it’s raining tamales - schenectady theater for children€¦ · read or review a copy of the...

It’s Raining Tamales Study Guide Schenectady Theater for Children www.stcny.org

The Schenectady Theater for Children, Inc.

presents

It’s Raining Tamales

by Kit Goldstein

Study Guide and Resource Book


All pages may be photocopied

Director and Choreographer

Johnny Martinez

Producer

Criss Macaione-Bilodeau

Composer and Lyricist

Kit Goldstein

Music Arranger

Art „Doc‟ Salvatore

Set Designer

Dee Mulford

Costumer

Karen Boynton

Cover painting “Untitled”

by Lionel H. Pries

With special thanks to….

Hermes Music Stores

Ronald McDonald House Charities

Time Warner Corporation

Francisca Cruz Mikayla Tougas

Kimberly Gordon Bert Van Wie

and

Funding

for this project made possible in part by a

grant from the Schenectady County

Legislature through its County Initiative

Program


Preparing To See a Play

Before the show

Audience members can enhance the enjoyment of any production by knowing something about the

performance before the show. Here are some suggestions to help you.

1. Define and discuss the following theater terms:

playwright stage manager character

composer ―tech‖ setting

director costume plot

choreographer set art/scene

musical director properties production

actor/performer lights intermission

sound effects

2. Read or review a copy of the script for It’s Raining Tamales by Kit Goldstein. Pay particular

attention to details of the action, time and place.

At the show

1. When you take your seat in the audience, you accept the responsibility of a special agreement.

Part of this agreement includes believing that what you are seeing is real. It is happening NOW

before your eyes. Aristotle called this the ―suspension of disbelief‖.

2. You, the audience. In the theater, the audience has an important role to play. Listen carefully.

Let the play unfold and let it enfold you.

3. You and the actors. A very special relationship between the actors and the audience grows

during the play. The actors know you are there and your response is important. If something

is funny – laugh! If it is sad – cry! If you are surprised – gasp! But please remember that the

actors can hear you so do not talk or make noises that can startle or distract the actors.

After the show

Here are some questions you can think about and discuss after you have seen It’s Raining Tamales

1. What was your reaction to the play? Did you learn anything about human behavior? How did you

feel about the conclusion?

2. Were the actors believable?

3. How did the show’s designer show the passage of time?


4. What technical aspects of the play helped to move the show along? How?

5. Explore the following through class discussion, a writing assignment or perhaps an acting

workshop:

A) Imagine yourself as a character in the play you have just seen.

B) Continue the action of the play beyond the ending you saw. Create the next scene.

C) Design your own production of the play – be as creative as your imagination will allow and we

know how creative you are!

Synopsis of It’s Raining Tamales by Kit Goldstein

Directed by Johnny Martinez

and produced by Criss Macaione-Bilodeau

This popular Mexican folktale about a poor woodcutter and his wife is related to

the audience by the couple’s cat ―el Gato‖. El Gato tells us that Hector, the woodcutter is

―not very clever. But he means well.‖

As usually happens in these stories, the poor couple find themselves without any

food and the woodcutter goes off into the woods to chop some wood so he and his wife

Inez can make it through one more day.

While Hector is out chopping wood he finds a bag of money that the bandito

Rafael has hidden in a tree stump.

Hector tells his wife that they must either find the rightful owner of the money or

celebrate their good fortune with their neighbors. Inez, who is more cynical and selfish,

tells her husband they must hide the money and say nothing. She tells Hector, ―… if a

robber stole this money and that robber hears we have found it he will come to our

house and demand it back.‖

Inez comes up with a plan. She knows her husband well and she knows that he

can’t keep his mouth shut. So if Hector can’t keep quiet, Inez will make sure that no one

will believe a word Hector says!

In It’s Raining Tamales, as in every tale told by the Schenectady Theater for

Children, honesty (along with comedy) always wins and crime does not pay!


Mexico – History, Geography and Culture

At a Glance

On September 16, 1810, independence from Spain was declared by Padre Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, ―The Father of Mexico‖.

Today, Felipe Calderon is the President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012. He is a member of the National Action Party (PAN), one of the three major Mexican political parties.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_Hidalgo_y_Costilla

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_Hidalgo_y_Costilla

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Action_Party_(Mexico)


Agriculture

Only 11% of Mexico is arable and of that acreage less than 3% is irrigated. The most

important crops in Mexico are corn, tomatoes, sugar cane and avocados. Mexico also

produces a large quantity of meat and dairy products. The United States is one of

Mexico’s largest trade partners.

