The Sandpiper

Matilda Lund

Matilda is a 2nd year junior at Interlochen Arts Academy. She is playing the role of Sandpiper in this production of The Birds. Her passions include Acting, singing, stage management, and philosophy. Matilda’s favorite role has been Miss Tottendale in Interlochen Arts Camp’s production of Drowsy Chaperone. She hopes our show can educate the audience about colonization, indigenous prejudice, and how our temptation can lead to downfall. She also hopes the audience can find what it means to be truly happy and at peace with their lives. A big thanks to the amazing design team, the wonderful stage managers, the determined director, and the supportive cast.

Costume Concept

Katherine Painting

Before and After Project

Throughout the process of The Birds Matilda discovered that the Sandpiper would be a caretaker for children as her role in the land of the birds. So, her Before and After Project she decided to write two nursery rhymes. One that described the joys of birds and the other that shows the destructiveness of human nature.

Before

A little Gully walks on the beach,

she turns around and hears a great screech,

a sandpiper scurrying across the sand,

always looking to give a helping hand,

what does the bird say (Eeee, Eeee! )

What does the bird say? (Repeat, repeat)

A little Gully finds a castle,

she sees the hoopoe, that little rascal,

you tell his story, his face goes pink,

he tells you it’s all a coinkydink,

and what does that bird say (who who, who who)

What does the bird say? (Repeat, repeat)

A little gully hears a song

It makes her feel like she belongs

A nightingale so wise and sweet

There’s no one here who could compete

What does does the bird say ( ah ah ah)

What does that bird say (repeat repeat)

A little gully finds a school,

the teachers and owl calm and cool,

She cracks a joke but outta luck

The owls boo her sorry butt

What does the bird say (booo booo)

What does the bird say (repeat, repeat)

A little gully finds a tree

But someone’s staring down at thee

Our fearless guardian strong and bold

Her names the osprey gully’s been told

What does that bird say (OW, OW)

What does the bird say (repeat, repeat)

A little gully finds a pond

She hopes that she might see a swan

But something flies into her face

A goose protecting his rightful place

What does the bird say (honk, honk)

What does the bird say (repeat, repeat)

A little gully covers her ears

She heard a noise in which she fears

A single crow with 3 ravens cruel

They hope that gully has a jewel

What does the bird say (caw caw)

What does the bird say? (Repeat repeat)

A little gully sees something familiar

A bird that looks very similar

To a meal she bought not long ago

A duck that hung in a shop window

What does the bird say (quack quack)

What does the bird say (repeat repeat)

A little gully sits to rest

Some food is shoved in front of her chest

A happy robin offering

A feast to serve a hungry king

What does the bird say (twee twee)

What does the bird say (repeat repeat)

After

A little human finds a wood

They chop it down they see no good

They use machines all day and night

To give us birds an awful fright

And they don’t care what harm they cause

They say it is to please the gods

A little human sees another

They call them by their sister or brother

But the second there’s struggle they turn there back

And focus on the things they lack

And they don’t care what others feel

As long and their family has a meal

A little human grasps for power

For every cent and every tower

They work without any play

But that won’t keep the sadness away

And they don’t care what time they waste

As long as money is shoved in their face

A little human thinks their big

But really they’re all a bunch of pigs

Without kindness and empathy

Or saving even one small tree

They threaten the world that makes us whole

So question the things that you are told

Bird Research

Sandpipers

Introduction

Sandpipers are part of the large family (Scolopacidae) with 98 species of waders or shorebirds. They are birds that fend for themselves. They can live to be 12 years old.

Food

Sandpipers eat small invertebrates found in mud, sand, or soil. They use their long beaks to get to the food before the competition. Some also run through shallow water with their bill underwater to catch fish.

Description

● Dull,brown plumage

● Sensitive, long, thin bill

● Like to be out in the open but are cheeky and defensive of their space

Location

- Sandpipers are found on beaches of lakes, rivers, and oceans. They are almost always alone or in pairs.

- Different species can be found in different environments including woodland, forests, meadows, and the arctic tundra.

Lineage Research

Viking Lineage

Although I don’t know a lot about my lineage and I do not have test proof of this. I knew my great grandmother moved our family to America from Sweden, and she has said that all our family before came from the same area. So I can only hope that I come from VIKINGS! Since they took over Scandinavia from 800-1500 AD.

History:

The viking age began at the start of 500AD after developing a culture with artifacts found in graves. The vikings set off from Sweden and traveled along the Baltic coats to trade and plunder. This was a violent time between villages. Slaves were owned and doing the household work while the free people trained to be warriors. The viking were born into violence. The vikings were so terrifying to the rest of Eoruope because of their impressive ships and the weakness of the other kingdoms around them. The vikings could do and get whatever they wanted.

Location:

The seafaring Norse people were vikings from southern Scandinavia. I came specifically from the vikings that kept base in Sweden.

Language:

Old Norse

Way of Living:

A vikings way of life was known to be traveling, exploring, trading, stealings, and killing. However the Swedish vikings were known to be the least violent out of the Scandinavians. They kept a low kill count while trading in fair ways.

Higher Power:

The vikings were Pagans and were known to hate the christian church because of multiple attacks on them, but it's most likely that the christian churches were just the wealthiest and that the vikings accepted many gods and would not care about it that much.

Pagans are reliant on nature for food, water, and resources. Nature is believed to be a spiritual being. Ravens were known as messengers between the gods and man. The goddess Joro is the personification of earth and her partner Odin represents wisdom and knowledge. Viking pagans do not kneel or pray before the gods because they consider Joro and Odin to be their ancestors, therefore they simply speak to them as a sister or brother.

Music was a big part of expressing their religion. The music would tell stories of gods that represent aspects of nature. There would be masked dancers, drums, and singers. Vikings praised the gods by having big celebratory feasts. These feasts would consist of sacrificed animals. The purpose of the sacrifice was to ensure fertility and growth. Cult houses were built but they preferred to have the rituals outside by grooves or lakes.

Weapons:

Iron Swords
Bow and arrow
Daggers
Axes
Spears

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