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Presents

TheHeroTwins:BloodRaceByRamonEsquivel

Graphic Design by Brad Parquette

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Spring2018

AppalachianYoungPeople’sTheatreWhoweareandwhatwedo.

"Theatre, the imagined and enacted world of human beings, is one of theprimarywayschildrenlearnaboutlife-aboutactionsandconsequences,aboutcustomsandbeliefs,aboutothersandthemselves."

-NationalTheatreStandardsforArtsEducation

The Appalachian Young People's Theatre is committed to bringing high quality, low-cost livetheatreexperiencestoyoungaudiences inNorthCarolinaandthesurroundingregion.Since1972,theAYPTtouringprogramhasbeenapartoftheAppalachianStateUniversity’sDepartmentofTheatreandDancecurriculumandcommunityoutreach.ThemissionofAppalachianYoungPeople'sTheatreistoproduceavarietyofqualityplayswitheducationalvalueincludingfairytales,folktales,audienceparticipationplays,andmusicalsprimarilyforelementaryschoolaudiences.AYPT'sproductionsareseenbyupto6,500youngpeopleeachspring,largelyinruralareas.ThecompanyconsistsofdedicatedundergraduatestudentsfromtheDepartmentofTheatreandDanceatAppalachianunderthedirectionofProfessorTeresaLee.Ifyouwouldlikemoreinformationorhavequestionsconcerningtheplayorthisstudyguide,pleaseletusknow.Alsolettersand/orpicturesandprojectsmadebyyourstudentsarealwayswelcomeandmostappreciated!

Contact:TeresaLee

DirectorofAppalachianYoungPeople'sTheatreAppalachianStateUniversity

DepartmentofTheatreandDanceBoone,NC28608

Phone:(828)262--6376Email:leete@appstate.edu

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ANotetoEducators:Thisperformancestudyguideprovidesbackgroundinformationabouttheplayandourcompanyaswellasactivities,whichcanbeintegratedintoyourcurriculum.Theseactivitiesareintendedtofurtherthe

students’appreciationoftheplayaswellasintroducetoboththe teacher and the student themanyways inwhichdramacanbe incorporated intotheclassroom.Webelievethatthisexperience should encourage creativity, nourish anappreciation of live theatre, and allow a further insight intoourselves, resulting in the cultural enrichment of our youngpeople. Since our audiences range in grade levels, we haveincludedavarietyofactivities.Weencourageyoutousetheinformation and age-appropriate activities in away thatwillbest suit theneedsof your students. Feel free tophotocopyanypartofthisbookletforeducationalpurposes.

TolearnmoreabouttheAYPTprogram,pleasevisit:

http://theatreanddance.appstate.edu/academics/special-programs/appalachian-young-peoples-theatre

TableofContentsWhoWeAreandWhatWeDo........................................................................Page2ANotetoEducators.........................................................................................Page3PlaySynopsis....................................................................................................Page4AbouttheHeroTwinsandthePlaywright.......................................................Page5TheWorldofthePlay-Vocabulary...................................................................Page6TheGlyphsoftheHeroTwins…………………………………………………………………..….Page7BeforethePerformanceActivities...................................................................Page8AfterthePerformanceActivities.....................................................................Page9CrossCurricularActivities&Resources.........................................................Page10HeroTwinsWordSearch...............................................................................Page11Director’sNote...............................................................................................Page12TheatreinOurSchoolsMonth.......................................................................Page13ProductionProgram.......................................................................................Page14

ThisstudyguidewaswrittenandcompiledbyKatButteandTeresaLee

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TheHeroTwins:BloodRacebyRamónEsquivelWorldPremiereProductionPlaySynopsisCompeting in the ancient Blood Race, a stonecutternamedMoth descends into the underworld to freeher twin brother, Cricket, who is trapped there. Towin the race, Moth must defeat the reigningchampion, Jaguar, and overcome deadly obstacles.But theBloodRace is designed to give Jaguarmanyadvantages, so Moth must rely on her intelligenceandunconventionalskillstodefytheodds.Whenshelearns the truth of the Blood Race and the societybuilt upon it, Moth faces a choice: accept the waythingsareandhavealwaysbeen,or tear italldownand start anew. An original story inspired by classicMayan mythology, The Hero Twins: Blood Raceemploys parkour, free running, capoeira, and othermartial arts and dance forms to weave a tale ofdetermination,discovery,andliberation.

