an_study_guide

LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY PRESENTS
ANON(YMOUS)
A VIRTUAL STUDY GUIDE
W R I T T E N BY
N A O M I I IZUK A
D I R E C T ED BY
S H A N N ON WALSH
L I V E O N ZO OM
A PR I L 1 3-18, 2021
S T R E A M ING
A PR I L 1 9-25, 2021
WHAT'S INSIDE
OUR PRODUCTION – 2 US IMMIGRATION FACTS/TRIVIA – 12
DIRECTOR'S NOTES – 4 THEMES – 13
THE PLAYWRIGHT – 5 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS – 14
PLAY SYNOPSIS – 6 WRITING ACTIVITY – 15
THE CHARACTERS – 8 SOURCES & FURTHER READING – 18
STUDY GUIDE DESIGNED BY TIFFANY GILLY-FORRER

LSU ANON(YMOUS) STUDY GUIDE PAGE 2
School of Theatre
OUR PRODUCTION
CAST
Anon .................................................................................................................. Natheyon Taylor
Nemasani ................................................................................................................ Taren Wilson
Naja ..................................................................................................................... Arijana Collins
Ritu ........................................................................................................................... Subbah Mir
Nasreen .................................................................................................................. Taylor Coffey
Mr. Yuri Mackus/Strygal ..................................................................................... Nicholas Russo
Calista/Nice American Daughter ................................................................................ Sarah Short
Senator Laius/Mr. Zyclo/Nice American Father ........................................................... Grant Ray
Helen Laius/Zyclo’s Pet Bird/Nice American Mother/Serza .................................... Robin Talbot
Pascal/Ali/Ignacio ...................................................................................... Amechi Obodoechina
Belen .................................................................................................................. Yesenia Medina
Ensemble: Sewing Ladies, Chorus of Refugees, Barflies ................................ Makaylee Seacrest
Brianna Burgan
Alyssa Pacaccio
Mary Hope McDaniel
Elijah Skalinsky
"Begin in the middle

On the border
On the crossing.
Begin in the place in
between."
ANON(YMOUS) STUDY GUIDE PAGE 3
School of Theatre
OUR PRODUCTION (CONT'D)

PRODUCTION TEAM
Playwright .............................................................................................................. Naomi Iizuka
Director ......................................................................................................... Dr. Shannon Walsh
Stage Manager ................................................................................................... Bailey Desselles
Assistant Stage Manager ...................................................................................... Justice Graham
Scenic Designer .................................................................................................. Tara A Houston
Costume Designer .......................................................................................... Brookelyn LeBlanc
Co-Lighting Designer ..................................................................................... Emma Massengale
Co-Lighting Designer ....................................................................................... Sydney Hamilton
Sound Designer ........................................................................................... Grayson Taylor Sims
Props Master .................................................................................................. John Michael Eddy
Production Manager and Technical Director ......................................................... James Murphy
Lighting Design Mentor and OBS Programmer .................................................................. C. Touchet
General Sound Assistant ..................................................................................... Jeremiah Turner
Sound Design Mentor ................................................................................................ EunJin Cho
Costume Design Mentor ....................................................................................... Suellen Coelho
Costume Shop Manager ...................................................................................... Kyla Kazuschyk
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
Producer ......................................................................................................... Kristin Sosnowsky
Managing Artistic Director ................................................................................... Vastine Stabler
Development/Marketing Associates .......................................... Alan White, Tiffany Gilly-Forrer
Program Design ........................................................................................ Marshal Talon Hodges
"You dream the face

of the one person
you love. And that
person, that person
becomes like home."
School of Theatre
NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR

