Adapted by Monica Dufault from the book by Kenneth Oppel

Thousand Islands Playhouse

You can download this study guide at www.1000islandsplayhouse.com

Teacher’s Study Guide (for students from JK to Grade 4)

By: Charlotte Gowdy

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Box 241, Gananoque, ON K7G 2T8 p: 613-382-7086 | f: 613-382-7088

Message from the Artistic Director Page 2 Cast & Creative Team Page 3 Synopsis Page 3 Playwright and Director Page 4 Cast Biographies Page 5 Director’s Notes / Interview with the Playwright Page 6 Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum Requirements Page 7 Classroom Activities, Pre-performance Page 9 Classroom Activities, Post-Performance Page 13 Thousand Islands Playhouse / Young Company Page 18 About the Author Page 18 Up Next at the Playhouse Page 19 Thank You to Supporters Page 19

Welcome to the Thousand Islands Playhouse’s production of Peg & the Yeti! We are very excited to be producing Monica Dufault’s adaptation of Kenneth Oppel’s beloved tale. We programed this play for our 2013 Young Company school tour because of its charming whimsical nature and for its encouragement of audience creativity. Since 1997, The Thousand Islands Playhouse Young Company has been bringing professional theatre to thousands of young people across Eastern Ontario. It provides a wonderful introduction to the magic of live theatre and promotes the wonders of reading, singing, dance and storytelling. We hope that this study guide gives educators the tools they need to make arts education accessible and fun. We thank you so much for your interest and support of the Thousand Islands Playhouse and look forward to seeing you again at one of our seven main stage productions at the Playhouse this season! For more information on our exciting line up of plays, please check out our website: www.1000islandsplayhouse.com Yours,

Ashlie Corcoran Artistic Director, Thousand Islands Playhouse

Peg lives on a fishing boat with her Mom and Dad. One day Peg decides she wants to

climb the world’s tallest mountain: Mount Everest. So she packs her back and sets

out on a great adventure. She travels across the world by steamship, train, water-

buffalo and a rickshaw until she reaches the Himalayas. After dodging an avalanche,

and passing some Scottish mountain climbers, she encounters a mysterious Yeti who

helps her reach the top of the mountain. Peg is a brave young girl who boldly

embraces the beauty of the world around her. She and her parents ask the audience

to help – can they use their imagination and team work to overcome each obstacle

on her exciting expedition?

Peg and the Yeti Adapted By Monica Dufault

From the book by Kenneth Oppel

Directed by Charlotte Gowdy Set Design by Brian Frommer

Costume Design by Jayne Christopher Sound Design by Dylan On

Study Guide by Charlotte Gowdy Bookings Co-ordinator – Andrew Geekie

Stage Manager – Kelly Speagle Mom – Lauren Albin

Dad – Alex Oliver Peg – Jacqueline Peter

Monica Dufault is a graduate of the Acting program at the National Theatre School of Canada, and has performed theatre for adults with The Shaw Festival, The National Arts Centre, Theatre Aquarius and

many other companies. She has performed in lots of plays for young audiences, with Manitoba Theatre for Young People, Prairie Theatre Exchange, and especially with Carousel Players, and was nominated for a Dora Award for her performance in Carousel’s production of Where the Wild Things Are. As a director, Monica is especially interested in staging new work and most recently directed the world premiere of White Crow by Dawn E. Crysler for Essential Collective Theatre. As a playwright, Monica has also written Bullying Hurts, an anti-bullying play for young audiences currently touring to Niagara area schools, and Petticoats, Boots and Muskets, a play about the War of 1812 which was performed last summer in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and will be remounted this summer. Ms. Dufault teaches acting at Brock University, at Niagara College, at Carousel Players, and in elementary schools through the Ontario Arts Council’s Artist in Education Program. Monica lives in St. Catharines, Ontario with her husband Kevin and children Ben, Isabelle and Catherine.

A graduate of both the National Theatre School of Canada and Ecole Phillipe Gaulier in Paris France, Charlotte Gowdy has been working professionally in the theatre for over a decade. As an actor she has played leading roles at theatres across Canada

