Study Guide
Study Guide
Developed by Payge Mildebrath
Sections
1. Curriculum connections, themes, and character education
3
2. Story synopsis
4
3. Our process
4
4. Discussion questions
5
5. Pre-Show learning activity
7
6. Post-show learning activities
9
7. Preparing students for the show
12
8. About Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre
12
9. Glossary
13
10. Appendix
14
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©2016 Cow over Moon Children’s Theatre
Curriculum connections, themes, and
character education
Recommended Grade Level: Grades 3-6
Curriculum Connections:
• Health and Physical Education (healthy relationships and self-concept)
• Language
• The Arts (drama and integrated arts)
Relevant Themes:
• Identity and belonging
• Healthy relationships
• Empathy
• Challenging Assumptions
• Power and privilege
Character Education Connections:
• Empathy
• Honesty
• Respect
• Kindness and caring
• Responsibility
Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide 3
Story synopsis
After an introductory song about how the improvised show will work, the characters of
Beauty and the Beast introduce themselves to the audience and use the “Location Box” to
determine where each of them lives. When the two characters meet for the first time, they
have to overcome their initial apprehensions about each other. Beauty is taken aback by
Beast’s appearance, while Beast is uncomfortable meeting new people and lashes out at Beauty.
Gradually they begin to move past their initial assumptions about each other, and a tentative
friendship is born. The two characters visit each other’s homes, explore each other’s worlds,
and get into a little bit of trouble together. They reach an impasse when Beast reveals that he
is “cursed.” By this point, Beauty is invested in their friendship, and tries to help him break his
curse, with some advice from the audience. Although at times it seems that the two will never
get along, they never give up on each other. Together they discover what it means to be a true
friend.
Our Process
Cow Over Moon’s process and methods are rooted in improvisation. We begin by looking at the
source material – the original story. We discuss how classic themes can be re-contextualized
for the world which children inhabit today. Then we get up on our feet with the puppets and
begin to play around with different elements of the story. For this production, we made lists
of locations, objects, emotions and character traits that might be incorporated into our story.
Through improvising scenes with the characters, we developed a story outline which provides a
loose framework for the actors to follow. Each of the five scenes in the play has a starting point
and an ending point. Beyond those boundaries, the actors will ask the audience for guidance
on key decisions throughout the play. Locations and objects will be sourced from the audience
through pre-show activities which engage children’s imaginations and encourage them to
be active participants in our world-building and storytelling. About half way through our
rehearsal process, we add in technical elements such as set and sound, to enhance the world
of the play. Finally, we have technical rehearsals in which all of the elements of the production
come together in the theatre. Then we’re ready for our audience, the final piece of our playcrafting puzzle.
4 Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide
Discussion questions
The following questions can be addressed through large or small group discussion, individual
writing reflections, mind mapping, graffiti boards, think/pair/share discussions, or artistic forms
including tableau, drawing, painting, or photography. Use them in whatever ways you see fit!
Pre-show Questions
Post-show Questions
Theme: Healthy relationships
• What are some characteristics of a healthy • What qualities of a healthy relationship
relationship?
did the characters exhibit in the show?
• What are some challenges and responsi• Did any of the characters in the show exbilities you face in your relationships with
perience conflict? If so, did they deal with
friends or family?
it effectively? Why or why not?
Theme: Identity and belonging
• What is the difference between inner and • What are some characteristics of a healthy
outer beauty? What makes someone beaucommunity? What are some actions you
tiful on the inside?
could demonstrate as a member of a
healthy community?
• What is a community? What sorts of communities do you feel connected to?
• What were some characteristics of the
characters in the show that made them
beautiful on the inside? How did this affect their relationships?
Theme: Challenging assumptions
• What comes to mind when to think of the
• How has your initial opinion of the stostory or title Beauty and the Beast? What are
ry of Beauty and the Beast changed after
you expecting might happen in the play?
watching this production?
