King Arthur and the
stolen sword
Calliope Theatre Study Guide
King Arthur and the
stolen sword
Welcome to King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword by Calliope Theatre Company.
Our touring production of King Arthur and
the Stolen Sword, an original presentation,
has been designed to “Educate, Enlighten &
Entertain!”
In this Study Guide, developed by professional educators and English-language teachers, you
will find Pre- and Post-Performance Activities and Discussion Topics, as well as teacher and
student resources. For students who are learning English we have also included key vocabulary
so that your students will get the most out of our performances. This Study Guide may be
reproduced and distributed to students. It can be found on our website
www.calliopetheatrecompany.pt
Calliope Theatre Company’s King Arthur and the Stolen Sword is an interactive performance
and we encourage your students’ participation as we will be asking a number of your students to
join us on stage.
Calliope Theatre Company welcomes your opinion & suggestions on our performances and
Study Guides, so that we can continue to provide teachers and students with the finest inschool, educational theatre experience.
We love hearing from students and teachers. Please encourage your students to
leave a comment on our Facebook Group Page or write us letters and tell us what
you thought of the show!
Sincerely,
Zoe, Meg and Matthew
Calliope Theatre Company
2
King Arthur and the
Stolen Sword
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Vocabulary and Activities that are highlighted in red are the most important in ensuring
that your students understand and enjoy King Arthur and the Stolen Sword. If you only have a
limited amount of time to prepare your students for the show, we suggest you focus on these
Vocabulary Items & Activities.
All of the Activities in our Study Guide may be copied and given to your students.
The Answer Key for all of the Activities is on Page 27.
KING ARTHUR AND THE STOLEN SWORD– Play Synopsis…………………………………4
WHO WAS KING ARTHUR?..................................………………………………..………........5 & 6
WHO ARE MORGANA LE FAY and DAGONET…………………………………………..… 7 & 8
HISTORICAL CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY….……………...…….…………………..…… ..9 &10
VOCABULARY……………………………………….……….…………………………………11 - 14
VOCABULARY & DISCUSSION ACTIVITIES….…...…….……………….…………..……..15 - 23
WORD SOUP………….………………………………………………………………………..…24
THEATRE – Discuss & Draw Activity………………………………………………….………….25
WHO’S WHO IN THE THEATRE – Discuss & Write Activity…….…………………………..….26
ACTIVITY ANSWERS…………………………………………………..…..……………………27
ABOUT THE ARTISTS……………………………………………………………………………28
3
KING ARTHUR AND THE
STOLEN SWORD
Calliope Theatre Company’s Play ~ Synopsis
Dagonet is tired of being King Arthur’s fool. She dreams of becoming a Knight of
the Round Table. She finally gets the chance to prove herself when Morgana Le
Fay, King Arthur’s half-sister, steals Excalibur. Dagonet and King Arthur must go
on a quest full of adventures and unusual characters to retrieve it.
England’s fate hangs in the balance as King Arthur (The True Ruler of England,
Wielder of Excalibur, and the Once and Future King!) and Dagonet follow
Morgana. With the help of the wizard, Merlin, a ‘terrifying’ giant knight, and
Fancy, a puppet with a mind of his own, they make their way to the Lady of the
Lake. Will they stop Morgana in time and retrieve Excalibur? Only with the help of
your students!
4
King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword
THE LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR
Pre Show Activity~
You may wish to begin by having a brainstorming session with your students.
Ask them if they know the difference between a real story and a legend. Ask them to
name some legends that they know. (Robin Hood, Zorro, or the Portuguese legend
of O Verão de São Martinho - Saint Martin’s Summer for example).
Explain that the story of King Arthur is a legend even though many people think he
really existed. Ask students questions to see how much they know about King
Arthur, where he lived and the names of other people and events in his life.
5
King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword
The Legend of King Arthur
Legend or History? It’s a Mystery!
The legends of King Arthur began to appear in the 12th century. They are thought to be
based upon a Celtic leader from the 5th or 6th century who protected his country. King Arthur
was raised and taught by and old Celtic wizard named Merlin and became King at the age of 15.
To become King he had to pass a difficult test. He had to pull a magic sword that was
stuck in a large rock. He married Guinevere and lived in a castle in Camelot. He had 12
Knights who sat at a special table. The table was round so that nobody sat at its head and
everyone was considered equal. Arthur’s knights always behaved with respect, courage, honour
and compassion.