including three seasons at the Shaw Festival, Manitoba Theatre Centre, The Grand Theatre, Blyth Festival, Theatre NorthWest, St Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Nightwood, Theatre Lac Brome, Odyssey, and Canadian Stage. Most recently she appeared in CBC television’s Murdoch Mysteries as well as France or the Niqab, directed by Tanja Jacobs at the Summerworks Festival in Toronto. A regular guest teacher in the drama department at both Queen’s University and Fanshawe College, she has also worked extensively with children teaching acting and clowning workshops at schools across Ontario and P.E.I. In 2009 Charlotte was awarded the Theatre Ontario PTTP grant for directing enabling her to work with Doug Beattie and Touchmark Theatre as choreographer, fight director, and assistant director on Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Since then she has directed at festivals including Summerworks, Rhubarb!, Hysteria, Nightwood’s 4x4, Tapestry New Opera and Theatre Gargantua. She has directed three plays for the graduating classes of Fanshawe College including an award winning production of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. She is the recipient of the Peter Dwyer Scholarship for excellence in acting, a Christopher Newton Award from the Shaw Festival and is a member of Theatre Ontario’s Talent Bank. Charlotte was recently appointed the position of Assistant Artistic Director at the Thousand Islands Playhouse.

Name: Jacqueline Peter (Peg)

Education & Theatre Training: Fanshawe College Theatre Arts, London, ON

Hometown: London, Ontario

Theatre Credits: The Cricket On The Hearth (Fanshawe Pioneer Village); Lost Soul

Stroll (The London Fringe); Equus (The Verve Theatre Company); Three Sisters,

Escape From Happiness, Cupid's Exchange, Spring Awakening (Fanshawe).

Other: Recently won Indie Fest’s “Award of Merit” for Leading Actress.

Name: Kelly Ann Speagle (Stage Manager)

Education & Theatre Training: Queen's University, Drama Major

Hometown: Chesterville, Ontario

Theatre Credits: As Stage Manager: Spring Awakening (QMT); Blood Relations

(Drama Department Winter Major). As Assistant Stage Manager: Glengarry Glen

Ross (Blue Canoe). As Props Manager: A Funny Thing Happened, Next to Normal,

Avenue Q (Blue Canoe).

Other: Thank you to family and friends!

Name: Lauren Albin (Mom)

Education & Theatre Training: Queen's University, Drama Major

Hometown: Pickering, Ontario

Theatre Credits: Blood Relations (Queen's Drama Winter Major); Counter-

Service/Lives of the Great Waitresses (Queen's Drama Fall Major); Classic Horror

Movie Mistakes, Jimmy the Anti-Christ (Vogt Studio Series); Much Ado About

Nothing (Vagabond Studios). As Lighting Operator:Vogt "C" (Vogt Studio Series),

Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street (QMT).

Other: Vice President Admin for Executive Board of Queens’ Players Organization

Name: Alex Oliver (Dad)

Education & Theatre Training: Queen's University, Drama Major

Hometown: Oakville, ON

Theatre Credits: Little Shop of Horrors (Thousand Islands Playhouse), The

Beekeeper’s Apprentice (The Library Chronicles); Closer (Queen's Vagabond

Theatre); Glengarry Glen Ross (Blue Canoe Productions); A Midsummer Night's

Dream (Queen's Drama); Twelfth Night (Queen’s Drama).

Other: Enjoy the show!

Children love to play games. And they are exceptionally skilled at doing so. Children can make a castle out of sofa cushions, a train out of cardboard boxes, or an avalanche out of bed sheets. With a simple crown on their head they become a king or queen, donning a makeshift cape they become a superhero. Children are dreamers and they dream BIG. These imaginative skills, so crucial to the development of a strong, creative mind, are often lost as we grow older. Luckily for us we’ve got this wonderful play: a big, bold, celebration of the imagination! I love that Peg’s parents play along with her. I love that this play encourages both silliness and good manners; independence and team work; bravery and adventure; friendship and family. We at the Playhouse have had so much fun putting this show together for you. And we hope that you, our wonderful audience, will have just as much fun watching it. May we all find our inner child as we expand our imaginations in the magical game we call “theatre.”

What prompted you to write this play? I have always enjoyed performing in theatre for young

audiences and engaging children in drama activities. I wanted to create a play that allowed the kids

watching to participate in the story, and to share the adventure with Peg. I also wanted to explore the

way adults play imaginatively with children, so a lot of Peg and the Yeti is about how Peg and her

parents invent things together.

Do you have children of your own? If so, do any of them remind you of Peg? Why? I have three

children: Ben, Isabelle and Catherine. Peg reminds me most of the youngest, Catherine. Like Peg,

Catherine is very determined, persistent, optimistic, and full of life and love.

What's your favourite moment in the play? It’s hard to pick just one, but I do always laugh at the

Scottish mountain climbers. I love the fact that Peg invents the characters, and that her parents just

agree to play them. (Fun fact: I named the mountaineers after my parents, Ron and Dorothy!)

