Did you know that Little Red Riding Hood has a first name? Learn her name in David Stephens' production of Billy Goats Gruff & Other Stuff. MAGPI is pleased to partner with The Center for Puppetry Arts to bring you this exciting, engaging live performance via videoconference.

In this one-man performance utilizing hand, rod, and glove puppets, Stephens retells classic fairy tales as well as telling a few of his own original tales. You'll see what happens when three billy goats try to cross over a bridge belonging to a greedy troll in The Three Billy Goats Gruff.  Parker Pig encounters some good luck when he stumbles over a watering can in The One Little Pig and the Three Wishes; a retelling of a family favorite.



In 2005, this show was honored by receiving a Citation of Excellence from UNIMA-USA (Union Internationale de la Marionette): the equivalent of an Oscar in the puppetry world.

Synopsis

Billy Goats Gruff & Other Stuff is a lively collection of short pieces adapted for the puppet stage and performed by David Stephens (All Hands Productions). “Little Red Riding Hood” was already a well-known folktale when French writer Charles Perrault published it in Tales of Mother Goose in 1697. Like the Brothers Grimm or Joel Chandler Harris, Perrault did not invent the stories he published, but recorded his versions of them for posterity. China, Germany, Austria and Italy all have stories similar to “Little Red Riding Hood.” “The Three Billy Goats Gruff” is an old folktale from Norway, a country famous for its troll legends. “The One Little Pig and the Three Wishes” is a variation on “The Three Little Pigs,” a popular story found in English, African and Italian folklore (although the Italian version is about geese, not pigs).

Pre-Videoconference Activities

There is are no required preparation activities for this event. However, the Teachers Guide created by the Center for Puppetry Arts have several suggested learning activities, internet resources to use, and a bibliography for your reference.

• Cooking with Goat's Milk (OPTIONAL): In this activity, students will name different products that come from goats and assist in making fudge or ice cream from goat’s milk. The entire lesson plan can be found in the Teacher's Guide (under Resources).
• Billy Goats Gruff Mental Math Game (OPTIONAL): Students will practice mentally addition and subtraction by playing a math game, and create a Billy Goats Gruff puppet. Full lesson plan available in the Teacher's Guide (under Resources).

National Content Standards

Did You Know Puppetry is a unique art form that encompasses music, visual arts, AND performing arts! Participation in this program meets the following content standards:

Language Arts
Classic fairy tales are performed through an arts medium. Students
communicate are engage with the presenter throughout the performance.
NL-ENG.K-12.9 Multicultural Understanding
NL-ENG.K-12.11 Participating in Society
NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills

Fine Arts/Music
David Stephens performs his banjo to original music through a call-and-response song at the beginning of this performance.
NA-M.K-4.6 Listening to, Analysing and Describing Music
NA-M.K-4.8 Understanding Relationships between Music, the Other Arts, and Disciplines Outside the Arts
NA-M.K-4.9 Understanding Music in Relation to History and Culture

Fine Arts/Theatre
David Stephens performs various stories with audience interaction throughout the performance.
NA-T.K-4.2 Acting  by Assuming Roles and Interacting in Improvisations
NA-T.K-4.7 Analyzing and Explaining Personal Preferences and Constructing Meaning from Classroom Dramatization and from Theatre, Film, Telvision, and Electronic Media Productions
NA-T.K-4.8 Understanding Context by Recognizing the Role of Theatre, Film, Television, and Electronic Media in Daily life.

Fine Arts/Visual Arts
David Stephens is also a puppet builder. He created puppets and props used during the performances.
NA-VA.K-4.1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques and Processes
NA-VA.K-4.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines

Technology
Students and teachers are actively participating with interactive media technology during the live videoconference.
NT.K-12.1 Basic Operations and Concepts
NT.K-12.3 Technology Productivity Tools
NT.K-12.4 Technology Communications Tools