McAninch Arts Center SchoolStage Series
ADAPTING A BOOK INTO A PLAY Richard Tulloch is a playwright and author who brings the energetic and fun book 13 th -Story Treehouse to the stage. The process requires changes! In the book, Andy and Terry are trying to get a book written. In the play, Andy and Terry have arrived to take part in a play rehearsal only to find that they are a week late and now have an audience to entertain and a show to put on. The basics: Andy and Terry live in an amazing 13 th -Story Treehouse with bowling alley, see-through swimming pool, tank with man-eating sharks, secret underground laboratory, marshmallow machine that feeds them when they are hungry. When they get down to work, they are interrupted by a series of disasters and distractions.
BRINGING STORIES TO LIFE WHO DOES IT TAKE? Author/Playwright: writes the words and actions Director: guides the whole team and makes final decisions Choreographer: plans all the dance movements Lighting Designer: plans the lights to help tell the story Costume Designer: plans what the performers wear Set Designer: decides how the stage will look with furniture and props Stage Manager: in charge of the performance from behind the stage. Tells everyone when to start the play, when to turn on or off music/lights/etc. Put together your own production! Divide up the roles and make your own show!
PLAN & DESIGN YOUR OWN TREEHOUSE Terry and Andy live in an amazing 13-Story Treehouse. It has a: Bowling Alley See-through Swimming Pool Tank full of Man-eating Sharks Vines for swinging Games Room Secret underground laboratory Lemonade Fountain Vegetable Vaporizer Marshmallow Machine that follows them and shoots marshmallows into their mouths whenever they are hungry NOW it is your turn. First decide what your treehouse will have in it be creative! Then lay it out what works best on what floor then determine how many floors you need. Lastly, put it all together with a detailed picture of your dream treehouse. Be sure to label your drawing!
MAKE A MAP AND SHOW A JOURNEY When Terry paints Jill s cat Silky she grows wings and flies away. Imagine you have just kicked a ball and it goes on an amazing journey. Title your drawing: The day my ball didn t come back! Show where the starts from your foot and where it goes. Include the reactions of humans and animals it passes by.
POSTER DESIGNER When Silky the cat goes missing, Jill makes a poster to help spread the word. Be original and make your own missing poster for Pet Brother/Sister Parent Teacher School Bag Your own Brain! What to include: the missing item, label parts of the item, likes and dislikes of the missing item. Don t forget to detail the reward for finding the item!
WRITE A POEM/SONG In the show, Andy discovers that Mermaidia isn t a mermaid but a sea monster when he overhears her talking to herself in the bathroom. Mermaidia s confession is written as a poem in the book, and adapted into a song for the show, based on fairy tale rhymes Jack and the Beanstalk Mirror, mirror on the wall who s the fairest of them all? 13 th Story Treehouse Bathroom mirror on the wall who s the sneakiest sea monster of all? YOUR TURN Write a poem based on a nursery rhyme or song!
CREATE A SUPERHERO Andy and Terry work together to create a superhero. Terry draws Andy writes. Together they create Superfinger who solves problems requiring finger-based solutions. Example: Superfinger helps lost people by pointing them in the right direction. Superfinger helps clear blocks noses. Superfinger helps tie knots. Find a partner and together create a new Superhero to solve problems at home and at school! How to start? 1. Pick an ordinary object 2. Create it s main weapon for the superhero 3. What good does it offer? Possible objects: Rubber Duck, Hairdryer, Tweezers, Toilet Paper, Fork, Hammer, Hamburger, Calculator, Cardboard Box
LISTS Terry is too busy to help Andy and to prove it shows him a long list of To Do items. But he also has a To Don t list. 1. Create a list of ten things you HAVE to do in a typical week. 2. Make a list of ten things you would LOVE to do instead. 3. Combine both to create your ultimate TO DO list. 4. Create a To Don t list. These should be ten things you would love to do but SHOULDN T!
MIX & MATCH There are amazing new animals in 13 th Story Treehouse. Create your own by combing the head of one animal with the body of another. Give your animal a name and write a little bit about it. Jill s Cat Silky cat with bird wings Jill riding her new pet frogpotamus
POST SHOW ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES Andy & Terry love using their imagination What would you and a friend/teacher/parent do with endless possibilities? If my (friend/teacher/parent) and I could travel anywhere in the world, we would go to: If my (friend/teacher/parent) and I could meet anyone in the world, we would meet: If my (friend/teacher/parent) and I could build anything in the world, we would build: If my (friend/teacher/parent) and I could cook anything in the world, we would create:
POST SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. How was the play different from the book? What worked and what didn t work? 2. Did the costumes worn by the actors make sense? 3. Did the actors chose for each character do a good job in their roles? 4. What makes something creative? What part of the play did you find the most creative? What could have been done that was missing? 5. What is your favorite activity to do with friends? What is something a friend has taught you? What can you teach to a friend? 6. Did you enjoy the performance? What was your favorite part?
ONLINE RESOURCES For interactive online 13 th Story Treehouse resources visit Author Website: http://www.andygriffiths.com.au/books/ Activities: http://www.treehousebookseries.com/ Many of the activities are based on the book Once Upon a Slime: 45 ways to get writing FAST! by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
SPECIAL THANKS SchoolStage Series is supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.