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TheWorldoftheHeroTwinsTheCultureandCivilizationThe Maya are an indigenous people of Mexico and CentralAmericawhohave continuously inhabited the lands comprisingmodern-day Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, andChiapasinMexicoandsouthwardthroughGuatemala,Belize,ElSalvadorandHonduras.TheMayapeoplerefertothemselvesbyethnicity and language bonds such as Quiche in the south orYucatecinthenorth.PERIODS:The history of Mesoamerica is usually divided into specificperiods which, taken together, reveal the development ofcultureintheregionand,forthepurposesofthisdefinition,theemergenceandcultivationoftheMayaCivilization.TheArchaicPeriod:7000-2000BCE–Duringthistimeahunter-gathererculturebegantocultivatecropssuchasmaize,beansandothervegetablesandthedomesticationofanimals(mostnotablydogsandturkeys)andplantsbecamewidelypracticed.Thefirstvillagesoftheregionwereestablishedduringthisperiodwhichincludedsacredspotsandtemplesdedicatedtovariousgods.Thevillagesexcavatedthusfararedatedfrom2000-1500BCE.ANCIENTCULURE:Mesoamerican cultures intertwined history and religion and saw history and religion as one and thesame.InMayanculture,theHeroTwinsarekeyfiguresofthePopolVuh,theancienthistoricaltext.ThefirstreferencetotheHeroTwinsisbelievedtobeintheancientSanBartolomurals,whichwerepaintedaround100BC.TheDresdencodex(shownontheright)istheoldestsurvivingtextfromtheMaya.ThecodexprovidedarchaeologistswithvaluableinsightsintoMayanlife,asitdescribedreligiousrituals. ItalsohelpedwiththetranslationofotherMayanandMesoamericantexts.

AboutthePlaywrightRamón Esquivel is a Latino playwright for Theatre for YoungAudiences. Esquivel earned a BA in History from Yale UniversityandcontinuedontoearnhisMAinEducationalTheatrefromNewYork University. Throughout his career, Esquivel’s plays haveearned recognition within the theatre community. His play, TheShahrazad Society, garnered the 2014 Aurand Harris MemorialPlaywriting Award from the New England Theatre Conference.RamonEsquivelcurrentlyresidesinEllensburg,Washington,wherehe serves as a Lecturer in the Theatre Department at CentralWashingtonUniversityandcontinuestowritetheatrethatinspiresempathy,connection,andbelonging.

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TheWorldoftheHeroTwinsVocabulary

Calendar:avisualrepresentationoftime,shownindays,weeks,andmonths

Jade:apreciousstone,greenincolor,usedinMesoamericanartandsculptures

Maize:anancientformofcorn,growninSouthAmerica

MemoryStone:astonewithstories,toldthroughstillimages,carvedintoit

Mesoamerica:aregionofsouthernMexicoandCentralAmericawherecivilizations

flourishedbeforetheSpanishcametoAmerica

PopolVuh:translatedastheBookofthePeople,thePopolVuhistheMayanreligious

andhistoricaltext,wherethemajorityofstoriesabouttheHeroTwinsarefound

Priest:areligiousleader,generallyseenasamouthpieceoftheGods

Stone-Cutter:apersonwhocarvesstone

Xibalba(shee-BALL-ba):theMayanspiritrealm

Glyph:asculpturedfigureorreliefdrawingusuallyfoundfromancientcivilizations;

oftenusedtotellpictographicstories.

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OurGlyphsForthisshow,weusedtraditionalMayanglyphsasinspirationtomakeourownglyphs!

……….MothCricketMosquitoCutterAnt

……….SunMoonRadaKinze

..….FreedPeopleLearningFirstWePeopleGiveLearning

HealSunSacredBloodSacredCircleRunTogether

UnderworldCaptureAngryLordVoltaBloodCrown

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BeforethePerformance...

TheatreVocabulary- Play:astoryportrayedthroughacting - Actor/Actress:apersonwhoportrayscharactersinplays,movies,etc. - Character:amake-believepersonportrayedintheplay - Protagonist:themaincharacterinastory - Antagonist:acharacterinoppositionofthemaincharacter - Theme:themessageofthestory - Prop:anobjectusedbyactorstomaketheplaymorerealistic - Set:sceneryusedintheplaytoconveylocation - Costume:clothingwornbyanactortoconveyacharacter

DiscussionQuestions- Whatispropertheatreetiquetteandmanners?- HowiswatchinglivetheatredifferentfromwatchingaTVshowormovie?- Howiswatchinglivetheatredifferentfromreadingabook?- Howcanstorieschangewhenbeingadaptedfrommyths?

Write- Haveyoueverwantedtoperforminaplay?Writeaboutwhatyouwoulddoifyouwere

inaplay.Whatkindofplayswouldyoubein?Whatroleswouldyouplay?- Chooseaneventinyourlifefromthispastweekandwriteitasastory.Feelfreetoadd

detailsthatwouldmakethestorymoreinteresting.- Intheplay,CricketisdoubtfulthathewillwintheBloodRace.Writeaboutatimeyou

feltdoubtorlackinginconfidenceaboutsomething.- Mothmustusehermindandphysicalskillstoovercomemanyobstaclestowintherace.