Food

Mexico is most famous for having given chocolate to the world. Other foods that are

native to Mexico are corn, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. Corn is the basis of Mexican

cooking, and has been for centuries. It can be found in almost every meal, usually in the

form of the tortilla (flatbread). Popular fruits and vegetables are tomatoes, tomatillos

(green tomatoes), squash, sweet potato, avocado, mango, pineapple, papaya, and

nopales (from the prickly pear cactus). Chicken and pork are common. Chilies give

Mexican cooking a distinctive flavor, which is often enhanced with herbs, such as

cilantro and thyme, and spices, including cumin, cinnamon, and cloves.

(Foodbycountry.com)

Tamales are a very popular and delicious food in Mexico but they are not easy to make!

Most tamale recipes require about two days to prepare.

Ingredients (using 3 pounds of meat makes about 5 dozen tamales!) You can buy the

ingredients in many local supermarkets.

1.5 pounds pork roast

1.5 pounds beef roast

2 large onions


4 cloves garlic

1/4 cup chili powder or more (depends on heat of chili powder and spice tolerance of

tamale eaters)

salt

pepper

cumin

4 cups masa harina

[MAH-sah ah-REE-nah]

The Spanish word for "dough," masa is the traditional dough used to make corn

tortillas and tamales. It's made with sun- or fire-dried corn kernels that have been

cooked in limewater (water mixed with calcium oxide). After having been cooked, then

soaked in the limewater overnight, the wet corn is ground into masa. Masa harina

(literally "dough flour") is flour made from dried masa. (epicurious.com)

2 cups shortening

Corn husks (2-3 packages for full recipe)

Day 1:

Cook meat (pork or beef, or both in separate pots) in a large pot of water (or in a slow-

cooker filled with water) with an onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, salt

and pepper. Cook for the day, 4 hours minimum. The more broth you can generate from

the meat, the better!

After the meat is cooked (so that it falls apart and shreds easily), remove from pot, set

aside to cool, and puree the onion and garlic with the broth. Season broth mixture to

taste with chili powder and salt.

Shred meat finely with two forks (you can even chop it after shredding), and store

covered in refrigerator separately from broth.

Soak corn husks in water overnight.

Day 2:

Rinse and clean corn husks thoroughly. Drain well and pat dry.

Season shredded meat with chili powder, salt, and cumin (optional) to taste. As you

season the meat, add a small amount of broth to moisten meat, but it should not be

runny.

For every 2 cups of masa harina (meal), add ½ cup of shortening or lard, 1tsp. of salt,

and enough chili powder to make a pink dough. Add broth mixture a little at a time to

masa and mix with your hands to get a smooth, spreadable consistency. If you run out of


broth, you can use hot water, but you will wish you had plenty of broth. (If you use about

3 pounds of meat, you will likely use about 4 cups of masa harina in total).

Assemble the tamales: spread masa about 1/8 inch thick on corn husk with fingers,

leaving about ½ inch border along the sides and 2 inch border along the top and bottom

of husk. Use about 2 Tbsp. of shredded meat to fill the tamal (like a cigar). Fold sides

until they just overlap, fold narrow end under, and place tamal folded side down.

Grandma Salazar tears thin strips of the corn husks to tie a ―little belt‖ around each

tamal to keep it secure. Although this isn’t necessary, it does look the nicest and makes

each tamal a little gift to be opened.

To cook, steam fresh tamales for 15 minutes or until masa is no longer sticky.

Store in freezer. Steam frozen tamales for 20 minutes. (This is a real treat a few days or

a few weeks later. After you’ve recovered, it’s almost like someone else made them for

you!).

http://www.deliciousdays.com/archives/2007/03/27/grandma-salazars-tamales/

Literature

The play, It’s Raining Tamales takes place in rural Mexico. The playwright, Kit

Goldstein tells us the setting is ―a small village in Mexico during the second half of the

19th century.‖

Students can learn about Mexico and Mexican-Americans in many works of

children’s and young adult literature. To enhance the enjoyment of the play and to learn

about Mexico, teachers might enjoy reading (or suggesting) the following books and

authors to their students (of course there are many many more!):

Picture Books

Elena’s Serenade by Campbell Geeslin ―follows a feisty little Mexican girl on a quest to

prove to her father--and herself--that she can be anything she wants, even if she is a

girl‖. Amazon.com review.

Two Iguanas by Tony Johnston ―Spanish words and phrases neatly enrich the Mexican

setting.‖ Publishers Weekly


My Mexico / México mío by Tony Johnston ―you will find your own Mexico in these poems in both English and Spanish.‖ Amazon.com The legend of the Poinsettia and The Lady of Guadalupe both by Tomi de Paola. Picture books about two important Mexican feast days and how they are celebrated. Older readers

The Pearl by John Steinbeck Poignant story of the Mexican pearl divers.