Naomi Iizuka’s Anon(ymous) takes place in
the contact zone between the epic and the
intimate. As her teen goddess in the story
Naja repeatedly reminds the main character
Anon when he feels lost he must, “Begin in
the middle. On the border. On the crossing.
Begin in the place in between.”
In the US we struggle with sitting in the in-

between. We tend to prefer beginnings and
endings. We like our resolutions and
destinations. We forget that most of the time
we exist in the middle of our own stories.
Perhaps that is why Iizuka chose to adapt
Homer’s The Odyssey, the most epic of
"In the US we struggle epics, in order to tell the story of the
with sitting in the in- collective loss, strength, and humanity of
between." refugees.
Through Anon’s journey we witness unspeakable acts of cruelty and earth-shattering

moments of beauty. Through it all we follow him as he searches for home only to discover
with him that home is not what we thought it was but is always on the border, on the crossing,
in the place in between. Home is who we carry with us on our journey.
~ Dr. Shannon Walsh

LSU
School of Theatre
PLAYWRIGHT NAOMI IIZUKA

Naomi Iizuka has written at least a dozen plays and has received many awards for her work,
some of which include 17 Reasons (Why), Polaroid Stories, and Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls.
Her plays have been produced by Actors Theatre of Louisville, Tectonic Theatre, the
Edinburgh Festival, and many more. Her works have been published in a variety of
publications including TheatreForum, American Theatre Magazine, and TCG. Ms. Iizuka has
been commissioned by the Guthrie Theater, Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Kennedy
Center, and many other prestigious theatrical institutions. She has received numerous awards
for playwriting and currently teaches at University of California, Santa Barbara. She received
her M.F.A. from the University of California at San Diego and her bachelor's degree from
Yale University.
"My name is Naomi

Ms. Iizuka spoke with the San Diego Union- Iizuka and I'm from a lot
Tribune in an interview titled "Our of different places."
Immigrant Story." Ms. Iizuka shared that she
is from "a lot of different places" including
Japan (where she was born), Jakarta, and
Amsterdam. Her family eventually came to
the United States when she was in the first
grade.
She also shared, "My son gives me hope for

what it means to be American. I think he and
his generation represent the best of us in
terms of a country that has a lot of different
traditions and a lot of different influences."
School of Theatre
SYNOPSIS
SCENES 1-9
At the start of the play, Anon is alone, beginning a
story he struggles to remember. A Chorus of Refugees
join him, telling their own stories, but Anon cannot
remember his. Naja, a goddess, tells him to “Begin in
the middle" and Anon starts describing a war.
Nemasani, Anon's mother, appears singing an ancient
song and Anon attempts to speak to her. He is
separated from her by an explosion of white light that
transports the story to the sewing factory of Mr. Yuri
Mackus.
Senator Laius, with his wife Helen, are showsn the

factory by Mr. Mackus who hires immigrants and refugees, one of which is Nemasani. She sews a
shroud that she shares is for her recently deceased son and refuses Mr. Mackus, who desires to marry
her, until she is finished with it. She shares a little of her story with Helen Laius, and the story shifts
focus to Anon who broods in the company of a young woman, Calista, on an American beach. Anon
longs to sail away from this place, but Calista insists it is his home.
Calista and Anon argue until Naja appears and invites

him into the ocean and they leave a frustrated Calista
behind. WIn the middle of the ocean, Anon belives he
knows Naja from somewhere, but cannot remember.
She tries to remind him and the two characters kiss,
after which she warns Anon that he must focus on his
survival of the storm as rising waves separate them.
Returning to Nemasani in the sewing factory, everyone

