Today students enjoyed a special performance from The Tanglewood Marionettes who presented their highly acclaimed puppet show, The Dragon King. Based on Chinese folk tales, the story takes place in Ancient China in a land overtaken by drought. A wise grandmother travels to the bottom of the sea to seek the Dragon King and find out why he has cursed the world above and has not brought any precious rains in such a long time.
We hope you will take a few moments to ask your child about today’s performance. Here are some conversation starters.
- What is a marionette?
A marionette is a puppet whose movements are controlled by strings. - What was the grandmother’s nickname?
Her nickname was Lao Loa, which translates to “old, old one”. - What did the grandmother choose for her three wishes?
The first wish was for the fisherman’s basket to be filed with gold, she gave her second wish to the fisherman (who used it to ask for a child) and her third wish was to be able to breathe underwater. - What was the Hermit Crab’s special talent?
He could use his claws to snip, trim, shape and mow! - Why was The Dragon King sad?
He lost his magic pearl. - The heroine in the story is a grandmother who undertakes a long journey to help the ones she loves. Do you think it was an unusual choice to select an old woman to be the leading character of the play?
Books on Chinese Folk Tales and Dragons:
- My Father’s Dragon
, by Ruth Stiles Gannett
- The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty & the Beast Tale
, by Lawrence Yep & Kam Mak
- Day Of The Dragon-King (Magic Tree House 14, paper)
, by Mary Pope Osborne
- Tales of a Chinese Grandmother: 30 Traditional Tales from China
, by Frances Carpenter
- How to Raise and Keep a Dragon
, by Joe Nigg
- Things We Should All Know About Dragons
, by Leonard Ericks
The Williams PTO’s Creative Arts & Sciences Committee (CASC) funded today’s special performance of The Dragon King.