Writeastoryaboutatimeyouovercameanobstacletoachievesomething.

Perform- Thinkaboutastoryyouknow.Howcouldyouturnthatintoaplaytoshowothers?

Whatwouldyouneedtoshowthestory(actors,costume,set,props)?- Theatreisanotherformofstorytellingwherethecharacterscometolifebeforeyour

veryeyes.Pickyourfavoritestory(ormaybeastorywrittenforthe“write”section)andactitoutforyourclassmates.Tomakeitextrafun,trytoincludemasks,costumes,props,somesoundandspecificvoicesorwaysofspeakingforeachofthecharactersinyourstory.

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AfterthePerformance...

DiscussionQuestions- Whowasyourfavoritecharacter?Why?- Whatwasyourfavoritescenefromtheplay?Why?- WhataresomeofthethingsMothdidtowintherace?Discussthetruemeaning

ofworkingtogethertoachievesomething.Whatdiditmeanwhensheread,“Wefreeus?”

- Intheplay,theabilitytoreadandwriteisaluxurysavedforthePrivilegedpeople.HowdidpreventingpeoplefromreadingandwritingkeepthePrivilegedpeopleinchargeforsolong?HowdidhavingthisknowledgemakeMothstronger?

- IntheAmericanDeclarationofIndependence,thewords“allmenarecreatedequal”appear.Howdothethemesinthisstoryrelatetothatstatement?Discusshistoricalexamplesofgroupsofpeoplebeingtreatedunfairly.Howdidwerespondasasociety?

- Arethereanyinstancesyoucanthinkofwhereonepersonorasmallgroupofpeoplestooduptohelpmakesocietybetter?Howdidtheyworktoachievetheirgoal?

Write

- WritealettertoAYPTandletusknowwhatyoulikedbestaboutTheHeroTwins.Wewouldlovetohearfromyou!Ouraddressisatthebeginningofthisstudyguide.

- Attheendofthestory,Mothhasachoice:shecouldeitherleavetheUnderworldandbecomethequeenandleadthepeople,orshecouldstayintheUnderworldandbecometheelementalspiritofstone.Whywasthedecisiondifficultforher?WriteashortstoryaboutwhatyouwoulddoifyouwereinMoth’sposition.

- WriteashortstoryabouttheadventuresofMothandCricketaftertheylefttheUnderworldtospreadtheknowledge.Wheredidtheygo?Whatdidtheyteachpeople?Didtheyfaceanychallenges?

Perform

- Withapartner,writeyourownscriptbetweentwocharactersinthestory.Whatdotheysaytoeachother?Addcostumes,masks,props,oranythingelsetoenhancethescene,andperformthisscriptforyourclassmates.

- Eachelementalspiritmovesinawaythatrepresentstheelement.Chooseyourownelementandmakeabodymovementtoshowthatelement.

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Cross-CurricularActivities

Art:- Forthisplay,wecreatedourownlanguageofglyphs.Createaglyphthatwould

representyourname.- Ifyouwereanelementalspirit,whatwouldyoubethespiritof?Drawyourselfas

thatelementalspirit.- ImaginetheotherelementalcavernsintheUnderworld.Chooseanelementand

designyourowncavern.SocialStudies:

- TheMayahadcompletelyabandonedtheircitiesby900AD,andhistorianshaveyettoknowwhy.ResearchtheendoftheMayancivilization.Whatarethetheories?Whichtheorydoyoubelieveisthestrongest?

- TheMayaconsideredtheirhistoryandtheirreligiontobeoneandthesame.Canyouthinkofanyotherculturesthathaveanoverlapbetweenhistoryandreligion?

Science:

- Inthisplay,themooneclipsesthesunforasolareclipse.Whatisasolareclipse?Haveyoueverseenasolareclipse?

- TheBloodRacetakesplaceinaseriesofcaves.Researchactualcaves.Findpictures.Whatistheenvironmentlike?Whatcausescavestobepartoftheearth’slandscape?Whatlivingcreatures,plants,etc.arefoundincaves?Aretherecavesintheareawhereyoulive?

Math:

- Intheplay,MothmakesacalendarforCrickettocountdownthedaystotheBloodRace.ResearchtheancientMayancalendar.Whatsystemdidtheyuse?Makeyourowncalendartocountdowntoaneventyou’reexcitedabout!

AdditionalResources

(Teachers,pleasereviewlinksbeforesendingstudentstothem.Somelinksmaycontainadvertisements.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Hero_Twinshttp://stowawaymag.com/2014/09/01/the-maya-murals-of-san-bartolo/

http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Le-Me/Mayan-Mythology.html#ixzz54GpdkUv7

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TheHeroTwinsWordSearch

AqiliCaveCricketEclipseFreedHero

IguanaJadeJaguarMaize

MesoamericaMoth

PriestPrivilegeRunnerSpirit

UnderworldWarrior

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Director’sNote

First, let me say thank you for bringing the Appalachian Young People's Theatre to your school! Without you, the audience, there would be no live performance. I hope you enjoy our show!

