Teacher Guide - "Titanic"

STORY & BOOK BY

Peter Stone

MUSIC & LYRICS BY

Maury Yeston

ORCHESTRATIONS BY

Joshua Clayton

DIRECTED BY

Mark Clements

APRIL 5 – MAY 14, 2022 | QUADRACCI POWERHOUSE This Teacher Guide is designed to be used in the classroom along with Milwaukee Rep’s PlayGuide for Titanic: The Musical This PlayGuide is available online at: www.MilwaukeeRep.com/Titanic Titanic: The Musical Teacher Guide written by Lindsey Hoel-Neds

Topics for

Teaching & Learning:

Historical Research Scenic and Costume Design Pop Culture Portrayals of Historical Events

Discussion Questions 1. What would you sacrifice for those you love? Are there limits to what you would sacrifice?

2. How does your socioeconomic status impact your life? The lives of others around you? How do you see differences in social status reflected in modern society?

3. Think of a time in your life that you believed in something strongly and then it was disproved. How did you feel? How did it impact you? How did it impact your actions?

Building a Modern Marvel Have students read the article in the PlayGuide about the building of Titanic and do some additional research about what Titanic looked like. After students have completed their research, have them create a scenic design for a scene that would take place in a particular part of the ship. You may give them specific limitations such as budget, space constraints, or ability to transition to other locales, or you can let their imaginations run wild. After students have completed their scenic designs, have them present them to the rest of the class, justifying their choices with research and their own ideas for design.

4. What large modern national or world events have captured the imagination of our society and popular culture? How? 5. Have you ever had to say goodbye to someone you loved? If so, how did losing that person impact your life?

Exploring Meaning Through Music The musical Titanic has many moving and interesting songs that present excellent opportunities for close reading.

Choose one song or several songs of which students can complete close readings. Students may do these readings in groups or individually. Once students have completed the close reading activity, have groups compare their findings from the same song, or share how the various songs create a rich tapestry of meaning for the musical as a whole.

Delving into the History of Titanic The history of Titanic has been a topic that has fascinated historians and laypeople alike for over a century. There are so many topics to delve into from the construction of the ship, to the individual passengers, to social dynamics, to the logistics of the tragedy. Have students select a topic about the history of Titanic and its passengers which interests each of them.

Students should conduct research on their chosen topic and create a presentation for the class (or your community) about their chosen topics. A great way to bring together these different projects would be to have students create various pages on a class website, Google Classroom, or other digital resource that could be made available to others. Creating displays for your school or community library could also be an excellent showcase of their learning.

Titanic’s Grand Staircase. Photo Credit: Ultimate Titanic.

Telling Their Stories There have been many first-person accounts from survivors of the Titanic tragedy, both in the official inquiries of the time, and through letters and books written or discovered later. The stories of the people of Titanic have been pieced together over the last century from these first-person accounts and other sources. Have students research one of the travelers onboard Titanic and learn about them. The person they choose can be from any class of passenger or any crew member, it should just be someone that they can learn a little about. After they have spent some time getting to know their person, they will write a letter as that person. Have students write letters in first-person as one of the travelers who has just learned that the ship is sinking OR they may write a letter home on one of the earlier days of the voyage. After students have completed their letters, have them look at some additional primary resources from the voyage as a comparison.

Costume Design: Period Fashion Milwaukee Rep costume designer Alex Tecoma is a master of period costuming, which all starts with extensive research! Have students research fashion and clothing from 1912 in order to create a costume rendering for a character from the show. Students may choose any character, but need to draw a rendering that would be an accurate representation of what someone of their station and occupation would wear for a journey on Titanic. Students may use the beautiful designs by Mr. Tecoma as inspiration or another research source, but the designs should be original. You may put students in teams and have them design for particular groups within the cast of characters or let students choose whomever they would like. After designs are completed, have students share their work in a “design meeting” with the rest of the class. This activity may also be combined with the scenic design activity and could be expanded to include a full design plan including lights, sound, props, etc.

Exploring Titanic Popular Culture

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Titanic grabbed imaginations from the moment of its inception and for over a century after its demise. This interest has been particularly pronounced in the world of popular culture. Either as a class or individually, students should experience one of the popular representations of the Titanic story. After watching or reading another version, have students do a compare/contrast chart with their chosen media, the musical, and the historical truth.

When their chart and analysis is complete, encourage students to discuss why some of these changes in portrayals of characters or events may have been made.

If students use the 1998 film Titanic, there have been extensive interviews and accounts from the director about many of the elements of making the film and its story.

Captain’s Coming If you need a fun warm-up game, “Captain’s Coming” can be a great way to challenge students’ listening skills and physicality. The game is like “Simon Says,” but with a nautical theme.

Titanic film poster. Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox.

Like in “Simon Says,” there is a caller giving directions to the players. Directions that can be given include:

Bow – Go to the front of the “ship” Stern – Go to the back of the “ship” Port – Go to the left side of the “ship” Starboard – Go to the right side of the “ship” Rowboat – Quickly find a partner (2 kids total), sit on the ground one behind the other,

and “row”

Seasick – Head to the side of the “ship” and do your duty overboard Jellyfish – Get down on the ground, on our back and shake your arms and legs in the air Lifeboat – Quickly find 5 partners (6 kids total) and sit in a circle on the ground Octopus – Quickly find 7 partners (8 kids total), gather in a circle and have each person stick a leg out

Captain’s Coming – Stand at attention, saluting At Ease – Relax (this is only said when players are at attention because “Captain’s

Coming” has been said)

STANDARDS CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.7: Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.2: Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.5: Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

TP.R.12.h: Demonstrate developmentally appropriate audience etiquette at a professional performance.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

TD.Cr.16.h: Collaborate as a creative team with specified roles to make artistic, interpretive choices in a devised or scripted work.

TD.P.18.h: Assemble documents, renderings, and artifacts in a portfolio that includes design concept and working within the parameters of a production.

WI SEL 18.9-10 Relationship Skills: Learners will be able to formulate group goals and work through an agreed upon plan.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

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