has gone home except for her and Mrs. Laius, who is
still listening to Nemasani's story. Senator Laius
returns with Mr. Mackus and Mr. & Mrs. Laius leave.
Mr. Mackus forcefully makes advances toward
Nemasani, who slaps him and threatens him with the
wrath of the gods, after which he exits and the story
transitions to a city somewhere in the US. Naja sets a radio down in an alleyway, Nasreen enters
taking out trash from a restaurant, and Anon emerges from the dumpster. Nasreen inquires about
Anon's name, to which he answers "Koo Ri" after the Curry he has been eating from the garbage. Ali,
Nasreen’s blind father, comes outside and invites Anon in to eat.
LSU
School of Theatre
SYNOPSIS
SCENES 10-25
Inside, Anon meets Ritu, the cook and is dared to eat a
very hot pepper, which he eats without a problem. Ritu
becomes suspicious of Anon and attempts to get more
of Anon's story out of him. Throughout the scene, Ali
and Ritu's story share similarities to Anon's, which he
still cannot remember and Naja appears, encouraging
him again to “Begin at the place in between.” Anon is
transported to his past where war ensues and he
remembers the details and chaos of what he had
forgotten, including the storm, his mother, and a
refugee named Pascal, a refugee who rescued Anon.
Pascal also asks Anon his name, to which Anon
answers Lan. The two boys escape a tunnel and ride atop a boxcar of a passing train, speaking of
dreams and hopes until they arrive at Mr. Zyclo's meat warehouse. Here, the boys begin to work for
Mr. Zyclo, but Pascal disappears mysteriously and Anon escapes.
He comes to an open area split by a freeway where he meets Ignacio and his daughter Belen, then
hitches a ride with Strygal, a truck driver, who turns out to be transporting refugees in the back of his
truck. Anon fights with Strygal and the Chorus of
Refugees become ghosts in the process. Anon then
encounters the ghosts of Ignacio, Strygal, and Belen,
but none will talk to him. Pascal appears and tells his
story, then the of Chorus Refugees return and Anon
joins them, calling himself Anonymous, after which he
is transported as in earlier in the play.
Anon finishes recounting his story and is once again

sitting amongst Ritu, Ali, and Nasreen who have been
listening. Ritu recalls a sweatshop she once worked at
and thinks Anon's mother may be there. Back at the
factory, Mr. Mackus is angry with Nemasani, insisting
that they will be married imminently, but Anon enters
and fights with him "like ancient warriors." Anon wins
burying Mr. Mackus in a mountan of clothing and the stories of the Refugees are heard coming from
outside. The play ends with Nemasani and Anon eating take-out on the roof of the factory as she
listens to Anon tell his life story to her.
School of Theatre
THE CHARACTERS
ANON
Anon is a teenage refugee, who is searching for his
mother who he was separated from during a storm at
sea. He struggles to remember his past and wanders
from place to place on a dreamlike journey to find a
sense of home, hopeful to find his mother. Anon is
lost, tired, and heartbroken, but presses on with hope,
grit, and resilence in spite of the danger that comes his
way. Anon is a shape-shifting survivor who will stop it
nothing to reunite with his mom, based on the
character of Odysseus, from Homer’s The Odyssey.
NEMASANI
Nemasani, Anon's mother and fierce survivor, is a
refugee living in the US, working at a sewing
sweatshop. She believes Anon died in a storm that
shipwrecked them at sea and sews a shroud in his
memory that she uses to keep her boss from marrying
her. She is lusted after by her boss and eventually
Anon finds and protects her from her boss, but she
does not believe Anon is who he claims to be.
Nemasani is based on Penelope from Homer’s The
Odyssey, and the her name “derives from 'Mnemosyne',
the goddess of memory and mother of muses.”
NAJA
Naja is a goddess who appears as a girl and moves
through the world effortlessly. She is powerful, smart,
and kind and first appears to Anon as a surfer, Naja is
greatly invested in Anon’s voyage and remains
throughout a constant and reliable guide. She can be
confrontational and direct, but her demeanor remains
poised and tranquil, fully in control. Naja is based on
the Goddess Athena, from Homer’s The Odyssey and
her name is "a Sanskrit word referring to the spirit of
earth who protected Buddha during a terrible storm."
LSU
School of Theatre
THE CHARACTERS
MR. YURI MACKUS
Mr. Yuri Mackus is the owner and manager of a US
sweatshop where he hires female immigrants and
refugees. He believes his factory to be “the first stop
on the way to the American Dream”, differing from
what his employees would say about the terrible place.
He is aggressive and abusive with little regard for the
individual. He is impatient, lewd, and controlling,
When he discovers that Nemasani has been tricking
him, he becomes enraged and violent, but is
annihilated by Anon. He is based on Penelope’s
Suitors from Homer’s The Odyssey.
NASREEN
Nasreen is a teenage refugee, daughter of refugee
parents from India. She works at her parent's restaurant
and has a bold, curious, and gentle personality. She
finds Anon in the alleyway behind her parent's
restaurant and boldly announces that she is not afraid
and strong enough to protect herself. They quickly
become friends and Nasreen, upon hearing Anon's
story, is hopeful that his mother is alive somewhere in
the city. She is helpful and welcoming to Anon and is
based on Nausicaa, Princess of Phaeacia, in Homer’s
The Odyssey.
PASCAL
Pascal is a West African refugee who came to the US
to escape his dangerous homeland where his family
was murdered. He is tough and experienced in the
city's underworlds, but remains good-natured. He
helps Anon who struggles in the big city and acts as a
friend and guide. Pascal teaches Anon how to survive,
but his ego is also his flaw as it leads them into a
dangerous workplace that ends in Pascal's tragic death.
He later appears to Anon as a ghost, tells him his
story, and asks Anon to remember him.
School of Theatre
THE CHARACTERS
ALI & RITU
Ali and Ritu are an Indian immigrant couple, parents to Nasreen, who own and
operate a restaurant in a city somewhere in the US. Ali is friendly and warm to
Anon whereas Ritu is careful and wary of him, questioning him with great
suspicion, but ultimately softening to his story and telling him of the sweatshop
she believes is mother to be at. These characters are based on Arete and
Alcinous, King and Queen of Phaeacia, in Homer’s The Odyssey.
SENATOR & HELEN LAIUS

