Big Theatre for Little People - Geva Theatre

Big Theatre
for Little People
By Paul Maar
Adapted and Translated by Anita and Alex Page
Directed by Sean Daniels
Big Theatre for Little People
Sponsored by
Co-Sponsored by:
Caldwell Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Cornell/Weinstein Family Foundation
Student Matinee
2005-2006

Table of
Contents
Synopsis . . . . . . . 3
Interview with
the Director,
Sean Daniels . . . . 4
From the
Set Designer . . . . 5
Interview with Anita
and Alex Page . . . 6
Imagination Quotes
7
Sharing . . . . . . . . 8
From the Costume
Designer . . . . . . . 9
Glossary . . . . . . 10
Tell Us What
You Think. . . . . . 10
Resources . . . . 11
Dear Educators,
When my family and I get together, we love to watch old home
movies that give us a glimpse into the past when my brother, sister
and I were growing up. There is one in particular that is our favorite;
it’s called The Fight and stars my brother, Jordan, and his best friend,
Ben. As you may have guessed, an argument takes place between the
two. What makes it so entertaining is that they were both about 5
years old and the fight was over a Big Wheel.
Everything starts out friendly enough, but when they both decide
they want to ride the Big Wheel at the same time things get a little
tense. The two of them start screaming, pushing each other and crying
as they pull the heavy Big Wheel back and forth between them. I had
just gotten a new pair of roller skates and wasn’t paying too much
attention to the scuffle. I did, however, glide in front of the camera
every once in a while for a close-up. The film runs out before we see
Ben and Jordan resolve the situation, but my family and I know that
their friendship survived The Fight in addition to a few other bumps
along the way. To this day they remain good friends and I’m sure, if
they still had one, they would be happy to share rides on a Big Wheel.
I love Noodle Doodle Box for many of the same reasons that I love to
watch that home movie. This play takes us on a wonderful journey
through a day in the life of two friends that is magical, silly, frustrating
and heartwarming. It isn’t always easy to be a good friend and even
the best of friends get into disagreements along the way. Fueled by
imagination, Noodle Doodle Box explores what it means to be a friend
and how our relationships enable us to weather the differences and
disagreements that ultimately make our friendships even stronger.
Included in this guide are a variety of resources that provide background
information on the play. There are also activities and discussion
questions for you and your students. Please call 232-1366, ext. 3058
with questions about Noodle Doodle Box or any other Student
Matinee production.
We look forward to seeing you at the theatre.
Andrea Stoner
Associate Director of Education
“Nothing matters to me if I don’t have
my box.”
Pepper
2
Cast of
Characters
Zacharias
Pepper
The Drum Major

3
Appreciation
telegram: Start by
choosing one student
to appreciate
by sending a piece
of paper around the
room so that the
other students can
each write down
one thing that they
like, enjoy or
appreciate about
that person. By
combining all the
responses, create
an appreciation
telegram to give to
the student on his
or her birthday, at
the end of the year
or on any day that
he or she may need
one. Continue
creating telegrams
for each student in
the class.
Synopsis
Pepper and Zacharias each have a box that serves as his/her
house and his/her private space. Each refuses to share his/her box
with the other. We meet this unlikely pair as they wake up one
morning and watch them immediately start arguing about everything
from their names to the newspaper. Soon Pepper is crying
and threatening to go and find another friend. They decide to play
“fountain” which ends with Pepper soaking wet and even more
upset. This time he says he’s through being Zacharias’ friend and
Zacharias says he’s through being Pepper’s friend too. They both
go into their boxes and continue arguing about whose box is better
until they are interrupted by the Drum Major. It’s only after the
Drum Major pulls a prank on them both that Pepper and
Zacharias learn to appreciate each other and discover the true
value of their friendship.
About this Play
Noodle Doodle Box was adapted from a German play called
Kikerikiste in 1979. After seeing Kikerikiste the translators, Anita
and Alex Page, decided that it would also be a great play for
American audiences. They adapted the script from German to
English and it has since been produced in theatres across the
country and enjoyed by audiences of all ages.
“Everything that happened, happened because
we didn’t stick together.”
Zacharias

