The House at Pooh Corner

Transcription

1 LHWL Drama Staff Mr. David Kusch, Drama Director (Spring Play Director & Thespian Advisor) Mrs. Jeaneen Wyly, Assistant Director of Drama (Fall Play Director) Dr. John Boonenberg, Music Director (Winter Musical Director) 1

2 The Drama Department of Lutheran High School Westland Presents The House at Pooh Corner A Play for Everyone by A.A. Milne, adapted by Bettye Knapp Friday and Saturday May 20-21, :00 P.M. West Gym Cowan Rd. Westland Admission $5 - Children under 5 are Free LHWL Students Free 2

3 The House at Pooh Corner A PLAY IN THREE ACTS PROLOGUE Christopher Robin s bedroom and imagination Song: Winnie-the-Pooh ACT I, Scene 1 Early morning in the Hundred Acre Wood ACT 1, Scene 2 A short time later. ACT II Immediately following the previous scene ACT III Late afternoon and evening in the Hundred Acre Wood POSTLUDE Christopher Robin s bedroom Song: Christopher Robin s Bedtime Prayer There will be a 15 minute intermission at the end of Act I. Refreshments will be provided in the lobby during the intermission. Produced by special arrangement with THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY of Woodstock, Illinois. 3

4 CAST LIST Winnie-the-Pooh.Bryce Ingersoll Christopher Robin.Brandon Kruger Piglet Allison Crawford Eeyore.Joseph Pranschke Kanga.Caitlyn Downer Roo...Lena Pennington Rabbit..Josh Schwaegerle Early Andrew Bunge Late Christopher Henry Tigger.Laura Sillanpaa Owl.Ethan Becker Duck..Nailah Stoakley Chipmunk..Hannah Coomer Fox Tim Contreras The Voice.Ally Uzarek 4

5 Technical Staff Director Asst. Director Music Director Stage Manager Props Manager Costume Manager Make Up Manager Set Manager Social Media Manager Photographer Sound Technician Lighting Technician David Kusch Jeaneen Wyly Matt Hoehne Ally Uzarek Brandon Kruger Lauren Tischler Allison Crawford Anders Mattson Laura Sillanpaa Dave Smith Donna Ryktarsyk Don Ryktarsyk Acknowledgements Special thanks to John Matasovsky for help with the set. Thanks to the following parents for providing meals during Tech Week: Mrs. Bunge, Mrs. Kruger, Mrs. Mattson, Mrs. Pennington, and Mrs. Schwaegerle. Thanks to the Sillanpaas for hosting the Cast Party. 5

6 Director s Notes I was introduced to Pooh as a character in a stage play when I played the lead role in Trinity Lutheran School s (Traverse City) production of Winnie-the-Pooh when I was in the sixth grade. It was the peak of my acting career as I never had a lead role again and began directing plays when I was in high school. Of course, I knew Pooh well before that time from reading the books and from the Disney cartoons. Being a bit rotund myself, I loved the stories of the jolly bear and all his friends. The works of A.A. Milne are truly classics in children s literature. This year the character turns 95, and I m sure he has many more decades ahead of him. Five years ago, in honor of Pooh s 90 th birthday, writer Elizabeth Browne wrote the following essay entitled 10 Things Winnie the Pooh Taught Me about Life. I think she is spot on in her analysis of the importance of the Pooh stories for children of all ages. The text of the bulk of her essay begins below. I am firm in my belief that Winnie the Pooh is such a lasting character because he can t be fully appreciated until you ve grown up. Only then can you realize all the life lessons the silly old bear has given you. 1. Positive Thinking. However, he said, brightening up a little, we haven t had an earthquake lately. (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 11) Although Eeyore is generally known as the gloomy one, even he can look on the bright side occasionally. 2. Empathy. What about me? said Pooh sadly. I suppose I shan t be useful? Never mind, Pooh, said Piglet comfortingly. Another time, perhaps. (Winnie the Pooh, p. 95) Piglet, being a Very Small Animal, acutely understands what it is like to feel useless. 3. Gratitude. But Eeyore wasn t listening. He was taking the balloon out, and putting it back again, as happy as could be (Winnie the Pooh, p. 89) It doesn t matter to Eeyore that Piglet meant to give him an inflated balloon and Pooh meant to give him a pot of honey for his birthday and what he got was a popped balloon and an empty pot. He enjoys his gifts because his friends thought to give them to him. 6