Senator Laius is a politician in America, with his wife Helen. He doesn't
contribute much to conversation, unlike his wife Helen who, out of curiosity
speak with women in the Sewing Factory, ultimately revealing a sympathetic,
but shallow, privileged character underneath her beautiful appearance. These
characters are based on Menelaus, King of Sparta Helen of Troy, from Homer’s
The Iliad and The Odyssey.
CALISTA
Calista is daughter to a wealthy, influential man who own a tropical, beachfront
home somewhere in the US. She is bratty, immature, hot-headed, and careless, a
stereotype "rich girl" who gets what she wants whenvever she wants. She saved
Anon when he washed ashore her father's private beach, but uses that to try to
guilt-trip him into doing things for her. Her character is based on the nymph
Calypso, from Homer’s The Odyssey.
MR. ZYCLO, HIS PET BIRD, & STRYGAL

Mr. Zyclo is a butcher who runs a disturbing warehouse “out in the boonies” of
the US. He has one good eye who appears sophisticated, but is truly vile. He
keeps a pet bird that resents him for keeping her locked up and a son, Strygal a
truck driver and human trafficker, who he also has a strenuous relationship
with, is also a dangerous and crude person. Mr. Zyclo is based on Polyphemus
the Cyclops from Homer’s The Odyssey.
IGNACIO & BELEN

Ignacio and Belen are refugees from Central America en route to the US.
Ignacio accompanies Belen as a silent ghost who died years ago, guiding his
alive, preteen daughter Belen on her journey. She is hopeful and kind, yet
mature and determined. They meet Anon on the road and travel for a short time
together.
LSU
School of Theatre
THE CHARACTERS
SERZA
Serza works at a sleazy dive bar in a city somewhere in the US. She is talkative
and jovial, and at first unsure about serving Anon, but eventually pities him and
brings him water. She tries to get him to relax and dance with her, to which
Anon senses precariousness and leaves. Her character is based on Circe in
Homer’s The Odyssey.
SEWING LADIES
The Sewing Ladies that work in Mr. Mackus' sewing factory are immigrants and
refugees who work alongside Nemasani. One is outspoken and cunning,
answering the questions of Senator Laius and his wife, Helen on their tour of
the factory. The other is silent and perceptive who spies on Nemasani and
betrays her coworker to Mr. Mackus, to gain approval from him.
NICE AMERICAN FAMILY

