The Missouri State University In-School Players Present:

The In-School Players (ISP) consist of a small cast of Missouri State University students who travel the local elementary school and Springfield Public Library circuit to bring live theater performances to children. Created in the fall of 1984, the cast consists of six to eight members who present 40 to 60 performances of stories, poems, and music per school year.

It is estimated that the In-School Players Touring Group has entertained over 500,000 children since it was formed. The group claims to be able to perform anywhere such as classrooms, libraries, and playgrounds, and offers Tuesday and Thursday performances. Other performances include S.T.A.M. (Speech and Theater Association of Missouri) Conventions.

For the ISP homepage, please visit this link: http://theatreanddance.missouristate.edu/inschoolplayers.asp

The Idea:

Early in the semester, I made the decision to use Ozarks folktales as the focus for our script. It soon became evident that many of the folktales contained decidedly "adult" themes inappropriate for the Kindergarten through fifth grade audiences for whom the ISP performed. I decided to seek help, so I contacted Dr. Rachel Gholson, an Associate Professor of English whose specialty happened to be folklore:

Dear Dr. Gholson:

My name is Michael Frizell, and I am director of the Writing Center here at Missouri State. One of my secondary duties is directing the In-School Players, a children’s theatre troupe devoted to bringing theatre to Title I schools and other K-5 schools throughout Springfield. This is my first semester as the director of the troupe, and I have come up with an idea that calls upon your particular expertise.

The troupe is made up of six college actors selected by audition. During the fall semester, we write a 40-45 minute script, adapting poetry, prose, and songs into a themed variety show for tour in the spring semester. The troupe was created by Sharon Ellis of the theatre department. Ms. Ellis is planning to retire, and the reins were given to me (I was a former troupe member during my first master’s degree, way back in 1994). I met with the troupe for the first time yesterday and pitched the idea of performing a show themed around Ozarks folklore, tall tales, poetry, and song. The troupe members, and Dr. Mark Biggs, department head for Theatre & Dance, were receptive of the idea.

I was wondering if you could share some of your insights and perhaps give us some direction to turn as we research and locate materials for adaptation. I am familiar with the storytelling of Richard and Judy Dockery Young from Branson, but I’m afraid my knowledge of the Ozarks and folklore stops there. I’d be interested in having you address the troupe as we begin our search. We meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:00 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. as THE 497 Special Problems for the Theatre: In-School Players, a three credit hour course, in Craig Hall 209. If you could not meet with us, any information you care to share would be welcomed and helpful. Thank you for considering my request.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, Michael

Her response was both thoughtful and informative:

Michael,

Please call me Rachel (Dr. whatever is so formal among peers.) This sounds like a truly wonderful idea. I have no experience beyond audience participation n the area of theater, but can already see some wonderful portions of a performance…perhaps a few young women thinking about boys and tossing a(n imaginary) cat to see who will be married first, etc.

This is exciting and I would love to be able to speak with your class. However with 6 courses on my plate this semester, I’ll be teaching IDS110 at the time you all meet. Perhaps I could let them out early with a quiz to complete on campus one day, if you think my speaking to the class would be helpful.

The Dockery’s are wonderful story tellers. Other key texts, of course anything by Vance Randolph. _Ozarks Magic and Folklore_ will be the text of his that will give you more beliefs than you want. For traditional tunes you might look at the on-line collection of Max Hunter. There are Ozarks versions of ballads that have stood the test of time and reach back to the old countries (Barbra Allen, the Two sisters, etc.). There are also (and I think this is VERY important) songs about Ozarks history that have unique topics (local mine explosion for instance- hmm, I believe…try the West Plains explosion/mine as search term for this) and serve a very important role in preserving our view of our history.

Of course perhaps the big question is do you all –as a class- want this to be folklore of the past or to include folklore of the present too. (I hope the latter) We have festivals like hootin and hollerin, Sucker days, traditional musicians (one recognized by the national government as a national treasure who kids should know about-Bob Holt, recently passed), traditional quilters, tractor days at Ozarks schools were everyone comes to school on some piece of farm equipment instead of in their car, schools that let out for the “holiday” of hunting season (of one type or another, but deer season comes to mind over towards the boot heel). Etc.

Do you want to chat in person a bit, or take a look at these sources and get back to me, or…? Whatever will help let me know because this is a Wonderful project!