• What stereotypes are you affected by in
your life? How does this make you feel?
• What surprised or stood out to you in the
play? Why?
• What are some positive ways that you
could challenge the assumptions people
make about you or others?
Theme: Empathy
• What does empathy mean? Can you
describe a time you empathized with
another person?
• What is the difference between empathy
and sympathy?
• Who did you most identify with in the
show? Why?
• Were you able to empathise or sympathise
with the characters in the show? If so,
when was this the case?
• How did the character’s actions in the play
show empathy?
Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide 5
Topic: Power and Privilege
• “With great power comes great
responsibility”... What does this quote
mean to you?
• How can we recognize our privilege and
use it to help others?
• What makes someone powerful? How do
we acquire power in our life?
• Which characters in the play had the most
power and privilege?
• What were some of the consequences of
this power and privilege?
• How did the power relations change
throughout the show?
Topic: Dramatic Arts
• What is the role of the audience in a play?
How is this different from their role in a
movie?
• What are some important characteristics
of a respectful audience?
• What elements are needed to put on a
play? How do these elements enhance
the story being shared? (i.e. story/plot,
costumes, props, set, lights, music/sound,
etc,)
• What is a puppet? How can puppets be
used to tell a story?
• Describe a moment that stood out for you
from the play. Why did it stand out to you?
What elements of drama were involved to
help make it a memorable moment?
• What do you wonder about after watching
this play? What questions come to mind
based on the characters, story, technical,
or artistic elements of the play?
• Why do you think they used puppets in the
show? What effect did they have on the
story?
6 Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide
Pre-Show learning activity
Curriculum connections: Dramatic arts, Language
Title: What is this? Who does it belong to?
Objectives:
• Introduce the premise of using the imagination and improvisation
• Explore character and perspective in creating a story
Materials:
• Handout: Object Character (see appendix)
• Variety of objects that can be handled and manipulated to be used for different purposes
(i.e. scarf, pencil, water bottle, skipping rope, brush, book, blanket, etc.)
Instructions:
1. Have students sit in a circle. Please a variety of objects (approx. 15-25) in the center of the
circle.
2. Go around the circle and one at a time, have students pick up an object and demonstrate a
creative use for something other than what it was intended for (i.e. a hair brush might be a
microphone, or a scarf might be a baby). The more creative, wacky ideas, the better! Try to
encourage students to come up with as many uses for these objects as possible.
3. Those watching must try and guess what they were using the object for. You could also
extend this by asking “who might use this object?”
4. Once everyone has had a turn and have started exploring their imaginations, place the
students into pairs.
5. Each pair will choose an object from the center of the circle. They will have approximately
20-30 minutes to create a character backstory of someone who might own this object. **See
Object Character handout in the appendix to be used for this activity.
6. Have pairs share their ideas with the group. This can be done by presenting their ideas, or
by one person becoming the character they have created and presenting in role, assuming
the physicalities and characteristics of this character.
7. Have students reflect on what it was like to assume another character, and what aspects of
their character’s identity was most helpful for them in creating their character backstory.
Extension: Students could write in role, drafting a monologue communicating the inner thoughts
of this new character. Following this, students could engage in a talk show or news interview
whereby each character is interviewed in role, and asked questions about the challenges they
have endured, what they learned from them, and what their goals are for the future.
Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide 7
Debrief/Assessment criteria:
• What was it like to imagine the life of another person?
• How did you use the object to inspire your character backstories?
• How did you work together to create a realistic character?
• How would these characters move, speak, or feel about themselves?
8 Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide
Post-show learning activities
LEARNING ACTIVITY #1
Curriculum connections: Language, Health and Physical education
Title: Discussions of Healthy Relationships
Objective:
• Identify qualities of healthy relationships
• Reflect on a personal experience when someone they know exhibited qualities of an unhealthy relationship, identifying the impact of these actions as well as things that could be
done differently in the future
Materials:
• Handout: Healthy Relationship Discussion questions (see appendix)
• Paper/journals
Instructions:
1. Start by engaging students in a conversation about various types of relationships that are
common in their lives. For instance, friends, family, coach, teacher, etc.