This year we are particularly delighted to bring to you a WORLD PRIMIERE production of one of the oldest stories ever told. Depictions of the Ancient Mayan myth of The Hero Twins can be found dating back to 200-900 AD.

The playwright, Ramon Esquivel, sets The Hero Twins: Blood Race in ancient times but blends contemporary themes of race and gender equality, the value of family and moral character of leadership. The play’s protagonist, Moth, is literally caught between worlds. In her struggle to win the race for her people, she calls on strengths within herself she didn’t know she had. Hers is a Hero’s Journey—a coming of age story that all young people can identify with. For these and many other reasons, I was drawn to this new play and embarked on my own journey to produce it for AYPT audiences. Esquivel’s play speaks to what it means to transcend class barriers and the station of your birth to become your best self, in spite of the stories others may tell you about what you “should” be. Born to a Mexican mother and an American father of Spanish and Yaqui Indian heritage, Esquivel knows what it means to live between worlds. He writes in his artist statement, “My stories are about the search for belonging. They are about vulnerability. Most of all, my stories are about conflict between people who love each other. I hope my stories inspire empathy, connection, and wisdom—and that they make audiences laugh along the way.”

I am both proud and humbled to bring The Hero Twins: Blood Race to life for audiences for the first time. Traditional fairy and folk tales spark the imagination and help us make meaning of our lives, but in myths we find heroism, challenges, acts of bravery and sacrifice. It is exciting to bring such an ancient story to life through the voice of a contemporary Latino playwright, if for no other reason, to remind us that we need all voices and stories from many different backgrounds. But more importantly, for the inspiration the play leaves us with. When we work together and rely on each other, we discover that we are not “privileged people” or “freed people,” only “we people.” Thank you for joining us on our hero’s adventure! And again, thank you for keeping theatre alive in our schools!

Teresa Lee Director, AYPT

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MarchisTheatreInOurSchoolsMonth!

The American Alliance for Theatre and Education'sTheatre In Our Schools (TIOS) campaign is designed tohelp promote theatre for youth at all levels all acrossAmerica. Public Relations, advertising and publicity areused in every aspect of life to promote ideas and toimpactpeople.TheTheatre InOurSchools campaign ismeant to use all of these means to positively affectTheatre In Our Schools by making the various publicsaware of the positive impact that theatre has in ourschools.VisitAATEonlineat:http://www.aate.com/

10SimpleWaystoIncorporateTheatreintoYourClassroomIntegratingtheatreintoyourclassroomcanbeagreatwaytogetyourstudents

moreengagedinthecurriculumandbuildteamworkandcommunityinyourclassroom.Iftheideaseemsabitdaunting,rememberthattheatredoesn’thavetomeanputtingonaplay;herearesomeactivitiesyoucanusetobringelementsoftheatre intoyourclassroomandevenintoothersubjectareas!Clickontheitemsbelowformoredetailedexplanationsandtohelpdeterminewhichactivitiesaremostappropriateforyourclass.Don’t forget tomakeuseof themany resourcesavailable tohelpyouprovidequalitydramaexperiencestoyourstudents.

1. EncourageCreativeProjectOptions.2. PlayClassroomCharades.3. Readarelevantplay.4. Giveoralreportsincharacter.5. Rememberthatdramaisn’tjustacting–usesound,lighting,

orcostumesinyourclassroom.6. Assign letter or journal writing from the perspective of a

characterorhistoricalfigure.7. Usenon-verbalteamworkactivitiestoformprojectgroupsor

aspartofalesson.8. PlananImmersionDaywhenstudentscandressandactlike

theyareimmersedinaspecifiedstory,place,timeorevent.9. Createa“tableau”orhumansculptureofanimportantevent

ormomentinliteratureorhistory.10. CreateandperformaMoviePreviewaboutatopicorevent.

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Presents

TheHeroTwins:BloodRaceByRamónEsquivel

Spring2018CAST

Moth……………………………………..………….….........EmmaHarkinsCricket/Aqili………………………………….……….........DanielHermanJaguar…………..….…………..…………….……...CameronUnderwoodIguana……………………………………....………………………..MarySassPriest/RazorWarrior.…………….…………ElizabethMasonMooreMaqab………………………………………..……………..MarissaPlondkeMusician……………...…………..………..…….………................IanLee

DirectedbyTeresaLee

AssistantDirector:EileenDixonStageManager:MaddieCoggin

TourManager:KatButteChoreographer:SheronePrice

CostumesDesignedbyJenniferAckland

ProducedbySpecialArrangementwithRamonEsquivel

SpecialthankstoElaineHartley,SheronePrice,MattTyson,MikeHelms