Books about Mexican-Americans

A Novel Of The Barrio (Any Small Goodness) by Tony Johnston (Grades 4-7). “This

novel set in East Los Angeles provides a glimpse of the daily life of an extended

Mexican-American family rich in relationships, if not in material possessions.‖ School

Library Journal

Parrot in the Oven by Victor Martinez (Grades 5 – 8) National Book Award winning novel The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (Middle school and up). A ―wonderful series of vignettes about growing up in a run-down section of Chicago.‖ There are also many good books that reinforce the message of honesty that It’s Raining Tamales teaches. The Gold Coin by Alma F. Ada. Juan, who has always been a thief, turns honest. One to Grow On by Jean Little. Janie tells so many stories that no one knows when to believe her. And the Winner is...Jessica Wakefield! By Francine Pascal. Seven-year-old Jessica wins a free trip to an amusement park, but can’t claim it because the prize is restricted to kids 13 and older. The Real Thief. Farrar by William Steig. Falsely accused by his beloved monarch of theft from the royal treasury, Gawain the Goose undergoes bitter exile until the real thief confesses.

Art Another good way to learn about a country is through its artwork. Throughout the twentieth century there have been many artists who have depicted Mexico. The set designer, Dee Mulford and costumer Karen Boynton were inspired by many of these famous artists when they created the sets and costumes for It’s Raining Tamales.

Perhaps the best known Mexican artist of the twentieth century is Diego Rivera (1886 –1957). He is most famous for his large murals.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Tony%20Johnston


Baile Tehunatepec (1928) by Diego Rivera

Manuel Lepe Macedo (1936 - 1984) was a Mexican artist who painted in the Naïve style He painted mostly themes based on the landscape and townscape of his native Puerto Vallarta. He was self taught. Children can relate to his bright colors and fantastic scenes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Na%C3%AFve_Art

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Vallarta


José Chávez Morado (1909 - 2002) was a Mexican painter and sculptor who, like Rivera is a well known and highly regarded for the murals he painted in Mexico in the first half of the 20th Century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sculptor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_murals


Rodolfo Morales (1925–2001) was a Mexican surrealist painter, who, like our playwright Kit Goldstein, incorporated elements of magic realism into his work. Morales is best known for his brightly colored surrealistic dream-like canvases and collages often featuring Mexican women in village settings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_people

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrealist

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_realism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canvases

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collages

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Village


Coloring Page


Music

In a musical performance, music is important to set the mood of a story and create the atmosphere. Some music is played on instruments only and some may also be sung by an individual (solo), two people (duet), three (trio), or a group (chorus). Sometimes the music may use a combination of these groups within the same song! The composer writes the music to specifically evoke an emotional response within the listener by choosing the instruments and vocal parts carefully and by using the elements of Beat, Tempo, Rhythm, Melody, Tone color, and Dynamics among others. Some emotions we may experience through music are sadness, happiness, hopefulness, thoughtfulness, deviousness, excitement, or a sense of fun. The setting of the story may also be established though the musical style. The music can also be used to set the theme for a character, so that each time the character appears the music helps to announce their presence. The lyrics, (words) set to the music continue to tell the story in unique ways by further allowing the characters feelings and thoughts to be heard through their voices on stage. Choreographers use music to move the characters in dances that not only entertain but engage the audience as well and develop the story further. The music found in ―Its Raining Tamales,‖ written by Kit Goldstein, is both sung and instrumental. It is an important part of the performance as it is used to create the setting, set the mood of each scene and better tell the story. Ms. Goldstein wrote not only all of the script, but she also selected the beat of each piece, crafting the melodies, and rhythms. She also chose the style, the instruments and voices carefully for their tone color and wrote each lyric to fit each character. As you listen to the music, pay attention to how the music sets the scene, how it makes you feel, who is singing, how the music sounds to your ear (low/ high, fast/ slow, loud/ soft, etc.) and what the characters are saying in their songs! Some Musical Vocabulary: Lyrics- The words to each song. Melody- The notes that make up the musical ―theme‖ of each song. Dynamics-The use of different levels of ―loudness‖ or ―softness‖ in a piece of music.