7 4. Creative Problem Solving. In the very first story of the very first book we learn about Pooh s Passion for Honey. (We also learn that capitalizing words in the middle of the sentence makes them serve two purposes; to stand out as a Very Important Idea and to define A. A. Milne s Narrative Voice.) In Pooh s quest for honey, the bees have become suspicious of him, and thus he needs a new plan that will allow him to fly under the radar and stealthily take the honey. He decides on attaching himself to a balloon. But a blue balloon or a green balloon? He explains the benefit of each to Christopher Robin: When you go after honey with a balloon, the great thing is not to let the bees know you re coming. Now, if you have a green balloon, they might think you were only part of the tree and not notice you, and if you have a blue balloon, they might think you were only part of the sky and not notice you. (Winnie The Pooh, p. 13) 5. The Importance of Education. But to the Educated - mark this, little Piglet to the Educated, not meaning Poohs and Piglets, it s a great and glorious A." (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 88) Those who can spell in the Hundred Acre Wood are the ones the others look up to. Owl is wise and often consulted for advice because he can spell Tuesday. 6. Taking Pleasure in the Simple Things in Life. And that was the beginning of a game called Poohsticks, which Pooh invented, and which he and his friends used to play on the edge of the forest. (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 95) Poohsticks may be one of the simplest games invented, but with the right friends, it can be endlessly entertaining. 7. Get Along With Everyone. Tigger is all right, really, said Piglet lazily. Of course he is, said Christopher Robin. Everybody is really, said Pooh. That s what I think. (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 108) Even though Tigger is strange to them at first, the other characters soon embrace him as a friend. If these woodland creatures are able to put aside their, at times, staggering differences, certainly we human beings can as well. 8. Take Time to Do Nothing. It means just going along, listening to all the things you can t hear, and not bothering. (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 173). In an 7

8 increasingly stressful world is it important to remember that a break is necessary to one s physical and mental health. 9. Embrace Your Individuality. There are so many wonderful things about Tigger, but what s the MOST wonderful thing? That he s the only one! Being different is great. 10. Friendship. Pooh, promise you won t forget about me, ever. Not even when I m a hundred." Pooh thought for a little. How old shall I be then? Ninety-nine. I promise, he said. (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 179). The overall theme of Winnie the Pooh is the importance of forming solid, lasting friendships. With good friends, you will always have someone there to lean on, someone who will go on adventures and expeditions with you, and even someone who might invite you over for tea and a mouthful of something. Winnie the Pooh is the source of one of my all-time favorite quotes, and it seems particularly fitting on this occasion. If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart I'll always be with you. 8

9 Synopsis Biography of A. A. Milne British author A.A. Milne was born in London, England, on January 18, After attending the University of Cambridge's Trinity College and writing for the literary magazines Granta and Punch, Milne began a successful career as a novelist, poet and playwright in the 1920s. His best known works are his two collections of children's poetry, When We Were Young and Now We Are Six, and his two books of stories about the lovable bear Winnie-the-Pooh and his animal friends. Milne died on January 31, Early Life and Education A.A. Milne was born Alan Alexander Milne on January 18, 1882, in London, England. He and his two older brothers were raised in London by their parents, Sarah Marie (née Heginbotham) and John Vine Milne, the headmaster of a private school named Henley House. Milne was educated at Westminster School in London and at the University of Cambridge's Trinity College. While at Cambridge, he studied mathematics and also edited and wrote for the student magazine Granta. Realizing that writing was his true vocation, he moved to London after his graduation in He began writing for the literary magazine Punch in 1906, and his essays and humorous poetry were published in the magazine through Wartime Service and Literary Success Despite being a pacifist, in 1915, Milne served in World War I, enlisting in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and then working in the Royal Corps of Signals. He was discharged in 1919 and settled in London with his wife, Dorothy "Daphne" de Sélincourt (whom he had married in 1913). Their son, Christopher Robin, was born in

