ACTIVITY GUIDE 2018-2019 MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION - Arkansas Arts Center
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© David Hohn Illustration
2018-2019 MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
ACTIVITY GUIDE
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
Welcome to the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre Activity Guide for Jack Frost in Santa Land.
This activity guide is designed for you—our audience! It includes exercises that are designed for both families and
classrooms. On the following pages, you will find information about the production as well as engaging activities that
reinforce themes of the play. Because we are committed to providing educational opportunities to our visitors, all activities
align with current Arkansas Department of Education Curriculum Frameworks and Arkansas State Standards. In general,
activities in this guide address standards for Kindergarten—5th Grade. The frameworks and standards are listed beneath
the activity, but the following icons provide an immediate recognition of the curriculum connections:
English Language Arts
Foreign Languages
Library Media
Math
Music
Physical Education & Health
Science
Social Studies
Theatre
Visual Arts
NOTE: Art is an ongoing process. Scripts are used as a road map, but the final destination may change based on a variety of factors.
Because the activity guides are based on the scripts, please note that the content of the educational materials may vary from the final
version of the play. Content is the intellectual property of the Arkansas Arts Center.
“As mischievous as the day is long—and the day can get pretty long up here in the North Pole..” ABOUT THE PLAY The North Pole has never known a more mischievous elf than Jack Frost, and this year his antics are more rascally than ever. He’s the number one elf on Santa’s list – and I don’t mean his good list. The chilly little scamp is forever upsetting production in the toy factory, tormenting the magic reindeer, and playing every sneaky trick you can think of on Santa himself. Yes, jolly old St. Nick is not so jolly. In fact, he’s at his wit’s end and so distracted by Jack’s bad behavior that he can hardly do his work. And if Santa can’t do his work …! One shudders to think! It’s a good thing that wise old Mrs. Claus is around to take her two high-spirited boys in hand and save the day. ABOUT THE ORIGINAL STORY Have you ever heard the Christmas carol that includes the line “Jack Frost nipping at your nose”? As the personification of frost, ice, sleet, winter, and freezing cold, Jack Frost is often associated with Christmas. He is considered a variation of the Old Man Winter character and is responsible for frosty weather, cold noses and toes, changing of the leaves in autumn, and frosting windows. Beginning in the 19th century, Jack Frost became a sprite-like character, seen as either a mischief maker or a hero. In this production, Jack is a mischievous elf working along Santa in the North Pole. PLAY SYNOPSIS Mrs. Claus greets the audience and prepares to tell a story about one of the busiest Christmases ever—the year Jack Frost came to live at the North Pole. She explains that Jack wasn’t necessarily a bad elf, but he needed to find a way to be needed. In the meantime, his pranks and tricks sure kept things lively! Some years earlier, Mrs. Claus is darning stockings when Jack runs into the room carrying a pair of scissors. Santa, with his suspenders cut and barely holding up his pants, comes looking for the elf only to find that he has run away. Santa begins to regret taking Jack in, but Mrs. Claus reminds him that Jack just needs to be needed. After all, he must be good at something. Later, an exhausted Santa returns from visiting over 300 children in one day to determine if they have been naughty or nice. When Santa falls asleep, Jack paints his beard green. Santa wakes and notices the damage done to his beautiful beard. When he chases Jack, we see that he also has a “kick me” sign attached to his rear. Santa has finally had enough of Jack’s hijinks and leaves the room. Mrs. Claus tries to talk to Jack, but then spots an ornament that was broken when Jack tried his hand at juggling. Mrs. Claus tells Jack that the ornament has special significance—Santa made it by hand and gave it to her for their first Christmas together. Mrs. Claus tells Jack to clean up the mess as well as his act! Santa is increasingly concerned that he will not be able to handle all of the letters he has received. He needs a helper, but all of the elves are busy preparing for Christmas. After giving Santa a pep talk, Mrs. Claus shifts her focus to a moping Jack who tells her that he is no good to anyone, especially Santa. As December 25th approaches, Santa fears that he may have to cancel Christmas. He just does not have time to visit every boy and girl to determine if they deserve a toy or not. After hearing this shocking news, Jack finds the list of names and disappears with Santa’s magic traveling powder. Santa is furious that the ungrateful elf has stolen from him. That evening, Jack appears outside the window just as Mrs. Claus tries to get Santa to talk about the troublesome elf. Though it is very cold, Jack stays hidden outside in the snow and overhears Santa say that he wants nothing to do with him. When Santa says that the children will have to do without presents this year, Jack finally leaves his hiding spot and enters the room. He tells Santa that he did steal his traveling powder, but he used it to visit the homes of all the boys and girls on the list. And just like that, the no good, troublesome Jack finds a way to help Santa and feel needed. Most importantly, he may have found a way to save Christmas!