Rhythm-Anything associated with the duration or length of a sound. Also called note value. Usually, the pattern of sound lengths will take the form of quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes, whole notes in standard written music. Beat- The steady pulse in the music. Tempo-The speed of the music. Tone color (timbre)-the individual sound or characteristic of each instrument or voice Instrumental- Music that is only played on instruments, not sung. Vocal-Music that includes singers. Music that is meant to be sung. Style-The genre, era or type of music such as Latin, Jazz, Classical, Patriotic, et cetera. Setting- The time and location where the story takes place. To complete the following exercise: A. See if you can remember which character (s) sang each of these songs from ―It’s Raining Tamales‖ B. Decide which emotion you think was illustrated in the song C. Identify what kind of group performed it (a Solo, a Duet, a Trio, or a Chorus) Song Character(s) Emotion Group 1. ―Something Great‖ _____________ ___________ _______ 2. ―Take the Money and Run‖ _____________ ___________ _______ 3. ―Stolen Away‖ _____________ ___________ _______ 4. ―Tamale Factory‖ _____________ ___________ _______ 5. ―Clever and Smart‖ _____________ ___________ _______ 6. ―Fiesta‖ _____________ ___________ _______ 7. ―A Bad Bandito‖ _____________ ___________ _______ 8. ―It Rained Tamales‖ _____________ ___________ _______


Learning Activities

Spanish

Find Mexico on a map or globe.

What is the capital of Mexico?

The people of Mexico speak Spanish. Here is a list of the Spanish vocabulary you will hear while you watch the play. Listen to your teacher say the word in Spanish and then repeat the word. While you

watch the play, listen carefully for these words:

Amigo = ―friend‖

Ay caramba! = an exclamation of dismay or surprise

Ay! = ―Ouch!‖ or ―Oh!‖

Bandito = robber, bandit

Bueno = good

Buenos dias = good morning

Buenos noches = good night

Burro = donkey

Compadre = friend

El gato = cat

Fiesta = celebration or party

Hola = hello

Hurra! = hooray!

Loco = crazy

Ole! =

Por favor = please

Por un momento = just a moment

Señor = mister


Señora = Mrs.

Si = yes

Siesta = nap

Here is a funny rhyme that Mexican children learn when they are learning the vowels

a e i o u - el burro sabe mas que tu = a e i o u the donkey knows more than you!

Language Arts - Idioms

Some of the characters in the play use idioms. What is an idiom?

Below are some of the idioms used in the play. What do you think they mean?

Do you know any other idioms?

Can you illustrate (draw a picture of) these idioms?

The shrimp that falls asleep gets carried away by the current.

Money doesn’t grow on trees.

Keep something under your hat.

Zip your lip.

Put two and two together.

Read the book The Day it Snowed Tortillas by Joe Hayes. How does the storyline compare with It’s Raining Tamale, the play you just watched, presented by the Schenectady Theater for Children?

1) What was similar?

2) What was different?

3) Are there any characters in the play that were not in the book? Who?

4) Are there any characters in the book that are not in the play? Who?

5) What are the silly things that Inez has Hector do in the play?

6) What are the silly things that the woodcutter’s wife has him do in the book?

7) Write a recipe for shoe stew. What ingredients would you add? How would you make it?


Character Building Activities

Honesty is the best policy

Math

In the end, Hector and Inez were honest. They made sure that the money was returned to Teresa, the rightful owner. Often people are not so honest. Ask your students to record how many incidents of honesty or dishonesty they notice in the newspaper. Look at the newspaper for a period of time (a day or two). With the results, students can create their own graph or add to a whole class graph about honesty in the newspaper. Students could do the same for TV viewing. Language Arts Answer the following questions. (Students can write or discuss the answers.) ―Honesty is the best policy.‖ What do you think this means? Do you agree? The following phrase is often used to describe an honest person. ―As honest as the day is long‖ Think about it. What do you think this means? Is it a good way to describe somebody? Why? or Why not?

Can you think of a time when you were tempted to do something that wasn’t? honest, but changed your mind in the end? Write or discuss about what happened. Art - How Does Honesty Feel? Draw a picture of how you felt when you knew that you had done the right thing. Write three words that describe the way you felt. http://www.ket.org/education/guides/character_ed_k4/char-ed_prog15.pdf


At Home Honesty is a key factor in the development of a child’s character. In school, your child watched the play It’s Raining Tamales presented by the Schenectady Theater for Children. (www.stcny.org) This play depicted a man who finds a stolen treasure and in the end returns it to the rightful owner. Here are some things you can do at home to help reinforce the importance of honesty. • Encourage your child to talk honestly with you about any problem he or she may have. Emphasize the point that you will not get angry with your child for being honest. • Point out any dishonest actions that may occur, whether on TV, in the movies or in real life. Determine whether your child is aware that the action was dishonest. Help your child to see why dishonest actions are not acceptable. • Tell your child about times you have been tempted not to be honest. Explain that temptation is normal. Role-play different situations with your child in which the temptation to be dishonest can, and frequently does, occur. • Discuss with your child the alternatives to lying, cheating or stealing. Make sure your child understands that there almost is always a better way— an honest way—to handle such situations. http://www.ket.org/education/guides/character_ed_k4/char-ed_prog15.pdf

http://www.stcny.org/

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