ELEPHANT & PIGGIE’S“WE ARE IN A PLAY”

BASED ON THE ELEPHANT & PIGGIE BOOKS BY MO WILLEMS

McAninch Arts Center

SchoolStage Series

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SHOWThis is the a story about Friendship – “Bestus” a word Gerald and Piggie made up

that means: very best friends.

For Gerald and Piggie – friendship means• Taking Turns

• Sharing

• Being Compassionate

• Telling the Truth

Gerald and Piggie share a day when anything is possible. They solve problems

together, sing and dance, make each other laugh, get mad and sad with each

other, and even do a little goofing around with you – the audience!

This play is adapted from six books: I’m Invited to a Party!, Listen to my Trumpet!,

I Am Going!, Should I Share My Ice Cream?, I Love My New Toy! and We Are in a

Book!

Gerald: is a careful, somewhat formally attired Elephant – prone to

worry. His best friend is Piggie

Piggie: is a playful, inquisitive pink pig. Piggie is an optimist whose

best friend is Gerald.

The Squirelles: A trio of fun-loving squirrels.

Dog: A dutiful Delivery Dog

Penguin: A sarcastic ice-cream seller

CHARACTERS IN THE PLAYWho are you most like?

After the show, what other words can be used to

describe these characters?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & COMPOSERMO WILLEMS - Author#1 New York Times Bestseller Mo Willems was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. While in high school, he created a

comic strip for a weekly newspaper and performed stand-up at a comedy club. After graduating college, Mo traveled

abroad and then began his career working many different jobs. He auditioned and was hired as a writer and animator for

Sesame Street from 1993-2002. Early influences on his work include Charles Schulz and Saul Steinberg. He has

received three Caldecott Honors for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Knuffle Bunny and its sequel.

Mo wrote the script and lyrics for both play productions of Knuffle Bunny and Elephant and Piggie that were

commissioned by and debuted at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Mo says, “When I was a kid, I wanted to draw and be funny.” Today, he lives in Massachusetts with his family, and they like to draw together every night at dinnertime.

DEBORAH WICKS LaPUMA - Composeris a composer, music director, and orchestrator who grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Lisbon, Portugal. Her

prolific collaboration with Karen Zacarias includes Chasing George Washington: A White House Adventure (Kennedy

Center), Frida Libre (La Jolla Playhouse), Ferdinand the Bull (based on the book by Munro Leaf) Einstein Is a

Dummy (Alliance Theatre), and Looking for Roberto Clemente (Imagination Stage). Other premiere works for young

audiences include Elephant and Piggie's We are In a Play with author Mo Willems and Nobody's Perfect (based on

the book by Marlee Matlin) with Doug Cooney, a musical in English and American Sign Language, commissioned by

VSA and the Kennedy Center. A proud Mexican-American, she is also a member of the board of directors of TYA

USA/ASSITEJ International, ASCAP, and The Dramatist Guild.

BRINGING STORIES TO LIFEWHO DOES IT TAKE?

Composer: who writes the music

Director: who guides the whole team

Choreographer: who plans all the dance movements

Music Director: who directs the musical part of the performance

Set Designer: who decides how the stage will look

Lighting Designer: who plans how to use lights to help tell the story

Costume Designer: who plans what the performers wear

Stage Manager: who runs the show from behind the stage

PRE-SHOW VOCABULARYUnintended Consequences: things that happen that surprise you.

Pachyderm: a thick-skinned animal like an elephant or hippopotamus.

Swine: a short-haired animal with a curly tail and hooves, like a pig.

Unpossible: a made-up word Gerald uses when he means not possible or impossible.

Contingency: something that might happen in the future but is not certain.

Sty: a fenced area, usually for pigs.

Manipulate: to change what people do or the

way something happens.

BIG FEELINGS During the performance, Gerald and Piggie have strong emotions or feelings

• Joy• Anger• Love• Worry• Fear• Embarrassment (feeling uncomfortable

with something you have done)

Think about how these two good friends share such different feelings. Discuss with your family/teachers/friends what you think makes a good friend and why.

PRE & POST ACTIVITY: WHAT’S IN A SONG?

• Lucky to See You• Swimy! Fancy!• Don’t Go• Ice Cream Hero• Ode to Toy

• Toy Breaker• Elephant in the Room• We’re in a Play• We’ll Be Friends• We’ve Been Lucky

After the show, discuss how each song made you feel and why?Which song was your favorite?

During the show, listen for how performers communicate when they sing these songs. Listen for rhyming words like “Piggie” and “biggie” or “fear and “dear”, or soft rhymes like “prince” and “audience”

PRE & POST ACTIVITY: KNOW THAT TUNE?Listen carefully when Piggie sings about her new toy – does the music seem familiar? It is from “Ode to Joy” a piece composed more than 200 years ago by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is often used in concerts, commercials, TV shows and movies. Listen to Ode to Joy.

POST SHOW - PLAYING DRESS UPActors pretend to be different characters. To become their various animal characters they have to change how they

• Talk• Dance• Sing• Move

How can you transform to be an elephant or pig?

If you were the show’s costume designer and had to use ordinary clothes for Gerald & Piggie what would you choose? Make a list – draw a picture. Use your imagination!

POST SHOW – ENDLESS POSSIBILITIESGerald and Piggie love using their imaginations and realize they can do anything together – play Ping-Pong, wear silly hats. 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:____________________

A Swimming Pool

How the Squirrelles sometimes play other characters in the story –

name the other animals they play

Props (objects used on stage) like an ice cream cone and a toy

How the lights and music change to show slow or fast motion

Flippy Floppy Floory Dance

What does the trumpet sound like

Special magic word Gerald and Piggie use for “please”

DURING THE SHOW – CAN YOU FIND

1. What are some examples of when Gerald and Piggie used their imaginations during the play?

2. What makes a good friend? Do you think Gerald and Piggie are good at helping each other? What is something you have done to help a friend?

3. What is something that you have taught a friend? What is something a friend has taught you?

4. What is your favorite activity to do with friends? What makes it special?

5. What are examples of when Gerald and Piggie shows appreciation for each other?

POST SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

POST SHOW – REVIEW THE SHOWA reviewer’s job is to see a play and write about what they liked and what they didn’t like. It is your turn to write or draw a review and share your ideas about your experience.

Write or Draw what was your• Favorite part and why• If you could change one thing to make the play better – what

would it be?

Sign your name and share with your teachers/friends/parents.Feel free to share your reviews with us! Mail or email: McAninch Arts Center, Attn: Janey Sarther, 425 Fawell Blvd, Glen Ellyn, IL or sarther@cod.edu

SchoolStage Series is supported by a grant from the

Illinois Arts Council.

SPECIAL THANKS

RESOURCES

Kennedy Center “Cuesheet Performance Guide”