Play Guide [356k PDF] - Arizona Theatre Company

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The Great Gatsby• Ask students: did these characters get what they wanted? Why or why not? Was thisinevitable – could these characters have gotten what they wanted by changing theiractions? Tell students that the show’s director saw a connection to modern societythrough his analogy of the 99% v the 1% - but now we’re interested in how they, thestudents, would connect this story to current society.• Ask students to think of current equivalents for these characters – people in the news orpopular culture/media that are today’s version of Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom. Brainstorm alist and write them on the board.• Tell students that what we’re going to do next is to retell the story of The Great Gatsbyusing these modern versions of the central characters. We’re going to create a modernday Great Gatsby. But first, we need to decide which parts of the story we’re retelling.Ask them to identify key scenes from the beginning, middle, and end of the story andwrite them on the board (there are many “correct” answers, but we’re looking for:Nick’s first party at Gatsby’s; the Plaza Hotel scene with Gatsby, Daisy, Tom, Nick, andJordan; when Nick leaves Gatsby’s house just before Gatsby’s death). Tell students thatwe’ll be splitting into four groups – Beginning, Middle, Real End, and Ideal End – andthey will spend a few minutes in their groups recreating these scenes, or creating anew ending in which the characters actually get what they want.• Divide students into four groups (more if needed) and assign them to Beginning,Middle, Real End, and Ideal End by distributing paper with a line of dialogue from eachscene. As you assign groups, explain that they have these pieces of paper with a line ofdialogue to help them create their scenes. They need to assign themselves characters,based on our brainstormed list of contemporary Gatsbys, Daisys, and Toms, and spend5-10 minutes rehearsing their scene. (Be sure to walk the room, checking in with eachgroup as they work to answer questions or help guide them in their “staging” of theirscene – reminding them that they can add other characters, pantomime, backgroundaction, etc. to help them tell the story of their scene. Ideal End groups may need extrahelp since they’re creating from scratch.)• Once groups seem to have gone through their scene at least once, ask everyone but theBeginning group to sit where they are and give their attention to the first scene. Haveeach group perform for their fellow students – applaud like good audience membersfor each group – and then lead a discussion of this modern retelling of The GreatGatsby. What changed from the original? How were characters able to accomplishtheir goals/dreams in the Ideal Ending? Would that have worked in the novel?• Honing in on the changes that these new characters made in the students’ scenes inorder to get what they want, ask students to think about ways they can go after theirhopes and dreams.Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 56
The Great GatsbyAppendix ACharacter Quotes from The Great GatsbyTOMTom: “I know I'm not very popular. I don't give big parties. I suppose you've got tomake your house into a pigsty in order to have any friends-in the modern world.”Daisy: “A brute of a man. A big hulking specimen of a –“Gatsby: “I don't trust him old sport.”DAISYTom: “The trouble is that sometimes she gets foolish ideas in her head and doesn't knowwhat she's doing.”Daisy: “I've had a very bad time, Nick, and I'm pretty cynical about everything.”Gatsby: “Her voice is full of money.”GATSBYTom: “I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him and I wasn't far wrong.”Daisy: “Oh you want too much! I love you now isn't that enough?”Gatsby: “I usually find myself among strangers because I drift here and there trying toforget the sad thing that happened to me.”Appendix BCharacter Questionnaire1. Character’s Name: ____________________________________________________2. Age: _____________3. Do they have any siblings? Circle one: Yes NoIf yes, how many? _____________4. Greatest achievement of their life so far: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 57
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The Great GatsbyPlay GuideArizona T
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The Great GatsbyINTROF. Scott Fitzg
Page 6 and 7: The Great GatsbyGeorge Wilson: The
Page 8 and 9: The Great GatsbyFITZGERALDFitzgeral
Page 14 and 15: The Great GatsbyLEVYCostume renderi
Page 16 and 17: The Great GatsbyLEVYright for the t
Page 18 and 19: The Great GatsbyTWENTIESThe urbaniz
Page 20 and 21: The Great GatsbyThe luxury of the 1
Page 22 and 23: The Great GatsbyPROHIBITIONit took
Page 25 and 26: The Great GatsbyJAZZDuke Ellington,
Page 27 and 28: The Great GatsbyDREAMCostume render
Page 35 and 36: The Great GatsbyTIMELINEJune 28, 19
Page 37: The Great Gatsby**1922 (the year in
Page 41 and 42: The Great GatsbyDIRECTINGJB: This a
Page 43 and 44: The Great GatsbySYMBOLISMalso a no-
Page 45 and 46: The Great GatsbyGLOSSARYGLOSSARYAno
Page 47 and 48: The Great GatsbyGLOSSARYDid You Kno
Page 49: The Great GatsbyGLOSSARYLewis Gun:
Page 54 and 55: The Great GatsbyLESSON PLANS• Ask
Page 58 and 59: The Great Gatsby5. His/her most emb
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