Shipwrecked! - Actors Theatre of Louisville

Play GUIDE!
FEBRUARY 3 - 28

About Shipwrecked! An Entertainment
Play Guide
This play guide is a standards-based resource designed to enhance your
theatre experience. Its goal is twofold: to nurture the teaching and learning of
theatre arts and to encourage essential questions that lead to enduring
understandings of the play’s meaning and relevance. Inside you will find:
• Historical/contextual information.
• Vocabulary and worksheets that lay the groundwork of the story
and build anticipation for the performance.
• Oral discussion and writing prompts that encourage your
students to reflect upon their impressions and to analyze and relate
key ideas to their personal experiences and world around them.
These can easily be adapted to fit most writing objectives.
• Bridgework, which connects theatre elements with ideas for drama
activities in the classroom.
• Integrated curriculum for your lessons.
We encourage you to adapt and extend the material in any way to best fit the
needs of your community of learners. Please feel free to make copies of this
guide, or you may download it from our website: www.actorstheatre.org.
We hope this material, combined with our pre-show workshops, will give you
the tools to make your time at Actors Theatre a valuable learning experience.
Actors Theatre Education
Steven Rahe, Education Director
Jacob Stoebel, Education Coordinator
Lee Look, New Voices Coordinator
Julie Mercurio, Education Intern
Jeffrey Mosser, Education Intern
Stowe Nelson, Education Intern
Study Guide compiled by
Rachel Lerner-Ley, Julie Mercurio, Jeffrey
Mosser, Stowe Nelson, Steven Rahe and
Jacob Stoebel.
The Hearst
Foundation, Inc.
Table of Contents
Page 3: Synopsis/Character List
Page 4: The Real Rougemont (and Margulies)
Page 5: Call of the Sea
Page 6: Victorian Era
Page 7: Theatre in Louis' Day
Page 8: Map/Quiz: "Do You Have What it Takes to Survive a Shipwreck?"
Page 9 & 10: Bridgework/Cross-Circular Activities
Page 11: Other Reading/Glossary
Page 12: Themes & Discussion
Page 13: Writing for Portfolio
Page 14: Allusions/Work Cited
Page 15: Upcoming Events
Kentucky Core Content:
Shipwrecked! An Entertainment matinee and study guide address specific
• AH-1.3.1: Students will analyze or evaluate the use of technical
elements, literary elements and performance elements in a variety of
dramatic works.
• AH-2.3.1: Students will analyze or evaluate how factors such as time,
place and ideas are reflected in drama.
• AH-3.3.1: Students will explain how drama/theatre fulfills a variety of
purposes.
If you have any questions or suggestions regarding our play guides, please
feel free to contact Jacob Stoebel at (502) 584-1265.

Synopsis/Character List
An old man hobbles onstage and declares, “I’m about to tell you a story. A fantastic and amazing story!
A story all the more remarkable because every word of it is true.” So begins Shipwrecked! An
Entertainment. From there, we are drawn into Louis’ world. We see him as a sheltered young boy, engrossed in
Robinson Crusoe and Arabian Nights. That young boy grows into a restless young man who takes his first step
towards independence. He leaves his home at the age of sixteen, bound for Australia on a pearling expedition.
The journey is arduous but the outlook is bright. Until a great storm arises and the ship is capsized. All the men, save
Louis, are drowned. Days later, Louis (along with the ship’s dog Bruno) washes up on dry land. He is safe but alone.
From there, his story grows more fantastic. He does gymnastics on the beach to pass the time. He rides on the backs of
sea turtles. He meets and marries an Aboriginal woman, visits her tribe and is made their king. He longs for home and
eventually is rescued. Thirty years after leaving London, he returns home.
Upon his return, Louis sells his amazing story to Wide World Magazine and becomes an overnight celebrity. His hero
status is threatened when people begin to question his claims. Are Louis’ adventures real or just a figment of his
imagination? Did he really do all those amazing things? Will Louis be vindicated or will his reputation be
sullied forever?
Cast of Characters
Despite the many characters found in Shipwrecked!, the play can be performed with as few as three actors. Our
production uses three actors (who portray Louis, Player # 1 and Player #2), four Puppeteers, and three Foley Artists
(who create live sound effects).
Louis de Rougemont the main storyteller we follow from boyhood through old age, as he reenacts a life filled
with amazing adventures.
Player #1 portrays or gives voice to Louis’ Mother, Capt. Jensen, Yamba (an Aborigine princess, later his wife),
Fitzgerald (a magazine editor), a Society Lady, Albert’s Mother, Queen Victoria (a queen), an Octopus Expert, a
Map Maker, a Reporter, a Librarian.
Player #2 portrays or gives voice to a Barkeep, Bruno (a dog), Gunda (Yamba’s father, a tribal chief), Bobo
(Yamba’s brother), an Australian Prospector, a Society Lady, Albert (a boy), a Turtle Expert, a Wombat Expert, Dr.
Leopold (an alienist), a Pickpocket, a Newsboy, a Reporter, a Lawyer.
Various Pedestrians, Shipmates, Pearl-Fishers, Children, Peddlers, Prospectors, Tribesmen, and Women, Club
Members and Hecklers.
3