While away, Arthur discovered that Mordred had taken control of his kingdom. He
defeated Mordred in a long, difficult battle but was seriously wounded. Arthur instructed one
of his knights to throw the magic sword "Excalibur" into a lake. When he threw the sword into
the water a hand came out of the water and took the sword. King Arthur was taken to the Isle
of Avalon to get better. Some people believe that he did not die but still lives today and that he
will return when his country really needs him.
Another legend says that the following words are written in Latin on his tomb:
HIC JACET ARTHURIUS
REX QUONDAM
REXQUE FUTURUS
(Which means: Here lies Arthur, the once and future King).
Through the centuries, the story of King Arthur has been retold in many different ways in
books, movies, plays, and musicals. Whether or not Arthur was real, his story is like many
legends. The events and accomplishments in his life are used to teach us lessons about our own
life and the world around us.
6
King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword
Who was Morgana Le Fay?
Although we have taken great liberty with their characterisations, many of the people in our
play actually existed!
Morgana le Fay was a powerful enchantress in the Arthurian legends. Early works featuring
Morgana do not tell us much beyond her role as a ‘fay’, or sorceress. In later stories, she turns
into a dangerous enemy of King Arthur
.
The earliest stories, Morgana was a healer and enchantress who
lived on the Isle of Avalon where Arthur was taken after he
was fatally wounded.
In later medieval stories, the character of Morgana changes
dramatically. She is often said to be Arthur’s half-sister. In
these stories, she becomes an apprentice of Merlin and an
enemy of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Through
magic, Morgan tries to destroy Arthur's rule. She tries to obtain
the enchanted sword Excalibur and use it against Arthur in battle.
Failing in this, Morgana steals Excalibur from the sleeping Arthur and throws it into a lake,
before escaping by temporarily turning herself to stone. Without the protection of Excalibur,
Arthur dies in his final battle.
7
King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword
Who was Dagonet?
Sir Dagonet was King Arthur's well-beloved
jester, and a Knight of the Round Table in
Arthurian legend.
A jester, or fool, was an entertainer during
the medieval and Renaissance eras, employed
to entertain guests in the household of a
nobleman.
Jesters in medieval times are thought to have worn brightly
coloured clothes and eccentric hats in a motley pattern. In
medieval times jesters entertained with a wide variety of
skills including principal songs, music, and storytelling as
well as telling jokes, acrobatics, juggling, and magic.
Jesters usually carried marottes. A marotte is a stick with a
carved head, or puppet, on it. The word is borrowed from
the French, where it means either a fool's "bauble", a fad or
a craze. The marotte often wore a costume similar to the
jester who carried it. Sometime more undiginified or riskier
jokes would be “blamed” on the marotte, rather than the
jester himself.
Dagonet’s tom-foolery was legendary. The jester once playfully
“captured” Sir Lancelot by leading his horse to Queen
Guinevere, and the noble knight was dubbed "Dagonet’s
Prisoner" to great hilarity. At one point, Dagonet took on the
administration of the Royal Court and bankrupted the household.
8
King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword
Your students will be invited to join us on stage! These are some of the historical people they
will be portraying.
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar (60 BC) was a great general and an important leader
in ancient Rome.
When Julius Caesar said he had something to say, everyone went to
the Forum to hear his ideas. His ideas were good ones and the
people loved him. As he became more popular, he became more
powerful. The Roman Senate was afraid that he would rule
Rome and charged him with treason.
Caesar defeated his enemies in the Senate and in 45 BC took control of the entire Roman
Empire. He declared himself “Emperor for Life” giving him absolute power. Caesar’s rule in
Rome would be short. In 44 B.C. Julius Caesar was murdered by members of the Senate, led by
Brutus.
Caesar reformed the Roman Empire and gave jobs and land to the poor. The Romans even
named a month after him, the month of July for Julius Caesar.
Queen Elizabeth I
1533 1603
Elizabeth was a different kind of Queen: quick-witted and
clever. But she could be as ruthless and calculating as any
king. Her mother was the ill-fated Anne Boleyn who was
the second wife of King Henry VIII. When Elizabeth was
two years old, her mother, Anne, was beheaded.
Elizabeth was aged twenty-five when she became the
Queen of England. The welfare of her people was the most
important thing to Elizabeth and she once remarked, “I am already bound unto a husband
which is the Kingdom of England.” For personal and political reasons, Elizabeth never married.
Elizabeth's greatest achievement was the relationship she had with her people. “... I have
reigned with your loves.”' she said and Elizabeth was rewarded with the devotion of her people.
9
King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword
Boudicca
Boudicca was a Celtic Queen who lived nearly 2,000 years ago
when Britain was part of the Roman Empire. At this time, Britain
was divided up into kingdoms and each kingdom had its own
leader. The Romans quite liked the idea of these kingdoms
fighting each other because it meant they were less likely to join
together to fight the Romans.
The name Boudicca in Gaelic means “victory.” She led her
people to fight the Romans and won many battles.
In the ancient Gaelic culture, women fought as warriors and were
respected for their strength, abilities with weapons, and for their
wisdom. In her final battle, Boudicca realised her army was going
to lose the battle, so she killed herself by drinking poison.
The only description we have of Boudicca comes from a Roman historian of the time. He
wrote: "In stature she was very tall, in appearance most terrifying, in the glance of her eye
most fierce, and her voice was harsh; a great mass of bright red hair fell to her hips; around
her neck was a large golden necklace; and she wore a tunic of divers colours over which a
thick mantle was fastened with a brooch. She raised her spear and struck fear into all who
watched her.
Elvis Presley (1935 –1977)
Elvis Presley was an American singer and actor. He is often
referred to as "the King of Rock and Roll", or simply, "the King".
At a young age, people noticed that Elvis had an excellent singing
voice. At the age of ten he gave his first public singing
performance and also got his first guitar. Elvis loved playing the
guitar and he carried it with him wherever he went, even to school.
He learned to play by watching other people and listening to the
radio.
Elvis had a unique style of music and performance all his own. He
danced around on stage shaking his hips. At the time, many adults
were shocked by his music and dancing. Teenagers, however,
loved Elvis' music and dancing. They had never seen anything like
it and they loved it.
Elvis is still the best selling solo artist in the history of music
with with estimated sales of around 600 million records worldwide.
10
King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword
Vocabulary
The following is a list of some of the vocabulary from the play which teachers may choose to
pre-teach before the performance.
NOUNS
People
Lord
Lady
Queen
Liege
Jester
Fool
Thespian Wizard
Mage
Warrior
Soldier
Fighter
Mother
Brother
Sister
Grandchild
Grandfather
Chap (a man)
Genius
King
Highness
Ruler
Sire
Clown
Puppet
Marotte
Actor
Knight
Sir
Squire
Swordsman
Enemy
Winner
Loser Wielder (of Excalibur)
Sibling
Geezer (slang for old man)
Granddaughter
Stranger (Mysterious Stranger)
Mad Genius
Places
England
Camelot
Castle
Lake
River
Entrance
Cadbury Castle
Castle Corbenic (the name of the castle holding the Holy Grail)
Things
Sword
Excalibur Grail
Coif
Candy
Dust
Battle
Duel
Duty
Quest
Travels
Reward
(a) Play
Scene
Talent
Pocket
Cheek
Head
Incident
Trouble
Fuss
Monster
Dragon
Enemy
Passion
Rage
Hope
Super Secret Super Power
Cup
Candle
Joke
Game
Spoils
Throne
Adventure Reward
Audition Amateur
Voice
Sleep
Future
Moment
Nemesis
Argument
Year
Imagination
Global Warming
Map
Cape
Toy
Gift
Table
Round Table
Job
Magic Dust
Performance
Deep Sleep Tonne (Ton)
Fate
Generation
Victory
Immortality
11
King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword
Vocabulary
The following is a list of some of the vocabulary from the play which teachers may choose to
pre-teach before the performance.