STATEMENT FROM THE AAC CHILDREN’S THEATRE
As I began writing this play, I knew I had to answer one obvious question: Just who is Jack Frost? When I was
little he was described to me as a mysterious personification of winter—an elfish prankster who would visit your
home in the night to silently paint your window panes with crystals and sprinkle your roof with snow and hang your
eaves with icicles while you slept warm, cozy, and unaware within. From this description of Jack’s icy occupation,
I developed a pretty clear picture of him in my imagination. It was not until I set out to create a play about him,
however, that I realized that (to my knowledge) Jack Frost is not universally identified with any single specific
story, at least not in the same way that, say, Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer are.
Perhaps this lack of a received mythology narrative is why Jack has found his way into such a wide variety of
original stories. A multitude of characters named Jack Frost have been written into television specials, horror
films, comic books, and just about every other literary medium.
Consequently, I realized that I had the wonderful opportunity to create yet one more Jack Frost especially for our
young audiences. The initial idea for this new Jack story was inspired by one of the many earlier literary versions
of the character: the Jack Frost of L. Frank Baum’s The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (a play we perform
here at the Children’s Theatre from time to time.) In this story Jack is a rascally nipper of noses for whom Santa
Claus must watch out. Baum only has Santa and Jack meet briefly a couple of times, but those encounters gave
me the idea on which I eventually built our new story—that is, the fun dynamic of a dignified Santa Claus and his
trickster nemesis, Jack Frost. All that was left was for me to add Mrs. Claus into the mix (to keep the two boys in
line) and before long the story began to take shape into the play you are about to see and, we hope, enjoy.
Keith Smith, Playwright
BEFORE THE PLAY
PREPARE FOR YOUR ROLE
• Please turn off your cell phones so you can look at all the little things that make live theatre a great big experience.
Also, bright screens in a dark theater can distract actors and other audience members.
• Save all food, gum, candy, and drinks for after the performance. They are not allowed in the theater and can be
used as a reward for good behavior!
• Sit like a grown up in your seat. That way you won’t miss a thing!
• Great theatre audiences listen, laugh when something is funny, and clap at just the right time. They never talk out
loud during a performance unless the performers ask them to.
• Keep your cameras tucked away and turned off. Photography is not allowed. Camera flashes blind the actors and
can cause them to step off the stage.
• When the play is over, enjoy talking with your friends and grownups about all the details. See who can remember
the most about the play. What were your favorite parts? Which characters did you like the most? Parents: What a
great time to have a conversation about the difference between theatre, movies, and TV!READ THE ORIGINAL STORY
In order to prepare for the play, research and read versions of Jack Frost stories. (If reading to young children, please
review the text beforehand to determine appropriateness for the intended audience.) After reading the story, consider
these questions: What types of language were used? How did the style of writing contribute to the story? How were the
characters described? What actions took place? What was the lesson of the story?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Library Media—Personal Growth: Read, Connect, Respond, Reflect; English Language Arts—Reading, Literature: Key Ideas
and Details, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas, Craft and Structure
ABOUT ADAPTATIONS
An adaptation is a change made to something so it can fit a new use or situation. This performance of Jack Frost in Santa
Land is an adaptation a series of stories (which are meant to be read or heard) into a play (which is meant to be
performed and viewed). Keith Smith is the playwright which means he transformed the ideas from the original story into a
stage production which is now performed by the AAC Children’s Theatre.
Consider these questions for discussion before you attend the play:
• What kinds of things might a playwright have to consider when writing a script? How might the script for a live stage
performance be different than a written story?
• Describe the characters in the story. What might the characters look like on stage? Draw a picture of your favorite
character.
• What are some objects they might use to help tell the story? Draw a picture of one of the scenes in the original story
and imagine how it might appear on stage.
• If you were to write an adaptation of this story into a play, what choices would you make?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Library Media—Personal Growth: Connect, Respond; Theatre—Creating, Evaluating, Responding
LEARN THE VOCABULARY
Below is a list of words included in the play. Reviewing this list will help you gain new vocabulary and also help you better
understand the performance. Try saying these words out loud so you will know them when you hear the actors say them.
The emphasis should be placed on the part of the word in UPPERCASE letters. Once you know how to say the words,
read the definition and try using the words in a sentence or conversation.
Ashamed (uh-SHAYMD) – feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace
Blustery (BLUH-stur-ee) – noisy, loud
Britches (BRIH-chez) – pants
Disappoint (diss-uh-POYNT) – to fail to meet expectations or the hope of something
Menace (MEN-uss) – someone or something that represents a threat; annoying person
Mischievous (MISS-chuh-vuss) – harming or intending to do harm; causing annoyance
Nuisance (NOOS-unts) – an annoying or troublesome person or way of doing something
Senile (SEE-nile) – showing features of old age, especially loss of mental ability
Spectacles (SPEK-tih-kulls – eyeglasses
Suspenders (suh-SPIN-derz) – bands worn over the shoulders to hold up one’s pants
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: English Language Arts—Reading, Foundational Skills: Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Word Recognition; Language:
Vocabulary Acquisition and UseDURING THE PLAY
It wouldn’t be a play without you! Your part is to pretend that the
play is real. Part of this includes accepting certain things:
YOU HAVE AN 1. Actors tell the story with words (dialogue), actions (blocking), and
songs.
IMPORTANT ROLE 2. Actors may sing songs that tell about the story or their feelings.
TO PLAY! 3. Actors may speak to the audience.
4. An actor may play several characters by changing their voice, cos-
tume, or posture.
5. Locations may be suggested by painted panels or sculptural scenic
elements on the stage or by props (smaller hand-held items).
HERE’S HOW TO PLAY YOUR PART: A play is different than television or a movie. The actors are right in front of you
and can see your reactions, feel your attention, and hear your laughter and applause. Watch and listen carefully to
understand the story. The story is told by the actors and comes to life through your imagination!
Thank you for being a great part of our audience and enjoy the show!
AFTER THE PLAY
LET’S REVIEW!
Do you remember what you learned about adaptations? Now that you have seen the play, discuss these questions. Share
your answers with friends or family who also saw the play and compare your experiences.
• In what ways was the play different than the original stories? Why do you think these changes were made?
• Describe changes made to the characters in the stories. What kinds of things might the costume designers and
actors need to consider when bringing a character from a story to life on stage?
• Describe the set. Did it match the picture you drew before the play? What kinds of things might the set designers
need to consider when bringing the story from page to stage?
• Describe the music. In what ways did the music help tell the story on stage?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Library Media—Personal Growth: Connect, Respond; Theatre—Responding; Connecting
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
Read the following questions and either write your answers or tell someone in complete sentences. Make sure to use
correct grammar and spelling.
• According to Mrs. Claus, how does Santa visit every house on Christmas Eve?
• Why did Mrs. Claus say the broken ornament was so important?
• Why was Santa overwhelmed?
• What made Jack stop his practical joking?
• Why did Santa want to banish Jack?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: English Language Arts—Writing: Text Type and Purposes; Speaking & Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration, Presenta-
tion of Knowledge and Ideas; Language: Conventions of Standard EnglishWRITING EXERCISE
Write a brief answer to the following questions. Make sure to write in complete sentences and use correct grammar,
spelling, and organization.
Recall a time you got into trouble for doing something naughty. For what bad behavior were you scolded? What was your
punishment? Who punished you? How did your punishment make you feel? Are you likely to repeat the same behavior in
the future? Why or why not?
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: English Language Arts—Writing: Text Types and Purposes; Language: Conventions of Standard English
ACTIVITIES
PICTURING PRESENTS
Santa has received Christmas lists from thousands of boys and girls all over the world. There are so many letters that he
just can’t read them all! It would be much faster if he could just SEE what it is that each child wants. Help Santa by drawing
a picture of each requested gift above the letter. In the last box, draw the one gift YOU would most like to receive!
Dear Santa, Dear Santa, Dear S anta, Dear Santa,
I really want a beach ball My wish is for a toy The gift I would like the I would really like a
to take on vacation. truck. most is a beautiful doll. teddy bear.
Sincerely, Yours truly, Sincerely, Love,
Elsa Luis Rosie Jimmy
Dear Santa, Dear Santa, Dear Santa, Dear Santa,
I would really love to I have been a good girl The toy I would like the The gift I really want is
have a bicycle. and would like a puppy. most is a set of drums. _______________________.
Yours truly, Love, Sincerely, Love,
Wang Shu Maria Omar _______________________
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Visual Arts—Creating; ConnectingFROZEN IMAGES Jack Frost is traditionally known for covering windows with frost in the winter. In this activity, you will learn how to ice over your own windows by making a frost paint. After learning about how ice crystals form in nature, you will be able to make your paint look just like Jack Frost has visited! **ADULT SUPERVISION REQUIRED** YOU WILL NEED: 1/3 cup Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) 1/2 cup hot water Few drops dishwashing detergent Bowl Paintbrush Paper towels or rag Paper (optional) Flashlight (optional) DIRECTIONS: 1. Carefully heat the water and pour it into a bowl. 2. Dissolve the Epsom salts in the water. If the salts do not completely dissolve, microwave the mixture for about 30 seconds. 3. Add a few drops of dish detergent. (The detergent will make the crystals easier to wipe away on the window) 4. Use a paintbrush to cover a window with the solution. The crystals will form within minutes. 5. When you are ready to clean the window, simply wet the paper towels or rag and wipe away the paint. 6. You may also experiment with using the frost paint on paper. 7. You may use a flashlight to watch the crystallization as the water evaporates. HOW DOES IT WORK? Though they seem to disappear, the Epsom salts dissolve into the liquid. As the water evaporates on the window, the Epsom salts will be left behind and will organize themselves into crystals. Small crystals will form rapidly where the solution is thin. In the deeper puddles (if on paper), spike crystals have more time to form. To make the largest crystals, do not paint over a wet area as it will disrupt the crystal formation. We may think of ice and frost as the same thing, but water freezes to become ice and frost is formed by crystals. These crystals are made when moisture in the air comes into contact with a solid surface that is colder than the freezing point of water. Instead of passing from its gaseous state (vapor) to liquid (water) and then to a solid (ice), the moisture goes straight from gas to solid. This causes frost crystals to form. When frost crystals form on a smooth cold surface like glass, they often make beautiful patterns. Some people think that these look like leaves, some that they resemble ferns, and to others that they have the appearance of feathers. These patterns are the result of changes in the surface of the glass; tiny scratches, specks of dust or a faint smear of liquid soap can all affect the way that the crystals form and interlink. IDENTICAL ICE: Find the matching pairs of ice crystal snowflakes. CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Science—Earth and Space Sciences: Weather and Climate; Mathematics—Measurement and Data; Visual Arts—Creating
MAGICAL DELIVERIES
According to Mrs. Claus, Santa is able to travel around the world because Christmas Eve has a special kind of magic. In
this activity, you will help Santa determine how many units of magic he will need in order to deliver all the presents on his
sleigh.
How many units of magic will Santa need to travel between each location? Count the squares between each location and
write the number in the blank. Do not count the beginning square, but do count the square that includes the destination
city. At the end, add up all of the numbers to determine the total amount of magic Sant will need. The first one is done for
you as an example.
= 1 unit of magic
• Helsinki
• New York City • Rome
• Beijing
• Casablanca • Tokyo
• Mexico City • New Delhi
• Honolulu
• Dakar
• Nairobi
• Jakarta
• Buenos Aires • Sydney
Sydney, Australia to Buenos Aires, Argentina 11
___________
Casablanca, Morocco to Tokyo, Japan ___________
New York City, USA to Rome, Italy ___________
Mexico City, Mexico to New Delhi, India ___________ Total units of magic needed for
travel on
Helsinki, Finland to Nairobi, Kenya ___________ Christmas Eve:
Dakar, Senegal to Honolulu, USA ___________
__________
Beijing, China to Jakarta, Indonesia ___________
ANSWERS: 11;8;4;9;5;7;3;47
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Mathematics—Counting and Cardinality, Operations and Algebraic Thinking; Social Studies—Geographic RepresentationsIF YOU ENJOYED THIS, YOU SHOULD READ...