The Real Louis de Rougemont
In 1898, Louis de Rougemont
burst into the British news with
an amazing story of 30 years
of adventure in the Australian
Outback. However, de
Rougemont’s tales proved
too incredible for some,
and newspapers began to
investigate his background.
What they discovered
shocked the public: Louis de
Rougemont was not the man
he claimed to be!
Louis de Rougemont was
really Henri Louis Grien, a poor Swiss immigrant to Australia.
Originally the butler to the Lieutenant-Governor of Western
Australia (at whose dinner parties Grien overheard detailed
accounts of Outback expeditions), Henri Louis settled down
in Sydney. There, he started a family and attempted various
money-making schemes such as marketing a faulty deep-diving
suit. He also continued to collect adventure stories.
The Real Donald Margulies
Born in 1954, Donald Margulies is a playwright from Brooklyn. His love of theatre was
fostered early on by his father who, despite of his low income, found a way to take his
children to see plays and musicals on Broadway.
Margulies initially studied visual arts at the Pratt Institute but transferred to the State University
of New York to pursue playwriting. By 1992 his career began to soar as he won an OBIE
Award for Best New American Play for Sight Unseen. His other works include The Loman
Family Picnic; Pitching to the Star; Zimmer; Luma Park; What's Wrong With This Picture?;
The Model Apartment; Broken Sleep; and Dinner With Friends, which premiered at Actors
Theatre and won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize. Margulies learned early in his writing career that
writing isn't confined to the typical nine-to-five work week. It can happen any time and in any
place. Sometimes that creative spark might not strike for days. He says, "It's part of the
mysteriousness of writing and I find that I can't force it"
Margulies on Shipwrecked!
After one too many failed enterprises, Grien quit Australia
for London and spent his days at the British Museum reading
books on the Australian Outback and the South Pacific. Months
later, he appeared at The Wide World Magazine with a
new name—Louis de Rougemont—and the amazing tales that
would rocket him to stardom.
“Truth is stranger than fiction,
But de Rougemont is stranger than both”
--The Wide World Magazine
Grien’s fame was his downfall—his abandoned family and
duped customers recognized his picture in the newspaper and
came forward with accounts of the real Louis. Though publicly
discredited, Grien continued to appear in theatres as Louis de
Rougemont, offering demonstrations of his turtle-riding skills as
proof of his authenticity. Interest in de Rougemont soon waned,
and Grien disappeared from the public eye. In 1921, he died
a beggar, going by yet another name: Louis Redmond.
He currently lives in New Haven, Connecticut, where he teaches playwriting at the Yale School of Drama.
"The magic of theatre is its power to astonish, but astonishment can occur only if the audience is willing to suspend its disbelief. My
aim with Shipwrecked!… was to capture the attention of the hidden child in everyone in my audience. I wanted to write a play that
would make no attempt to replicate onstage what television and movies do, but would instead celebrate the uniqueness of theatre.
My impulse was to… tell stories that reflect our world or create new ones that can enlighten, amuse, transport, make you forget, or
force you to remember."
4

Call of the Sea
The mysteries of the ocean have captured our imaginations for centuries. Stories of tragic shipwrecks, mysterious creatures, looting
pirates, and marooned sailors and even royalty have been told as far back as Homer’s The Odyssey. No matter the century, we
can’t seem to resist fantastic tales of adventures on the high seas.
The Odyssey by Homer (circa. 800 BC)
Homer’s epic poem tells the story of Odysseus, a Greek hero who struggles against the sea, the fates and even the Gods as he
spends 20 years trying to make his way home after the Trojan War.
Twelfth Night & The Tempest by William Shakespeare (1601, 1610)
Even Shakespeare was fascinated by shipwrecks. In Twelfth Night, a shipwreck leads to confusion, mistaken identities and romance.
The Tempest strikes a more fantastic tone, with a group of castaways subjected to the will of the sorcerer Prospero.
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1719)
Crusoe is often thought of as the definitive tale of shipwreck. This story has everything, from wild escapes to struggling for survival
to ravenous cannibals.
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss (1812)
Wyss tells the story of a whole family who shipwrecks in the East Indies as they are nearing Australia. The story was later adapted
into one of the most famous TV shows of the 1960s—Lost in Space.
Gilligan’s Island (1964)
“Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale.” This goofy sixties television sitcom chronicles seven stranded castaways of the SS
Minnow, who for three seasons attempt rescue from an uncharted isle.
Titanic (Movie 1997)
A timeless tearjerker, and record-setter for most Academy Awards, Titanic sets an ill-fated romance between rich girl and street-smart
boy on board the disastrous iceberg-colliding journey across the Atlantic.
EXTRA!!
EXTRA!!
In the Victorian Age, true shipwreck stories were
serialized in magazines like The Wide World
Magazine, adding to the mystery, suspense and
drama of life at sea.
Alexander Selkirk was marooned on Isla Juan Fernandez (a small island in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile) from 1704
until 1709. When Selkirk’s ship docked at Juan Fernandez, he and the crew found two castaways already living happily and
healthily on the island. Selkirk was no fan of his ship’s captain and, seeing that the castaways survived well on the island, Selkirk
stayed, expecting the island would soon be visited by another ship. He was wrong. For almost five years, Selkirk lived a simple
life—eating goat flesh, living in a hut made of driftwood and awaiting rescue.
Henry Pitman, seafaring surgeon, was sold into slavery as a traitor to the English crown. He escaped with seven other men
and set sail for the Dutch island of Curacao only to end up stranded on an island called Salt Tortuga. Upon arrival, the group
encountered a band of pirates who burned Pitman’s ship, leaving him stranded on the island. Like real-life Robinson Crusoes they
dried turtle meat for the upcoming winter and mended their clothes with fishbone needles. The island was eventually visited by a
second group of pirates. During an attempted mutiny, Pitman and his men joined forces with the pirate captain and successfully
subdued the insurrection. As thanks for helping to regain control of the ship, the captain granted Pitman and his men passage to
New England on his ship.
5

The Victorian Era
Victorian England was more than just a time and place – the events of this
era revolutionized manufacturing, culture and international politics, paving
the way for the world we know today. The decades between 1837 and
1901, the years of Queen Victoria’s reign, held significant changes for
England. Such changes included steam technology for ships and railroads,
philosophical and scientific advancement including Darwin and an everincreasing
understanding of the world.
The largest change was the development of the Industrial Revolution,
marked by the spread of factories. Factories lowered product costs by
putting all production in one location. By the middle of the 1800s a
majority of industries had adopted the factory model, and England was
considered the “Workshop of the World”.
The population of Victorian England also shifted from an agricultural to
an industrial world. From 1801 to 1901 the population dwelling in urban
areas increased from 20% to 75%. Due to this increase of urban sprawl
the life of the soon-to-be modern farmer was getting much more difficult.
With such rapid expansion it isn’t difficult to imagine Louis de Rougemont
traveling to foreign lands, meeting exotic people and returning to a vastly
different London 30 years later.
Queen Victoria late in her reign
The hand of England extended beyond the solitary island to exotic lands
such as Canada, South Africa, India and Australia. In Victorian England it
was common to know someone who may have traveled hundreds of miles
on newly charted seas. Through such voyages the name of Queen Victoria
has been bequeathed to various conquests and discoveries. In Canada her
name was given to an entire island and harbor; mountain ranges in Burma;
rivers in Australia and Africa and many others.
The colonization of Australia had two
purposes. Among the first to settle
Australia were convicts from London’s
over-populated prisons. The labor of
prisoners contributed to Australia’s gold
and silver deposits. A great majority of
released prisoners remained in Australia
to further explore and conquer the rest of
this untamed land in the name of Queen
Victoria.
Much of what we know today has sprung
from the Victorian Era. For better or
worse the influence of England is still felt
throughout the world. From technology
to politics to economics the Victorian Era
comprises a remarkable portion of our
own history.
Aborigines, Australian natives, prior to England's colonization
6

Theatre in Louis' Day
At the turn of the twentieth century, the British theatre scene was divided into two distinct halves: “Theatre” and "Music
Hall". Theatre was attended by the upper classes and featured dramas and classics produced in large ornately
decorated theaters. Music Hall was produced in smaller auditoriums on simple raised platforms. The audience
consisted of the lower classes, and the plays were comedies or vaudeville acts: songs, skits, displays of various talents
such as acrobatics, and even travel stories. It is in music halls that Louis and his touring company would have staged
his incredible tales.
Here’s a look at some of the early-twentieth century stage techniques that Louis and
Co. would have used when putting on their entertainment:
A poster for Le Chat Noir
Testing…testing…1,2,3…hello?
There were no microphones in Louis’ day. Nor were there speakers or
endless databases of computerized sounds to insert into a show. Instead,
theatre-makers had to create sound effects on the spot, using various
contraptions and found materials. For instance, to make thunder, sound
techs hit a large metal sheet known as a thunder sheet with a mallet, or
rolled cannonballs down a large chute known as a thunder run. There
were also rain boxes and wind machines. By the time Louis was hitting
the stage, he would have also been using a “high-tech” alternative: the
gramophone. Now, pre-recorded sounds could be played on stage—you
could have the neigh of a real horse rather than a human imitation coming
from the wings.
Black Cats and Shadows
Shadow puppet shows were performed both on the streets and in
cabarets. Screens were hoisted onto the stage or positioned in front of
the portable booths of street performers. Candles, oil lamp, or limelight
would backlight the screens, and puppets made of tin and card performed
between the light and the screen. Street shadow shows were called
Galanty Shows. During the day, street puppeteers put on popular Punch &
Judy shows—comedies performed by a single puppeteer that featured the
adventures of the mischievous, hook-nosed Punch and the arguments he
had with his wife, Judy. At night, the puppeteers transformed the booths
and performed the Galanty Shows. Stage shadow shows were inspired by
productions from the infamous Bohemian French cabaret Le Chat Noir.
A gramophone
And then there was…electricity!
In the end of the nineteenth century, gas lamps and a gaseous mixture
known as limelight were used to light the actors and scenery up “on the
boards.” These highly flammable gasses, combined with the wooden
architecture of the theatres, led to many disastrous fires. Luckily for Louis
and his audiences, the turn of the century marked the widespread use
of electric lights in the theatre (the first electric lights appeared in British
theatres in the 1880s).
Punch and Judy Show
7

Do You Have What it Takes...
to Survive a Shipwreck?
So you’re about to venture out into the world! Take this quiz to find out if you will live to tell the
tale of your very own shipwreck!
Louis' Travels
1) 1852: Louis is born in Paris,
France
2) 1869: Louis sets sail for the
Great Barrier reef from London,
England
3) 1871: After being shipwrecked alone on
an island for two years, Louis meets
Aborigines
4) 1898: Louis arrives in Australia after
being shipwrecked for over 29 years
5) 1898: Louis is back in
London telling his adventure
When you embark on your adventure...
Where are you going?
a) The Great Barrier Reef
b) Antarctica
c) Ohio River
What are you looking for?
a) Pearls
b) Uncharted land
c) Pirates
In what will you travel?
a) The Wonder World ship
b) Sailboat
c) Kayak
If you answered…
Mostly a
Are you Louis de Rougemont?? Like Louis,
you seem to have an excellent sense of
curiosity and adventure that will surely
take you far. But will he survive the
shipwreck? You’ll have to find out!
What are you packing?
a) The Plays of William Shakespeare
b) Maps
c) iPod
Who are you bringing?
a) Your dog
b) Your science teacher
c) Your BFF
How long have you ever gone without
food or water?
a) 10 hours
b) 10 days
c) What time is lunch?
Mostly b
Wow, your skills have no match! You
certainly have what it takes to survive a
shipwreck. Your clever thinking and
intuition are just what a person needs
when marooned. Congratulations!
You’re an expert in…
a) Sea turtles
b) Making fire
c) Yoga
Mostly c
Hmm…you may not have exactly what it
takes, but you sure will have a good time!
8

