The Velveteen Rabbit Dramaturgy

Pompous

• -  Page 1, “THE DOCTOR: from time to time, comically pompous.”

• -  Affectedly and irritatingly grand, solemn, or self-important.

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Victorian

• -  Page 3, “A Victorian-style country house and garden.”

• The Victorian Era is British history between 1820 and 1914. Named after Queen Victoria, because her reign was from 1837 - 1901 and is characterized by a class-based society.

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Bureau

• -  Page 3, “There is a bureau L of the hallway door and a closet L of the bureau.”

• -  A chest of drawers; a dresser.

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Hillocks

• -  Page 3, “There are hillocks and hidey-holes, bushes, and undergrowth...”

• -  A small hill or mound.

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Scarlet Fever

• -  Page 4, “Nana: Tommy and Mary and a lot of other children have scarlet fever.”

• -  An illness caused by bacteria that results in bright red rashes over majority of the body, a

  sore throat, and a high fever. Often stems from strep throat but can develop on its own.

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Fortissimo

• -  Page 10, “As the roar reaches fortissimo, the lid flies open...”

• -  A term in music for very loud. Often used as a direction for how the music’s score should

  be played.

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Patchwork

• -  Page 11, “With, MOUSE’s help, BULKA, a patchwork rag puppy...”

• -  The craft of sewing together many small pieces of cloth with different designs, colors,

  and textures.

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Frayed

• -  Page 11, “...rag puppy with multi-colored ears and a tail made of frayed bundles of...”

• -  Damaged, weakened, or worn down by strain or irritation.

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Sawdust

• -  Page 14, “MOUSE: Feels like he’s stuffed with sawdust!”

• -  Powdery particles of wood produced by sawing.

 

Papier-mâché

• -  Page 15, “I’m made of the best papier-mâché and covered...”

• -  A mixture of paper and glue that becomes hard when dry.

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Resolute

• -  Page 17, “MOUSE (marching resolutely toward the bed)

• -  Firm determination.

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Velveteen

• -  Page 19, “...nobody else in the toy box is made of velveteen.”

• -  A cotton fabric that resembles velvet but is not velvet.

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Astride

• -  Page 23, “He is astride the Skin Horse.”

• -  With one leg on each side, riding a horse.

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Deteriorate

• -  Page 27, “The CREATURE begins another roar, but it deteriorates rather...”

• -  To become impaired in quality, functioning or condition.

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Knickknacks

• -  Page 27, “...and a variety of kitchen knickknacks topped off with...”

• -  A small item intended to be an ornament but used for decoration.

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Sneer

• -  Page 28, “MOUSE: He’s just so...(Searches for a word, finds it, sneers.)...different.”

• -  To smile or laugh with facial contortions that express scorn or contempt.

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Wind chimes

• -  Page 30, “There is a sudden breeze, the sound of wind chimes, and the echoing...”

• -  A cluster of small often sculptured pieces of metal or glass suspended to make noise

  when blown by wind.

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Pulsate

• -  Page 34, “The closet interior glows and pulsates with red light...”

• -  To throb or move rhythmically.

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Obscured

• -  Page 44, “He is obscured by great piled of quilts...”

• -  To conceal or hide by as if by covering.

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Spectacles

• -  Page 44, “The DOCTOR wears spectacles, a frock coat, a high silk hat...”

• -  A device used to correct vision.

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Frock Coat

• -  Page 44, “The DOCTOR wears spectacles, a frock coat, a high silk hat...”

• -  A knee-length double-breasted coat.

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Crabcake

• -  Page 48, “DOCTOR: Crabcake?”

• -  A patty of flaked crab meat typically served fried with tomato sauce.

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Abrupt

• -  Page 61, “RABBIT 2: Let’s get out of here. (They start an exit R, then stop abruptly.)

• -  Action or change without preparation or warning; sudden and unexpected.

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Deliberate

• -  Page 62, “(She turns toward the hillock and then very deliberately crosses to it, moves around behind it.)”

• -  To think about carefully.

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Ominous

• -  Page 69, “There is an ominous growling and burbling sound.”

• -  Foreshadowing evil. Synonyms: Sinister, ill, threatening.

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Alcove

• -  Page 71, “The U window alcove comes to life with...”

• -  A small section of a room.

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Sheer

• -  Page 71, “TOY FAIRY appears behind the sheer curtains...”

• -  A very thin or transparent texture.

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Vapor

• -  Page 74, “A thick red vapor pours down the walls, pooling on the floor.”

• -  A diffused matter, such as smoke or fog, suspended floating in the air.

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Dissipate

• -  Page 74, “The red vapor thins and begins to dissipate.”

• -  To spread thin and gradually vanish.

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Burlap

• -  Page 75, “DOCTOR enters from the hallway, carrying a large burlap sack with a

  drawstring.”

• -  A heavy plain-woven fabric usually of hemp used for bagging and wrapping.

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Raggedy

• -  Page 76, “DOCTOR: And we must throw that raggedy little rabbit away, too!”

• -  Messy, torn, looking a little dirty.

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Gladstone

• -  Page 78, “Even your big gladstone bag!”

• -  A suitcase with flexible sides on a rigid frame that opens flat into two equal

  compartments.