The Nice American Family includes a Nice American Father, Mother, and
Daughter, suggested as the picture-perfect American family. They adopt Anon
who washes ashore on their private beach. They attempt to make Anon blend in
with their very "white-bread" American lifestyle, but ultimately fail. This
family appears briefly in a montage and are suggested to actually be Senator
Laius, his wife Helen, and Calista according to the play's cross-casting.
BARFLIES
The Barflies heavily drink at a counter of the dive bar in a city somewhere in
the US and dance without speaking any dialogue. Their function is atmospheric.
They may be based on the enchanted animals populating the island of Circe in
Homer’s The Odyssey, or creatures of the Underworld.
CHORUS OF REFUGEES
The Chorus of Refugees represent the numerous people who leave their war-
torn countries or places that have been destroyed by natural disaster. They tell
stories of their homelands throughout the play and appear in the action of the
play as immigrants hidden in Strygal’s truck who die when the truck crashes.
They also play Shadows and people of the city tunnels and alleyways, which
represents the Island of the Lotus Eaters from Homer’s The Odyssey.
School of Theatre
IMMIGRATION FACTS/TRIVIA
1. Most scientists believe that human beings first came to America over the Bering Straits about
__________ years ago. A) 800 Years Ago B) 9,000 Years ago C) 20,000 Years ago
2. In the late 1700s, the first Census of the US took place. Of the 3.9 million counted, Native
Americans were included. True or False?
3. Although many new immigrants came in pursuit of a dream, nearly all the Irish immigrants from
the 1840's and 1850's came to escape a nightmare - a ________. A) War B) Famine C) Plague
4. The first Naturalization Act stated that only people who were white could become a citizen of the
United States. True or False?
5. Between 1880 and 1930, over _________ people entered the United States - about 12 million
through Ellis Island. A) 27 Million B) 17 Million C) 7 Million
6. The US Republican platform of 1864 stated, "Foreign immigration which in the past has added so
much to the wealth, resources, and increase of power to the nation…should be fostered and
encouraged." True or False?
"In 1986, the government gave amnesty to more than 3 million aliens through the Immigration
Reform Act, but during the recession years of the early 90s, there was a resurgence of anti-
immigrant feeling.
Still, immigration rates through the 1990s soared, leaving today's generation with lingering
questions: Does America have a duty to keep its doors open to the world? Can immigrants keep
their own culture and language, and still be called Americans? Is continued economic growth in
America dependent upon a liberal immigration policy? The debates will certainly continue, as new
immigrants arrive on our shores daily, bringing with them their own histories, traditions, and ideas,
all of which broaden and enrich our sense of what it means to be an American." (Immigration).
Answers: C, False, B, True, A, True

LSU
School of Theatre
THEMES
THE IN-BETWEEN
There are many themes in Naomi Iizuka's Anon(ymous). One that repeats is this idea of
"THE IN-BETWEEN." This is a metaphor for the experience of many refugees,
feeling torn between two places, their home country and where they've taken refuge,
and struggle to settle into one place over the other. What feels like "the in-between" to
you?
IDENTITY
Understanding one's own IDENTITY is another theme presented in the play. Anon
struggles to remember or chooses to hide his true identity, seemingly because he
struggles to know exactly what it is and as a way of protecting himself from the
dangers of the world around him. Identity discovery is a life-long journey. What is
something you recently learned about yourself?
FALSE APPEARANCES
Another theme found in Anon(ymous) is the use of FALSE APPEARANCES.
Characters will appear kind and safe, then turn out to have malicious intent. Other
characters are foreign or unknown, and turn out to be trustworthy and kind. This theme
questions when people judge a person by their appearance. What a person says and
does is far more valuable for making an evaluation of their character than appearances;
appearances can be deceiving and manipulated. What is something about a person you
can't tell just by looking at them?
HOME
One more major theme in the play is identifying and finding a sense of HOME. For
some, home is a place, for others, it's a feeling, and for others, it's relationships with
others. Anon's great journey is a discovery of what "home" means to him and grasping
that home as best he can. What does home mean to you?
Where I come from is