What made you want to be a writer? I have always liked to tell stories. I see my work as a writer being

very connected to my work as an actor. Writing plays gives me the chance to invent many characters

and imagine things from lots of perspectives, and then to share those stories with an audience.

What do you hope audiences will take away from this show? I hope that the children, teachers, parents

and grandparents who see Peg and the Yeti will remember how much fun it is to play and pretend.

Maybe we can turn off some of those electronic devices, and just make up stories ourselves!

Are you working on any new plays for young audiences? Or do you have any exciting new projects on

the go? I am working on a new play for young audiences, the working title of which is Look at This! And

I am revising another play about the war of 1812, called Petticoats, Boots and Muskets.

Anything else you'd like to add? I am so happy that the Thousand Islands Playhouse Young Company is

bringing Peg and the Yeti to the children of Eastern Ontario. I wish you all the “best” for your tour!

Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum Expectations

This Study Guide follows the Ontario Curriculum guidelines for students from grades JK to Grade 4. The activities can be adapted or modified between primary and junior levels based on the students’ ability. List of Study Guide Activities:

1. Make an Origami Boat 2. Bellow on the Boat 3. Peg’s Hot Air Balloon 4. Pre-Show Discussion Questions 5. Who Would You Be? 6. Fan Letters 7. Connect the Dots 8. Monument Mapping 9. Peg’s Pictograph 10. Endangered Species Research Project

MATHEMATICS OVERALL EXPECTATIONS – Activity #7, 9

Solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of single- and multi-digit whole numbers, using a variety of strategies, and demonstrate an understanding of multiplication and division. Read, represent, compare, and order whole numbers to 100. HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS – Activity #2

Using movement concepts, students will develop their spatial awareness: location (e.g., personal, general space, restricted space) and direction (e.g., forward, backwards, sideways, diagonal, up, down, left, right) level (e.g., high, medium, low) through locomotion or travelling skills to move the body from one point to another in various ways (e.g., walking, wheeling, running, skipping, hopping, gal- loping, chasing, dodging, sliding, rolling, jumping, leaping). DRAMA OVERALL EXPECTATIONS – Activity #5

Adopting the attitude/point of view of a number of different fictional characters and dialogue, students will draw relationships by listening and responding in role to other characters in role; establish a clear setting; identify factors that contribute to mystery or tension in a drama; and focus and emphasis the identification of the central theme and/or problem in a drama. VISUAL ARTS OVERALL EXPECTATIONS – Activity #1

Students will apply the creative process to produce a variety of two- and three-dimensional art works, using elements, principles, and techniques of visual arts to communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings. Apply the critical analysis process to communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of art works and

art experiences. Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of art forms, styles, and techniques from the past and present, and their social and/or community contexts. LANGUAGE OVERALL EXPECTATIONS – Activity #4, 6

Students will generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience. Draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience. Use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively. Reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful at different stages in the writing process. SCIENCE OVERALL EXPECTATIONS – Activity #3

Students will evaluate the social and environmental impacts of processes used to make everyday products. Conduct investigations that explore the properties of matter and changes in matter. Demonstrate an understanding of the properties of matter, changes of state, and physical and chemical change.

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS – Activity #10

Students will assess ways in which animals have an impact on society and the environment, and ways in which humans have an impact upon animals and the places where they live. Investigate similarities and differences in the characteristics of various animals. Demonstrate an understanding that animals grow and change and have distinct characteristics. Analyze the effects of human activities on habitats and communities. Investigate the interdependence of plants and animals within specific habitats and communities. Demonstrate an understanding of habitats and communities and the relationships among the plants and animals that live in them. SOCIAL SCIENCES OVERALL EXPECTATIONS – Activity #8

Students will demonstrate an understanding that the world is made up of countries, continents, and regions and that people’s lifestyles may differ from country to country. Use a variety of resources and tools to gather, process, and communicate geographic information about the countries studied. Explain how the environment affects people’s lives and the ways in which their needs are met. REFERENCES: Ontario Ministry of Education. (December 2012). The Ontario curriculum – elementary. Retrieved on April 18, 2013, from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/

The following activities are suggested for students BEFORE attending the play.

LISTENING SKILLS and THEATRE ETTIQUETTE – Language Arts

The Thousand Islands Playhouse Young Company will arrive at your school with sets, costumes, props, and technical equipment and present a one-hour play followed by a brief question and answer period.

Before the show, encourage your students to look at different aspects of the production: sets, costumes, props, sound and music. Ask them to think of questions to ask the actors after the show. Brainstorm with them about possible topics.