ADJECTIVES
Merry
Nice
Regal
True
Perfect
Fine
Proper
Big
Proud
Fearless
Great
Dignified
Golden
Valliant
Powerful Dramatic
Doddering Dusty
Mad
Insane
Vile
Putrid
Poor
Painful
Exhausted Tired
Tall
Scary
Tiny
Little
Serious
Busy
Equal
Even
Teal (colour)
Cute
Funny
Daring
Important
Amazing Awesome
Wise
Impressive
Fierce
Worthy
Huge
Wonderful
Tough
Mighty
Secret
Magical
Old
Indisposed
Twisted
Deranged
Terrible
Dangerous
Ugly
Rude
Lost
Limp
Angry
Glum
Raw
Faithful
Sombre (Somber)
Utter(Complete)
Unprofessional
Adorable
Heroic
Courageous
Wonderful
Trusted
Faithful
Fearsome
Mysterious
Stupid
Ferocious
Terrifying
Starving
Watery
Angry
Deep
Experimental
Rigged(Unfair)
Super Secret
Beautiful
Regal
Incredible
Simple
Loyal
New
Cruel
Illusive
Blind
Evil
Disgusting
Worse
Soggy
Foolish
Thoughtful
Simple
12
King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword
Vocabulary
The following is a list of some of the vocabulary from the play which teachers may choose to
pre-teach before the performance.
VERBS/ Phrasal Verbs
To try
To rule (as a King)
To be knighted To knight (someone)
To fight
To challenge
To battle
To yield (to someone)
To capture
To do battle
To win
To best (someone)
To respect
To defend
To prove
To protect
To claim
To beat (someone)
To watch over
To hurt
To fear
To tremble
To crave
To take over
To stand
To respect
To grow up
To be worthy
To travel
To return
To arrive
To leave
To introduce
To come from
To send out
To send (someone) in
To remind
To forget
To wonder
To pay attention
To think
To look at
To joke
To dance
To dream
To flutter
To glitter
To keep busy
To attempt
To threaten
To burn
To breathe ‘fire’
To choose
To grab
To hear of
To presume
To disappear
To steal
To hurt
To cross (someone)
To think
To exit
To grow up
To meet someone
To audition
To cast (actors)
To upstage
To get into character
To play (a role) To strike a pose
To move on
To walk around
To hide
To guess
To find
To help
To ask
To listen
To shout
To be in a rush
To wake up
To fall asleep
To sleep
To smile
To die
To fear
To decide
To pretend
To keep busy
To attempt
To toss
To throw (something back)
To pinch
To arrange
To weigh
To presume
To turn around
To figure out
To make someone proud
To go on (about something)
To stand ‘someone’
To hold ‘something still’
To cross ‘something’
To hear of ‘someone/something’
13
King Arthur and the Stolen
Sword
Vocabulary
The following is a list of some of the vocabulary from the play which teachers may choose to
pre-teach before the performance.
EXPRESSIONS
The true ruler of England!
Wielder of Excalibur!
The once and future King!
Work with me here!
You nailed it!
I’ve got it down
I’ve got nothing!
That wore me out!
Eat your heart out!
Exit, stage left!
Take two and Action!
Let me set the scene!
I’m so organic!
Alrighty then!
Well done!
It’s show time!
Wait, stop, Cut!
Dun, Dun, Dun !
Less is more, Less is more!
Pitch it to me!
Jolly good!
Gasp, shock, horror!
I’m stumped!
Who goes there?
That’s sooo last week!
You Rule!
Cheese and crackers!
What a work out!
That would be a plot twist!
Have at ye!
Off to hair and makeup!
Girls will be girls!
Long live King Arthur!
Let’s get this show on the road!
I cannot be defeated by any man!
14
KING Arthur and the
stolen sword
ACTIVITY # 1 – Vocabulary-Adjectives - Synonyms
Ask students to match the adjectives in column A
with their synonyms in column B.
Example: hot - sunny
A
B
1.) Pretty
2.) Old
3.) Funny
4.) Clever
5.) Amazing
6.) Rude
7.) Insane
8.) Awful
9.) Hard
a) Silly
b) Crazy
c) Insolent
d) Beautiful
e) Bad
f) Difficult
g) Ancient
h) Intelligent
i) Wonderful
ACTIVITY # 2 – Vocabulary-Opposites
Ask students to match the words in column A with their
opposites in column B.
Example: pretty - ugly
1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
5.)
6.)
7.)
8.)
9.)
A
Beautiful
Worse
Terrible
Lost
Rude
Awake
Hard
Wise
Nice
B
a) Tired
b) Mean
c) Found
d) Well-behaved
e) Wonderful
f) Stupid
g) Better
h) Ugly
i) Easy
15
King Arthur and the Stolen Sword
The Once and Future King!
ACTIVITY # 3 – Verbs - Past, Present &Future Tense
Ask students to identify if the verbs in the following sentences are Past, Present or Future
Tense. Have students circle the correct answer.