Sean Daniels
Interview with the Director
Sean Daniels
What was your first theatre experience?
My first experience seeing a show was a community theatre
production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
I thought it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. I laughed,
I cried (I did!). As we walked out, I decided that I wanted to find
a way to be part of all that. Since then, I have promised to never
see that show again, as I’m sure it will never look as glorious as it
did in my little eight-year-old head.
What skills do you find most useful in being a director?
I always try to fill the room with the best artists out there, and
collectively work together to investigate the piece. It’s not my job
to come up with every answer, but it’s my job to hear all of the
ideas and pick out the few really golden ones.
Can you tell us why you cast Eliza, Luke and Anthony in this
production?
I’ve been lucky enough to work with each of them before. Eliza is
a wonderful clown who works with the Kapoot Clown Theatre in
Chicago; Luke has the quickest wit of any actor I know and
Anthony is one of the most versatile actors that I have worked
with. It’s not an easy piece of theatre, so I really needed three
amazingly talented comedic actors. Lucky for me, I found the
three of them.
Can you tell us about the concept for the design of the show?
We really wanted to create a palette and a language where, at the
top of the show, it’s like looking at the world through the eyes of
children. Everything is bright, everything is exciting and there’s
magic in the air. As we grow up, or the play goes on, we make
choices that help us to decide whether to keep that magic in our
lives or to let the color fade away.
Why should young people see this play?
I think it’s one of the few plays out there that is smart enough for
kids and fun enough for adults. It’s smart and sophisticated, but
it’s also just a good time and a great piece of theatre.
“He jumps around like a bull frog!”
Zacharias
4
How do Pepper and
Zacharias change
from the beginning
to the end of
the play? In what
ways do they
remain the same?

5
From the Set Designer,
Dan Meeker
The ideas behind the design are rather simple. As I was reading
the play I was intrigued by the playwright’s use of the box; the
characters’ boxes are almost like additional characters in the
play. When I thought more about this, it seemed clear that the box
was a metaphor for Zacharias and Pepper’s friendship. A box has
edges; it’s predictable, sturdy and protective. The boxes and the
characters’ relationships to them and each other create a bubble
of sorts, a world if you will. This is where the larger box [the set]
comes in.
The world within the
play feels small and
contained. Zacharias
and Pepper are in
control of their space
until the wall is broken
by the Drum Major.
While I was sketching
through rough ideas,
trying to find a way of
conveying this, I kept
coming back to the idea
of them being inside of a
larger box. The larger box offers the same containment and
security of their own smaller boxes. When the Drum Major joins
the scene the box is broken. With this break, so too comes a
change in Zacharias and Pepper’s relationship. They don’t mind
that their space has been invaded; it takes this break to remind
them how strong their friendship truly is.
Once we decided on the box as a larger environment for the play
I pushed it and twisted it until it seemed like the characters’
environment to me. The characters are clown-like. The angle of
the floor and the leaning of the walls exemplify their quirkiness.
I like the repeated shapes and patterns that one might find on
clowns’ clothes, which is where the patterns came from. The play
feels exterior to me which made me think of sky and clouds
which can be both calm and comforting as well as eerie and
mysterious. In the end we decided that the world should be able
to transform over time, as their friendship does. I used
translucent surfaces for the walls so their appearance could be
altered with light.
“Please, water, please.”
Zacharias
Intrigue: To catch
the interest of
Metaphor: A figure
of speech used to
make a comparison
Contain: To have
within itself; to hold
Convey: To
communicate
Exemplify: To serve
as an example of
Quirky: strange
or unusual
Eerie: Strange and
frightening
Mysterious:
Something that is
not fully understood
or is kept secret
Transform: To
change into something
else
Translucent: Letting
some but not all
light through
Alter: To change in
some way

Jaunt: A short
trip, usually for
pleasure
Enchant: To attract,
delight
or charm
Sequester:
Withdraw to a
private or out of the
way place
Mother Tongue:
A person’s native
language (first
language or the language
that a family
speaks
at home)
Literal: Exact meaning
of a word or
words
Idiom: A specialized
vocabulary used by
a group of people
Rivalry: The act of
trying to equal or
outdo another
Viable: Practical
Interview with the Translators
Anita and Alex Page
As I understand it, the two of you translated Noodle Doodle Box
from the original German play in 1979. What inspired you to
bring this story to English speaking audiences?
We were both in Germany at the time. Anita and one of her friends
went off on a theatre jaunt, mostly in Berlin (I was in Freiburg).
Both ladies were utterly enchanted with what became Noodle
Doodle Box. Even though their German wasn’t that good. Anita
thought it would make a good play in English.
Can you tell us about the process?
We sequestered ourselves in the living room of an apartment. I
am totally familiar with German (it being my mother tongue) and
offered a literal translation of a given passage or sentence, while
Anita changed it to what was more likely to be in the kids’ idiom.
What was your greatest challenge in creating the script?
The greatest challenge was to get the tone right. Also the title
Kikerikiste was perfectly o.k. in German, but the English translation
would be Cockadoodledoo Box. I hit upon Noodle Doodle Box
and it seemed just right.
Have you seen the play since?
Yes, we have seen the play several times since and
were impressed by how different directors gave it varying
interpretations.
Noodle Doodle Box seems to lend itself to creative interpretation.
In your opinion, what is this play about?
To my mind, the play is about misplaced rivalry, resolved by
realizing that cooperation can often solve a problem.
Do you have any advice for young aspiring playwrights?
The best advice is to ignore advice. The second best advice is to
let their imagination fly, however not without being anchored in
something viable in the here and now.
“You want to be part of a joke, don’t you?”
Drum Major
6
By using our
imaginations we
can transform a
box into anything
from a house to an
airplane. How would
you transform a box
and what kinds of
adventures would
you have in it?

