Out of the Mist . . . A Dragon

Supplemental Study Materials

Dear Educator,
We are excited that your have chosen Theatre Bristol's production of the Wood & Strings Puppet Theatre's "Out of the Mist . . . A Dragon" as part of your curriculum. This is a story of fantasy, imagination and fun is must see for every young person.

Enclosed are numerous materials supplied by the Wood & Strings Puppet Theatre to facilitate understanding and initiate responses from your students in relations to "Out of the Mist . . . A Dragon". The information provided can be used to enhance curriculum standards in many subjects. We have students from diverse age groups ranging from pre-school to sixth grade. You know best the needs and abilities of your students.

Please feel free to adapt the suggested materials for discussion or activities with your students. You are invited to make copies of the enclosed materials for other teachers as well as your students. We hope you will enjoy "Out of the Mist . . . A Dragon".

Sincerely,
Rebecca Greasby
Director of Education

A Note From The Wood & Strings Puppet Theatre

Dear Teachers:
Faced with a time of ever expanding economic ties between countries all around the world, we find in the United States very little awareness of the multitude of cultures belonging to our partners and sadly enough, very little interest in them.

We, the American people, actually composed of peoples from the world around, need to learn about and foster the cultural treasures nurtured in the very countries we court in the business world. By educating our young people about these treasures we develop in them, not only a sense of wonder over mankind's capabilities, but a sense of respect and brotherhood for people of all nationalities.

In our performance of "Out fo the Mist . . . A Dragon" we wish to give a glimpse of the beauty and creativitiy acheived in the art of puppetry by people from widely diverse geographical areas of the world and present with this demonstration an awareness of the cultures that spawned them .

The connections we wish to make here lie in the invisible bonds between art, history, geography, social sciences and religion. We wish to share the amazement we experienced researching and productin our story with you, the teacher, so that you can help the young ones find connections of their own.

Thank you,
Wood & Strings Puppet Theatre

A Synopsis of "Out of the Mist . . . A Dragon"
A journey around the world of traditional folk puppetry, skillfully tucked away in a magical, origianal tale.

Our story unfolds as a pompous samurai overlord arrives at the themple of the goddess of good fortune to ask for a suitable husband for his beautiful daughter. He would like a rich and powerful son-in-law and none else. The goddess, however, sends a humble fisherman to meet the daughter. They fall in love, and because of the disparity of their stations, Yukio, the young man, knows they will never be able to marry. Kumagai, the father, discovers what has happened and in a rage, changes the young man into a dragon.

In order to break the spell Yukio is instructed bythe goddess to fly around the world. On his journey, Yukio meets strange and thought-inspiring creatures. His first stop takes him to the Northwest coast of America, where he meets two figures from the Kwakiutl Indian mythology. The Raven and the Whale tell Yukio that the strength to continue on his quest lies within himself.

On his second stop, the dragon meets Punch and Judy (hand puppets popular throughout Europe from the Middle Ages). This raucous fellow teaches Yukio the abuses of power by his belligerent manner.

The last stop on his journey is the island of Java in Indonesia. Here, shadow puppets, that traditionally teach virtues and morals, reveal to Yukio that only he can break the spell from within when he realized he is workthy of the beautiful Lotus.

With this performance, we wish to show the importance of self-esteem and to point out how somehting as apparently inconsequential as a puppet, can be made to be an astounding and inspiring work of art.

Classroom Activities
Our tale carries us around the globe where we encounter four distinct cultures. With additional research, perhaps some articles from magazines such as National Geographics or some books out of the library (see included bibliography), students can begin to understand the differences and similarities among them and grow as world conscious people. There are also many elements in school curriculum that can be linked with our performance to make the material even more interesting to the young minds. Here are a few ideas that can enhance class materials.

Adventures in Geography
Discuss locations of Japan, Northwest Pacific Coast of North America, England and Indonesia in relation to our position on the globe.

Using a map, make the Dragon "fly" to the different countries.
Using a map with latitude and longitude line, locate the countries discussed.

Social Customs of the World
Japan
What is a samurai? Could a poor person become as powerful as a general?

Why were people of different social status not allowed to marry? Does that happen today? Does that happen in our country?

At what point in history did this play take place? Can you tell by the clothing styles? What was happening in our country at the time?

Talk about Japanese people today and how they have overcome the ravages of World War II to become a world economoc leader.

Pacific Northwest
Who were the Kwakiutl Indians and what was life like in the area during the 19th century? What is life like now for Native Americans? Are there any Native Americans in our town?

Europe
We study Europe greatly and we may note that most geographic maps have Europe as its center focus, because "wester" culture stems from this point. Consider other views of the world as if you lived there.
Punch showed a desire to be free from rules. During the Middle Ages and for centuries after, who made the rules in Europe and who had to obey them? Why do we like to see stories of wild and rebellious characters like Punch?

Indonesia
What is a Third World country? What does that mean? In spite of a poor economy can a country have a rich heritage?
What kind of environment is found on the islands of Indonesia?

Puppet Play
Discuss the four types of puppets presented: Bunraku from Japan, puppet masks from North America, hand puppets from England, and shadow puppets from Indonesia. How many other kinds of puppets are there? Are these types of puppets used only in these countries?

Make simple puppets using old socks, gluing felt features onthem or using paper plays, or paper sacks as a body. Shadow puppets can be make with cardboard with holes punched in them to make outlines. A light source and a sheet can provide a stage for them.

The three necessary elements of puppetry are: an object, some sort of moving parts on that object, and an audience to receive the story that is to be told. Pick a play or make one up and make some puppet characters to act it out.

Bibliography for "Out of the Mist . . . A Dragon"

Japan
Japanese Mythology - Library of World Myths and Legends, by J. Piggot.
The Book of the Samurai, by R. S. Turnbull.
Early Japan, by J. N. Leonard.

North America
The World of the American Indians, by National Geographic Society
Life and Art of North American Indian, by J. W. Warner
Pictorial History of American Indians, by O. LaForge

Indonesia
Land and People of Indonesia, by Datus C. Smith, Jr.
The Five Sons of King Pandu, by Elizabeth Seeger
Indian Mythology-Library of World Myths and Legends, by J. Piggot

Puppetry
The Art of the Puppet, by Bill Baird
The World of Puppets, by Rene Simmen
Shadow Puppets, by Olive Blackham
The Puppet Theatre of Japan, by A. C. Scott
Bunraku: The Art of Japanese Puppet Theatre, by Donald Keene

Periodicals
"National Geographics"
"Geo"
"Smithsonian"
"International Wildlife"