyialp TmlrimAo 5) nca nrtu nito A AbT 6) ntshgret fo nwttey Enm 7) CnA yosphtnie mivicts 8) STCAS on oadhws 9) SAH on TrnfoElCEi 10) ACn Trun Tnio A fwlo AnSwErS: 1) SuRVIVeS on the blood of others; 2) can APPeAR AS MISt; 3) turns VIctIMS INto VAMPIReS; 4) PoteNtIALLY IMMoRtAL; 5) can turn INto A bat; 6) StReNGth of twenty MeN; 7) can hypnotise VIctIMS; 8) casts No ShAdoW; 9) has No ReFLectIoN; 10) can turn INto A WoLF