Backwards in High Heels Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide

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GLOSSARY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES Discussion Questions 1. Think about the lyrics to Fascinating Rhythm by George and Ira Gershwin, and its use in Backwards in High Heels. Do you think Ginger Rogers felt confl icted about her career? Why or why not? 2. 3. 4. Ginger really wanted to get out of Texas. Why did she want that so badly? Do you ever feel like you just want to get away from where you are and do something else? Why or why not? Discuss Ginger’s relationship with her mother, Lela. Do you feel that they had a good relationship? How did being in show business impact that relationship? Do you think that Lela is a little jealous of Ginger’s success? Why or why not? What did Lela give up in order to give Ginger a better childhood outside of Hollywood? How do you think Lela felt when Ginger just wanted to be in show business? 5. Many of the songs found in Backwards in High Heels were not written specifi cally for 6. 7. Vernon and Irene Castle: A husband-and-wife ballroom dancing pair popular on Broadway around the turn of the century. In the show, Ginger supposes that she and Jack could become “the next Vernon and Irene.” This reference is subtly ironic, as one of Ginger’s last fi lms with Fred Astaire tells the story of the Castles. The World’s Fair: A large public exhibition held in any country that displays products of science, technology, and culture. In 1939, the World’s Fair to which Ginger refers was held in New York. It covered over 1,000 acres and drew a crowd of 206,000. - Prepared by Jennifer Bazzell Vernon and Irene Castle this musical. How does the presence of these songs move the plot forward? Do you feel that each song has a purpose within the play? Why or why not? How do you think that musical theatre and dance infl uence television shows today? Do you watch shows about dance or that contain musical numbers? Why do you think that this kind of television has come back at this point in history? How do you think that Ginger Rogers’ career impacted her personal life? What Backwards in High Heels Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 22
DISCUSSIONS evidence can you fi nd in the play that backs up your assertion? 8. Ginger Rogers worked very hard to be in control of her career, almost from the beginning. Given the time period during which she was rising up through the Hollywood ranks, why is this signifi cant? Using examples from the play, discuss the ways in which Ginger managed her career. 9. Several of the actors play multiple characters in Backwards in High Heels. Using specifi c examples from the play, discuss how these actors use their acting tools (voice, physicality, imagination) to distinguish one character from another. Are the actors successful in differentiating one character from another? 10. Some of the actors in this play are portraying iconic fi lm actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood. How do you think that developing one of these iconic characters might differ from developing a character with whom fewer people are familiar? How is it the same? As an actor, do you think you would like to play one of these famous actors? Why or why not? RELATED POST-SHOW ASSIGNMENTS: (Based on Language Arts State Standards) Backwards in High Heels 1. Select one of America’s great dancers other than Ginger Rogers and write a research paper that develops a logical argument or thesis about this person’s infl uence on dance (particularly in fi lm), contains comprehensive, supporting information from a variety of credible and cited sources, and conforms to the MLA style manual. 2. Select one of America’s great dancers other than Ginger Rogers. Write an expository essay in which you compare/contrast his or her dance style(s) to that of Ginger Rogers. 3. Select and view one of Ginger Rogers’ movies and a few episodes of So You Think You Can Dance. Write an expository essay in which you compare/contrast the dance styles exhibited in the fi lm with those found in So You Think You Can Dance. Which dance styles are exhibited in each? How has dance on fi lm/television evolved over time? 4. Write a summary of Ginger Rogers’ life that presents information clearly and accurately and contains the most signifi cant details. 5. Write a letter from Ginger Rogers to her mother, Lela, once her mother is no longer touring with Ginger. What does Ginger need to tell her mother in this moment? Use examples from the script to determine what Ginger writes to her mother about. Use standard letter format, complete sentences, and appropriate punctuation. 6. Write a research paper tracing the history and evolution of tap dancing. Out of what dance styles did tap evolve? What are the cultural roots of this style of dance, and what is its signifi cance, particularly in the African-American community? Has tap infl uenced other styles of dance, and if so, how? What is the signifi cance of the fact that it was ultimately white fi lm stars like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire who brought this style of dance to mainstream audiences? Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 23
Page 1 and 2: BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS Play Guide
Page 3 and 4: WHO WE ARE Arizona Theatre Company
Page 5 and 6: BIOGRAPHY on the Orpheum circuit,
Page 7 and 8: FILMOGRAPHY GINGER ROGERS’ FILMOG
Page 9 and 10: COMPOSERS ABOUT THE COMPOSERS Chris
Page 11 and 12: McGOVERN Dorothy Fields: Dorothy Fi
Page 13 and 14: McGOVERN CM: By far, it is one of t
Page 15 and 16: GOLDEN Throughout the Golden Age, m
Page 17 and 18: TIMELINE 1926: The Savoy Ballroom o
Page 19 and 20: GLOSSARY GLOSSARY Abott and Costell
Page 21: GLOSSARY Marlene Dietrich: A German
Page 25 and 26: DISCUSSION 3. Ask your students to

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