2. In small groups, students will discuss multiple discussion questions related to healthy
relationships. They will discuss whether they believe each scenario represents
characteristics of a healthy relationship and why. Students will rotate between each station
to discuss a different scenario, spending approx. 3-4 minutes at each. See Appendix: Healthy
Relationship Discussion questions
3. After each group has rotated through all the questions, come back together as a large group
to summarize some of the key points of the small group discussions. Together, co-create a list
of qualities of a healthy relationship. You may also use this opportunity to speak to examples
from the play of when characters exhibited qualities of a healthy or unhealthy relationship.
4. Individually, have students write a journal reflection in response to the following questions:
• Write about a time when you or someone who you know did not exhibit qualities of a
healthy relationship to someone else. What actions did they engage in that were not supportive of a healthy relationship?
• What was the impact of these actions on someone else?
• What actions should they consider for the future to foster more healthy relationships?
Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide 9
Debrief/Assessment criteria:
• How has your understanding of characteristics of a healthy relationship changed after this
activity?
• What are some strategies that you can apply if you find yourself or a friend in an unhealthy
relationship?
• What resources and supports are available to you and your friends in these situations?
LEARNING ACTIVITY #2
Curriculum connections: Dramatic arts, visual arts, language
Title: Stories with puppets!
Learning Objectives:
• Create a unique puppet using found materials and objects
• Work cooperatively with others to create a collaborative story using these puppets
• Apply speaking, movement, and characterization skills to the puppet(s)
Materials: brown paper bags, glue, tape, markers, various craft supplies, origami paper, found
objects, Puppet character planning sheet handout (see appendix).
Instructions:
1. Begin by engaging students in a discussion about the use of puppets in the play, Beauty and
the Beast, including what they noticed, what was effective about the puppets that were used
and they way they were used, etc.
2. As a class, co-create a list of effective strategies when using and manipulating puppets (i.e.
puppets face the audience, speak in a loud voice, move the puppet mouth with that of the
puppeteer, choose a distinctive character voice, tell a clear story, have a relationship with
other puppet characters, etc.)
3. Provide students with a variety of found objects. In small groups, students experiment with
various ways that you can create puppets using objects and everyday materials. Explore the
objects with the following questions as a guide: How can you bring an object to life? How can
you make it breath? Where would the face be? How would it move or talk?
4. Using the materials of your choice, students will create a puppet character. Potential
materials or types of puppets that can be explored include:
a. Paper bag puppets
b. Origami puppets (for example: youtube.com/watch?v=bofHx6N9W1k)
c. Found objects (i.e. lamp, recycling, boot, scarf, etc.).
d. Socks and other fabrics
10 Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide
5. Have students experiment with their puppet by interacting with other puppets in the room,
playing and experimenting with dramatic qualities of their character.
6. In pairs, students must create a name, voice, distinctive movement and backstory for the
puppet character they have made. Have them complete the Puppet character planning sheet
(see Appendix) as part of this activity.
7. Students will then be put into groups of 4 where they will tell their group members all about
their puppets, and work together to come up with a short play that uses all of the characters.
The plays they create can be any kind, but must contain a beginning, middle and end.
Depending on your time frame, students can share these works in progress or rehearsed
performances with the class.
8. Have students reflect on how their performance compared to the list of effective strategies of
using puppets created with the class previously.
Extension: Students could watch the documentary film, Being Elmo: A puppeteers Journey,
by Kevin Clash (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Being_Elmo:_A_Puppeteer%27s_Journey) and
engage in discussion and written activities related to puppetry and their own experiences using
puppets prior to, or following this activity.
Debrief/Assessment criteria:
• What was challenging about manipulating your puppet? What strategies did you find helpful
in doing so?
• What puppet characters stood out to you and why?
