Study Guide For Teachers
Youth Stages
in
Genies, Lamps, and
Dreams: Tales of the
Arabian Nights
Presented by
Young Audiences
(866) 500-9265
www.yanj.org
www.yaep.org
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Imagine yourself on a flying carpet traveling
back in time! In this all-new telling of the tales of the
Arabian Nights, Youth Stages will transport you to
the Sultan's palace in the Persian Empire in 803
AD. The two Youth Stages actor-educators recreate
the tales of The Genie and the Fisher Woman,
Sinbad the Sailor, Aladdin and the Genie, and Ali
Baba and the Sticky Thieves! With a great deal of
audience participation, Youth Stages makes these
tales accessible to young children as they become
bakers and birds, fish and frogs, and doors that say
"Open Sesame!"
LEARNING GOALS
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To expose young children to a live theatrical
performance and encourage them to use their
imagination and get involved in the story
To illustrate how ancient stories provide an
important foundation for valuable lessons in
today’s world
To promote and increase understanding,
appreciation and mutual respect among
children.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR
STUDENTS
Explain to children that Baghdad, now the
capital of Iraq, was once the capital of an entire area
of the Middle East known as Persia. Find a map
that you can show them to illustrate where this is in
the world today. You may choose to talk about what
they know about the Middle East and Iraq now, and
tell them a bit about the history of the fertile
crescent, or the cradle of civilization.
The play that they will see is set in 803 AD in
the great room of the Sultan's palace in the city of
Baghdad, then the capital of the Abbasid Dynasty.
The Abbasid dynasty (750–1258 AD) is known as
the "golden age" of the Islamic world. Baghdad was
a wealthy, culturally sophisticated city, and saw
great leaps in philosophy, science and, especially,
the arts during this time. The tales from The Arabian
Nights (The Book of 1001 Arabian Nights) grew out
of this culturally rich climate.
BEFORE THE PROGRAM
VOCABULARY WORDS
1. Talk to the class about what makes a good
audience. Emphasize the difference between
a live performance and watching a movie or
television. Make sure they know that the
audience is very important during a live
performance. Actors only know if they are
doing a good job if the audience is engaged
and listening to them. Consider asking: What
happens if you talk during a live performance?
How can you show the actors that you are
enjoying the performance while they are
performing? How can you show that you
enjoyed the performance once it’s over?
Sultan/Caliph: an Islamic monarch; the ruler of a
Moslem country
2. If children have seen the Disney movie
Aladdin, you can let them know that this was
also based on a tale from The Book of 1001
Arabian Nights. Based on their memory of
Aladdin, what kinds of things might they expect
to be part of this play? Make a list of all of the
things that students expect to see (flying
carpets, genies, a golden lamp, etc.).
AFTER THE PROGRAM
1. Write a letter and/or draw a picture of your
favorite part of the play, and tell us why you
enjoyed it. Send your letter to us so that we
can tell the actors what you thought.
2. Imagine that you freed a genie from a lamp
and he gave you three wishes. Write or draw
what you would wish for, and explain why
you’ve chosen these wishes.
3. Read another tale from the Arabian Nights to
the class and see if you can work together to
act it out and retell it to each other. You may
even choose to create a set and dialogue with
the class. Don’t forget to rehearse your play
many times before you perform it! If you’d like,
students could perform their play to a class of
younger students.
Empire: an area larger than a kingdom, made up of
different territories and nations, ruled by one authority
Canopy: a cloth covering, usually held up horizontally on
poles, so it looks like a roof
Gold lamp: A Persian lamp, usually made of metal,
provides a space or reservoir for oil. A wick is placed in
the liquid and absorbs the oil. When lit, it burns to
produce light and warmth. People rub them to polish
them and make them shiny.
Roc: a large and strong mythical (pretend) bird
Gems: precious stones like diamonds and rubies
ARTIST INFORMATION
Jim Folly is currently touring Youth Stages productions
Genies, Lamps and Dreams: Tales of the Arabian
Nights, as well as Two Marys, Five Jacks and One Very
Big Shoe. Jim has worked for Running Rabbit Family
Theater, Rainbow Theatricals, Kids Forum and the
Yates Family Theater.
Ana Kalet is touring Youth Stages productions Genies,
Lamps and Dreams: Tales of the Arabian Nights and
Two Marys, Five Jacks and One Very Big Shoe. She
has a BA in Developmental Psychology and Theatre
Arts from Douglass College at Rutgers University and
toured and taught for The Shoestring Players. She has
directed four award-nominated community theater
productions and is married with three elementary aged
children.
Tamara Lynn Koveloski graduated from Shenandoah
University with a BFA in Musical Theater and has performed in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the
Netherlands, South Korea, Japan, India, Guam,
Thailand, and all over Canada and the US! Tamara has
settled down locally with her husband, directs, teaches
acting/voice lessons and performs in Youth Stages’
productions Genies, Lamps and Dreams: Tales of the
Arabian Nights and Two Marys, Five Jacks and One
Very Big Shoe.
RESOURCES
www.candlelightstories.com All of the stories are listed
here, in their entirety. You may have to adapt them for
younger children since many of them are quite violent.