7
Both Pepper and
Zacharias are
constantly using
their imaginations
to make ordinary,
everyday things
more interesting.
Take one object (a
left-over cardboard
paper towel roll, an
umbrella or even a
stick.) Without
talking, pass the
object around the
room having each
student turn it into
something else.
For example, a
paper towel roll can
turn into a flute, a
baseball bat or
even an ear of corn
depending on how a
student uses it.
Albert Einstein
Imagination Quotes
You see things; and you say, “Why?” But I dream
things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
George Bernard Shaw
The man who has no imagination has no wings.
Muhammad Ali
Emily Dickinson
Reality leaves a lot to the
imagination.
John Lennon
The Brain — is wider than the Sky —
For — put them side by side —
The one the other will contain
With ease — and You — beside —
Emily Dickinson
The world is but a canvas to the imagination.
Henry David Thoreau
Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we
lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming,
after all, is a form of planning.
Gloria Steinem
Imagination is not a talent of some men but is the
health of every man.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.
But without it we go nowhere.
Carl Sagan
You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is
out of focus.
Mark Twain
I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination.
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
Albert Einstein
“I think this is super dumb.”
Pepper
Muhammad Ali
Gloria Steinem

Sharing
Share: To have, use or do together with another or
others. They shared the job of cleaning up. Let’s share
this last orange.
What does it mean to share? If you look the
word up in the dictionary you’ll find many
definitions. That’s probably because we can
share so many things in lots of different
ways. Sharing isn’t always easy. Sometimes
we worry that the things we share could get
lost, stolen or broken. We might also think
that sharing something may use it up too
quickly. When we have something that is
important to us, it can be difficult to let
others be a part of it. The funny thing is,
sharing can allow us to enjoy what we
have, use or do even more than we did before.
There are many ways to share that don’t involve things at all. You
can share a hug, an idea, a smile, a game or even a joke. You can
help out your friends, family and classmates by sharing work like
cleaning up or helping someone to solve a problem. You can also
share with people you don’t even know by passing along clothes
and toys that you don’t use to others who may need them. When
lots of people share just a little, it can make a big difference.
We can also share experiences. Going on vacation, celebrating a
holiday or just spending time together can bring us closer as we
create the memories that we will share in the future. At Geva we
are thrilled to share our production of Noodle Doodle Box with all
of you. Our audience is the most important part of each production
because every person that comes to the theatre brings in
something different to share with us.
So even if you think you’re not great at
sharing, you may actually be doing more
than you know. We can all become better
at sharing by taking some time to think
about the people who share most with us
and the way it makes us feel. What are
three new ways that you can share today?
“I’m not going to be your friend any longer.”
Pepper
8
Do you remember
the last disagreement
you had? Who
was it with and
how did you resolve
it?

9
Do the characters
remind you of anyone
in your life?
Maybe a friend, a
teacher or a sibling?
Do any of
the characters
remind you of
yourself?
From the Costume Designer,
Liz Faughnan
The idea for Pepper’s costume came from
exploring historical photographs of the
circus. In particular, her bodice is something
that might appear on aerialists and her
longer skirt comes from the garb of a
beautiful horsewoman, with the hat and
shoe of a traditional jazz age clown. All of
these pieces, when assembled, achieve the
effect of having “found” Pepper’s outfit in
various places at the circus. The goal was to
move Pepper and Zacharias away from the
look of traditional clowns, while retaining
the playfulness of the archetype and some
pieces essential to the show.
Zacharias’ costume came from researching
famous clowns of the last 100 years. Most
traditional clowns have a coat and hat, but
I definitely wanted to give it a modern edge
and looked to current music for inspiration. The tailoring of his
clothes and the pieces chosen closely resemble the fitted suits a
lot of bands are beginning to wear on stage.
Bands like The Killers, The Hives, and
Franz Ferdinand are only a few who are
resurrecting classic looks with a new twist.
The Drum Major is a flashier version of my
favorite collegiate drum major. The
University of Notre Dame band leader has
always been a symbol of pageantry and
style to me so our Drum Major’s white
uniform and gold accents create a very
powerful impression. He has an immediate
air of importance to Zacharias and Pepper.
He should, in fact, seem larger than life
with his starkness, extra tall hat and
impressive medals.
“Look at those shoes. They’re healthy again. ”
Pepper
Bodice: Fitted
upper part of
a dress
Aerialist: An
acrobat that
performs on a
tightrope or
trapeze
Garb: A style or
form of clothing
Archetype: An
original model
after which other
similar things are
patterned
Inspiration: A
sudden or original
idea
Pageantry: Grand or
showy display
Stark: Bare