far away from here.
School of Theatre
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
BEFORE SHOW
• Have you ever travelled outside your own city? State?
Country?
I disappeared.
• If you could travel anywhere, where would you vsit?
I became invisible.
• Do you have ancestors that immigrated to the US? If
I ran away.
yes, where did they come from? 1 escaped.
• What do you know about immigration in the United I shed my skin.
States? What do you have questions about? I changed my name.
• Why do you think refugees leave their home country? I became
What are important parts of an epic story? Anonymous.
•
My name is
• Where or what does "home" mean to you?
Anonymous.
AFTER SHOW
• Do you know anyone like any of the characters in
Anon(ymous)? Which ones?
• Why do you think Anon never reveals his true
identity? Have you ever concealed your identity?
• What characters do you empathize with or not
empathize with and why?
• Do you think Nemasani believes Anon is her son at
the end of the play? Why or why not?
• What do you think Anon's objective is in the play and
do you think he accomplishes it? How so?
• What could you do to support and protect those who
are currently immigrants and refugees in the US?
LSU
School of Theatre
ACTIVITY: WRITE YOUR STORY

Anon(ymous) by Naomi Iizuka is based on Homer's The Odyssey, following the thrilling, gut-wrenching, and
sometimes terrifying journey of the main character, Anon – Odysseus in Homer's classic tale. This journey
resembles a well-known story structure used by novelists, playwrights, and screenwriters everywhere called
The Heroe's Journey.
Ordinary World
The Return
with the Call to
Elixir Adventure
The Refusal of
Resurrection the Call
Ordinary World
---
- ---
The Road Back
(to the
Ordinary World) •
-- -
~
"' --------4~--
j
---
-
Meeting the
Mentor
The Reward Special World

Crossing the
(Seizing the
Threshold
Sword)
The Ordeal
Tests, Allies,
(Death & Rebirth)
Approach the Enemies
Innermost Cave
Imagine if your life were like an epic journey for which you are the main character. What characters would
guide you? Who would play the villain? What is your objective and do you ever achieve it? Think about a
big moment or memory in your life. It could be an impactful event, it could be a memorable trip, or it could
be a day that went from ordinary to not-so-ordinary unexpectedly.
On the next two pages, fill in each of the stages with your story. Page 17 breaks down what each stage
means. Use your story as inspiration and feel free to imagine beyond what really happened; what was the call
to adventure? How did you refuse? Who was your mentor? Use this as an outline to write out your own epic
journey!
School of Theatre

TITLE ____________________________________________________________
AUTHOR _________________________________________________________
_______________
_________
_________ ________
_________ ________
________
_________ _________
_________ _________
_________ Ordinary World _________
_________
_________
_________
~..,
"' j
_____
_ _________
_________
_________
Special World
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________ _________
_________
_________ _________
_________
SETTING _________________________________________________________
CHARACTERS ____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
LSU
School of Theatre

So What do these different stages mean? Let's break each one down briefly so you can write you own story!
ORDINARY WORLD - ACT 1

ORDINARY WORLD: Where the Hero exists before the journey begins, unaware of the impending story
about to unfold. This is often a stage full of exposition and familiarizing us with their "everyday life."
CALL TO ADVENTURE: When the Hero receives a call to action and the adventure begins. Whatever
happens in this stage, it threatens to disrupt the norm, presenting a problem that only the hero can solve.
REFUSAL OF THE CALL: Before the Hero is eager, they first face their fear. In this stage, the hero resists
the journey due to self doubt, willful ignorance, or other uncertainties.
MEETING THE MENTOR: A turning point for the Hero. A mentor enters the story to empower and guide
them to the threshold of their adventure.
SPECIAL WORLD - ACT II

