A Christmas Story Study Guide

Charleston Stage: A Christmas Story Curriculum Guide Page 1

A Christmas Story

Education Guide


Setting The Stage

Credits

Original Book/Story written by Jean ShepherdScript written by Philip Grecian

Directed by Julian WilesSet Design by Ken BarnettCostume Design by Barbara YoungLighting Design by Paul Hartmann

Theatre EtiquetteDiscuss proper audience behavior with your students. While applause, laughter, andreaction, when appropriate, are appreciated and anticipated, unnecessary noise ormovement can distract the actors and audience members, while also affecting the qualityof the performance. It is very important that students understand how their behavior canaffect a live performance. You, the teacher, and other adult chaperones for your group areresponsible for your student’s behavior. We ask that the chaperones sit among thestudents rather than together in a group behind the students. Our ushers will react todisruptions and attempt to quell them. We reserve the right to remove any student causinga distraction from the theatre. When entering the theatre venue please make sure all ofyour students have name tags with their name and your school’s name.


MEET THE CREATORS!

Jean Shepherd (1921-1999)was an American radio and TV personality, writer andactor who was often referred to by the nickname Shep.With a career that spanned decades, Shepherd is bestknown to modern audiences for the film A Christmas Story(1983), which he narrated and co-scripted, based on hisown semi-autobiographical stories.His radio career spanned from 1948 into the mid-1970s.He was particularly famous for his broadcasts that airedfrom the March on Washington in August 1963, duringwhich Dr. Martin Luther King gave his "I Have a Dream"speech, and the program that aired on November 25,1963—the day of President Kennedy's burial.Shepherd wrote a series of humorous short stories aboutgrowing up in northwest Indiana and its steel towns.

Philip Grecianbegan his show business career by hiring out as aventriloquist and magician at the age of four. By 15 hehad written a three-act comedy which was produced at alocal theater. At the age of 16 he was founding director fora city-funded community theater. Two years later he wasasked, without audition, to be a part of the CreedeColorado Repertory Theatre, where he spent a seasonacting and writing. He continues to maintain a connectionwith Creede Repertory, where his plays have beenproduced and where he has returned as a guestperformer. After touring the Midwest as Androcles inAndrocles and the Lion, he returned to the communitytheater he had founded, remaining there asartistic/managing director and resident playwright for sixyears; he resigned in 1976 in order to create aprofessional dinner theater where he served as producerand artistic director. In 1994, Grecian became thefounding director/playwright for a theater company whichmounts an annual production of his adaptation of In HisSteps, based upon Charles Sheldon's best-selling 19th-century novel. Plays include his widely popular TheVelveteen Rabbit and the official stage adaptation of themotion picture A Christmas Story has been translated andperformed around the world.


CHARACTERS

Ralph (adult)Also plays the Cowboy, the Tree Lot Owner,

The Delivery Man, Voice of a neighbor

FlickRalphie’s friend, plays Desperado One

RalphieStory’s Protagonist/Lead

SchwartzRalphie’s friend, plays Desperado Two

MotherRalphie and Randy’s Mother

Ester Jane AlberryA classmate

The Old ManRalphie’s Father, actor also plays Santa

Helen WeathersA classmate

RandyRalphie’s younger brother

Scut FarkasA bully – also plays Black Bart

Miss ShieldsRalphie’s Teacher

Farkas’ SidekickA bully

Synopsis of A CHRISTMAS STORY

Spoiler alert, you may not want to read this before seeing the play.

This year, there’s a gift that Ralphie wants more than anything in the world – a Red Ryder 200-Shot Carbine Action Range Model Air Rifle – but his parents don’t seem to think it’s such agood idea. His mother warns him, “You’ll shoot your eye out,” and his father is too busytinkering with the family’s furnace and evading the dogs from next door to pay much attention.Ralphie decides to wage a three-pronged campaign for the Christmas gift of his dreams. Onthe home front, he bombards his parents’ mail and magazines with Red Ryder advertisements.On the school front, he toils over a particular assignment that he’s sure will convince histeacher, Miss Shields, to take up his cause. Finally, he visits the local department store,nervously hoping that Santa will endorse his wish. Ralphie and his friends make every effort tobe on their very best behavior in order to impress the adults who wield power over theirChristmas destinies, but staying out of trouble isn’t always as easy as it should be; sometimesit’s hard to avoid giving into a dare or uttering a curse word. As Christmas draws closer,Ralphie gets increasingly anxious about what surprises (either good or bad) the holidayseason will bring.


Curriculum Connections

VOCABULARY WORDS AND WORD SEARCH

LOOK UP THE DEFINITIONS OF THE WORDS BELOW AND WRITESENTENCES USING THESE WORDS…

ACADEMIC* FLUIDITY*APPOINTED FRAGILE*ANNIHILATION FUSE*BEAUTIFUL GRADUALLYBOGGLE* GUILLOTINECOMPASS* INSINUATECONNOISSEUR JEALOUSCONCLUSION* JUSTICE*ELOQUENT MANGY*EMPORIUMS* MARAUDERS*EPIC* NUANCE*EQUATIONS RETRIBUTION

PERIOD PIECES

A Christmas Story takes place in the year 1939.Often, designers and directors of a play have to do some extensive research on props and setpieces that are “period,” i.e. match that of the year that the play takes place. A television set in1939 does not look or work the same as a television set in 2012.