Bridgework
Building Connections Between Stage and Classroom
The following exercises combine creative drama, theatre concepts, and core content to connect the theatre experience with
drama activities in your classroom. By exploring drama as a mode of learning, students strengthen skills for creative problem
solving, imagination, and critical thinking. Core Content Connection – The activities are designed using the Elements of Drama:
Literary, Technical, and Performance (Core Content 4.1).
At Your Desk
Wide World Article
The Wide World magazine was
published from the late 1800s until the
1960s in Britain, and told stories of
travel, adventure and intrigue. Louis’
tale of shipwreck was one of many that
made the magazine famous. Cover
titles for the magazine included “How
I was Buried Alive” and “Aquanauts of
Inner Space.” Write a one-page article
for The Wide World magazine that
involves adventure and excitement. The
magazine’s motto is “Truth is Stranger
than Fiction,” but like Louis, your “true”
story may be more interesting if some
fiction is mixed in. Illustrate your article
and “publish” it by distributing the story
or compilation of class stories to other
classes/teachers.
Direct Shipwrecked!
As the director, you can set the play
in any time, any place. In what era
other than the late 1800s would you
like to set the play Shipwrecked!?
Assume the role of director and use the
elements of technical theatre (lights,
sound, set, props, costumes and
makeup) to enhance your new setting.
How would each of your ideas in these
elements support your choice of new
time period? Think about how the story
might change—slightly or drastically—
based on your new setting. How
are the important themes of the play
conveyed through the new setting?
Write a director’s note to your audience
explaining why you made each choice
in the areas of technical theatre, and
how they relate to the new setting.
Teachers may choose to have students
focus in on one technical element.
Be a Playwright
Donald Margulies wrote every scene in
Shipwrecked! from the prospective of
Louis de Rougemont, the main character,
so we only learn Louis’ thoughts and
descriptions of the world of the play.
Assume the role of playwright and rewrite
one scene from the play from
another character’s point of view. How
would an English reporter narrate a
scene about Louis’ return home? What
about Yamba’s point of view when she
first meets Louis and cannot speak his
language? How does Bruno the dog
experience the shipwreck? Think about
the history and personality of these
characters as you tell the story through
their eyes. Include at least ten lines of
dialogue in your scene.
Shipwreck Yourself
Louis did not have the power to control
the circumstances of his shipwreck. For
example, he did not get to choose when
or where he would be cast away for
30 years. Pretend that you are going
to be shipwrecked, and make a list of
what you think are the most important
conditions. To get started: What year
would you be shipwrecked—and how
would that affect your experience?
Where in the world (or out of this
world) would you be shipwrecked?
What three items would you bring?
Who would you want with you? What
other circumstances would you choose
to control?
On Your Feet
Be a Foley Artist
What does a shipwreck sound like?
Pick a scene from the play (or write your
own scene with dialogue) and create
noises and sound effects that will make
up your “soundtrack.” Make the noises
using your body (snap, clap, etc.) and
items found only in your classroom. As
a Foley artist, you decide how to best
re-create a sound (like a windstorm and
crashing boat) using your imagination
and your found materials, just like
the designers of Shipwrecked! d o .
Rehearse your scene and then perform
for your class while they close their
eyes and imagine they are listening to
the radio.
Shadow Play
Much of the story of Shipwrecked! is
told with shadows. Images such as a
giant octopus or Louis’ sinking ship are
created onstage by light and shadow—
making those images very simple, yet
very imaginative. Try making different
shadow puppets or images on the wall
by putting your hands or body in front of
a light source. Can you make different
animals? What about other objects
and figures? Create a story using these
shadows and rehearse a scene by
yourself or with a partner. Think about
the many variations: shadows of body
parts only or classroom objects only,
a silent play, a play with only sound
effects, etc. Once you are ready, turn
all the other lights out and share your
shadow play with the class!
“Yes, and…” Adventure Story
With your class or a group of students,
sit in a circle so that everyone can see
each other. You will tell a group story
of adventure, where each person in
the circle only tells one line at a time.
The first person in the circle begings
with the line “Once upon a time…”
and starts the story. For example,
“Once upon a time there was a orange
dragon.” After the first line, the person
next to them continues the story starting
with the sentence “Yes, and…” For
example, “Yes, and that dragon loved
ice cream cones.” The story continues
around the circle once (or twice if there
is a small group) and everyone starts
their sentence of the story with “Yes,
and…” You must always build upon
the sentence of the story that came
before yours so the story makes sense.
Challenge yourself and your classmates
to be adventurous and work together to
tell the greatest story ever told!
Tableaux Show
In groups of 4-8, recreate the story of
Shipwrecked! (or create your own if
you haven’t seen the play yet) through
tableaux (still images). Brainstorm the
five most important scenes of the play
or story, and create a tableau with your
body to depict each one. There should
be no sound except the voice of the
narrator, who describes the tableaux
as they are frozen. Rehearse moving
from one tableau to the next in order,
always working together, using your
bodies to create a freeze frame of each
scene. When your group is ready,
present to the class your performance
of Shipwrecked! through these frozen
pictures.
9