1. Fancy is the name of Dagonet’s marrotte.
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE
2. King Arthur had a sword named Excalibur.
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE
3. Morgana is King Arthur’s sister.
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE
16
King Arthur and the Stolen Sword
The Once and Future King!
ACTIVITY # 3 – Verbs - Past, Present &Future Tense (continued)
4. Merlin had forgotten Morgana’s name.
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE
5. The Teal Knight is a very bad swordsman.
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE
6. Dagonet wants to be a Knight.
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE
7. King Arthur is not a good actor.
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE
17
King Arthur and the Stolen Sword
Activity 4 – Family - Discussion or WRitten Exercise
IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY!
In King Arthur and The Stolen Sword, Arthur and his sister, Morgana do not
always get along. How can we get along better with our family
1. List three things you can do to get along better with friends or family.
2. When you’ve hurt someone’s feelings, what’s the best thing you can do?
3. A good first step to getting over a problem with a family member would be to:
a. yell about how you feel
b) say it was your fault, even if it wasn’t
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
c. get other people in your family to take your side
d. communicate calmly with each other
No matter how angry or upset you are, it’s never OK to use________ when trying to
solve an argument.
True or false: When you’re in an argument, you should try to stay focused on your own
point of view.
Sibling rivalry (fighting between brothers and sisters) is:
a. is common b. is normal c. can occur at any age d. all of the above.
During an argument, it’s just as important to________________ as it is to speak.
If you want to have an important conversation with someone, it’s best to do it:
a. while he or she is working on something important
b. during an argument
c. when the person is calm and can give you his or her full attention
d. when the person seems really stressed out.
18
King Arthur and the Stolen Sword
Activity 5 – Family - WRitten Exercise
Read and discuss the following poems about family. Then have students create their own poem
using adjectives and adverbs. More advanced students could use metaphors and similes.
BROTHERS & SISTERS POEM
FAMILY POEM
Families
are like
Chocolate Brownies.
Mostly sweet,
with a few nuts!
19
KING ARTHUR AND THE
STOLEN SWORD
ACTIVITY # 6 – Vocabulary– Adjectives
ADJECTIVES
Have students match the following adjectives with characters in the play
Merry
Regal
Perfect
Proper
Proud
Great
Powerful
Doddering
Evil
Tiny
Nice
True
Fine
Big
Fearless
Dignified
Dramatic
Dusty
Dangerous
Little
Cute
Daring
Amazing
Wise
Fierce
Huge
Secret
Old
Terrifying
Comedic
Funny
Adorable
Important
Heroic
Awesome
Courageous
Impressive
Wonderful
Worthy
Trusted
Wonderful
Faithful
Magical
Mysterious
Indisposed
Stupid
Tall
Scary
Teal (colour)
Beautiful
Regal
Incredible
Simple
Loyal
New
Illusive
Blind
Angry
King Arthur is
Morgana is
20
KING ARTHUR AND THE STOLEN SWORD
ACTIVITY # 6 – Vocabulary– Adjectives (Continued)
ADJECTIVES
Have students match the following adjectives with characters in the play
Merry
Regal
Perfect
Proper
Proud
Great
Powerful
Doddering
Evil
Tiny
Nice
True
Fine
Big
Fearless
Dignified
Dramatic
Dusty
Dangerous
Little
Cute
Daring
Amazing
Wise
Fierce
Huge
Secret
Old
Terrifying
Comedic
Funny
Adorable
Important
Heroic
Awesome
Courageous
Impressive
Wonderful
Worthy
Trusted
Wonderful
Faithful
Magical
Mysterious
Indisposed
Stupid
Tall
Scary
Teal (colour)
Beautiful
Regal
Incredible
Simple
Loyal
New
Illusive
Blind
Angry
Dagonet is
The Teal Knight is
Merlin is
21
KING ARTHUR AND THE
STOLEN SWORD
ACTIVITY # 7 – Vocabulary – NOUNS
Ask students to select the nouns from the list and put them into the correct related categories
below. (The maximum number of words per category is indicated in brackets.)