10 During his military service, Milne had written his first play, a one-act farce titled Wurzel-Flummery. After the war, he achieved success as a playwright. His comedies of the early 1920s, including Mr. Pim Passes By (1921) and The Dover Road (1921), were enthusiastically received by critics and audiences. He also penned a detective novel titled The Red House Mystery, published in In 1929 he wrote a stage adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic children's book The Wind in the Willows titled Toad of Toad Hall. 'Winnie-the-Pooh' and Other Children's Literature In 1924, Milne applied his long-time talent for light verse to a collection of children's poems titled When We Were Very Young. This book included poems such as "Buckingham Palace" and "Halfway Down," which were inspired by his 4-year-old son's pastimes. In 1927, Milne wrote a second volume of verse for young readers, titled Now We Are Six. Milne's greatest and enduring successes, however, were his books Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928). These two volumes told the adventures of a young boy named Christopher Robin, after Milne's own son (Christopher Robin Milne), and his animal playmates, who were inspired by the real Christopher Robin's stuffed toys. A bear named Winnie-the-Pooh was the central character, accompanied by fussy Rabbit, gloomy donkey Eeyore, bouncy tiger Tigger, kind kangaroo Kanga and her baby Roo, wise Owl and shy Piglet. The adventures of Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood, illustrated by artist Ernest H. Shepard, were all best-sellers and made Milne a household name. Later Years In the 1930s and '40s, A.A. Milne returned to writing for adults, publishing novels, short-story collections and a non-fiction, anti-war book entitled Peace with Honour. He wrote his autobiography, It's Too Late Now, in Milne suffered from illness in the early 1950s and died at his home in Hartfield, East Sussex, England, on January 31, Winnie-the-Pooh and the other characters of the Pooh stories have lived on as iconic figures in children's literature. Excerpt from Bio.com 10

11 Cast Profiles (in alphabetical order ) Dale Ethan Becker is a senior at LHWL. He plays Owl in The House at Pooh Corner, which is his eleventh performance at LHWL. Some other significant roles he has played are Doc Gibbs in Our Town, Ewart Dunlop from the Barber Shop Quartet in The Music Man, and his debut role as Dude in Friday Night Fever at Kinsley Junior High. His favorite children's book is The Lorax, because it was one of the first books his parents read to him. Andrew Bunge is a junior at Lutheran High Westland. He plays the unruly youth, Early Rabbit, in The House at Pooh Corner, which is his eighth theatre performance at LHWL. His favorite roles have been that of Dr. Einstein in Arsenic and Old Lace and Tommy Djilas in The Music Man. Childhood books like Snappy Little Colors, Bedtime Bear, and Noodles held his interest because they had great illustrations and lots of tabs and levers to pull and doors to look behind. Timothy Contreras is a junior at Lutheran Westland and is playing an extra animal (Fox) in the play. He has also been in Up the Down Staircase as Lennie, The Magician's Nephew as Uncle Andrew, as well as a couple other plays. His favorite children's story is The Cat in the Hat. Hannah Coomer, a junior, is an extra animal (Chipmunk) in The House at Pooh Corner. She has also played Alma Hix in The Music Man, Josie Rodriguez in Up the Down Staircase, and Mrs. Macready in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Allison Crawford, a senior and National Honor Thespian at LHWL, plays Piglet. She has been involved both on and off stage as makeup manager and occasional musician for ten productions over her high school career. She also recently became involved in two productions at the Dearborn Players Guild. Some of her most memorable roles include Belinda Cratchit in A Christmas Carol, Stage Manager in Our Town, and Alice Blake in Up the Down Staircase. She hopes to continue theater involvement in college by minoring in music performance. Her favorite childhood story is The Velveteen Rabbit. 11