Remind the students that there is a certain way to behave when watching a play that is

different from watching a movie. There are live actors on stage that can hear and see everything that is going on in the room. It is important to listen and be respectful of the actors and the audience around them. However, we do want our audience to laugh cheer, clap and really enjoy your time at the theatre. The most important advice a teacher can give when taking students to a watch play is to encourage enjoyment.

There will be lots of opportunities to laugh during the show. Actors love it when the audience laughs. Please feel free to encourage the students to laugh out loud at the funny parts of the play.

Sometimes the actors will ask the audience to participate and use their imaginations to help tell the story. Make sure, before going into the theatre, to tell your students to listen and follow the instructions of the actors, and to have fun participating.

Remind the students that a quick comment to their friend about what they are enjoying in the play is all right, but please whisper. Talking during the show can be very distracting to the actors and other audience members.

IMPORTANT NOTE to TEACHERS and STAFF

Please turn off all electronic devices during the performance. Noises and texting are distracting to both actors and audience and may interfere with our sound system.

Photography, audio, and video recording during a performance are all prohibited by the Canadian Theatre Agreement.

#1 - Make an Origami Boat

(Arts/Crafts)

Peg lives with her parents on a fishing boat. Create your own boat out of paper. Origami is the

traditional Japanese art of paper folding.

1. Start with a rectangular

piece of paper, coloured side

up. Fold in half, then open.

2. Fold in half downwards. 3. Bring corners in to centre

line.

4. Fold uppermost layer

upwards & do the same to

the back. Crease well.

5. Pull the sides out and

flatten.

6. Fold front layer up to top,

then do the same at the back.

7. Pull the sides apart and flatten.

8. Gently pull the top parts of the model outwards, making

a boat shape.

9. Flatten well to crease all folds. Then open out slightly,

forming a boat shape. Finished boat.

#2 - Bellow on the Boat

(Health & Physical Education/Language Arts)

Peg and her parents use lots of words and phrases that are particular to working on a boat. Identify parts of the boat that students must remember:

Bow: Front of a boat

Stern: Rear of a boat

Starboard: Right side of a boat

Port: Left side of a boat.

In your classroom or school gym, create an imaginary boat and decide in which direction it is going to sail. Have students stand at any spot in the gym and when you call out a location on the boat, students must arrive there within 10 seconds using whatever type of movement you specify. For example: Walk to the Bow, Hop to Port, Skip to Starboard. When you call out “UP ANCHOR” they have to run to any edge of the boat and turn their arms as if they are pulling in a heavy anchor.

#3 - Peg’s Hot Air Balloon

(Mathematics and Science)

During the play, Peg climbs a mountain and then realises that she has to get down. So she builds a hot air balloon! As a class, or in groups, create your own hot air balloon to help Peg get down the mountain. Materials Necessary – Plastic bottle (500ml), balloons, a funnel, vinegar, baking soda.

Use the funnel to pour two teaspoons of baking soda into the balloon.

Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar into the plastic bottle.

Stretch the balloon over the neck of the bottle.

Let the baking soda fall from the balloon into the bottle.

As the vinegar and baking soda mix, they release carbon dioxide. Carbon Dioxide makes bubbles and fills the balloon!

#4 - Pre Show Discussion Questions (All Grades)

Here are some questions you can ask students to generate discussion before the show.

Have you ever been to see a play before? What did you see?

What do you know about theatre?

What do you know about Mount Everest?

If you were going to climb Mount Everest, what would you pack?

What does the word imagination mean?

What games do you play that use your imagination? What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever built using your imagination?

Have you ever heard of a Yeti?

What’s the meaning of the words Cryptid and Cryptozoology?

What’s the difference between a train, a steamboat and a rickshaw?

What is does endangered species mean?

Do you know anything about the Water Buffalo?

Do you know anything about whales and whaling?

What’s an avalanche?

Why is team work important?

The following activities are suggested for students AFTER attending the play.

#5 - Who Would You Be? (Language Arts/Dramatic Arts)

Have the students list the characters in the play:

Peg, Mom Dad Yeti Mountain Climbers

Beside each name write personality traits belonging to that character such as: brave, kind, patient, impatient, helpful, friendly, worried, adventurous, bossy, funny and creative. Discuss moments in the play when the characters displayed these traits. Next, have the students draw an outline of their favorite character on a piece of coloured paper and write within the outline how they are similar or different from their selected character. Display the character outlines around the classroom.

#6 - Fan Letters (Language Arts)

Objective - Develop a deeper connection to one of the characters through writing. Lesson - Ask the students to pick a favourite character from the show and write a letter to that

character. Encourage the students to write about their favourite qualities of that character. They can ask questions and also share information about themselves. Perhaps the student would like to ask the character to be his/her new friend and suggest some activities they might enjoy together.

Note - Students can choose to write to Peg, Mom, Dad, Mr and Mrs Cranberrycocktail or the Yeti. They may also choose to write a fan letter to the actors themselves.

#7 - Connect the Dots (Mathematics/Visual Arts)

Do the math puzzles and connect the dots to see Peg’s new friend.

# 8 - Monument Mapping (Social Studies)

When Peg gets to the top of Mount Everest she can see many famous monuments all over the world. Using the world map below, draw a line from the monument to the place on the map where the monument can be found.

# 9 - Peg’s Pictograph

(Mathematics)

During the show, Peg uses many modes of transportation. Count how many there are of each.

Mode How Many?

Boat

Train

Steamship

Hot Air Balloon

Rickshaw

Water Buffalo

Hiking

#10 - Endangered Species Research Project

(Science/Geography)

Peg mentions two endangered species in the play: the whale and the water buffalo. Divide the class into research groups, assign one animal per

group.

Animal Countries of Origin

Remaining Population

Why they are endangered? How can we save the species?

Whale

Water Buffalo

Polar Bears

African Elephants

Siberian Tiger

The Thousand Islands Playhouse is a not-for-profit charitable organization that was founded in 1982 by Greg Wanless. In its thirty-one year history producing world class live professional theatre, the Playhouse has achieved many milestones, including: the founding of its Young Company in 1996, the acquisition and renovation of a production facility in 2003, and the addition of a black box performance space in the former Gananoque Firehall in 2004. This year marks the inaugural season for artistic director Ashlie Corcoran. In 2013 our audiences will enjoy seven shows presented in two separate theatres, a Monday night classical music series (featuring Ben Heppner), and extensive outreach activities (including pre-show talkbacks and post-show chats). Artists will be supported through our Playwrights’ Unit and Young Company training; school children will experience professional theatre through our tour of Peg & The Yeti and our autumn student matinees of Springer Theatre productions. In this way, over 46,000 people will experience one or more artistic activities at the Playhouse in 2013.

The Thousand Islands Playhouse Young Company is the largest, longest-running professional, Theatre-for-Young-Audiences company in Eastern Ontario. Since its formation 15 years ago, the TIP Young Company has been employing a troupe of emerging professional theatre artists, providing them with first-hand experience in all aspects of theatre. Each year the Company creates and rehearses a show under the guidance of a professional director and professional designers. Then, for ten weeks from May to June, they travel across Eastern Ontario performing their show for children at schools, libraries, public parks and special events. Last year, the company visited 49 schools between Belleville in the west, Cornwall in the east, Ottawa in the north, and performed weekly shows outdoors at Joel Stone Park in Gananoque as well as in the Playhouse’s Firehall Theatre. New this year, and in addition to the shows, we are also offering a one-hour drama workshop after every performance. These workshops will include: theatre games, mask-making, singing/dancing and behind-the scenes tours. Kenneth Oppel is the Governor General’s Award-winning author of many books, including Peg

and the Whale, Peg and the Yeti, Airborn, the New York Times bestseller Skybreaker, and the

Silverwing Saga, which has sold over a million copies worldwide. His novel Half Brother won

both the Canadian Library Association's Book of the Year for Children Award as well as their

Young Adult Book Award. Check out his latest book, Such Wicked Intent : The Apprenticeship of

Victor Frankenstein. Kenneth Oppel lives with his wife and three children in Toronto

YOUNG COMPANY

THOUSAND ISLANDS PLAYHOUSE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sponsors and Supporters

SUDSThe Rocking 60s Musical

Soap OperaMay 24 to June 22

BOEING BOEINGA Non-Stop Comedy

June 28 to July 27

THIRD FLOORA Rom-Com with a

Thriller Twist!July 5 to August 3

THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY

SPELLING BEEA Hilarious Musical

ComedyAugust 2 to August 31

THE (POST) MISTRESS

A One-of-a-kind Musical

August 16 to Sept 14

NO GREAT MISCHIEF

A Sweeping Saga of Family Love

Sept 13 to October 5

SALT-WATER MOON

A Love Story

October 11 to Nov 2

A.R. Gurney Foundation

COMING SOON!

Call to reserve your tickets: 613-382-7020.www.1000islandsplayhouse.com

Special thanks to Rox Chwaluk, Luke Bramer, Aaron Core, and Carly Robinson.

Special thanks to Tony Kennedy