NOUNS
Jester
Girl
Hair
Squire
Map
Dust
Marotte
England
Grandchild
Country
Puppet
Quest
People (10)
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Camelot
Cheeks
Knight
Head
Toes
King
Cape
Candy
Cup
Queen
Mind
Sister
Lady
Lake
Lord
Places (6)
_________ _____________
_________ _____________
_________ _____________
_________ _____________
_________ _____________
______________________
Parts of the Body (6)
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
Sword
Cadbury Castle
Picture
Castle Corbenic
Mouth
Things (10)
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
22
KING ARTHUR AND THE
STOLEN SWORD
ACTIVITY # 8 – Comprehension – True OR False (After The Show)
Ask students to answer the following True or False questions:
1) Morgana Le Fay is King Arthur’s sister.
2.) Dagonet is not a jester.
3.) King Arthur is the Once and Future King
4.) A puppet is another word for a marotte.
5.) There are three Mystical Mages.
6.) The Terrible Teal Knight, Tilly Talltoes, is not really King Arthur’s enemy.
7.) Morgana Le Fay does have a super secret super power.
8.) The people who help King Arthur and Dagonet are called the Wretched Rulers.
9.) Merlin is Morgana’s father.
10.) King Arthur and Dagonet use a map to help them search the tunnels.
11.) Morgana dislikes Merlin.
12.) Dagonet does not think Fancy is insane, twisted, and deranged.
13.) Merlin always gives Morgana chocolate biscuits.
.
23
KING ARTHUR AND THE STOLEN SWORD
ACTIVITY # 9– Word Soup
Ask students to find the words listed below in the puzzle.
EXCALIBUR
FANCY
MERLIN
ARTHUR
MORGANA
DAGONET
TEAL
KNIGHT
N
Z
G
M
O
R
G
A
N
A
O
X
R
B
K
S
S
W
Z
G
A
A
W
J
N
V
A
Z
G
E
D
R
J
X
W
E
T
Q
V
R
J
N
Q
G
X
M
E
P
A
C
S
K
B
H
W
E
T
D
R
C
U
N
D
H
E
H
D
R
N
O
W
U
H
R
A
W
F
T
E
A
L
G
Y
Z
D
J
J
P
U
L
W
R
I
G
L
P
C
H
A
R
K
W
A
A
I
I
F
A
C
G
N
G
G
E
L
N
R
L
B
B
N
U
X
U
A
P
O
I
R
F
T
H
O
D
U
L
L
I
F
V
N
L
D
G
H
N
X
K
A
R
M
L
D
Y
E
A
A
T
U
T
H
G
I
N
K
E
U
X
T
V
Z
W
R
B
W
S
X
H
L
L
V
C
Q
A
L
L
O
R
T
X
Z
M
M
F
U
I
R
M
E
R
L
I
N
L
L
W
P
I
W
V
24
KING ARTHUR AND THE STOLEN SWORD
THEATRE
~ Theatre features live on-stage actors. They have spent
many weeks rehearsing for the performance.
~ The audience is a very important part of the performance.
The success of the play often depends on the audience
and their enthusiasm and participation.
~ It is easy to identify with live actors. You can see how
they use their bodies and voices to convey different
emotions.
~ Actors wear clothing and make-up to help create the
characters they play.
~ There is much more to most live performances than
actors. Special scenery, effects, lighting, music,
costumes, and of course, the audience add to the total
experience.
ACTIVITY #10 – Discuss & DRAW!
After reading the above, ask students to discuss some of
the theatre questions below.
1.) What was your favourite part of the play? Who was
your favourite character and why?
2.) What is the difference between TV and a live play?
Which do you like better and why?
3.) Draw a picture of a favourite scene or character.
4.) Design a programme cover for the play using the title,
and an illustration inspired by the play.
5.) In 25 words or less, describe the plot of the play.
25
KING ARTHUR AND THE STOLEN SWORD
Who’s Who at the Theatre
The Writer researches and then writes the dialogue of the play.
The Director reads the script and then interprets the story, using
the talents of Actors, Designers and Technicians.
The Set Designer works with the Director to determine the
different “looks” that will be used in each scene to tell the story.
The Properties (Props) Designer works with the Director and
the Set Designer, then creates the props that help to tell the story.
The Costume Designer works with the Director to determine the
costumes (clothing) that each performer will wear that will help
to tell more about each character in the story.
The Actors work with the Director to tell the story through their
voices, their faces, and their body movements.
ACTIVITY #11 – Discuss & Write!
1.) Talk about different things used during the play that helped to tell
the story. What things (voices, body movements, props, sounds music
and costumes) were used to portray different characters?
2.) Pretend that you are the Writer of King Arthur & The Stolen Sword. What other ideas
would you have added to the play?