12 Cast Profiles (in alphabetical order ) Caitlyn Downer, a junior, is playing Kanga. She has also played Lieutenant Rooney in Arsenic and Old Lace and stage managed for The Music Man as well as Up the Down Staircase. Her favorite children's story is The Rainbow Fish because it shows you that it's okay to be a distinctive individual, even if it makes you different from what people expect you to be. Late Rabbit, played by ophomore Chris Henry, is a side character with little influence on the plot. He is the brother of Early Rabbit and one of many nephews of Rabbit. This is his first play at LHWL. Bryce Jameson Ingersoll, a junior at Lutheran High Westland, plays the part of Winnie the Pooh in The House at Pooh Corner. Other major roles he has had include Marcellus Washburn in The Music Man, Teddy Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace, Juror #3 in Twelve Angry Jurors, and Oliver Warbucks in Annie. He hopes to become a world famous actor for either Hollywood or Broadway (which may be a long shot). His favorite set of children stories were those by Beatrix Potter, who created Peter Rabbit. Brandon Michael Kruger portrays Christopher Robin. This is his thirteenth and final production at LHWL. His favorite past roles include the titular roles in Macbeth and The Music Man. He is so grateful to Mr. David Kusch for all his guidance in the past 4 years, to his beautiful parents for their love and encouragement, and to his Lord Jesus Christ for guiding him always. Anders Mattson is a junior at Lutheran High Westland. He is part of the backstage crew in this play. Previous roles include the dashing Jonathan Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace and Lou Martin in Up the Down Staircase. Anders favorite children's story is Cat in the Hat. Lena Pennington plays Roo in The House on Poo Corner. Some other roles she has been in at LHWL are Amaryllis in The Music Man, Juliet in The Taming of the Shrew Explained, and Officer Klein in Arsenic and Old Lace. Her favorite children's story was Snow White, which she had read to her so often that she had it memorized at three years old. 12

13 Cast Profiles (in alphabetical order ) Joe Pranschke, a junior at LHWL, plays Eeyore in The House at Pooh Corner. Additionally, he has played Hamlet in The Taming of the Shrew Explained and Joe Ferone in Up the Down Staircase. He enjoys drama very much and hopes to continue acting at least through the rest of high school. Joshua John Schwaegerle is a junior at Lutheran High Westland. He plays Rabbit in The House at Pooh Corner, his tenth role at LHWL. Some other significant roles he has had include Mr. Webb in Our Town and Mayor Shinn in The Music Man. He hopes to continue his theatre career through his final year at Lutheran High into college and later in life. His favorite children's book is Go, Dog, Go simply because it involves dogs driving cars, which is one of the coolest things ever written about in the halls of literature. Laura Sillanpaa, a senior at Lutheran High Westland, plays the role of Tigger. She has held roles in previous productions here at LHWL including Jacey Squires (the high tenor member of the Quartet) in The Music Man, Grumio in The Taming of the Shrew Explained, and many others. Laura currently is an officer on the Thespian Executive Board at Lutheran High Westland, and she films and edits videos for promotion. Her favorite childhood books were The Berenstain Bears series by Stan and Jan Berenstain, even though she distinctly remembers them as being named The BerenSTEIN Bears. Nailah Stoakley is a junior at Lutheran High Westland. She is an extra animal in The House at Pooh Corner. Her favorite children's story would probably have to be Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride. Allison Uzarek, a senior, is the stage manager for The House at Pooh Corner. This is her tenth and final production at LHWL and she is very grateful to have been given such an important part behind the stage. She has previously been seen as one of the chorus members in The Music Man, Vivian Paine in Up the Down Staircase, and Biondello in The Taming of the Shrew. Her favorite childhood stories were the Little Critter series by Mercer Mayer. The series belonged to her mother, and her grandmother helped add to her collection which made the stories even more special. 13