CROSSING THE THRESHOLD: Newly emboldened, the Hero crosses from the Ordinary World into the
Special World. This can be physical or non-physical; it is when the Hero accepts the call to adventure.
TESTS, ALLIES, ENEMIES: This is usually the longest portion of the story. The Hero is faced with
obstacles, hurdles, and challenges that test their will and strength and learn who they can and cannot trust.
APPROACH THE INNERMOST CAVE: At this stage, the Hero faces a danger or internal conflict they
have yet to deal with until now. As they approach the ordeal, they must make preparations for the conflict.
THE ORDEAL (DEATH & REBIRTH): A great conflict or battle that the Hero must overcome in order to
survive and earn the reward. Here, they must "die" in order to be "reborn" with greater power or insight.
THE REWARD (SEIZING THE SWORD): Once the Hero overcomes the ordeal or defeats their enemy,
through their rebirth comes their reward. They are transformed and emerge victorious, often with a prize.
THE ROAD BACK (TO THE ORDINARY WORLD): A reverse of the Call to Adventure where the Hero
must cross back into the ordinary world with their reward.
THE ORDINARY WORLD - ACT III

THE RESURRECTION: The Climax, the big final fight, or the final challenge in which the Hero uses what
they've learned to protect the reward and return home safely.
THE RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR: The Hero returns to the ordinary world with their reward and a new,
changed self, forevermore.
LSU
School of Theatre
SOURCES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
"What do you have to

– Cohn-Eichner, Eleanor. "Overview," Stage Agent, https://stage
lose? There's no way to agent.com/shows/play/10722/anonymous.
know unless you go and
see." – Iizuka, Naomi. Anon(ymous), Playscripts, 2007.
– "Immigration Timeline." The Statue of Liberty―Ellis Island
Foundation, Inc, https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/
immigration-timeline.
– "Naomi Iizuka," Playscripts.com, https://www.playscripts.com/
playwrights/bios/105.
– "Our Immigrant Story: Naomi Iizuka | San Diego Union-
Tribune," Youtube, uploaded by The San Diego Union-
Tribune, 14 Sep 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=1sNBhM5_d44.
– Vogler, Christopher. "Excepts from Myth and the Movies,
Stuart Voytilla," 1 June 2003, pp. 2. https://www.tlu.ee/
~rajaleid/montaazh/Hero%27s%20Journey%20Arch.pdf.
– Photos provided by Canva.com
FURTHER READING
– Interview with the Playwright: Hebert, James. "For theater
artist and educator Naomi Iizuka, ‘America is much bigger
than this little pool I grew up in," 16 Sept 2018. https://www.
sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/theater/sd-et-fall-
arts-theater-naomi-iizuka-20180822-story.html
- How to Support Immigrant Students: Stoltzfus, Kate. "What
Schools Can Do for Immigrant Students," ASCD, November
2019. http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-
update/nov19/vol61/num11/What-Schools-Can-Do-for-
Immigrant-Students.aspx

an_study_guide

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

an_study_guide

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY PRESENTS

DIRECTOR'S NOTES – 4 THEMES – 13

THE PLAYWRIGHT – 5 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS – 14

PLAY SYNOPSIS – 6 WRITING ACTIVITY – 15

THE CHARACTERS – 8 SOURCES & FURTHER READING – 18

STUDY GUIDE DESIGNED BY TIFFANY GILLY-FORRER

"Begin in the middle

OUR PRODUCTION (CONT'D)

"You dream the face

NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR

In the US we struggle with sitting in the in-

Through Anon’s journey we witness unspeakable acts of cruelty and earth-shattering

~ Dr. Shannon Walsh

PLAYWRIGHT NAOMI IIZUKA

"My name is Naomi

She also shared, "My son gives me hope for

Senator Laius, with his wife Helen, are showsn the

Calista and Anon argue until Naja appears and invites

Returning to Nemasani in the sewing factory, everyone

Anon finishes recounting his story and is once again

SENATOR & HELEN LAIUS

MR. ZYCLO, HIS PET BIRD, & STRYGAL

IGNACIO & BELEN

NICE AMERICAN FAMILY

Answers: C, False, B, True, A, True

Where I come from is

ACTIVITY: WRITE YOUR STORY

The Reward Special World

ACTIVITY: WRITE YOUR STORY

ACTIVITY: WRITE YOUR STORY

ORDINARY WORLD - ACT 1

SPECIAL WORLD - ACT II

THE ORDINARY WORLD - ACT III

"What do you have to

You might also like