Rachel

PS Another approach folklore of the cultural groups of the Ozarks. Folk art/food produced by the largest Am. Vietnamese gathering which happens annually here in the Ozarks, Fr. MO folklore (story, festival, song), Catholic folklore in the Ozarks (bathtub Mary’s), Giraffe houses/buildings in the Ozarks… My examples here are mostly material culture, but I’m sure other non-material lore could be found.

Much of what Dr. Gholson suggested had already been discussed in some detail during the institute, but she certainly got me to thinking outside the box. Perhaps, instead of straight adaptation of the found material, we could take Ozarks traditions, stock characters, and local culture and fit them into stories that may not be specifically Ozarks in origin. Thus, the group started their research.

Possible Logo Designs

Oddly enough, in its 24 year history, the In-School Players have never had a logo.

Logo Design #1:


My brother, D.A. Frizell, creator and director of "D.A. Frizell's Mind's Eye" (http://dafrizell.com/index.html), a for-hire graphic design workshop, agreed to come up with a logo. However, he offered this caveat, "I am very busy right and this sort of work is not usually something I do." I asked him to create a logo using the MSU logo, the words "In-School Players," and a bear, the MSU mascot. I told him I wanted a "toy bear or teddy bear" to represent the mascot. Here's what he came up with in about 15 minutes:



The design was cute, but not quite what I was looking for. However, not knowing how to talk to a designer, he did, techinically, give me what I asked. The players didn't like the eyes on the bear, stating that they were "scary" and "empty."

Logo Design #2:

I contacted Creator Designs (creatordesigns.com) to requisition a logo I could place on T-shirts, letterhead, and the official website. I told them what I had told my brother, but I also showed them the art of Skottie Young, a comic book artist currently working on a creative adaptation of The Wizard of Oz for Marvel Comics, as inspiration. The designer's mission was to create a logo that could be modified each year according to the ISP show's theme. This year, the title of our production is, "Ozarks Tall Tales!" This logo would need to appear on seven different colors.

Here's what the designer created...



Here is the logo for letterhead, repeated on several colors:




I love the official logo with MSU and the bear, but the players didn't like the tree on the T-Shirt design for Ozarks Tall Tales, feeling that the tree was a bit scary. Still, this logo is definitely a step in the right direction.

Logo Design #3:

The designer cleaned up the image and removed the trees. Additionally, since my budget for the troupe is small, I requested the design be one color. Here is the revision:



Final Logo Design:

It was suggested that the bear should be facing the title of the production. So, a quick rearrangement later...



This final version of the logo and title will be printed on long-sleeve t-shirts for the players to wear while touring. I will also use the logo for correspondence, posters, and other marketing tools.

Reader's Theatre Workshop

The In-School Players Touring Group will be visiting Kim's 5th grade class at Wilson's Creek Elementary School on Wednesday, November 5, 2008, at 1:30 p.m for a reader's theatre workshop of the script. It is the Player's hope that the students will give feedback on the rough-draft of the scripts and offer suggestions for making the writing feel more relevant to them and to help the group decide which stories to keep for the touring performances in the spring of 2009.

Script Doctoring:

After the ISP's final rehearsal of the reader's theatre script on November 3rd, careful readers will notice several changes were made to the original script. Those changes include:

1. "Charlie Joins the Circus" was removed from the script: The group decided that "Charlie" was telling the story through lengthy exposition as opposed to showing the story. Though "Alan Den" suffers from the same affliction, it is still a favorite of the cast due to its incorporation of pop culture references. Thus, "Alan Den" has been heavily edited to shorten long monologues.

2. "The Mule Egg" and "Dylan the Eagle-Hearted Chicken" received additional dialogue: Both scripts work well and show the story rather than tell the story. However, for reader's theatre, additional dialogue was added to make the action of the stories clearer to the listener.

3. The Jonas Brothers song in "Alan Den" is fleshed out: The group debated some as to whether to have the Jonas Brothers, who serve collectively as the genie in this "Aladin" adaptation, should sing or speak their dialogue. It was decided that their first appearance should be sung. To make the song feel more fully realized, some lines were added and others repeated.