Glossary of Terms used in
Noodle Doodle Box
Contagious - Something that is spread from person to person;
e.g. sickness, laughter
Infect - To make someone sick by introducing disease; to cause
someone to pass along one mental state to another person She
was infected with the giggles.
Peculiar - Unusual or strange
Incomprehensible - Very difficult to understand
Aggravation - The act of being annoyed
Remarkable - Worthy of being noticed
Orangutan - A large ape that has reddish brown hair
Flabbergasted - Overcome with amazement
Batty - Slang for crazy; insane
Phenomenal - Extraordinary; outstanding
Louse - Slang for not a very nice person
Tell Us What You Think
Please write to us or send us pictures! You can send them to
Andrea Stoner, Associate Director of Education, Geva Theatre
Center, 75 Woodbury Boulevard, Rochester, NY 14607. We are
always interested in knowing what our audiences think about our
plays, especially . . .
• The most fun part
• The part that surprised you
• The most exciting part
• The part you talked about on the bus on the way back to
school
• The first thing you told your family about the play when you
got home
• The part you’d like to see again
• The part you thought about the most afterwards
• The moment where you noticed the set
• The minute where you noticed a costume
• The most interesting sound that you heard
• The part where something unexpected happened
“Today, you aren’t being very nice to me. You just
said I’m a camel. I don’t think I like that.”
Pepper
10
What qualities do
you look for in a
friend? What does
it mean to be a
good friend?

11
Staff
Skip Greer
Director of
Education
Andrea Stoner
Associate Director
of Education
Stephen Bewlay
Education
Administrator
Arthur Brown
Christopher Gurr
Conservatory
Associates
Marge Betley
Literary Manager
Amy Jensen
Literary Fellow
Mark Cuddy
Artistic Director
John Quinlivan
Managing Director
Nan Hildebrandt
Executive Director
Picture Books
Resources
Barkin, Carol. Are We Still Best Friends? Milwaukee: Raintree
Editions, 1975.
Bottner, Barbara. Bootsie Barker Bites. New York: G.P. Putnam’s
Sons, 1992.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. King of the Playground. New York:
Atheneum, 1991.
Silverstein, Shel. The Giving Tree. New York: Haper Collins,
1992.
Easy Readers
Berry, Joy. Being Bullied. Danbury, CT: Grollier Enterprises
Corp., 1988.
Brown, Laurene Krasny. How to be a Friend. Little, New York:
Brown and Compan, 1998.
Krensky, Stephen. Louise Takes Charge. New York: Dial Books
for Young Readers, 1998.
Sponsored By
Co-Sponsored By
Caldwell Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Cornell/Weinstein Family Foundation
Special Thanks to American Airlines
“Fantastomatic”
Zacharias
Education
Partners
Major Support From:
Jim Alesi, NYS Senator
Ameriprise Financial
Services, Inc.
Cornell/Weinstein Family
Foundation
The Davenport-Hatch
Foundation
Louise Epstein
ESL Federal Credit Union
Excellus BlueCross
BlueShield, Rochester
Region
The Flanders Group
Gannett Foundation
Dawn & Jacques Lipson,
M.D
M&T Bank
Hon. Elizabeth W. Pine
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School
of Education at St. John
Fisher College
Williams Saunders
Time Warner Cable
Louis S. and Molly B. Wolk
Foundation
Xerox Corporation
With Additional
Support From:
Ames-Amzalak
Memorial Trust
August Family Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Allen Boucher
Caldwell Manufacturing
Co., Inc.
The Conable Family
Foundation
Democrat and Chronicle
Michael and Joanna
Grosodonia
Ann M. Mayer
Mrs. Eleanor Morris
Panther Graphics, Inc.
Riedman Foundation
Rochester Area Community
Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Wellers
Fred and Floy Willmott
Foundation

Tickets Still Available for
Public Performances
February 11 & 18, 11 am and 2 pm
February 12 & 19, 1 pm and 4 pm
Recommended for young people ages 5-12 and their families
Tickets available by calling (585) 232-Geva (4382)
or online at www.gevatheatre.org
75 Woodbury Boulevard
Rochester, New York 14607
Box Office: (585) 232-Geva (4382)
Education Department: (585) 232-1366, ext. 3058
www.gevatheatre.org