People’s Light Presents
A Single Shard
Relaxed Performance pre-visit stories
People’s Light
I am going to People’s Light to see the play:
A Single Shard.
People’s
playLight
The play takes place a long time ago in Korea.
The play has actors who will tell a story.
Acting out a story is pretend but the story tells
important lessons to learn.
People’s
actors
Light
The play happens mostly on the stage.
During the play, the actors will come off the stage.
I will try to not get in the actors way so they can
continue to perform in the play.
People’s
Tree-ear
Light
Pronounced “tree air”.
Tree-ear is the main character. He is an orphan
without parents. He lives with Crane Man
under a bridge.
Tree-ear works hard to be a responsible person.
He tries to understand the feelings of other people.
He has courage and faces many difficult situations.
People’s
Crane man
Light
Crane Man lives under a bridge.
He has difficulty walking.
Crane Man tries to teach Tree-ear how to be a
good person.
happy
Crane Man cares for Tree-ear.
Tree-ear cares for Crane Man.
Crane Man and Tree-ear are happy to have each
other in their lives.
pretend
Crane Man and Tree-ear looks like they are eating
but they do not have food in their hands.
They move like they are eating.
They are pretending to eat.
Min
Min makes ceramic pots.
He is considered one of the best makers of ceramic
pots in Korea.
He is married to Ajima. They had a son who died.
Min does not like when his wife treats Tree-ear like
a son. Min does not always treat Tree-ear nicely.
Min’s wife
Pronounced “ah-gee-ma”
Ajima is Min’s wife. She is kind to others.
She treats Tree-ear like a son making sure he is fed
and clothed.
pretend
During the play, it looks like Min will hit Tree-ear.
This is pretend.
The actor playing Min is pretending and does not
hit Tree-ear.
angry
Min gets angry during the play.
Min tries to do the best job he can but gets angry
when he feels he is not doing his best.
Min learns to talk kindly with others.
kindness
Ajima is kind to Tree-ear.
Kindness is being considerate, generous, and
treating others with care and affection.
dance
The dancer is moving to show how a vase is made.
The dancer moves his arms and legs and moves in
circles to show how a vase is made.
The dancer is pretending to turn into a vase.
Kang
Kang is another ceramic pot maker in Korea.
Kang is in competition with Min to gain the
Emissary’s attention and selection to make pots
for the royal household.
storm
Tree-ear walks through the forest on his way to
show Min’s ceramic pots.
He walks through a rain storm.
The stage will get a little darker during the
storm scene.
scared
Tree-ear walks through the forest on his way to
show Min’s ceramic pots.
Tree-ear feels nervous and scared at times because
he doesn’t know what will happen next.
But Tree-ear has the feeling of courage inside him
and overcomes being frightened to keep walking
through the forest to deliver the ceramic pots.
Fox
The fox lives in the forest.
Tree-ear meets the fox when he travels in
the forest.
Tree-ear scares the fox away.
deer
The deer lives in the forest.
Emissary Kim
Emissary Kim works for the royal emperor.
Emissary Kim helps to pick out the ceramic pots
the royal family will use.
Yee
Yee works for the royal emperor. Yee helps
Emissary Kim.
shard
Tree-ear retrieves one piece of the broken ceramic
pot. This small piece is called a shard.
cranes
Crane Man can dance now.
The stage lights up with cranes flying.
The lights move across the stage.
end of play
When the play is over, the actors will take a bow.
People will clap to thank the actors.
I can clap if I want to.
If the clapping is too loud, I can cover my ears.
The pre-visit materials were developed by:
Marcie Bramucci
Director of Community Investment
People's Light
Roger Ideishi, JD, OT/L, FAOTA
Program Director & Associate Professor
Temple University, Program in Occupational Therapy
Christina Smith, MOT, OTR/L
Designer
Photo Credits
Production photos by Mark Garvin and Tori Harvey