Bridgework
Building Connections Between Stage and Classroom
Cross Connections
Abacus
Robinson Crusoe
Language Arts/Literature
The plot of a play is the series of
incidents, or the order of events that
occur. A plot starts with exposition
(background information), then
continues with rising action
(excitement and tension) leading
up to the climax (turning point),
and finishes with the falling action
(resolution of the problem). Explore
different plots by writing stories
using the guide below, filling in
each of the seven lines. Include
a setting and characters in every
story.
1) Once upon a time…
2) And every day…
3) Until one day…
4) Because of that…
5) Because of that…
6) Until finally…
7) And ever since then…
Fraiser Island Shipwreck off the coast of Australia
10
Compass with globe
Geography
Using a world map, brainstorm other
possible routes Louis could have
traveled from Britain to Australia.
Try researching canals or passages
have changed from 1869 to 2009,
or technology that would have made
the journey easier or more difficult
for him. What are some other ways
to travel long distances?
Tools for Navigation
Science
Louis was shipwrecked because
large waves tossed his boat
back and forth while he was at
sea. What kind of weather event
could have caused this? Research
different kinds of weather disasters,
especially around Australia and
choose one that could have affected
Louis’ journey. How is it created?
Where does it usually occur? What
are some famous disasters of this
kind?
Math
If Louis were to travel to Australia
today, how long would it take?
Research the distance of several
routes and the speed of different
modes of transportation (car, cruise
ship, airplane, etc.) to use in your
equation.
(Hint: speed = distance/time)
Stones with engravings in foriegn language
Foreign Languages
When Louis first meets Yamba
and her family, they have trouble
communicating because they speak
different languages. Explore the
many languages of Australia. How
many different dialects or variations
can you find? What are some of the
differences and similarities between
them? Were there as many in 1890
as there are today?

Other Reading/Glossary
Terms and Vocabulary
Aborigines: native inhabitants of Australia.
Arabian Nights: a collection of Arabic folk tales also
known as A Thousand and One Nights. Stories include the
adventures of Ali Baba, Aladdin and Sinbad.
Cannibal: a person who eats humans.
Cassiopeia: a northern constellation named for Cassiopeia,
a vain Ethiopian queen in Greek mythology. The constellation
has two of the brightest stars in the sky.
Cataclysm: a violent upheaval or disaster; a large flood.
Catamaran: a boat with two parallel hulls.
Charlatan: a person who claims to possess knowledge or
skills that he does not really have; a quack.
Colonization: when one country establishes and rules over
settlements in another country.
Delusions of Grandeur: believing that one is greater,
more powerful and/or more influential than one actually is.
Delusions are associated with mental illness.
Cassiopeia constellation
Effigy: a painted or sculpted representation of a person.
Great Barrier Reef: the largest reef in the world, off the coast of
Australia in the Coral Sea. It is over 1400 miles long and has an area
of approximately 216,542 square miles. A reef is a large strip of coral,
sand or rock that rises to or above the surface of the ocean.
Hoi polloi: the common people, the masses.
Catamaran
Madame Tussauds: a British museum founded in the early nineteenth
century that features startlingly life-like wax statues of celebrities.
Royal Geographic Society: British society for advancement of
geography founded in 1830. Originally a gentleman’s dinner club, the
society was given a royal charter by Queen Victoria in 1859 and soon
became responsible for bringing geography into schools and making it
an academic subject. The Society also sponsored colonial exploration
as well as famous expeditions by explorers such as Livingstone
(Africa), Shackleton (Antarctica), and Hillary (Mt. Everest).
Serial: a novel or story published in installments (usually chapters).
Vindicate: to clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with
supporting arguments or proof.
The Great Barrier Reef
The Wide World Magazine: a monthly British magazine published
from 1898-1965 that featured true-life adventure stories including the
serialized adventures of Louis de Rougemont. The magazine’s motto was: “Truth is stranger than fiction.”
Wombat: an Australian marsupial resembling a small bear.
11