• What choices did the artist(s) make that helped make their play clear and engaging for the
audience? What was it like to work with your group and create a collaborative story?
• What type of audience might these puppet plays be most effective for?
• How could we alter these performances to make them appropriate for another type of
audience?
Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide 11
Preparing students for the show
As a class, discuss the differences between a live theatrical production and a movie. Ask the
students: What is the role of the audience in a play? How is this different from their role in a
movie? What are some important characteristics of a respectful audience? Review some of the
key expectations of audience members at a live theatrical production:
• Turning off all cell phones and electronic devices.
• No recording or video of any kind may be used during the performance.
• No food or drinks are allowed in the theatre.
• Audience members should react as they naturally would while watching the show. That said,
please keep talking to a minimum so that everyone around you may enjoy the show as well.
• All audience members should remain seated for the entire performance and should only
leave the theatre during the performance if it is absolutely necessary.
• If there is a talk back or Question and Answer period following the performance, this is an
opportunity for the students to ask a question of the cast members.
• There will be moments of participation - when is this appropriate and when isn’t it?
• Scripted versus improv plays.
About Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre
Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre is dedicated to creating and producing quality, accessible theatre
productions for children and families. By creating original scripts with a contemporary message,
incorporating classic themes and teachable moments, the artists at Cow Over Moon engage their
audience through the transformative power of theatre.
Cow Over Moon was founded in March 1996 by a group of grade 11 and 12 students at Cawthra
Park Secondary School in Mississauga. The troupe of volunteers performed adapted versions of
classic fairy tales and children’s stories in malls, schools and at special events in Mississauga. Since
then, the company has developed a unique way of retelling famous children’s stories through
improvisation, and has delighted audiences in both Mississauga and Toronto for almost 20 years.
12 Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide
Glossary
Empathy: the feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and
emotions, the ability to share someone else’s feelings
Sympathy: the feeling that you care about and are sorry about someone else’s trouble, grief,
misfortune, a feeling of support for something
Power: the ability or right to control people or things
Privilege: a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others
Assumption: an assuming that something is true
Identity: the qualities, beliefs, etc., that make a particular person or group different from others
Improvisation: the act of improvising - to speak or perform without preparation
Monologue: a long speech given by a character in a story, movie, play, etc., or by a performer
(such as a comedian)
Source: Online Merriam Webster Dictionary http://www.merriam-webster.com/
Appendix
See the following pages.
Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide 13
Object Characters
Names: 1. What is your object? What could it be used for? List some ideas below:
2. Who might own this object? Describe the type of character below:
Name: Age: Interests: 3. How did this character acquire this object? What is the story behind it? Describe this below:
4. What does this object tell us about this character? What are some new pieces of information
about this character, such as their dreams, fears and wishes?
5. How might this character walk, talk, or feel about themselves?
Healthy Relationship
Discussion questions
In a healthy relationship you
respect each other’s opinion.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
In a healthy relationship you enjoy
doing things apart from each other and together.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
In a healthy relationship you do
not try to restrict or control each
other.
In a healthy relationship it’s easy
to be yourself when you’re with
the other person.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
In a healthy relationship you can
disagree and it is okay to talk
about your differences.
In a healthy relationship you enjoy
the time you spend together.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Name calling, criticizing and
putting the other person down is
normal in a healthy relationship.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
In a healthy relationship there is
no fear in your relationship.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre | Beauty and the Beast Study Guide 15
Puppet character
planning sheet
Name: Answer the following questions using full sentences.
1. What is your puppet’s name?
6. What does you puppet do for fun?
2. Where does your puppet live?
7. Where has your puppet been in the world?
3. How old is your puppet?
8. What is special about your puppet?
4. What does your puppet do for a job? Do they
have a job?
9. Why does your puppet look the way he or she
does?
5. Who is friends with you puppet?
10.What is your puppet’s biggest goal in life?
Draw a simple sketch of your puppet below: