Jumping Frog Study Guide, Study notes of Theatre

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Arts in Education Touring Production

STUDY GUIDE

Table of Contents

The New Stage Arts in Education Tours are sponsored in part by:

• Facts about the Author ………………….…………………………………………………………………………………….
• What is an adaptation? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• About The Story ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• The Original Story ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
• The Cast ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
• The Company ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• Audience ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
• Costume Design ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
• Before the Play Activities ………………..…………………………………………………………………………….……
• Reading Activities …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….
• Math Activity ………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………..…..
• After the Play Activities …………………………………..………………………………………………………..……..
• Write about the Play…………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….
• Jim Smiley’s Word Puzzle…………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
• Create a Froggie Mask ………………………………………………….…………………………………………….……….
• Extended Learning Material …………………………………………………………………………………….………….
• Evaluations Forms …………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………..

What is an adaptation?

Our play, The Selfish Giant is an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s short story. It takes a lot

of work to adapt a short story you read on a page into a play you can watch on stage

and even participate in! Let’s take a look at some of the steps we took to create our

adaptation of the story.

First, the playwright reads the story and turns the words

into dialogue for the characters to say.

Then, the director meets with the designers to create the

world of the play. This includes the elements you see

onstage like the set, costumes, and props.

After that, the director holds rehearsals with the cast.

Throughout the rehearsal process, the playwright may make

changes to the script to solve any problems that might arise.

Next, the costume designer measures each actor for their

costumes. The props designer finds or makes the props, and

the scenic designer begins work on the backdrops and other

scenic elements. The actors and directors continue to rehearse.

As elements become ready, actors begin to incorporate

costumes and props into their rehearsals. They memorize

their lines and movement.

Finally, it’s showtime!

Our play, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is an adaptation of Mark Twain’s short story. It was adapted by

Joseph McDonough. It takes a lot of work to adapt a short story you read on a page into a play you can watch on stage and even participate in! Let’s take a look at some of the steps we took to create our adaptation of the story. What’s an Adaptation?

About The Story Mark Twain, perhaps the most renowned American humorist. When Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" first appeared in 1865, it was hailed by James Russell Lowell, the Boston-based leader of the literary elite, as "the finest piece of humorous literature yet produced in America." This was high praise for a tall-tale from a little known San Francisco newspaper humorist, but Lowell aimed precisely at the most distinguishing feature of Twain's first nationally acclaimed work of fiction: its transforming relationship to the long tradition of American humor. In this brief masterpiece, Twain combines the vibrant, loquacious storytelling tradition rooted in folk tale, fable, and gossip with the more calculated literary tradition of satire, irony, and wit. This lesson plan frames "The Jumping Frog" in this context, introducing students to both aspects of American humor in order to deepen appreciation of Twain's achievement.

And he had a little small bull pup, that to look at him you'd think he wan's worth a cent, but to set around and look ornery, and lay for a chance to steal something. But as soon as money was up on him, he was a different dog; his underjaw'd begin to stick out like the fo'castle of a steamboat, and his teeth would uncover, and shine savage like the furnaces. And a dog might tackle him, and bully- rag him, and bite him, and throw him over his shoulder two or three times, and Andrew Jackson which was the name of the pup Andrew Jackson would never let on but what he was satisfied, and hadn't expected nothing else and the bets being doubled and doubled on the other side all the time, till the money was all up; and then all of a sudden he would grab that other dog jest by the j'int of his hind leg and freeze on it not chew, you understand, but only jest grip and hang on till they thronged up the sponge, if it was a year. Smiley always come out winner on that pup, till he harnessed a dog once that didn't have no hind legs, because they'd been sawed off by a circular saw, and when the thing had gone along far enough, and the money was all up, and he come to make a snatch for his pet bolt, he saw in a minute how he'd been imposed on, and how the other dog had him in the door, so to speak, and he 'peered sur- prised, and then he looked sorter discouraged-like, and didn't try no more to win the fight, and so he got shucked out bad. He give Smiley a look, as much as to say his heart was broke, and it was his fault, for putting up a dog that hadn't no hind legs for him to take bolt of, which was his main dependence in a fight, and then he limped off a piece and laid down and died. It was a good pup, was that Andrew Jackson, and would have made a name for hisself if he'd lived, for the stuff was in him, and he had genius I know it, because he hadn't had no opportunities to speak of, and it don't stand to reason that a dog could make such a fight as he could under them circumstances, if he hadn't no talent. It always makes me feel sorry when I think of that last fight of his'n, and the way it turned out. Well, thish-yer Smiley had rat-tarriers, and chicken cocks, and tom- cats, and all of them kind of things, till you couldn't rest, and you couldn't fetch nothing for him to bet on but he'd match you. He ketched a frog one day, and took him home, and said he cal'klated to edercate him; and so he never done nothing for three months but set in his back yard and learn that frog to jump. And you bet you he did learn him, too. He'd give him a little punch behind, and the next minute you'd see that frog whirling in the air like a doughnut see him turn one summerset, or may be a couple, if he got a good start, and come down flat-footed and all right, like a cat. He got him up so in the matter of catching flies, and kept him in practice so constant, that he'd nail a fly every time as far as he could see him. Smiley said all a frog wanted was education, and he could do most any thing and I believe him. Why, I've seen him set Dan'l Webster down here on this floor Dan'l Webster was the name of the frog and sing out, "Flies, Dan'l, flies!" and quicker'n you could wink, he'd spring straight up, and snake a fly off'n the counter there, and flop down on the floor again as solid as a gob of mud, and fall to scratching the side of his head with his hind foot as indifferent as if he hadn't no idea he'd been doin' any more'n any frog might do. You never see a frog so modest and straightforward as he was, for all he was so gifted. And when it come to fair and square jumping on a dead level, he could get over more ground at one straddle than any animal of his breed you ever see. Jumping on a dead level was his strong suit, you understand; and when it come to that, Smiley would ante up money on him as long as he had a red. Smiley was monstrous proud of his frog, and well he might be, for fellers that had traveled and been everywheres, all said he laid over any frog that ever they see. Well, Smiley kept the beast in a little lattice box, and he used to fetch him down town sometimes and lay for a bet. One day a feller a stranger in the camp, he was come across him with his box, and says: "What might it be that you've got in the box?" And Smiley says, sorter indifferent like, "It might be a parrot, or it might be a canary, may be, but it an't it's only just a frog." And the feller took it, and looked at it careful, and turned it round this way and that, and says, "H'm so 'tis. Well, what's he good for?" "Well," Smiley says, easy and careless, "He's good enough for one thing, I should judge he can outjump any frog in Calaveras county." The feller took the box again, and took another long, particular look, and give it back to Smiley, and says, very deliberate, "Well, I don't see no p'ints about that frog that's any better'n any other frog." "May be you don't," Smiley says. "May be you understand frogs, and may be you don't understand 'em; may be you've had experience, and may be you an't only a amature, as it were. Anyways, I've got my opinion, and I'll risk forty dollars that he can outjump any frog in Calaveras county." And the feller studied a minute, and then says, kinder sad like, "Well, I'm only a stranger here, and I an't got no frog; but if I had a frog, I'd bet you.” And then Smiley says, "That's all right that's all right if you'll hold my box a minute, I'll go and get you a frog." And so the feller took the box, and put up his forty dollars along with Smiley's, and set down to wait.

So he set there a good while thinking and thinking to hisself, and then he got the frog out and prized his mouth open and took a tea- spoon and filled him full of quail shot filled him pretty near up to his chin and set him on the floor. Smiley he went to the swamp and slopped around in the mud for a long time, and finally he ketched a frog, and fetched him in, and give him to this feller, and says: "Now, if you're ready, set him alongside of Dan'l, with his fore- paws just even with Dan'l, and I'll give the word." Then he says, "One two three jump!" and him and the feller touched up the frogs from behind, and the new frog hopped off, but Dan'l give a heave, and hysted up his shoulders so like a Frenchman, but it wan's no use he couldn't budge; he was planted as solid as an anvil, and he couldn't no more stir than if he was anchored out. Smiley was a good deal surprised, and he was disgusted too, but he didn't have no idea what the matter was, of course. The feller took the money and started away; and when he was going out at the door, he sorter jerked his thumb over his shoulders this way at Dan'l, and says again, very deliberate, "Well, I don't see no p'ints about that frog that's any better'n any other frog." Smiley he stood scratching his head and looking down at Dan'l a long time, and at last he says, "I do wonder what in the nation that frog throw'd off for I wonder if there an't something the matter with him he 'pears to look mighty baggy, somehow." And he ketched Dan'l by the nap of the neck, and lifted him up and says, "Why, blame my cats, if he don't weigh five pound!" and turned him upside down, and he belched out a double handful of shot. And then he see how it was, and he was the maddest man he set the frog down and took out after that feller, but he never ketchd him. And- [Here Simon Wheeler heard his name called from the front yard, and got up to see what was wanted.] And turning to me as he moved away, he said: "Just set where you are, stranger, and rest easy I an't going to be gone a second." But, by your leave, I did not think that a continuation of the history of the enterprising vagabond Jim Smiley would be likely to afford me much information concerning the Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley, and so I started away. At the door I met the sociable Wheeler returning, and he button- holed me and recommenced: "Well, thish-yer Smiley had a yeller one-eyed cow that didn't have no tail, only jest a short stump like a bannanner, and " "Oh! hang Smiley and his afflicted cow!" I muttered, good-naturedly, and bidding the old gentleman good-day, I departed. After the performance, compare and contrast the original story to the adoption of the play! What are some of the differences? What can we all learn from this classic tall tale about by Mark Twain?