It’s Christmas, David! by David Shannon (Ages 4-8)
Readers of all ages will vividly remember trying to peek at hidden gift packages, writing scrolls of wish
lists to Santa, and struggling to behave at formal Christmas dinner parties. Santa Claus is watching Da-
vid, soon to decide if he deserves a shiny new fire truck or a lump of coal under the tree. From playing
with delicate ornaments to standing in an endlessly long line for Santa, there are common Christmas
activities we all remember, but with David's naughty trimmings.
Peter Claus and the Naughty List by Lawrence David, illustrated by Delphine Durrand (Ages 6+)
Naughty or nice? Peter Claus thinks this yearly question is most unfair. As Santa’s son, he should
know! For the second year in a row, his name appears on the dreaded Naughty List which means no
presents for Christmas. But Peter doesn’t remember misbehaving—at least not enough to deserve such
a harsh punishment. Taking the reins to Santa’s sleigh, Peter rounds up all the naughty children the
world over. He wants Santa to hear their side.
The Year Without Santa Claus by Phyllis McGinley, illustrated by John Manders (Ages 6-8)
Santa has woken up on the wrong side of the bed. He’s got a crick in his neck, a cold in his nose, and
aches in his fingers and all ten toes. So Santa decides to take his first vacation in one thousand years.
The Elves, the reindeer, the Gnomes, and, most of all, the children around the world are upset when
they find out. But then, one six-year old boy comes to Santa’s rescue and children everywhere band
together to give Santa a Christmas he’ll never forget!
Ho-Ho-Ho Christmas Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone by Amelia LaRoche (Ages 8-10)
How much did Santa pay for his sleigh? Nothing, it was on the house! Author Amelia LaRoche has fun
with corny, funny, and silly jokes, limericks, tongue twisters, knock-knock jokes, and fun facts in Ho-Ho-
Ho Christmas Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone.
The Naughty List by Michael Fry and Bradley Jackson (Ages 8-12)
When Bobbie's hilariously bumbling efforts to save her brother's Christmas actually land him on Santa's
Naughty List, she must travel to the North Pole to make things right again and save Christmas. Bobbie
suddenly finds herself on an epic holiday adventure complete with rogue elves, dysfunctional reindeer,
a lazy Santa, and more.
Visit your local library
for more suggestions!
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Library Media—Personal Growth: ReadIT TAKES A TEAM TO CREATE MAGIC ON THE STAGE!
Did you know that the play you saw was the result of many people working together? There are many roles in the theatre
department and each of the people in charge of these tasks must do their very best as a team member in order to
produce a great performance. Below is a list of some of these roles:
The DIRECTOR is the person responsible for the The ACTOR is the one who performs a role or represents a
overall artistic vision of a production. character in a play.
The SET DESIGNER is the person responsible for designing The CHOREOGRAPHER is the person who designs the
and overseeing the construction of the stage setting. dance steps to be used in a play.
The COSTUME DESIGNER is the person in charge of the The MUSIC DIRECTOR is the person responsible for the
clothing worn by the actors in a performance. musical content of a production.
The TECHNICAL DIRECTOR is the person in charge of the
technical requirements of a production as well as the
equipment.
Want to learn how to be
a part of the play?
The STAGE MANAGER is the person responsible for
overseeing all the backstage elements of a production Ask us about theatre camps, classes,
(scheduling, rehearsals, etc.) and audition opportunities!
CONTACT US
ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER CHILDREN’S THEATRE
P.O. BOX 2137
LITTLE ROCK, AR 72203
501-372-4000
Visit our website to enroll in children’s camps and classes, learn about upcoming programs, read about the exhibitions and
artworks in our galleries, view the entire 2018-2019 Children’s Theatre season, and more!
WWW.ARKANSASARTSCENTER.ORG
SPONSORS
PRESENTED BY:
FALL SEASON SPONSOR: SHOW SPONSORS: MEDIA SPONSOR:
Little Rock Family
PAY WHAT YOU CAN SPONSOR:
Crow-Burlingame Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BY:
Morris Foundation, Inc.
Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre is supported in part by: the City of Little Rock; the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau; the City of North Little
Rock; The Shubert Foundation and the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts.You can also read