Pre/Post Show Questions
Pre-Show
1. Have you ever wanted to drop everything and just go somewhere? Where? How long? With
whom?
2. Would you ever want to visit a foreign place where you didn’t speak the language? Why? If you
already have, how did it feel?
3. Everyone is an expert at something. What are you an expert at and why? How long did it take
you to consider yourself an expert? Do you know anyone who’s an expert at something else?
Post-Show
1. Do you believe that Louis actually did go on his adventure? Why or why not? Can you think of a
time when someone didn’t believe you? How did it make you feel?
2. Did the elements of the show make his story believable? How?
3. Could you ever leave your family for 30 years like Louis did? If so, how would you stay in contact?
Themes
Storytelling
Adventure
Truth
Identity
Isolation
Self-Reliance
Reality vs. Illusion
Fantasy
If you liked Shipwrecked!, Check out:
Literature
Imposters by Sarah Burton
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
The Odyssey by Homer
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
The Adventures of Louis de Rougemont by Louis de Rougement
In Search of Robinson Crusoe by Tim Sevrin
The Tempest by William Shakespeare
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
Film/TV
Cast Away (2000) dir. Robert Zemeckis
Gilligan's Island (1964)
Land of the Lost (TV series1974 & 1991, Film 2009)
Lost in Space (1998) dir. Stephen Hopkins
Robinson Crusoe (1997) dir. Rod Hardy & George Miller
12

Writing for Portfolio
Personal Writing
Consider the emotional experience of Louis de Rougemont when he finds himself
shipwrecked, alone on an island at only 17 years of age. In just a moment, his life turns
completely upside down. Think back to a time when you were lost. Write a journal entry
exploring what you felt at that time. Describe what it was like emotionally to know you
couldn’t find your way, as well as memories from each of your five senses. What smells
were in the air? What images do you remember seeing? What noises surrounded you? Be
sure to finish you entry explaining how you found your way out of the experience, and most
importantly, what you learned from it.
literary Writing
After Louis made it back to London and began to tell his tale to the public, reporters and
nay-sayers poked holes in his story, claiming that he made it up. Write a scene or a short
story about Louis’ life one year after his story was debunked. Who does he interact with?
What is said or takes place in these encounters with several characters? Be sure to include
how Louis’ life has changed since exactly one year ago—the day he returned home and
captivated audiences with his fantastic and amazing story.
transactive Writing
Write a review of Actors Theatre’s Shipwrecked!. Describe what it was like to watch the
play, but be sure write about more than just the story told by the play. Think about how the
play tells its story. Make the experience of watching the play come alive for your reader by
writing about several of the play’s many elements, including costumes, lights, and props as
well as how the actors performed in their roles and how the director moved them around the
stage. Were there some parts of Shipwrecked! you enjoyed more than other parts? If so,
why?
Need more help?
Check out our Young Critics Workshops! Have an Actors Theatre teaching artist visit
your classroom to give your students the inside scoop on how to write a theatrical critique.
Students who have written a critique on an Actors Theatre production may
submit their work to be posted on our website!! To submit online, please send all
critiques as email attachments to jstoebel@actorstheate.org with the subject heading “Young
Critics Contest.” Please be sure to include your name, school, teacher, grade, and contact
information.
13