SHARON MILES (Education Director/Show Director) received her theatre training from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS. As a actor, writer, director, and all around supporter of the arts, she is extremely excited to join the New Stage team as Education Director. Sharon has been working as a contracted guest artist in the education department since 2011. Most recently, she served as the Music Director for the First Stages Camp production of Lion King Kids! Some favorite theatrical roles at New Stage include: Stage Manager is Our Town , Gwen in A Time to Kill , Fannie Lou Hamer in All the Way , Miss Nelson in the children’s musical Miss Nelson is Missing , Cassandra in Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike and Alex the Lion, in Madagascar the Musical! KRISTIN JOHNSON (Costume Designer) This is Kristin’s third year at New Stage Theatre, but her first season as the official Costume Assistant and her second year designing the touring productions. Last year she had a blast designing Oh, Freedom and T he Selfish Giant. She graduated from Delta State University where she studied Fashion Merchandising. At Delta State, she designed costumes for the Delta Players including the productions of T he Last Days of Judas Iscariot , The Liar , These Shining Lives, and The Bald Soprano. Some of her favorite shows from the last few years are Shrek: The Musical , A Time to Kill , Oh, Mr. Faulkner, Do You Write? , and Madagascar. She also designed costumes for New Stage Theatre’s Unframed Series productions of Constellations and This is our Youth. While not at New Stage, Kristin works as a server and bartender at Amerigo in Ridgeland. She lives in Jackson with her fiancé, Troy, and their two rambunctious dogs, Anubis and Leroy. MICHAEL TOBIN (Set Designer/Production Assistant) graduated from Belhaven University with a B.A. in English and minors in Creative Writing and Theatre. This is his first season at New Stage Theatre. Some of his previous credits include lighting design and assistant technical direction for The 39 Steps , lighting design and technical direction for Sketching the Soul , dramaturg for Mayfair Ma Chere, master electrician for The White Snake and Big Fish the Musical , and stage management for Little Shop of Horrors. CHRIS ROEBUCK (Resident Teaching Artist/Sound Designer) graduated from Mississippi College with a B.A. in history. He taught for two years at Madison Central High School, where among other responsibilities he assisted with the Drama Club. Roebuck was an acting intern at New Stage Theatre, working with four other apprentices to take three touring shows across the state. Among his numerous professional acting credits, Roebuck has appeared in Shrek, Hairspray, The Foreigner, Annie, The 39 Steps, A Soldier’s Play, A Year with Frog and Toad, The Ponder Heart, A Christmas Carol, Idols of the King, Forever Plaid, and A Raisin in the Sun. In addition to the education touring shows, his directing credits include Goodnight, Moon, The Cat in the Hat, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, The Weir, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, A Christmas Carol and Dead Man’s Cell Phone. BETTY WONG (Box Office Assistant/Education Assistant) begins her twelfth season at New Stage. She enjoys traveling to schools throughout the state with the Professional Apprentice Company to provide live theatre experiences for students of all ages. When not on the road, you can find Betty in the Box Office. She has also served for many years as a volunteer in other areas of the theatre. Her professional work experiences in education and her passion for live theatre has contributed to the growth and expansion of New Stage’s Educational Department. She has served as a consultant to school districts throughout the state of Mississippi. Wong has a B.S. in Educational Psychology from Mississippi State University, and a M.Ed. from Delta State University. The Company

For many of your students, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County may be their first theatre experience! It may be helpful to discuss with them the expected behavior of an audience. While our play does feature moments of audience participation, we want to be sure your students are aware of audience etiquette. New Stage asks that prior to the performance, students are made aware of the following:

• Stay with your group at all times and pay attention to your teachers and chaperones.
• Be sure to go to the bathroom before the performance begins.
• (^) Make yourself comfortable while keeping movement to a minimum.
• (^) Please do not stand up, walk around or put your feet on the seat in front of you. - Absolutely no gum chewing, eating or drinking in the theatre. Noise Live theatre means live actors who can hear not only what is happening on the stage, but in the audience as well. While laughter and applause at appropriate time are appreciated by the actors, excessive noise and talking is not. Even whispering voices can be distracting to the actors and others in the audience.
• Do not talk during the performance.
• Cell phones are prohibited in the theatre. If you have one turn it off and put it away and do not bring it out during the performance. Applause! Applause is used to acknowledge the performers and to voice appreciation or approval. Traditionally, applause comes before intermission and at the performance’s conclusion. Dimming the lights on the stage and bringing up the house lights usually signals these intervals. A curtain call in which the cast returns to the stage for bows usually follows a performance. Audience Etiquette

Before the Play Activities!

If you have limited time you may want to check out these videos

to familiarize your group with the material:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXivgpLSQeo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UzWv09dDuU

Reading Activity 1

As you read the original story, consider these questions. After reading, answer the

questions on your own paper.

1. What is the purpose of the letter at the beginning of the story?
2. Who is the telling the story?
3. Who is Jim Smiley and what kind of person is he?
4. The horse’s nickname is ___________________________.
5. What kind of dog is in the story? His name is ________________________?
6. How does Andrew Jackson teach a lesson?
7. The frog’s name is _______________________?
8. Mark Twain gives us a story within a story. Why?
9. What is the importance of the dialect that Twain uses? 10.Where would Smiley live today?

Reading Activity 2

Have students read "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.". Students can

either read the story in class, since it is relatively short, or instructors might consider

assigning the reading the night before.

Begin discussing the story by focusing initially on the structure.

1. Ask a small group of students to perform it as a skit.

2. Have students assign parts and consider the roles that need to be filled.

They will find that Twain has devised a story-within-a-story framing

structure (also known as a frame or 'envelope' narrative) by making his

narrator the reluctant audience for his storyteller, Simon Wheeler, and by

distinguishing his storyteller from his protagonist, Jim Smiley.

3. Students might stage the performance in separate areas of the classroom to

represent the different framed interactions from the story.

After students have performed the story, discuss how its structure contributes to the

comic effect. Ask students to consider the following questions, either as a large group or

in several small groups:

• (^) How does this structure influence our perception of Jim Smiley?
• (^) To what extent does he seem just a character in a story?
• (^) To what extent does he seem realistic, a picturesque inhabitant of the Old West?
• (^) To what extent does he seem a fantasy creation of the storyteller, Simon Wheeler?
• (^) How do these perspectives combine in our response to Smiley as a comic

protagonist?

Go on to discuss the storyteller's contribution to the story's comic effect.

• (^) How does Simon Wheeler's voice influence our perception of Smiley?
• (^) To what extent does Wheeler's picturesque speaking style help bring Smiley's story

to life?

• (^) To what extent does his distinctive style bring Wheeler himself to life as a comic

character?

Stage a reading of "The Celebrated Jumping Frog"

Reading Activity 3 Name:

Character Traits and The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

Below is a passage from Mark Twain’s short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” published

in 1865. In the story the narrator has been asked by a friend to talk to Simon Wheeler about the location of a man

named Leonidas Smiley. The narrator visits Wheeler in a gold mining camp in California.

Passage from “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”

I found Simon Wheeler dozing comfortably by the bar-room stove of the old, dilapidated tavern

in the ancient mining camp of Angel’s, and I noticed that he was fat and bald-headed, and had an

expression of winning gentleness and simplicity upon his tranquil countenance. He roused up and gave me good-

day. I told him a friend of mine had commissioned me to make some inquiries about a cherished companion of his

boyhood named Leonidas W. Smiley Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley a young minister of the Gospel, who he had heard

was at one time a resident of Angel’s Camp. I added that, if Mr. Wheeler could tell me any thing about this Rev.

Leonidas W. Smiley, I would feel under many obligations to him. Simon Wheeler backed me into a corner and

blockaded me there with his chair, and then sat me down and reeled off the monotonous narrative which follows

this paragraph. He never smiled, he never frowned, he never changed his voice from the gentle-flowing key to

which he tuned the initial sentence, he never betrayed the slightest suspicion of enthusiasm; but all through the

interminable narrative there ran a vein of impressive earnestness and sincerity, which showed me plainly that, so

far from his imagining that there was any thing ridiculous or funny about his story, he regarded it as a really

important matter, and admired its two heroes as men of transcendent genius in finesse. To me, the spectacle of a

man drifting serenely along through such a queer yarn without ever smiling, was exquisitely absurd.

List 5 character traits of Simon Wheeler.

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Bonus Question:

What does this quotation from the passage tell you about Wheeler?

“Simon Wheeler backed me into a corner and blockaded me there with his chair...”

Math Activitiy Make an Origami Jumping Frog!

Complete the origami frog in class.

The students will have their frogs jump and then measure the distance!

Note: Many people seem to be confused by step 12. The drawing shows how to make the froggy

hop: run your finger down his back, compressing his back legs like a spring.

After the Play

Activities!