“SAINTLY” SPEAKEASY ASSIGNMENT
You are invited to a Speakeasy on Friday, January 30st. You will not be permitted to enter the
speakeasy without knowing the secret password. Our password is ______________________.
You must dress your finest and arrive by 9:00 AM sharp.
You have been taken back to the 1920s! The Roaring Twenties was an exciting decade filled
with prosperity and change. It was also during the time of prohibition in Canada. As a result,
many private clubs, called speakeasies emerged.
For this assignment, you will have the opportunity, through a lottery system, to select one
significant person from the 1920’s or 1930’s and take on the portrayal of this personality at this
event. You will pretend to be that person and attend the speakeasy in character, where you will
meet and interview many other important historical figures from your time period. It is
mandatory for this evaluation that you attend the full event and participate in all activities
required by your gracious hosts.
PART A: BIOGRAPHY RESEARCH
1. Select your character
From the list provided, you must select, through a lottery system, a character from the 1920’s or
1930’s to research and portray for this assignment. You will become this significant figure, thus
you will need to be prepared to arrive in character. This requires you to be creative to fulfil your
personality with your clothing, extra props, mannerisms etc.
2. Create a Biography.
You will need to research the life of your character in order to become very familiar with them.
Create a written biography describing their life. You must include headings to help organize your
work. Your biography must include the following:
o Who is the person?
o What did s/he do (occupation)?
o Biographical details: birth, childhood, education, influences, experiences.
o What is s/he best known for?
o How was s/he innovative for the times?
o What is this person’s contribution to the culture of the 1920’s or 1930’s?
Your report must be 3-4 pages, typed and double spaced. You should also include a cover page
and a works cited page, in proper MLA format. Use a minimum of 3 different sources for your
research. Be sure to use historically accurate and reliable sources.
Your biography is due on:___________________________
PART B: SPEAKEASY EVENT
On the day of the speakeasy, you must arrive in character. You must arrive in costume so that
your character is easy to identify. You will receive an invite to attend this event. This must be
brought to the doorman/woman in order to acquire access, along with the secret password. For
this event, you are to be in character at all times. This includes costume, props, voice accents etc.
Your tasks during the event:
9:00 – 11:00 ~ Talkie Auditions.
The most prominent movie producer of the decade will also be on site to take
auditions for the next hit “talkie” – talking motion picture. Visit the media station
and provide a one minute overview of your character. Don’t forget to state who you
are and explain what your contributions to the time period were. You may even want
to demonstrate your talent i.e. musician, painter. These must be prepared in advance and
memorized.
All characters will be given a time slot for their talkie auditions. You must follow the schedule.
All auditions will be held in room 141. Be on time and ready to go. You must return back to the
cafeteria after your taping.
9:00-10:00 am ~ Interviews & Red Carpet Photo Event
1. Many other important figures have been invited to this event. Your responsibility is to
circulate, meet and mingle with other characters from the 1920’s and 1930’s. In addition to
mingling, you must meet and interview 4 characters at the event. Complete the interview
sheets attached, as these will be essential for future purposes. These will be due at the end of the
speakeasy activity.
2. Be sure to stop and smile on the red carpet. You will be required to have
your individual photo taken by the press during this event. You must be in full
costume, including any extra props, for the photo.
10:00 – 11:00 ~ Leisure Time in the 1920’s & 1930’s
The venue will be set up into stations. A different game/activity of the 1920’s or 1930’s will be
played at each station. You will know which station to start at before the day of the event. Your
group will spend 20 minute at each station before it rotates to the next. The stations will consist
of activities such as: Jacks, Ring Toss (1920’s), Sorry (1934), Scrabble (1938), Monopoly Deal,
Charlie Chaplin movie clips, and Dance lessons – How to Charleston.
11:00- 11:10 ~ Awards Ceremony. Prizes will be awarded to students with the best/most
creative costumes.
11:10 - 11:36 ~ Clean Up. Get the cafeteria back in order and ready for lunch.