This is a list of some of the items in the play A Christmas Story that the designers and directorwill have to find that match the period of the play:


Red Ryder BB GunWhat is it?

The gun used by the “Red Ryder” – a popularand fictional comic book cowboy.Real ones were sold in the 1940s

The model in the story has a “device for tellingtime” as well as a compass.

Where is it in the show?This is Ralphie’s number one Christmas

present wish!

Daisy Air Rifle CompanyWhat is it?

Company that built and sold BB gunsbeginning in 1895. Name came from the first

test shot, at which the president of the firmcried out “Boy! That’s a Daisy!”

Produced the Daisy Red Ryder in 1939Still open and producing “air rifles” today.

Where is it in the show?It’s the company that builds and sells the

infamous “Red Ryder BB Gun” that Ralphie sodesires.

OvaltineWhat is it?

A brand of milk created in 1904 inSwitzerland…it’s a powdery mix blended fromsugar, malt extract, cocoa, and whey – mixed

with warm milk.

Where is it in theshow?

This becomes part ofthe great and

mysterious puzzle thatRalphie decodes with

his Little Orphan AnnieDecoder Ring!

Decoder RingWhat is it?

Popular toys duringthe height of the radioage…children would

obtain them to decodemessage sent over

air-waves.

Where is it in the show?Ralphie uses a Decoder Ring during the show

to decode a secret message!


Lionel TrainsWhat is it?

Electric model toy trains often featured indepartment store Christmas displays. A

classic Christmas present!

Where is it in the show?The gift that the parents keep pushing the

boys to want instead of an air-rifle. Seen inthe movie at the beginning and on Christmas

Morning.

Open Road for BoysWhat is it?

A popular boys’ outdoor adventure magazinethat featured advertisements for toys like the

Red Ryder BB Gun.Was issued from 1919 to 1950.

Where is it in the show?Ralphie keeps a coveted ad of the Red Ryder

BB Gun from this magazine on hand.

Radio FlyerWhat is it?

Famous brand of toy wagons that are stillpopular today. Was founded in the 1920s and

uses metal stamp technology.

Where is it in the show?Used often by the boys for play and practicaluse (getting to school, hauling things, etc.)


ZepplinWhat is it?

A type of airshop made by the Germans in theearly 20th century—used as bombers andscouts during the World Wars…becameobsolete after the Hindenburg disaster of

1937.

Where is it in the show?Randy falls asleep under the Christmas Tree

hugging a toy Zepplin.

True and FalseWrite T if the statement is True and F if the statement is False.

Ralphie is given the Red Ryder BB Gun in the play

Ralphie gets a B-plus on his essay

Scut Farkus and Ralphie are Not friends

Ralphie has two younger brothers

The Old Man angers Mother by bringing home a lamp

The Narrator finds and picks up memories in the basement

This play takes place in the 1980s

The Old Man is annoyed by the neighbors barking hounds

Matching

Scut Farkas Ralphie’s Best friend

Little Orphan Annie Ralphie gets this for christmas

Schwartz Randy gets this for christmas

Flick the boys do not get this for christmas

BB Gun School Bully

Zepplin character in the radio show

Paintball Gun Ralphie’s other best friend


Discussion before the Performance

All Language Arts completes the following standards:o Developing and using oral communicationo Understanding and reading literary textso Understanding and using informational textso Building Better vocabularyo Developing written communicationo Developing and using research strategies

All Social Studies meets the following standards:o Understanding of different life around them and across the worldo Understanding of different regions and human systems

All Theatre Activities meet the following standards:– Connecting ideas and action– Understanding characters

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

1. Who has seen the movie, A Christmas Story? Have a discussion about the movie andhave students talk about what they remember. Emphasize that the play will be different,but may have some fun similarities!

2. Discuss why it is important to be respectful to the actors at the theatre. Applauding atappropriate times and being active listeners and responders are welcome, but beingdistracting is not.

3. Discuss why Ralphie should or shouldn’t get the gift of his choice at Christmas.Discussion can be based on both practicality regarding the traditions of gift-giving onChristmas as well as the practicality of a BB gun.

4. Discuss what theatrical elements students should pay attention to during the play:props, costumes, set, lighting, sound, and direction.

Activities After the Performance

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

1. What was different about the play from the movie?2. Should Ralphie have gotten the BB Gun for Christmas? Did he make wise choices?3. Discuss the characters at school. Did they fit certain stereotypes? How could those

actors and/or characters behave differently to change treatment of others?


4. If you were Ralphie’s mom, would you care about the LegLamp? Why was she soupset? Would your parents be upset at each other over something like that?

ACTIVITIES

1. Make two lists of presents you would want…a practical list (toy train, action figure, doll,etc.) and an impractical list (Elephant, jet-ski, Unicorn, etc.). Using the impractical list,give three reasons WHY you should get that “gift.”

2. Think of an incident in your childhood thus far that is important to you. Think about howyou may view it 20 years from now. Write a short narration of what happened. Use 3-4classmates to act out your “story.”

3. Design your own set! The way you saw the play is not the way everyone sees this playaround the world. Different theatres use different set-designs to convey their story.Some have entire pieces that move on and off, some use projections, some haveminimal budgets and work with small pieces and one space. By either drawing, orexplaining in written form, describe how you would “design” this set. You can useimages, either printed or cut out, drawings, etc.

Resources

BOOKS

In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shephard

FILMS

A Christmas Story

Documents

A Christmas Story Study Guide