Experience 11
Role Play for a Day: A Medieval Festival

Objective: To understand and experience a live theatrical performance — to see how the design elements come together and to feel the excitement of making theatre happen.

In order to make theatre come alive, a combination of elements must be carefully coordinated. Throughout this unit, students have explored the functions that props, costumes, sound effects, music, setting and character development play in making theatre happen, and have chronicled their journey in their Books of Days. Students’ backdrops and props are in place, costumes have been constructed or rendered, music and sound effects are selected, and characterizations are prepared. Now, in a culminating activity, students follow their own special interests and abilities to offer a distinctive medieval festival performance given in character for the king/queen-teacher. During this festival celebration, students use coins to purchase food at a medieval feast and receive the title of sir or dame for their loyalty and hard work. 

Festivals took place only once or a few times a year and could last from one day to several weeks. Merchants would come to trade and sell their wares. Dancers, contortionists, gymnasts, acrobats, puppeteers, jugglers, play actors, musicians and stilt walkers would perform at festivals. Boxing, wrestling and soccer games were played, but the sports became so violent (and were a source of gambling) that the Church attempted banning some activities. Jousting tournaments and mock battles also occurred during festivals and could lead to serious injuries or death. The winners, however, might make a name for themselves, find a profitable marriage or get the armor and horse of their opponent (and hold it for ransom).

Indiana Standards for 4th Grade that are addressed in Performance Learning:

English/Language Standard 7 - Listening and Speaking: Listening and Speaking Skills, Strategies and Applications
Visual Arts Standard 9 - Creating Art: Production
Music Standard 1 – Singing alone and with others

English/Language Standard 7 - Listening and Speaking: Listening and Speaking Skills, Strategies, and Applications
Visual Arts Standard 9 - Creating Art: Production
Music Standard 1 – Singing alone and with others

The Mental Joust: What is it like playing a role in a theatrical production? Did I use my voice, movements, props, sound effects, dialogue and costume to help make my medieval character come alive? What was it like at a medieval feast and festival? What have I learned about theatre and what it takes to put on a production? 

Time: One school day

Materials: photocopies of the Festival Presentation Rubric and the Knighting Certificate (located in Manuscript Handouts), CDs or tapes of medieval music, a CD or tape player, feast food prepared the day before, cups, plates, napkins, medieval coins made by the students.

Procedure:
1) Stagger student presentations throughout the day with the medieval feast occurring near the middle of the day and the Knighting Ceremony at the end of the day. 
2) Use the rubric for evaluating students' festival presentations. Students could also fill out the rubric on their own presentation.
3) To further break up the day, below are some diversions based on medieval pastimes.

Hoodman’s Blind (known as Blind Man’s Bluff today)
Blindfold one person. The other players stand in a circle around him or her. One of the players gently taps the blindfolded person and says in a disguised voice, "Dost thou knowest me?" The blindfolded person tries to guess who did the tapping. If he guesses correctly, the players switch places and the game continues. If he guesses incorrectly, then other players take turns tapping the blindfolded person.

Hunt the Slipper
One player (the Slipper Soul) holds a shoe in his or her hands and stands in the center of a circle of children. The players that make up the circle pretend to be cobblers hammering and sewing leather shoes. The Slipper Soul hands the shoe to one of the cobblers, closes her eyes, and says, "Cobbler! Cobbler! Mend my shoe! Fix it up as good as new! One, two, three, four stitches will do!" While the Slipper Soul is saying this rhyme, the cobblers pass the shoe around their backs. When the Slipper Soul is finished, the cobblers hum and pretend each of them has the shoe. The Slipper Soul tries to guess who has the shoe. If she is correct, the cobbler and the Slipper Soul trade places. If she is incorrect, the Slipper Soul tries again.

Bob for Apples
Fill a bucket or sink with water. Float some apples in it and let people take turns trying to get a bite of an apple with out using their hands.

Bocci (BAH-chee)
Use at least two sets of balls in two colors (such as a yellow and white tennis ball and a yellow and white golf ball). Toss the golf balls (the Bocci) in the lawn and then take turns rolling the other balls toward the Bocci. Each player gets two tries. The player who rolls their ball closest to the Bocci is the winner. 
Note: If you play indoors, try tossing some Nerf balls instead.

