tomás and the library lady enrichment guide
DESCRIPTION
Guide for young audiences attending the play Tomás and the Library Lady at ZACH TheatreTRANSCRIPT
This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
Media Sponsor
Dear ZACH;
This project is funded and supported in part by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
Enrichment Guide
TOMÁS AND THE LIBRARY LADY
By José Cruz González • Directed by Tamara CarrollCreated in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance.
Supporting SponsorLeading Sponsor
Illustration: Rōnā Ebert
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The real Tomás Rivera (who inspired the character of Tomás in the play) was an accomplished professor, writer and poet.
He was born in Crystal City, Texas, to a family of migrant farm workers, and he worked in the fields as a young boy. In 1958, he earned a bachelor’s degree at Texas State University with a major in English and minors in Spanish, history, and education.
Mr. Rivera wrote poemas, short stories, and a novel. There is an award named after him that honors authors and illustrators who write about Mexican American experiences.
3rd Grade Social Studies §113.14 (b)(15)
Sobre el Verdadero Tomás RiveraAbout the Real Tomás Rivera
When Tomás was traveling with his family, he fit all his belongings into a maleta. If you were going on a long trip and could only take a few things
with you, what would you take? Draw those items in this suitcase and write them on the lines in the space below.
Ir en un viaje / Going on a journey
Photographs of the real Tomás Rivera were acquired with permission by the Tomás Rivera Archives, Special Collections, University of California, Riverside.
Costume designer Rebecca Drew Ramsey created these drawings (known as “renderings”) as inspiration for the costumes the characters wear. Many of the characters work outside, so she used denim—or blue jean material—as the main fabric.
The actors all play more than one part, so they have to be able to change their costumes very quickly (and often onstage!).
The large drawings show the actors’ main costume and the smaller drawings show the costume pieces they add to be come different characters. 3rd Grade Theatre §117.113. (b)(3)(A)
Diseño de Vestuario / Costume Design
1st Grade ELA §110.11. (b)(7)(A)
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Haz Tu Propia Portada del Libro Make Your Own Book Cover
Director ..............................................................................................Tamara CarrollTomás/Ensemble ....................................................................................Ben BazánÁma/Ensemble ...................................................................Martinique DucheneLibrary Lady/Ensemble ............................................................... Claire StephenLibrary Lady/Ensemble .............................................................Kathleen BrownStage Manager ......................................................................... Katie S. AndersonSet Designer/Video Designer ..............................................Stephanie BusingProp Designer ......................................................................................... Scott GrohLighting Designer ........................................................................Andrew Carson
Costume Designer ........................................................ Rebecca Drew RamseySound Designer .................................................................. Lowell BartholomeeMusic Track Recordings ............................................................... Robert PeirsonComposer ............................................................................................ Julián ArizolaEducation Director .................................................................................. Nat MillerPerforming Arts School Manager .................................................... Chad DikePre-Professional Manager ................................................................... Jen YoungEducation Associate .............................................................................Katie ShawEducation Assistant ..........................................................................Shannon Fox
Tomás and the Library Lady Team
4th Grade ELA §110.14 (b)(9)
Tomás and the Library Lady was adapted by playwright José Cruz González from a book that was written by author Pat Mora. That means Gonzalez took Mora’s story and turned it into a play. At left is the cover from the book. Each of the books Tomás read had a different cover.
Use the blank book at right to design your own book cover, either of Tomás and the Library Lady, one of your favorite books, or for your own autobiography.
Autobiografía / AutobiographyAn autobiography is a story that the author writes about his or her own life. If you were going to tell the story of your life, what would you want to write about? Use this space to make a list of important events, or write your story.
Kindergarten ELA §110.11
Dear ZACH;
Discussion Questions1. Why did Tomás’s family need to move to from Texas to Iowa
and then back to Texas? How did moving make Tomás and his family feel?
2. Have you ever had to leave a place or a person that was very important to you? What was that experience like for you?
3. At the beginning of the play Tomás is very afraid of going back to school. How did he overcome his fear?
4. Tomás taught the Library Lady words in Spanish and she taught him words in English. What do you like to teach to your friends? What has one of your friends taught you?
5. Who is a person that made a big difference in your life? What did they do that was special?
6. The real Tomás Rivera grew up to be a writer and teacher who worked with Chicano stories and students. How do you think his experience with the Library Lady helped him decide what to do as an adult?
Preguntas de Discusión1. ¿Por qué necesitaba la familia de Tomás mudarse de Texas
a Iowa y luego regresar a Texas?¿Cómo crees que Tomás y su familia se sintieron?
2. ¿Alguna vez has tenido que dejar algún lugar o alguna persona muy importante para ti? ¿Cómo fue la experiencia para ti?
3. ¿Al inicio de la obra, Tomás tenía mucho miedo regresar a la escuela. ¿Como lo superó?
4. Tomás le enseñó unas palabras en español a la Señora de la Biblioteca y ella le enseñó palabras en Inglés. ¿Qué te gusta enseñar a tus amigos? ¿Qué te ha enseãdo uno de tus amigos?
5. ¿Quién fue la persona que ha hecho una gran diferencia en tu vida? ¿Qué hizo que fue especial?
6. El verdadero Tomás Rivera creció para ser un escritor y profesor que trabajó con historias chicanos y estudiantes chicanos. ¿Cómo crees que su experiencia con la Señora de la Biblioteca le ayudó a decidir qué hacer cuando sea adulto?
1510 Toomey Road, Austin, Texas 78704 | 512-476-0594 x236 | zachtheatre.org | [email protected]
This project is funded and supported in part by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
Many farm and agricultural workers joined the U.S. Armed Services during World War II, so the U.S. government started the Bracero Program (the name comes from brazos, which is the Spanish word for “arms”), which brought many Mexican workers to the U.S. to work on farms during the 1940s.
Working conditions for immigrants were often harsh, and they did not have protections like overtime pay and the ability to form unions to stand up for their rights. Many migrant workers, like Tomás and the Rivera family, had to move long distances frequently (like Texas to Iowa and back again), following the crops to find work.
Los Trabajadores Migrantes en la década de 1940 / Migrant Workers in the 1940s
Learning a new language can be tricky. Draw a line to match the English and Spanish words that mean the same thing. If you get stuck, see if you can find a friend to help you.
SPANISH ENGLISH
Leer Library
Casa Friend
Ayuda Travel
Amigo Read
Viajar Home
Biblioteca Help
Foreign Language (Spanish) §114.25 (c)(1)(d)
We want to hear from you.Write a letter or postcard about your favorite part of the play and mail to:
ZACH TheatreAttention: EDUCATION1510 Toomey RoadAustin, Texas 78704
Official Healthcare Sponsor of ZACH
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5th Grade Social Studies §113.16. (b)(4)(G)
Aprender un Nuevo Idioma Learning a New Language