3.) Think about what the actors did on stage, where they were standing, how they moved
and how they said their lines. How did the Director use these things to tell the story?
4.) Talk about the sets and props in the play. What props or details were used to suggest
specific times or settings? What materials might have been used in building the sets?
What might you have done differently?
5.) What would you need to know to create costumes for a play (research, sewing,
theatrical effects, etc.)? Why is the right costume important to the character in the play?
6.) Choose a character from the play and discuss things the actor did to create that
character. Why might an actor change his presentation because of audience reaction?
Would it be easy to be an actor? What might you have done differently?
7.) Conduct an interview with a classmate pretending to be one of the actors and find out
the actor's feelings about being on stage, memorization, rehearsals, costumes, audience,
etc.
26
KING ARTHUR AND THE STOLEN SWORD
ANSWERS
ACTIVITY # 1 – Vocabulary-Adjectives
ANSWERS: 1.) d 2.) g 3.) a 4.) h 5.) i 6.) c
7.) b
8.) e 9.) f
ACTIVITY # 2 – Vocabulary-Adjectives
ANSWERS: 1.) h 2.) g 3.) e 4.) c 5.)d 6.) a 7.) i 8.) f 9.) b
ACTIVITY #3 – Past, Present & Future Tense
ANSWERS: 1.) Present 2.) Past 3.) Present 4.) Past 5.) Present 6.) Future 7.) Present
ACTIVITY #4 – Family
ANSWERS: 3.) d – Communicate calmly with each other. 4.) There are a variety of answers, such
as violence, hitting, cruel words etc 5.) F
6.) d – all of the above
7.) listen 8.) c
ACTIVITY #7 – Nouns
ANSWERS
PEOPLE
Jester
Girl
Squire
Grandchild
Knight
King
Queen
Sister
Lady
Lord
THINGS
Map
Dust
Puppet
Quest
Marotte
Cape
Candy
Cup
Sword
Picture
PLACES
England
County
Camelot
Lake
Cadbury Castle
Castle Corbenic
BODY
Hair
Cheeks
Head
Toes
Mind
Mouth
ACTIVITY # 8 – Vocabulary & Comprehension – After the Show
ANSWERS: 1.) False – She is his half sister. 2. ) False 3.) True 4.) True
5.) False - There are four. 6.) True 7.) True – Morgana has the “super secret super
power” of magic dust that makes men fall asleep. 8.) False – They are called the Regal Rulers.
9.) False 10.)False – They use a map to find the Lady of the Lake. 11.) True
12.) False
13.) False – He gives her old candy.
27
KING ARTHUR AND THE STOLEN
SWORD
About the artists
Zoe Kaye (Dagonet) originally from Herefordshire, U.K., received a Distinction
Certificate in her Performing Arts exam for L.A.M.D.A and studied Children’s Theatre
at Herefordshire College of Art and Design where she performed in the Herefordshire
Performing Arts Festival. After performing for over 3 years with Avalon Theatre
Company, Zoe is proud to be a co-founder of Calliope Theatre Company.
Meg Thurin (Morgana Le Fay, The Teal Knight), graduated from John Cabot
University with a Bachelor of Arts and received her postgraduate degree from the
Istituto Arte Artiginato e Restauro, Rome, Italy. Since moving to Portugal in 2009, Meg
has worked with Avalon Theatre Company, participated in various voice-over projects
and has performed in a TV sitcom pilot filmed in Lisbon. Most recently, Meg became
the featured voice for iClio's - JiTT Travel app guides for many major cities in Europe.
Meg is a co-founder of Calliope Theatre Company and looks forward to seeing the
teachers and students that she met during her 5 years with Avalon Theatre Company
Matthew Lloyd (King Arthur & Merlin) In his work with The Ferndown Drama
Group, Huntington Drama Group, Chesil Theatre and the Royal Navy Theatre
Association, Matthew has acted in a variety of full-length works including
pantomimes and dramatic plays such as Wind in the Willows (Toad) and Pygmalion.
Matthew has directed such works as The Anniversary and Steel Magnolias and has
served as Stage Manager for a variety of theatre companies. Matthew has an MBA
from Cranfield School of Management. After his 17 years in the British Royal Navy
(including time spent with NATO, Portugal), Matthew moved permanently to
Cascais. Matthew is a co-founder of Calliope Theatre Company.
28