4. Addition of the entre' act: I used the poem, "If You are a Dreamer" by Shel Silverstein as a way to begin the production. In the original script, the poem was used merely as an introduction to the written document, but I believe it serves the show well as a way to get it started. I divided the lines among the cast members to simulate the effect of a Greek chorus.

5. Length: The show ran approximately 37 minutes. The goal is to have a fully-staged show that runs less than 45 minutes in length. I feel that the current reading length is perfect.

The Reader's Theatre Performance at Wilson's Creek Elementary:

COMING SOON!

Marketing the Troupe to the Springfield School District:

The marketing letter to area teachers:

Hello!

My name is Michael Frizell, and I am the new Director of Missouri State University’s In-School Players, a small cast of Missouri State University students who travel the local elementary school and Springfield Public Library circuit to bring live theater performances to children. Created in the fall of 1984, the cast consists of six to eight members who present a performance consisting of stories, poems, and music. It is estimated that the In-School Players Touring Group has entertained over 500,000 children since it was formed.

The MSU In-School Players will begin touring on February 5, 2009. This year’s show is entitled “Ozarks Tall Tales!” This collection of nine poems, songs, books, and original stories were written or adapted by the company members. The books include “Because of Lozo Brown” by Larry L. King, “The Tortoise and the Hare” by Roald Dahl, and “Dylan the Eagle-Hearted Chicken” by David Harrison. The performance also includes adaptations of the “The Mule Egg,” an Ozarks folktale, and a modern retelling of “Aladdin” entitled “Alan Den,” and a Pecos Bill story titled “The Start of the Rodeo.” The song, “Here I Am,” by David Yazbeck has been adapted with Ozarks flair and will be sung by the cast. The original script featured this year is titled “The Great Mountain Snipe,” by Dan Kohl, a senior majoring in theatre.

The play can be presented in any setting – classroom, all-purpose room, cafeteria, library, gym, or playground and offers Tuesday and Thursday performances with a preferred starting time between 1:20 and 2:00 p.m. The running time is approximately 45 minutes, but can be shortened if desired, and is best suited for children for grades K to 5. As has always been our custom, there is no charge for these performances.

If you would like to have the MSU In-School Players perform for the children in your school, please e-mail me at MichaelFrizell@MissouriState.edu as soon as possible since the tour will be booked on a first come, first serve basis. Please see the attached document for tour information and dates. A small poster is also attached. The poster is in black and white for both easy printing and is offered as a coloring page for your students.

I hope that you will take advantage of this free entertainment provided by the Missouri State University Department of Theatre & Dance. Please see our website at http://www.theatreanddance.missouristate.edu/inschoolplayers.asp.

If you are interested in a blog chronicling the creation of the show this semester, please visit the Ozarks Writing Project’s Advanced Institute wiki at http://owpai.wetpaint.com/page/Theatre+in+the+Ozarks.

Sincerely,


Michael Frizell
For the Office of Student Development and Public Affairs:
Director - The Writing Center
Director - Supplemental Instruction

For the College of Arts and Letters/Theatre & Dance Department:
Director - In-School Players

Missouri State University 901 South National Avenue Springfield, MO 65897
Office: Pummill Hall 1A, 417-836-5006 or 417-836-6806 Center: Pummill Hall 401, 417-836-6398 Web: http://writingcenter.missouristate.edu Center E-Mail: writingcenter@missouristate.edu Director E-Mail: michaelfrizell@missouristate.edu

The Tour Dates:
Please complete the form below and mail as an attachment to michaelfrizell@missouristate.edu

Request Form for MSU In-School Players Tour – Spring 2009
Name of School
Address of School
Phone
Principal
Person Requesting Performance
Grades Seeing Production
Estimated Number of Children in Audience
Location of Performance
Did the In-School Players perform at your school last year?