Alquerque (all-kwair-kay)
Pair up students. Have each group draw the square diagram. (Figure A) Cut out 12 game pieces for each player, using two colors of paper, and set up the game board as shown. (Figure B) Each student takes turns moving pieces diagonally, one square at a time. If you move one of your game pieces on a corner that has one of your opponent's game pieces on it, then you may "capture" his or her piece by replacing it with your game piece. When one of your game pieces makes it to the opposing edge, then it can move forward or backward as well as diagonally. The winner has the last game piece left on the board. 

Fox and Geese
Pair up students. Draw the game board (figure C) and place the game pieces on the board. (Figure D) One player moves the dark game pieces (the geese) and the other player moves the light game piece (the fox). The fox and the geese can move in any direction. Players take turns moving the game pieces. When the fox jumps over a goose, the goose is removed from the board. The geese cannot jump over the fox. The object is for the geese to get into a position where the fox cannot move in any direction.

Nine Men’s Morris
Pair up students. Draw the game board like the one shown. (Figure E) Cut out nine game pieces for each player out of different colored paper. Players take turns placing a game piece on the dots. The object is to make a "mill" (where three game pieces form a line). When a player makes a mill, he removes one of his opponent's game pieces off the board. When all nine of a player's game pieces are on the board, then the player may use his turn to move one of his game pieces to the next dot. (Game pieces can only move along a line.) The game ends when one of the players is left with only two game pieces.

Maypole Dance
May Day was a festive occasion in the Middle Ages. People would gather flowers for garlands and crowns. They would tie colorful ribbons on a tall tree or pole and then dance and sing. Try making your own Maypole with string, then sing, “Here we go round the merry maypole, the merry maypole, the merry maypole. Here we go round the merry maypole on this festive May Day!”

4) During the feast, play festive medieval music and ask students to pay for their food using the coins they have earned throughout the unit. 
5) For the Knighting Ceremony, ask each student to kneel in front of the king/queen who says, “I dub thee knight. Arise Sir/Dame ____!” Then present a personalized copy of the Knighting Ceremony certificate to each student (provided at the end of this unit).

Past and Present:
Bible stories were often the subject of dramatization. However, these performances eventually moved from the churches to the streets, where comedy was interjected within the biblical tales. The Church frowned upon taking liberties with the biblical text. This is one reason why a ban on drama lasted approximately 400 years during the earliest part of the Middle Ages, sometimes referred to as the Dark Ages. Performers still carried on the tradition of theatre with simple sketches and dances, but these individuals were looked down upon, placed in the same category as thieves, outcasts and beggars. What are some examples of things that have been banned in our society today? Are there any bans today that help protect our environment?

After the Church lifted its ban on theatre, cycle plays were popular. An elaborate parade of wagons, called pageant wagons, would roll down the streets. Each wagon would depict a scene within the play. Actors and the audience would move from wagon to wagon as the drama unfolded. Sometimes simultaneous action took place on more than one wagon. These dramas could last up to 12 hours and go on for days, but this was considered worth the commitment, as this was a rare and spectacular event. These pageants might come to town only once a decade! What event in your life might you consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

Evaluation
Ongoing assessment takes place throughout this unit. Students are evaluated through participation in class discussions, Book of Days entries, completion of “challenges” and final dramatic presentations. Student self-evaluation will be evidenced through their Book of Days entries and presentation self-evaluation. The attainment of coins and the title of sir or dame should be awarded to every student who participates to ensure all students experience success. 

Exhibit Connection 
Besides learning all about what goes into making a theatrical production, you can see a real play that takes place in medieval England at The Children’s Museum. Young King Arthur is playing in Lilly Theater.

References and Resources:
Aliki. A Medieval Feast. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell,1983.

Carlson, Laurie. Days of Knights and Damsels: An Activity Guide. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 1998.

Hart, Avery and Paul Mantell. Knights and Castles: 50 Hands-on Activities to Experience the Middle Ages. Charlotte, VT: Williamson Publishing, 1998.

Tanaka, Shelley. In the Time of Knights. Toronto, Canada: Madison Press Books, 2000.

Sitarz, Paula Gaj. The Curtain Rises: A History of Theatre from Its Origins in Greece and Rome through the English Restoration. White Hall, VA: Shoe Tree Press, 1991.

Steel, Philip. Knights. New York: Kingfisher, 1998.

Jordan, Chester, ed. The Middle Ages: A Watts Guide for Children. New York: Franklin Watts, 1999.