Northeastern Illinois University Children’s Theatre Workshop Presents

Anne and the Tiger Raja

Script and lyrics by David Eliet

Music by Nancy Rosenberg
Directed by Ann Hartdegen

based on an Indonesian Folk Tale
Fall 2011

Wit and folk wisdom help students battle, and understand, bullying and intimidation at school.

A middle school girl, Anne, is being bullied by two older girls on an urban playground.  The “Bully Sisters” tease her, take her money and, when Anne complains they call her names, taunting her with “Mama’s Girl”.  Anne threatens to get her older brother to beat up the Bully Sisters.  Her friend Isaac, a storyteller from Indonesia, reasons with her.

ANNE:        But why shouldn’t I get my brother to pulverize them?

ISAAC:    Because it won’t undo what’s already been done.  And it might lead to more fighting.  What if the Bully Sisters have an even bigger brother?  What will you do then?

ANNE:     But what am I supposed to do?  Nothing?

ISAAC:    That depends on the situation.  But violence never really solves anything.  You have to use your imagination to come up with other solutions. 

Isaac goes on to tell the children a story, “Why There Are No Tigers in Borneo”.  The Bully sisters play the bullying Tigers of Java (“The Meanest Nastiest Tiger in the World”), and Anne plays the timid but clever Mouse Deer of Borneo (“What Am I Going to Do?”).  They work together to tell the story and, joined by witty orangutans and a porcupine partial to puns (“get the point?”), conclude with “In the Land of Borneo”:

In the land of Borneo, we prefer to turn the other cheek.

And it’s not that we’re weak, but because we believe

That everyone has the right to live in peace.

Anne and the Tiger Raja introduces students to a charming Indonesian folk tale and Asian geography, but also examines the issue of bullying in schools from the point of view of both the aggressor and the victim.  We hope you will join us!

 

Business Managers Will Mares and Wintana Tedla welcome the audience.	Musician Jenna Portenlanger practices on the empty playground.  (Drop Design by Jenna Portenlanger)
Children on the playground - Background:  Adrienne Brandyburg, Adam Francis, Chris Elkiswani.  Foreground: Adilene Arellano, Katrina Boomer, Yim Chiu.	The Bully Sisters arrive and tease Anne - L to R:  Adrienne Scott, Catalina Vasile, Arbella Al-bazi
The nanny Indira agrees to tell the children a story - “Why There Are No Tigers in Borneo”.  L to R:  Yim Chiu, Monica White	The children locate Borneo on a map - L to R:  Yim Chiu, Arbella Al-bazi

One of the Bully Sisters becomes “The Meanest Nastiest Tiger in the World” - Adrienne Scott (Mask Design by Kate Murphy)	The Orangutans call the Tiger a “fetid feline” but give good advice.  Background:  Adam Francis, Chris Elkiswani.  Foreground: Arbella Al-bazi (Mask Design by Kate Murphy)	Anne becomes the Mouse Deer - Catalina Vasile (Mask Design by Kate Murphy)

 

The Tigers plot to get meat – L to R:  Arbella Al-bazi and Adrienne Scott (Mask Design by Kate Murphy)	The Tiger threatens the Mouse Deer - L to R:  Catalina Vasile and Arbella Al-bazi (Mask Design by Kate Murphy)
The Mouse Deer sings“What Am I Going to Do?” - Catalina Vasile (Mask Design by Kate Murphy)	The Orangutans pick on each other - L to R:  Adam Francis, Chris Elkiswani
The Porcupine agrees to help the Mouse Deer trick the Tigers.  L to R:  Yim Chiu, Catalina Vasile	The Porcupine warns the Mouse Deer – “Don’t get stuck on me!” - Yim Chiu
Post show discussion with the audience.  L to R:  Adilene Arellano, Assistant Director Sylvia Alvarado, Adam Francis, Catalina Vasile, Yim Chiu	ANNE AND THE TIGER RAJA Crew.  Standing, L to R:  Brittany Gerstenberger, Elizabeth Soto, Wintana Tedla, Will Mares.  Kneeling, L to R:  Corin Gutierrez, Sylvia Alvarado.