Choice: Mark 1st, 2nd, or 3rd choice	Dates	Performance Times: List preferred starting time of performance between 1:20 and 2:00 p.m.
	Thursday, February 5
	Tuesday, February 10
	Thursday, February 12
	Thursday, February 19
	Tuesday, February 24
	Thursday, February 26
	Tuesday, March 3
	Thursday, March 5
	Tuesday, March 10
	Thursday, March 12
	Tuesday, March 17
	Tuesday, March 31
	Thursday, April 2
	Tuesday, April 7
	Tuesday, April 14
	Thursday, April 16
	Tuesday, April 21
	Thursday, April 23
	Tuesday, April 28
	Thursday, April 30
	Tuesday, May 5
	Thursday, May 7
	Tuesday, May 12

Rehearsal Pictures:

Final Tour Schedule:

SCHOOL	Dates	Performance Time:
Portland Elementary	Thursday, February 5	1:30
Fremont Elementary	Tuesday, February 10	1:20
Eugene Field Elementary	Thursday, February 12	1:20
Wilson’s Creek Elementary	Thursday, February 19	2:00
Watkins Elementary	Tuesday, February 24	1:20
Rountree Elementary	Thursday, February 26	1:20
Bowerman Elementary	Tuesday, March 3	1:20
Sequiota Elementary	Thursday, March 5	1:20
Cowden Elementary	Tuesday, March 10	1:20
Wilder Elementary	Thursday, March 12	1:30
Disney Elementary	Tuesday, March 17	2:00
Wanda Gray Elementary	Tuesday, March 31	1:30
MSU SHOWCASE - PSU Theatre	Thursday, April 2	1:30
Weaver Elementary	Tuesday, April 14	1:30
Jeffries Elementary	Thursday, April 16	1:30
Pleasant View Elementary	Tuesday, April 21	1:30
Weller Elementary	Thursday, April 23	1:20
Sherwood Elementary	Tuesday, April 28	1:20 (K-2), 2:00 (3-5)
Holland Elementary	Thursday, April 30	2:00
Campbell Elementary	Tuesday, May 5	2:00
Robberson Elementary	Thursday, May 7	1:20

Portland Elementary

Opening day was a hit! The show clocked in at about 45 minutes, a bit longer than it tested, but actors must hold for laughs and the unexpected.

The "unexpected" came during the Emily's monologue, playing the lead character in Larry L. King's book, Because of Lozo Brown, adapted by troupe member Ariel. "Mean Lozo," played by Nathan, stalks the kids in the crowd. The kids, of course, stopped listening to Emily and became very squirmy and loud. It was great! However, Emily, unsure of how to get them back, looked to me for help. Nathan eventually left the audience, allowing Emily to regain control.

What we learned...

It was obvious after the first show that we needed to teach the audience a signal to direct their attention where we wanted it. I noticed that most schools have developed a culture for this type of signal. At Portland, if a speaker is trying to address a loud or unfocused crowd, merely needs to raise his or her hand. The children follow until all are silent. The troupe decides to follow the culture of the school. It will be up to me to discover the signal.

MSU Showcase

The ISP Troupe, in existence since 1984, has either never or rarely performed for the college community. The troupe has, historically, relied upon its strong reputation and word of mouth for marketing.

I'm too impatient for that technique.

On April 2, the ISP will perform a free show on campus in the Plaster Student Union Theatre. The audience:

1. The campus community: I specifically want student interested in performing so that I am able to continue enjoying a strong a cast. Only Levi will be returning to the troupe in the fall. Thus, it is imperative that I find at least five more performers as strong and dedicated as this group has been. Mark Biggs, acting department head of Theatre and Dance, has suggested I also invite the provost and the president. He also stated his interest in attending since he has never seen an ISP performance.

2. Home Schooled Children: I have several friends and acquaintences who home school their kids. There is a constortium of some sort that has contact information for home schooled children in the area. I plan on contacting them in the next week to spread the word about the upcoming show.

3. Alternative Schools in Springfield: Springfield has several special schools in the area. I would like to invite those kids, too.

4. Springfield Schools: Many schools were unable to book a tour date. I plan on extending an invitation via e-mail to these schools.

There is also a method behind the madness...

The schedule will look something like this:

1:00 PM - Warm ups, pep talks, and set up.

1:20 PM - Doors open. Various members will juggle, sing, and mix with the crowd.

1:30 PM - I will introduce the concept behind the ISP troupe. Flyers will be available announcing the upcoming auditions. Following the culture of the theatre department, sign up sheets for audition times will be available on the call boards in Craig Hall and I will create a Facebook event page for sign ups, marketing, and to generate some buzz.

1:35 PM - The Show.

2:20 PM - The show ends. I will set up a "talkback" event where those interested can talk to the cast.

2:30 PM - The talkback begins.

2:50 PM - End talkbacks, strike set.