Performance Guide - Room on a Broom

LE Lower Elementary | Performance Guide

Room On The Broom

An adventurous witch with her darling cat, meets friendly animals who want to join their high-flying adventure. But the broom is far too fragile to accommodate everyone. Explore the value of friendship through this charming musical adaptation of the picture book, Room on the Broom. Translated into 21 languages, Room on the Broom is a story of generosity, ingenuity and acceptance enjoyed by children around the world.

Photo credit: Copyright Simon Turtle

Learning Standards: Reading - Comprehension and Variety of texts; Oral and Visual Communications; English Language Acquisition Listening and Reading; Theater, Music and Visual Arts.

Ready, Set, Show!

Photo copyright Tall Stories

About the Book

About the Artists and Art Form

Room on the Broom is a popular children’s book that has been translated into 21 languages and won several book awards in the United Kingdom.

The book was written in 2002 by British author, Julia Donaldson with illustratations by Axel Sheffler. Donaldson and Sheffler have created other picture books together including The Gruffalo. In addition to books, Julia writes children’s plays and songs broadcast in English television shows for children.

London’s Tall Stories Theatre Company, founded in 1996, presents old, new and timeless stories in fresh and exciting ways. Through original songs, comedy, vibrant sets, colorful costumes and creative audience interactions, the company’s artistic team creates and shares theatrical experience with young audiences around the world.

About the Story A witch and her cat take a nighttime joyride on her broomstick. While on their adventure, she drops her cherished hat and wand! The witch decides to land the broom to search for them. On the ground, the pair makes several animal friends and find their lost items. But when it’s time to take off again, they realize that there are far too many passengers – the broom snaps in two sending the witch soaring through the air, landing near a frightful dragon! The new friends join together to save the witch. To show her gratitude, the witch casts a spell and creates a new spacious broom for all of the friends.

Room on the Broom / Performance Guide

Their production of Room on the Broom combines live actors with puppets.

The witch, cat, and dragon are all actors in costumes, while the dog, bird, and frog are puppets. The actors manipulating the puppets are always seen by the audience, but the audience focuses on the puppets and soon forgets about the puppeteer who is bringing that character to life.

Puppeteers learn to manipulate a puppet so its movements look natural.

They must imagine how the character will move, and create distinctive voices for each character to impart each puppet with a unique personality.

The Room on the Broom playwright Ciaran McConville, adapted the book as musical theater. Songs are sung throughout the play and each new character is introduced with a different style of music. The Bird sings opera, the dog is a rock-n-roller and the frog is a country-western crooner. There is also background music that underscores the action of the play.

Pre-Performance Activities Making Predictions

Creative Listening

Reader’s Theater

Read the book Room on the Broom as

As you read the book, ask students to

While reading, emphasize the two refrains

a class. Before opening the book, ask

signal each time a sound appears in the

that begin, “Down! Cried the witch,” and

students to examine the front cover and

story. Some sounds will be specifically

“Yes! Cried the witch.” Ask students to

predict what characteristics the witch might

mentioned while others, like weather noises,

join in during those sections. Encourage

have. Will she be friendly or scary? What

will be implied. Discuss how sounds can

them to match intonation and emphasize

kind of personality will her cat have? As

set a mood in a story and to build tension.

the rhythm so they become familiar with the

you begin reading, stop at regular intervals

repetition of the chorus used throughout

and ask students to guess what animal the

Ask students to create sounds from

the story. You can add simple hand, face

witch will meet next.

the story using their bodies, voices, or

or body actions to accompany the chorus

objects from the classroom as percussion

so that the students are physically engaged

instruments. Encourage students to

during those lines.

experiment in order to create the perfect sound.

Ask students to create simple animal movements to portray the animals met

Rehearse the sound effects and read the

along the journey. By using the animal

story. Ask students to retell the story in

gestures and the repeated chorus, students

their own words, accompanied by the live

can create a “reader’s theater” style

“soundtrack” that they have created.

performance of the book.

Post-Performance Activities Rhyme Time While reading the book for the second time, ask students to identify the rhyming pairs of words and make a list of rhymes on the blackboard.

As a group, write or draw a list of other animals that the witch could have met on her adventure. Ask students to create rhyming couplets using their new animals. You can help them create the first line using the structure from the story: From out of the grass came a….slithering snake.

Brainstorm what the next line could be that would rhyme with the first.

Who offered the witch a piece of his cake!

Photo copyright Simon Turtle

Combine the couplets to create a “sequel” to the story. When students get stuck finding rhyming words, suggest they change the word order, or create the second line before the first. Rhyming dictionaries such as www.rhymezone.com can help. Have fun and be playful! Even farfetched rhymes let students enjoy matching sounds and unexpected word connections. schools@waltonartscenter.org / www.waltonartscenter.org

Volume 8 Number 9 Colgate Classroom Series performances help students meet Arkansas Learning Photo credit: Copyright Tall Stories

Responding to the performance What did you think about the performance of Room on the Broom that you saw at the Walton Arts Center? Is it what you

Standards.

Learn more at: www.waltonartscenter.org

expected to see? Write down everything that you can remember from the show.

Who were your favorite characters? Why? What did you think about the music in the show? What was your favorite part of the performance? What was your least favorite part? Why did you like that part the least? Did anything visually stand out for you? What were the costumes like? What did the set look like? Was there a

Learning at Walton Arts Center

dance that you remember well? How did the show make you feel?

Laura Goodwin, VP Learning & Engagement Dr. Patricia Relph, Arts Learning Specialist

Post Show Discussion In the story, the witch’s new animal friends help her

Katie Lamar, Schools Concierge

find her lost items. Can you remember someone who has helped you when you

Dianna Blaylock, Learning Coordinator

needed it? What acts of kindness did the witch do for the frog, the dog and the bird? What did the animals do to help the witch? Why do you think it’s good to Performance Guide Contributors:

help others when they need help?

Morgan Hicks, Director of Education and Learn More Online

Program Development, TheatreSquared.

To hear Julia Donaldson interviewed, visit http://www.youtube.com/

Tall Stories Theatre Company

watch?v=_0vAK702VnE. To learn more about the company visit: http://tallstories.org.uk To learn more about The Kennedy Center’s free digital learning platform visit the ArtsEdge website: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org

Walton Arts Center 2010-2011 Learning programming is generously supported by these funders, sponsors and benefactors:

Education Benefactors: J.R. Ball Contracting Group

Pat Parsons

Colgate-Palmolive

Ted & Leslie Belden

Coleman & Shirley Peterson

David & Tina Bogle

Mary Lynn Reese

Education Grantors:

Crayola®

Andy & Mary Murray

Edy’s Grand Ice Cream

Arkansas Arts Council

Dr. J.B. & Rachel Blankenship

J.T. Rose & Imelda Aquino

J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc.

Donald W. Reynolds

Joel & Lynn Carver

Jack & Mechelle Sinclair

Carolyn & Nick Cole

Don & Jo Soderquist

Barry & Lori Cunningham

David & Candace Starling

Michael & Susan Duke

Jerry & Brenda Walton

Joanie & Jon Dyer

Jim & Lynne Walton

Kimberly-Clark Bio-Tech Pharmacal, Inc. Prairie Grove Telephone Co. Procter & Gamble

Foundation The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Mid America Arts Alliance/

Pruitt Tool Company

National Endowment

Jeff & Lisa Gearhart

Shipley Motor Co.

for the Arts

Malcolm & Ellen Hayward

Season support provided by

Johnelle Hunt

Walmart / SAM’S CLUB

Tyson Foods, Inc.

Walmart Foundation

Fred & Yvonne Ley

Room On The Broom / Performance Guide