“A Penny Plain and Twopence

Colored”Robert Louis Stevenson essay on Penny Theater, 1887

A project to adapt Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “Halley Came to

Jackson” to the Penny Theater format for 4-8 Year Olds

Jan, Dan, Matthew, & Peter Jablonski; Maureen & Charlie Green; Megan Wyble;

Margaret Ardillo

Noyes Children’s Library Foundation, Kensington, MDwww.NoyesLibraryFoundation.org

Presented at the 2014 March Meeting of the American Physical Society, Denver, CO

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Halley Came to JacksonMary Chapin Carpenter, illus. by Dan Andreasen

(HarperCollins, 1992)

March 4, 2014

• A song and picturebook about the coming of Halley’s Comet in 1910 and 1986

• Based on the life of author Eudora Welty

• Springboard for discussing the stars, planets, and Halley’s Comet with children

• An especially effective way to build understanding of time.

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Penny Theater

March 4, 2014

• Tabletop size theater• Has lights, scenery, props,

characters, and other elements characteristic of live theater

• Is an art form based on handheld toy theaters enjoyed by children during England’s Victorian era, used to bring children’s stories to life.

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Project Notes

March 4, 2014

• Existing tabletop Penny Theaters were more than 40 years old, and used dated technology

• Project funded construction of three state-of-the-art Penny Theaters with computer-controlled LED color lighting

• Decisions in set design for “Halley” based on both science and learning style of young children.

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“Halley” showings are presented in ways that enhance young children’s learning

March 4, 2014

• Children are encouraged to bring and wear homemade “space helmets” to the performance.

• A brief orientation is given at the beginning of the show.

• Children can watch multiple performances.

• There are related activities (crafts, Alka Seltzer rockets, etc.)

• Lists of museums, planetariums, books, and other activities are provided.

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Outcome

March 4, 2014

• “Halley” has been presented to 1200 viewers to date. • The “Halley” penny theater sets (there are multiple copies)

and the three new stages will be used for decades to come.

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The Video

March 4, 2014

Note changes in scenery between 1910 and 1986• Growth of trees • Style of cars and bikes• Clothing• Aging of Eudora Welty

Unchanged features• Houses and street• Comet