Work Cited/Allusions
Allusions
a literary device quickly stimulating different ideas and associations using only few words; the act of
alluding; making indirect reference; derived from the Latin word allsus meaning to play.
From the Script
“I was born in the year 1632… in the
city of York...”
Where It's From
Opening of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.
“After we had rode about a league and
a half a raging wave, mountain-like
came rolling astern and took us with
such a fury… and furious as an enemy”
Shipwreck scene from Robinson Crusoe, chapter 3.
“Oh Romeo…”
“…Let me not,/ Since I have my
dukedom got/And pardon’d the
deceiver, dwell/ In this bare island by
your spell;”
Romeo and Juliet, “balcony scene” (Act II, scene ii),
spoken by the young lover Juliet.
The Tempest, Epilogue, spoken by the great magician
Prospero.
“My city is a grumbling monster now,
grinding its gears and spouting its
smoke, all day and all night, without
cease.”
Louis refers to the Industrial Revolution—the momentous
era in British history when manufacturing moved away
from farms in the countryside and into large machinebased
factories in the city.
Work Cited
"Donald Margulies (1954 - )." Imagi-nation.com 2008. 10 Nov. 2008 .
Mackenzie, John M. The Victorian Vision. New York: Abrams, 2001.
Margulies, Donald. "Los Angels Times: Dramatist Donald Margulies Sees the Stage in a Fresh Light." 2007.
Los Angeles Times. 14 Dec. 2008 .
Maslen, Geoffrey. The Most Amazing Story a Man Ever Lived to Tell. Australia: Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1977.
“Memorial University DAI: The World on Mercator’s Projection.” Collections.mun.ca. 2008. 11 Nov. 2008 < http://
collections.mun.ca/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/maps&CISOPTR=0&CISOBOX=1&REC=1>.
"PBS Hollywood Presents: Collected Stories – On Writing – Donald Margulies." Pbs.org. 2002. 10 Nov. 2008
.
Swisher, Clarice. Victorian England. San Diego: Greenhaven, 2000.
14

Upcoming Events
Two hundred years after his birth, the values and beliefs
of Abraham Lincoln continue to have great impact on
our nation. For a one night engagement, Actors Theatre
has brought together middle and high school students
from three Kentucky communities – Louisville, Bowling
Green and Prestonsburg – to perform three original
student-written plays inspired by the life and philosophy
of this amazing man on his bicentennial birthday. Happy
Birthday, Mr. President!
February 12 at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, 316 W Main Street
FREE
tickets required, call the Box Office 502.584.1205
sponsored by
American poet and ecological visionary, Wendell Berry
taught at New York University before returning home to
his family’s Kentucky farm in Henry County. This musical
celebration of Berry’s writing will entice your students to
discover this significant writer from their home state.
Student Matinees
April 7, 8, 9, 16 at 10:30 a.m
316 W Main Street
A CELEBRATION OF WENDELL BERRY
adapted for the stage by Marc Masterson and Adrien-Alice Hansel
from the writing of Wendell Berry
Tickets required, call the Box Office 502.585.1210
or email Steve Smith at SSmith@ActorsTheatre.org
Core Content 4.1: RD-1.0.1, RD-5.0.3, AH-1.3.1
NEW
VOICES
PLAY FESTIVAL
sponsored by
THE NORTON FOUNDATION, INC.
Every school year Actors Education introduces hundreds of
students throughout Kentuckiana to the basics of playwriting.
The results of these multiple classroom residency workshops
are... ten minute plays! These plays enter our annual
competition and the best of the best are selected, developed
and produced on stage. The Acting Apprentice Company
will bring these plays to life in the Bingham Theatre for two
performances only: April 19 and 20.
World Premieres!
April 19 at 5:00 p.m.
April 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday & Monday, Bingham Theatre
10 Ten-Minute Plays
(All Original Student Work)
FREE
and open to the public! call the Box Office 502.584.1205
15

Check it Out!
Did you know Actors Theatre of Louisville also serves as an art gallery? During your visit, be sure to
check out the:
AFRICAN
AMERICAN
ART EXHIBITION
a juried art show
...which features 42 pieces by local and regional artists. From
paintings to sculpture, collages to photography—this exhibition
has it all! Every February for 15 years, Actors has been the
proud home to this African American Art showcase. Come see
what the buzz is about!
Prosperity Essentials, Ariston Jacks, Mixed Media, 22” x 18”
You’re Invited!
February 6 at 6:00 pm
Don’t miss the Opening Reception with free food
and live music.
Saturday, February 7 at 11:00 am
“Business of Art”
A seminar open to the public (especially students!) led by
Kevin Cole, Dr. Robert Douglas, and Eugene Thomas. These
artists will lead discussions on the world of professional art
and how YOU can become a part of it. Join us!
Actors Theatre of Louisville g 316 West Main Street g Louisville, Kentucky 40202–4218 g USA
Box Office 502–584–1205 g Group Sales 502–585–1210 g Business Office 502–584–1265
ActorsTheatre.org